Sin,—T have already given a general reply to your despatch No. 15, of the 16th of February, and its enclosures, including the answer of the Chamber of Com. merce. Among the correspondence, however, was a letter from an individual member of the mercantile community of Shanghai, forming enclosure No. 2, which is well entitled to farther notice in its special reference to the abuses and difficulties attending the collection of transit dues, the ' Quastio verata" in all the memorials which have been received.
Without adopting all the opinions of the writer, or agreeing in the correctness of some of the premisses on which his conclusions are founded, on this and other subjects discussed, am struck with the impartial spirit in which all the difficulties of the situation ace weighed, and appreciate very highly the breadth of view manifested in his suggestions for a revision of the treaty, in alarge and equitable sense. I think the mercantile body is to be congratulated that there should be one of their number prompt to recognise the fact, so often overlooked, that "for the first time we are about to "right of couquesk; but in the cairnners of peso, reason negotiate a treaty the basis of which is not to be the "and justice, we are about to try and persuade the "Chinese Government to yield those concessions which In a word, we are no longer dictating conditions of "we undertake the responsibility of recommending." peace, but negotiating for reciprocal advantages upon an equal footing. It the mercantile community will keep this steadily in view, much disappointment will avoided.
There is much in Mr. Robertson's views concerning the system of transit dues as established by treaty, its defects, and the abuses to which it has given rise, worthy of careful consideration, And, as nothing is really tore important than a right conclusion on all the points raised, propose to pass in review the leading facts bearing upon the whole question of transit n connection with Mr. Robertson's statements, you may refer the subject to the Chamber of Commerce for their collective opinion.
Late as it is, there is yet time, before any final decision need be taken, to turn to profit any well conside ed scheme by which the chief difficulties may be sal factorily removed. Any revision of the treaty, indeed, which should fail in this, would, in my opinion, fail in the most cardinal point, and could be of little avail for the extension and free development of trade. It is far more important that a revision of the treaty should be satisfactory, than that it should be effected within any specified time. There is nothing, in fact, to limit the period of preliminary examination and negotiation, If, the present condition of the empire, or the existing state of affairs, the obstacles to any satisfactory revision, in the sense of large and practical improvements, should be found insuperable, there is nothing to be gained by hurrying the negotiations to a close. On the Soatrary, L believe it would. be better, in the common interest, to have no revision at all, than to accept such interests and relations practically the same and. with-complete and imperfect results as would leave ort out any material improvement. I have no desire to be a party to any such settlement.
Whether any acceptable revision can be effected ceive, "pon the possibility of finding a satisfactory s0- during the present year, or not, greatly depends, T con-Intion of the difficult questions involved in the system of transit dues, I am still clear in the conviction express
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.