Legation of
the United States,
Peking, March 29, 1892.
(Received May 13.)
No. 1501.]
[Inclosure with No. 1501.]
Mr. Denby to the
Tsuug-li Yamên.
Your Highness and Your Excellencies: The
American consul at Canton has forwarded to me copies of two
proclamations issued by the likin office at that place, offering rewards
for the arrest of some Chinese in the service of foreign firms, for
having made a fraudulent use of transit passes.
Copies of these proclamations which were issued January 26 and February
18, respectively, I have the honor to inclose. Furthermore, complaints
have reached me from Canton that likin was levied on imports sent into
the interior under transit passes as well as an extra lo-ti-shui after
such imports had reached their destination; lastly, a few days ago I
received a telegram from the American consul at Canton informing me that
in consequence of the action of the likin officials and the refusal of
the governor-general to listen to the demands for redress made by the
foreign consuls, the trade under transit passes had entirely ceased and
thus serious harm had been done to the general import trade. With
reference to these facts your highness and your excellencies will allow
me to draw your attention to Section iii,
Article iv of the Chefoo convention, and rule
7 of the convention for the regulation of trade concluded between China
and the United States in 1858, under which Chinese and foreigners alike
are entitled to use transit passes for the transport of imports into the
interior; it is therefore difficult to understand how Chinese could
fraudulently use transit passes for imports to the use of which they are
legally entitled.
The levy of likin on imports under transit passes on their way to the
interior is forbidden by treaty. The action of the likin officials and
the failure of the governor general to grant redress when appealed to by
the consuls must therefore be considered as a serious infraction of the
provisions of the treaties, and will entitle foreign merchants to claim
heavy damages for the hindrances thrown into the way of the import trade
in foreign goods.
In order to avoid such claims and the unpleasant negotiations to which
they would give rise, I have the honor to request your highness and your
excellencies to issue without delay telegraphic instructions to the
governor-general of the two Kuangs to order the likin office to withdraw
the two proclamations above mentioned, as likely to cause the impression
as if the Chinese were forbidden the use of transit passes for imports,
and to cease the levy of illegal taxes on imports protected by transit
passes, either in transitu or after their arrival at their destination
without making a difference on account of the nationality of the persons
possessing and carrying such imports. I must further request your
highness and your excellencies to instruct the governor-general by
telegraph to render public by proclamation the orders thus issued to the
likin office in order to allay the apprehension and incertitude caused
by the latter’s action. I shall at the same time cause the American
consul to forward to me an account of all the losses suffered already or
incurred afterwards by American merchants through the action of the
likin office, for the amount of which losses I must hold the Chinese
Government responsible.
