Minister Rockhill
to the Secretary of State.
American Legation,
Peking, June 13,
1906.
No. 327.]Sir: In continuation of my No. 311 of May 15, I
have the honor to state that on that date, it appearing to me desirable
to secure from the Chinese Government a written statement concerning the
scope of the imperial edict of May 9 appointing the high commissioners
of customs, I addressed a note to the Prince of Ch’ing, a translation of
which is inclosed herewith. On the 17th I received the prince’s reply,
in which he informed me that the newly appointed commissioners had, in
an interview with Sir Robert Hart, informed him that customs affairs in
the future be managed as heretofore. This reply I considered so
unsatisfactory that I did not deem it necessary to communicate it to
you.
I now have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of a note dated the 6th
instant from the chargé d’affaires of Great Britain to the dean of the
diplomatic body, inclosing a translation of a note received by him from
His Highness the Prince of Ch’ing explaining the imperial edict of May
9. The British chargé d’affaires informs the dean in this note that he
has received authorization from his Government to state that it is
satisfied with the contents of the prince’s note.
Of course the question involves not only the whole subject of the
administration of the maritime customs, properly speaking, but also that
of the native customs at the treaty ports, which by the portocol of
September 7, 1901, were placed under the control of the maritime
customs.
Upon receipt of this information from the dean, I telegraphed you on the
7th instant the substance of the prince’s note, as follows:a
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure
1—Translation.]
Mr. Rockhill to
the Prince of Ch’ing.
Your Imperial Highness: On the 9th instant
the following imperial edict was published:
“T’ieh-liang, president of the board of revenue, is hereby appointed
to the post of minister superintendent of customs affairs, and T’ang
Shao-i, junior vice-president of the board of foreign affairs, is
made associate minister of customs affairs. All Chinese and
foreigners employed at any station of the imperial maritime customs
are placed under their control. Respect this.”
On the same day I telegraphed an English translation of the above
edict to my Government, and later I received instructions directing
me to inquire of your imperial highness whether or not there was
contemplated in the issue of this edict any change whatsoever in any
department of the imperial maritime customs.
I have the honor, therefore, to request your imperial highness to
inform me at as early a date as possible what changes, if any, in
the administration of the imperial maritime customs are involved in
the execution of the above edict.
I avail, etc.
[Page 285]
[Inclosure
2—Translation.]
The Prince of Ch’ing
to Mr. Rockhill.
Foreign Office, May
17, 1906.
Your Excellency: On the 15th instant I had
the honor to receive a dispatch from your excellency stating that on
May 9 the following imperial edict was published:
“T’ieh-liang, president of the board of revenue, is hereby appointed,
etc.”
Your excellency then stated that on the same day you telegraphed an
English translation of this edict to your Government, and later
received instructions to inquire whether or not there was
contemplated in the issue of this edict any change whatsoever in any
department of the imperial maritime customs. Would I therefore
inform you at as early a date as possible whether or not any such
change was contemplated?
In reply I have the honor to state that Their Excellencies
T’ieh-liang and T’ang Shao-i have been appointed by their imperial
majesties ministers of customs affairs; that these ministers, T’ieh
and T’ang, have already received the inspector-general of customs,
and in a personal interview have told him that the customs affairs
would be managed as usual. It becomes my duty, therefore, to inform
your excellency of the facts, and request that you transmit the
information to your. Government.
Prince of Ch’ing.
[Inclosure
3—Translation.]
Mr. Carnegie to
M. Baroli.
Monsieur Le Doyen:
The question of the administration of the imperial maritime customs
being one of special interest to the representatives of the powers
at Peking, I have the honor to send you herewith a note, with an
English translation, which I have just received from His Highness
Prince Ch’ing, with regard to the recent edict. I have been
authorized by my Government to declare that it is satisfied with the
assurance contained in this note.
Begging that you will kindly circulate this letter with its
inclosures among our honorable colleagues, I have the honor to
renew, Monsieur le Doyen, the assurance, etc.,
[Subinclosure to inclosure
3.]
The Prince of Ch’ing
to Mr. Carnegie.
Foreign Office, June 1, 1906.
Sir: I had the honor to inform you in a
note of May 27 that the special appointment by China of high
commissioners for the exclusive control (or management) of the
maritime customs made no change in the mode of administration laid
down in the loan agreements. At an interview at the Wai-wu Pu on May
28 you intimated that the terms of this note were not sufficiently
explicit as to China’s intentions and requested a further statement
in the matter.
In the seventh article of the loan agreement of 1896 and in the sixth
article of the loan agreement of 1898 it is stipulated “that the
administration of the Chinese imperial customs shall remain as at
present constituted during the currency of this loan,” and I have
the honor to state that the imperial decree of May 9, specially
appointing high commissioners to control (or manage) revenue
affairs, does not make any change in the method of administration
laid down in the loan agreement.
While communicating the above for your information, I avail,
etc.,
Prince of Ch’ing.
