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August 10, 1901:1
last and became a veritable typhoon, as the foroo of the wind was about 10 of Beaufort's Scafe. This outburst of bad weather caused several small damages to Chinese houses and con. siderable damage to the shipping companies' pontoons.
CHINA OVERLAND. TRADE REPORT.
opportunity of expressing their views.
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to understand that you consider the present Recently, your Lordship has given the country crisis as inopportune for a revision of our tariff with China, and that fiscal reform generally must accompany an increase in such tariff.
when's moderate breeze sprang up on Saturday | very interesting communications to L'Indepen- | Commerce had been consulted and had had an dance Tonkinoise, and his election would be very advantageons for all the colonists. But M. Jung runs up against official opposition, and his election is not looked on as certain. Baron d'Estournelles de Constant, deputy for the Sarthe Department, has been solicited by Loveral political friends to accept the important functions of delegate, but his candidature is very problematic. It would, however, be a good one. The most favoured candidate seeras to be Doctor Le Lan. Well known in Annam and Tonkin, he has lived in the latter country more than twelve years. Dr. Le Lan has numeroas friends in the colony, and his election can be held as curtain,
TONKIN NOTES.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Hanoi, 1st August. PUBLIC INSECURITY AND THE POLICE.
Considerable excitement has been caused among the European population here by numerous thefts and murders committed by natives in various parts of the Colony. Recently a most audacious robbery was carried out by armed violence during the night. The house in which this occurred was that of a well-known con- tractor in Hanoi. It is felt that such a state of affairs must be put an end to. The colonial Press attributes its existence to the negligence of the Police and asks for a new and more | effective organisation of the force.
M. DOUMER'S RETURN.
The announcement of the fast approaching return of M. Doumer, Governor-General of French Indo-China, has not yet been com- mented on in the Tonkinese papers. However, it may be said, the promulgation of the law for the construction of the Yunnan railway line is not a very great victory for M. Doumer. The opposition which the colony generally has shown obtains day by day many new adherents, and everybody here disapproves of a Governor who, neglecting the tax-payers' interests, plays only to the gallery, and works only for petly glory.
A MEMORIAL SERVICE.
A funeral ceremony has recently been cele- brated at our cathedral church, in remembrance of General Borgnis-Desbordes, late Commander in-Chief of the Indo-Chinese forces, who died last year in this colony. General Dodds, the present Commander-in-Chief, and his staff, numerous officers, officials and colonists were present. Mgr. Gendron, Bishop of Hanoi, gave general
• absolution.
A MISSION TO YUNNANFU.
Last week, an engineering mission left here for Yunnanfu. The local press announces that this mission has received orders, to return to Hanoi and that it will start again a few days after the return of M. Doumer.
THE COMING EXHIBITION.
The works in connection with the Hanoi 1902 Exhibition are very well advanced. The build. ings will be standing next month and the tout ensemble is already of a very pleasing appearance. The exhibitors will be very numerous. Trade and industries of English possessions near French Indo-China will be very fully represented. The General Commissioner will shortly com- municate the conditions of the exhibition.
THE MURDER OF M. MARTIN.
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THE PRESS AND THE ELECTION.
The Tonkinese Press comments on this im- portant question of our representation. The Courier d'Haiphong and the Reeve Indo- Chinoise go for Joan Hess, whom they call "an inexperienced Dreyfusard." The Petit Tonkinois holds that the Delegate must be chosen from among the colony's inhabitants. On the other band, the Indépendance Tonkinvise believes that a Tonkinese colonist cannot forsake his private business, and that the delegate's functions would preferably be confided to an ex-colonist, who has gone home to France. At all events, overy- body here wishes for a serious, active and experienced delegate, able to appear before Parliament and the Budget Commission, to er- pose the financial, economic, commercial and other necessities of the colony.
M. de Lancssan, Naval Minister and Acting Delegate of Annam and Tonkin, will not be elected again.
It appears to the China League to be a con- tinuation of bad policy in China to throw away, orto blunt the point of, an instrument so service.... able as an increased import tariff must prove in securing reform in fiscal matters generally, and in obtaining an honest observance of our treaty rights. If money is to be raised from now sources to moet the heavy claims of the Continental Powers, there are better means to that ond than increased taxation of (msiuly British) imports, e.g., the assumption of control by the Imperial Maritime Customs over the native junk trade would improve revenue, simplify administration and facilitate trade.
joins with the Shanghai and Hongkong Com
For the above reasons the China League mittees of the China Association in protesting against the proposed effective 5 per cent. tarik without compensating advantages.
I have the honour to be, My Lord,
Your obedient servant, (Signed) A. R. BURKILL,
The Most. Hon.
The MARQUIs of Lansdowne, K.G.
Hon. Secy., China Lengus.
Shanghai Committee to General Committee:
Telegrams.
Shanghai, 22nd May, 1901. Understood British Minister proposes im THE CHINA LEAGUE AND THE | tariff, reserving question further increase until mediate restoration effective 5 per cent. import
TARIFF.
Mr. A. R. Burkhill, Hon. See of the China League, has forwarded to us copies of the fol- lowing correspondence, etc., rela'ing to the Chinese Customs Tariff :--
The China League, 17th June, 1901. My Lord-The Honorary Secretary of the China Association has courteously handed me copies of telegrams which have been addressed to the London Committee of that Association by its Eastern Branches regarding the project of restoring the Chinese Customs tariff to an effective 5 per cent., together with copy of a memorandum examining the circumstances of the case, dated the 2nd June. (Copies en- closed.)
The Committee of the China League wishes to place on record its entire agreement with the Shanghai and Hongkong Committees of the China Association in their objection to any increase in the import tariff at the present moment, and to protest against any concession being made to China in the matter of tariff increase whilst the grievances of British traders
remain unrelieved.
It is admitted in principle that China is entitled, under the treaties, to an effective 5 The Police are making very strenuous per cent. import tariff, but British traders are efforts in the district of Bac-Ninh to dis-equally entitled to an effective and operative cover the murderers of M. Martin, who was 2 per cent. transit duty, which shall froe their recently assassinated, as you have already merchandise from “all further charges whatso- reported M. de Mahé, the Bac-Ninh Resident, ever," and to other rights obtained in treaties and several mandarins will certainly be out of and conventions which China has nullified in favour. Their responsibility is very much practico. compromised by the affair and the local Press generally demands their disgrace or their removal elsewhere.
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE COLONY.
Next October there will take place here tho elections for the representation of Anuam and Tonkin. We already know the naines of several candidates :-M. Depincé, ex- resident; M. Jean Hess, Manager of the Magasine Coloniale et du Voyage; M. Jung, ex-official and now a colonist; and Doctor Le Lan, officer of the Academy and Hanoi Muni- cipal Councillor.
M. Depince left here very excellent memories, and his candidateship, supported by the Colonial Union, has favourable chances. M. Jean Hess, well-known since, the Jukanthor, affair, is not very favourably regarded by the colonists. He has not spared enough in his review: M. Hem is sharply criticised by the Tonkinses -papers and his defeat is, certain. Mr. Jung, now on a holiday in Paris, conducts in the, press of the capital city a vigorous polomio against M. Doumer's policy. Mr. Jang has just addressed
The one claim is as incontestable us the other. The China League, however, denies the justice of China's (claim to her treaty right of an effective 5 por cont. import tariff, so long as other obligations towards foreign trade in the Tientsin Treaty remain unfulfilled.
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Clause II protocol considered. Maintain protest (against) any meddling tariff (for) reason contained (in) recent telegrams.
Hongkong Committee to General Committee:
Hongkong, 1st June, 1901. Hongkong deprecates proposed effective 5 per cent. tariff without compensating advanta ges. Strongly supports Shanghai telegram.
The following are the telegrams referred to :--- Shanghai Committee to General Committee:
Shanghai, 4th April, 1901. certain Powers propose international guarsu- Re indemnity, there is every reason to believe teed loan secured (by) simple process of draatio tariff increase. Strongest possible protest should be made, as, although increased tarifi admissible, such hasty solion (in) treatment tariff destroys only available lever redress expansion. Should bring pressure to bear present grievances, besides menacing trade Chins (to) provide service indemnity from existing sources native revenue which (if) honestly collected, known capable adequate expansion. Present conference eleven Ministers (several of whom represent no commercial interests), eminently unsuited settle complex
for commercial questions which should be reserved
future settlement, later, by leading commercial Powers.
Shanghai, 3rd May, 1901. Re our wire of 4th April, we understand that, England, America, Japan excepted, the Powers (are still) urging the immediate increase import tariff basis 10 per cent. Question refer- red Home Governments. We" request you urgently repeat protest.
Memorandum04.
Further, revision of the tariff to be satisfac- tory must be exhaustive, well-considered and inspires these telegrams. One naturally objects It is easy to comprehend the feeling which suited to meet the present conditions of trade. The proposed effective 5 per cent, arrangemant indemnities which one disapproves; and there to be made to help pay other people's exonsiva is a mere tinkering with the question. It is logic in the objection to letting go say suggests no remedy for the long standing leverage even the modicum involved in restorn. grievances of foreign and native merchants, it tion of an effective 5 per cent-without exset- attempts no removal of restrictions on trade, iting an equivalant modicum of reform. provides no protection against illegal exactions on merchandise in transit. It simply gives the Imperial Government about 4,000,0.0 taels per sunum for the asking, and defers sine die the whole question of revision and reform.
In 1896, when Li Hung-chang proposed doub. ling the existing tariff, Lord Salisbury amured the foreign commercial community in China, that no increase in the tariff would be agreed to by H.B.M.'s Government until the Chambers of
China would, in seerns to me, have an incontest- If one were dealing with an ordinary State,
ible right to the inersees. The schedule of values attached to the tready is not fixed and integral portion of it. It simply · expressed a temporary fact, and has, been Hiable to revision at each recurring decade, If the Chinese Government had been less slovenly and negligent. As it differs widely, from existing facts the Chinson aro cigaziy entitled
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