Office of the Historian

893.51/3234

The Minister in China (Crane) to the Acting Secretary of State

Peking, December 7, 1920.
[Received February 3, 1921.]
No. 594

Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith, as of interest to the Department, copies of Circular No. 239 of the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, regarding translation of a note, which the Dean has received from the Wai Chiao Pu, proposing that the usual deduction of 13.7% from surplus Customs Revenue for the eventual use of the South-Western Provinces should no longer be made.

I have [etc.]

Charles R. Crane
[Enclosure]

The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps (Pastor) to the American Minister (Crane)

Peking, December 3, 1920.
Circular No. 239

The Dean has the honour to circulate herewith to his Honourable Colleagues translation of a Note dated the 2nd instant, which he has received from the Wai Chiao Pu, proposing that the usual [Page 493] deduction of 13.7% from surplus Customs Revenue for the (eventual) use of the South-Western Provinces should no longer be made.

Don Luis Pastor85 is of the opinion that, until unification of North and South is nearer realisation, it would be premature to consent-to this proposal.

[Translation86]

In agreement with His Excellency the Dean

Maugras87

I also agree

Rodrigues Alves88

It seems to follow from the letter of the Wai Chiao Pu that the Ministry of Finance has the intention of giving, or has already given, to the Inspector General of Customs the instructions in question without the previous assent of the diplomatic corps. I am of the opinion that occasion should be taken in the reply which will be given to this letter to call the attention of the Wai Chiao Pu to this fact and to reiterate the principle that the Inspector General may not receive instructions on the subject of the use of the Customs Revenue before an agreement to that effect has been reached between the Chinese Government and the diplomatic corps.

December 4, 1920.

Robert Everts
89
[Subenclosure—Translation]

The Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs (W. W. Ten) to the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps (Pastor)

[Peking,] December 2, 1920.

Monsieur le Doyen: The Chinese Government frequently makes an appropriation of the surplus funds of the Maritime Customs and from each appropriation 13.7% has been deducted by the Inspector General for the use of the Military Government of the South-West. Now the Military Government of the South-West has already been dissolved, as announced by Presidential Mandate promulgated on the 30th day of the 10th month. Consequently whenever the Chinese Government makes further appropriations of surplus Customs Revenue the whole amount should be handed over to the Ministry of Finance and the practice of deducting 13.7% should be cancelled forever. The Ministry of Finance is instructing the Inspector General [Page 494] to act accordingly and it is my duty to address this Note for the information of Your Excellency and to request you to bring the same to the notice of the Ministers of the Powers interested.

[No signature indicated.]
  1. The Spanish Minister and dean of the diplomatic corps in China.↩
  2. Supplied by the editor.↩
  3. Gaston Maugras, the French Chargé in China.↩
  4. J. de P. Rodrigues Alves, the Brazilian Minister in China.↩
  5. Belgian Minister in China.↩