(Received May 3.)
Pehing. March 6, 1886, The position of H.DI. Gousuls in China, both vis d.vis to British commerce and to their foreign colleazuea is very different to that of similar officers in Europe, and I have, while in charge, always gone on the to be efficient and render the in their power to British commerce, they ought not only to report ial matters to the Foreign Gfiice and to H. BE, Legation, but also be on the look-out to show British merchants and and how to take advantage ge, and if necessary to introduce Brit ingly, yet witl discrimination, to the local authorities.
The Earl of Rosebery to Mr. O'Conor, Foreign Office, May 6, 1886, I stated to thi Marquis Tsing that the Convention of which we had to-day o changed the ratifications was a prouf of our good will inasmuch as it added a large sum to the Chinese reve id I hops hat, if El ould be opened to commercial enterprise, the claims of the country would not be forgotten. I was against pressure on other commercial ad-all that we desired was a fair field and no favour, Who Marquis Teéng fully concurred in said that he know whatever a wished in China was for the good "a8 well ax fur her own, and that ho would always bear thi in ro'ation to this question, Sir F, Plunkett to the Bari of Rosebery.
(Received May 14.)
Tokio, April 8, 1886.
—Your Lor will under-Teal foreign papers have for 10 past been occupied with ther England imu mple of of her diplomatic that England should con hitherto followed of fostering ish Commerce in but should avoid entangthe pushing of individual A recent article maintains the opi with which I quite agree, that ality shown towards foreign nation leatined to hitherto been stemed to consider if their duty to follow in regard to individual commercial epecugard to the alleged i up: port given by Her Majesty's Diplomatic and Consular officers nbroad to the furtherance of British Commercial interests, It seems to me that the London Chamber of Commerce has a mistaken appreciation of the support generally. given by foreign agents to their countrymen. This support is often maze to certain firms than to all ret to complain if I, for how any [such] prof firm at the expen yet there is no doubt it is far more effectual to push the interests of one individual or group than to further equally and with that impartiality which Euglishe men expect of their own Government, the interests of a large number of merchants, many of whi are often them:
conflicting, lad the honour of sending your. lord ship my despatch of the 8th instant some time before receiving your dispatch under reply beg again to express the opinion thet a sudden change in the policy. hitherto followed by England in this respect is riot advisable. I believe the foreign Govern= ments which now have recom to these methods will not find them successful for long, and that we sh"ll gain much more ing in our present course, viz, com-of our power any case we where foreign to undermine ow Gonections, oF working other wi by seme for iroctly pushing individual speculations at the ex-{ten of other merchants of the same is well nigh im; this me dividual support which however is undoubteilly the most effectual without exporing H, M,'s Diplomatic and Consular Officers to' the danger of being, at aume gi ment, suspected of improper motives for isting one Grm more than some other perhaps of equal standing—Special London Correspondent of the China Mait Saw Reports,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.