TREATY BETWEEN PORTUGAL AND CHINA.
AGREEMENT.
398
The basis of the co-operation to be given to China by Portugal in the collection of duties on opium conveyed from Macao to Chinese ports, having been fixed by a Convention appended to the Treaty of Amity and Commerce, concluded between China and Portugal on the 1st December, 1887, and it being now convenient to come to an understanding upon some points relating to the said co-operation as well as to fix rules for the treatment of Chinese junks, trading with Macao, Bernardo Pinheiro Correa de Mello, Secretary of the Special Mission of His Most Faithful Majesty in Peking, duly authorized by His Excellency Thomas de Souza Roza, Chief of the said Mission, and Sir Robert Hart, K.C.M.G., Inspector-General of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs, provided with the necessary instructions from the Chinese Government, have agreed on the following:-
1.-An office under a Commissioner, appointed by the Foreign Inspectorate of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs, shall be established at a convenient spot on Chinese territory, for the sale of opium duty certificates, to be freely sold to merchants, and for such quantities of opium as they may require. The said Commissioner will also administer the Customs' stations near Macao.
2.-Opium accompanied by such certificates, at the rate of not more than 110 Taels per picul, shall be free from all other imposts of every sort, and have all the benefits stipulated for by the additional article of the Chefoo Convention between China and Great Britain on behalf of opium on which duty has been paid at one of the ports of China, and may be made up in sealed parcels at the option of the purchaser.
3.-The Commissioner of Custom responsible for the management of the Customs' stations shall investigate and settle any complaint made by Chinese merchants of Macao against the Customs' stations or revenue cruisers.
The Governor of Macao, if he deems it advisable, shall be entitled to send an officer of Macao to be present and assist in the investigation and decision. If, how- ever, they do not agree a reference may be made to the Authorities at Peking for a joint decision.
4.-Junks trading between Chinese ports and Macao, and their cargoes, shall not be subject to any dues or duties in excess of those leviable on junks and their cargoes trading between Chinese ports and Hongkong and no dues whatsoever shall be de- manded from junks proceeding to Macao from ports in China, or coming from Macao to ports in China, over and above the dues paid, or payable, at the ports of clearance or destination. Chinese produce which has paid Customs' duties and Likin tax before entering Macao may be re-exported from Macao to Chinese ports without paying Customs' duties and Likin tax again, and will be only subject to the payment of the tax named Siao-hao.
In witness whereof, this agreement has been written in Portuguese and English and signed in duplicate at Peking this the first day of December, 1887.
(Signed)
(Signed)
BERNARDO PINHEIRO CORREA DE MELLO. Secretary of the Special Mission of His Most Faithful Majesty.
SIR ROBERT HART,
Inspector-General of Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs.
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