Although of course we knew that the Governor was by no means satisfied with the termination to the late difficulty about foreign trade in camphor, we thought th way perhaps only natural chaga quent on failure, which would soon poss 0 and, guided by the experience gained in the past, H.E. Liu Ming-chuan would at least have kept quiet, allowing the treaty rights such fair scope and consideration as would enable matters to go onmoresmoothly in future.
Alas! no such luck is in store for us, and a proclamation issued the other day seems to show that H.E. not only has no intention of giving up his efforts to obtain the camphor monopoly, but is. prepared to go to further lengths in sacrificing treaty obligations or, in fact, anything else that may stand in the way of realising what he appears 40 anxious to bring about.
A few weeks ago H.E. opened the ball by addressing despatches to both British and German Consuls, informing them that certain ''barriera" for collection of likin had been set up in the country, through which stations foreigners must bring all produce coming down under transit pass, and that these named barriers must be no matter where the produce came irom."
This announcement H..
Consula to convey to their nationals, and enforce.
By the rules and regulations agreed to in 1869, it is expressly stated that free trade in camphor shall be permitted to foreigners all orer Formosa, and that the drug may be brought down to any tre port in the island, under transit pass, which latter by the transit rules must be exhibited, with the produce it covers, at the first barrier in station) the trader may come to on his route.* Byaclever contortion H.E. now strives to turn the phrase "first barrier," used in the Transit Pass Regulations, into a titular designation, and assumes the right to fix the location of the said first barrier," limiting such to one for each district: the island for this purpose being divided into three parts, termed respectively north, mid, and south Formosa.
This, of course, places the trader at the Governor's mercy, and in fact by its prohibitive tendencies so assails the value of the transit pass, as to render its issue only source of revenue to the government without in reality conferring any benefit on the holder. If this principle be admitted in Formosa it could, and surely would, be applied to the whole of China, thus by a side wind once more bringing into play that system of irregular and undefined taxation for which the transit pass devised as a fair and practical substitute. H.E., through the prefect, has now issued a proclamation which distinctly sets up the above contention, threatening with seizure and confiscation all produce, no matter from what part or district it comes, which is not (in Mid-Formosa) brought to the first barrier" in or at Chang-wha city, and further passed out through the solitary port of Lokhang, situated about half-way between Aupi and Tamsui on the west coast, where a so-called examining barrier" is to be For North Formosa, the first is at Banke and the last at Hopei (Tamsui) and Kelung. No matter the distance to be traversed, the retrogression or circuitousness of the journey thus enforced. the produce must be brought to those first" and "examining" barriers diet tonally specified by the Governor.
To give you a clear idea of what this means, let us suppose a merchant. wishes to bring tea down to Foochow, which he buys up country in the usual localities; that the Viceroy of Fukien hae decreed the "first barrier" to be passed shall be erected at Chinchow, a city far to the south of the province; and further that it must pass scavards through the "era trier" set up at the port near thi Then one will have an idea of what an obstructive official could do if he desired to render transit-passes inoperative. As the crow flies, the Fouchow victim would seem: to have the longest route and hardest lot, but in reality, what with almost impassable roads over high hills, practically the journey becomes just as troublesome if the present trade-route, as defined by the Governor for camphor, is accepted. "Chip-chip, the place where the drug is chiefly got, is ferably to the south-east of Chang: wha city, from which, moreover, i separated by a high range of hill the other hand, direct water carriage is available thence for transport to the nearest seaport, many miles south of Lokhang, and through which produce has always been taken, hitherto, on its way to Anping (Ts nan foo). The proclamation apeaks of the agreement of 1869 authorising foreign traders to use Lokhang as the port of departure for Avping or Tamsui. ignor accurate; the agreement says nothing of the sort, and indeed never would have been permitted to so stipulate, as this would have obviously nullified that very freedom of action to the trader on which the raison Note, however, that Rule I, p. 2 (of 1869 for the Fegulating camphor-trade) expressly states "Tt will not be necessary to erect barriers. in the jatenioe of Taiwan, cither by the foreigner or his native agent, are to be shipped by native craft to the Treaty porte, @étre of the agreement depends, Lokhang, a8 a consequence of its inconvenient position, is the one small port, out of all the seven available on the west coast, that has been least used and this alone accentuates, while it may certainly explain, the impropriety of and reason for compelling sole resort to it, The camphor districta extend more or less all along the hills from north to south, and although it is true foreign trade has not, as yet, extended beyond Chipchip, it is not correct to say that Changwha holds the most convenient or central position for the drug-bearing locality even as at present used by foreigners. The supply of camphor trees is said to be practically unlimited, and it will no doubt take time to extend operations, but this is merely a matter of time, as even the savages are willing to welcome and trade with foreigners, it where they would instantly repel if he came either of his own ov the official motion. By treaty, save in the case of opium, foreigners who comply with certain regulations are exempt from all inland taxation, and although the Governor has notified the imposition of a special tax exclusive of likin to the extent of ten Pet cent. ad valorem, on camphor before it leaves the place of production, and which case he rules is not covered by transit-pass, of course this is illegal, and cannot or should not be admitted for a moment while, as though to further emphasise this right, Rule IT p. 2 of Camphor Regulations says:—"In all cases where san-lien tan and passes have been taken out and the dues paid, the foreigner shall not be liable to any other tax whatever." Having a ig transit pass therefore renders foreigners indifferent to what impost may be declared by the inland authorities, and so the only object of their movements being watched while up-country is to obviate all ibility of produce, actually brought
excess of that for which a pass has be own under foreign auspices, being in issued. As foreigners may be said to be positively unable to ship except through 4 treaty port, itis not clear why the last barrier, outside the said port, should not afford sufficient check, but if H.E. desires that the pass should be exhibited at other points there can be no objection to compliance with his wish, so long as such is not made a means for oppressing the trader, and in fact stopping his business, That these barriers have only a theoretical basis of existence (vis.-vis foreigners) is shown by the fact that, in the pre-gubernatorial days the halcyon epoch in modern Fotmosan history, when, slowly but surely, the commercial prospects of the island, fostered and encouraged by the officials, were steadily progressing year by year, up to that unfortunate moment when it was decided to make Formosa an independent province—likin was twiknoron; and what comparatively small land taxation amply sufficed for the government of the island was cheerfully borne and paid; but even then, though the nominal need for did not exit, foreigners, engaging in the camphos ¢rade, were requires; "1: auppore as the price of the concession," to take out transit-passes, and did so without murmur or discontent. These passes were held, and found by the authorities ruling dari ig -|that period, to be ample security for the revenue interests and, indeed, the uselessness of "barriers" was spontaneously an specifically declared. Now the Governor says, in his proclamation, that in these past times the '*half-duty used to be evaded," and implies that this is one of his chief reasons for attempting to abrogate our treaty rights. Unless, however, he can prove the practically impossible, viz., that foreigners could move produce about the country, and export it, without its passing trough a treaty port, and so coming under the cognisance of a service not generally supposed to be less alert, or actuated by a lower sense of duty, than are native establishments, we are bound to take it that
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.