No. 175.
Mr. Angell
to Mr. Blaine.
Legation of
the United States,
Peking, August 28, 1881.
(Received October 24.)
No. 204.]
Sir: In my No. 143 I explained why I thought the
Chinese Government had a right to enforce a rule, long suspended, requiring
junks chartered by foreigners on the Yang-tse River to pay port dues at the
native customs.
However, in interviews with the ministers of the foreign office, I suggested
the inquiry whether the strict enforcement of the rule might not, by
diverting freights to the steamers, work some injury to the local customs
and to the boat owners, and asked them to consider whether they could not
devise some plan by which the frauds complained of could be prevented and
still an opportunity could be afforded for the chartering of junks by
foreigners.
Thereupon they consulted the northern and southern superintendents of trade,
who have made a report. This report is embodied in a communication which I
have received from Prince Kung. It appears that the enforcement of the rule
is not complained of by merchants and is increasing the revenue. It is
therefore decided to keep it in force.
As further information confirms me in the belief that the chartering of junks
by foreigners was largely a dishonest business, intended to defraud the
native customs, I am not disposed to complain of the action of the Chinese
Government.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure in No. 204.]
Prince Kung to Mr.
Angell.
Prince Kung, chief secretary of state for foreign affairs, herewith makes
a commucation:
In the month of May last I received a communication from your excellency
concerning the enforcement of a rule requiring junks chartered by
foreigners on the Yang-tse River to pay port dues at the native
customs.
You said that this rule would work great hardship on the junk owners
without increasing the revenue of the native customs. This office
submitted the question to the consideration of the northern and southern
superintendents of trade, directing them to report thereon. Their report
has now been received in the following terms:
“By the regulations of the board of revenue, junks are required to pay
dues at every
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customs station
which they pass. Before China engaged in trade with foreigners, junk
dues were levied in accordance with this rule. During these many years
the Hankow customs modified the rule and levied junk dues once every
four months; this was a temporary measure. Last year the Chinese customs
were instructed to enforce the sixth article of the rules for trade on
the Yang-tse River. Since the enforcement of the rule there have been no
complaints on the part of the merchants, and a decided benefit is
resulting to the revenue without working any injury to the junk trade.
It is our duty to report a faithful representation of the facts.”
This office finds that the above measure is in accordance with one of the
rules for trade on the Yang-tse River, and as the report says the
revenue will be benefited without injury to trade, it is naturally our
duty to instruct the customs stations to enforce the regulation.
As in duty bound, we send this reply to your excellency’s dispatch.
