Office of the Historian

File No. 893.512/56.

Chargé MacMurray to the Secretary of State.

No. 710.]
American Legation,
Peking, July 31, 1915.

Sir: Referring to the despatch No. 683 of July 9 in which the Legation reported the intention of the Diplomatic Body to protest against the Chinese Government permitting certain of its departments and public institutions to endeavor to compel the payment of the Stamp Tax by nationals of the Treaty Powers, I have the honor to enclose a copy of a Diplomatic Circular (No. 67) of the 7th instant, submitting the draft of the protest to be made on this subject by the Dean, which was sent on the 26th instant.

I have [etc.]

J. V. A. MacMurray.
[Inclosure.]

Diplomatic Circular No. 67.

Peking, July 7, 1915.

With reference to Circular No. 58 of June 19, the Dean has the honor to submit herewith for the approval of his Honorable Colleagues the draft of a Note to the Wai Chiao Pu reminding the Chinese Government that the Diplomatic Body cannot recognize the levy of the Stamp Tax on foreigners.

Draft Note from the Dean of the Diplomatic Body to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Peking, July —, 1915.

Sir: On the 18th of September, 1913, the Wai Chiao Pu communicated to the Diplomatic Body the text of the Stamp Tax Law and requested that the Foreign Representatives should accept the same and instruct their respective nationals to comply with its provisions.

After due consideration the Diplomatic Body found that they were unable to comply with this request and this decision was duly communicated to Your Excellency on 28th February, 1914.

The Diplomatic Body have, since been surprised to learn that in spite of this communication, several Chinese Government Departments and Public Institutions are endeavoring by various means to coerce foreigners to pay this tax.

The Foreign Representatives desire therefore, to remind the Chinese Government that they cannot agree to the levy of the stamp tax on foreigners and to request that instructions be issued to all Government Departments and Public Institutions to abstain from all attempts either direct or indirect to force foreigners to pay the tax.