To the Editor of the "Norta-Cmixa Dary News."
Sin,—In the last paragraph but. one i your "report of the proceedings held in M.'s Supreme Court on the 19th tant, you have credited me with a sentiment for which I am not res-possible. What I said was, that "with All respect to the United States Government, it was quite conceivable that the Law Officer of that Government might be of opinion that any judgment which might be given by this Court was not the judgment Of a Court competent to entertain this counter-claim, and that they might for th Feason refuse to enforce the judgment so given," and it was for that reason that I Argued security should be given.
Will you kindly insert this?
Tam, etc., A. P. Sroxes. 20th August, "Fon max Broop 1s tue Lire." Clarke's World-famed Blood Mixture is warranted to cleanse the blood from all impurities from whatever cause arising. For Scrofula Scurvy, Eczema, Bad Legs, Skin and Blood Diseases, Pimples, and Sores of all kinds, ygpteria curs have been effected by it its effects are marvellous. Thousands of
worthless imitations." °% Bewate oF ere at 2. 9a, community is not going to express its final pinion on the subject of the Treaty until the actual text has been published.
Tt seems that, for reasons of State, he will not be given out to the publ in China (though the public of England for all we know, have it alre.dy) antu the Treaty has been signed by Sir Jamey Mackay.
Well, we have a year for ratify cation, and it is entirely a matter for the high personage concerned whether discussion of the provisions of our new trade charter comes before, or afer, the preliminary si ing by' the local plenipo-tentiones. 7 We, the merchants of China, have the salema promise of the British Goveroment thit the Treaty will not be concluded before we have had an opportunity of considering it and expressing our views. It is clear that the matter is of more vital and immediate importance to us, why live by the China trade alone, than to the manufacturers of Lancashire or the merchants of London who have many other strings to their bows. Therefore the voice of the China merchant is entitle to be heard; and I have no doubt at all that the judgment at present suspended will quite freely expressed when the text of the Proaty is given us in full to read, inatk, learn, and digest.
Sir James Mackay's first proposals, goods intended for consumption by foreigners at the Treaty Ports were to be exempt from further, or increased taxation. For what reason, and by what process of logic, are foreigners now to made to pay much higher prices for their everyday commodi the **Surtax"" i pro quo to be paid for a, ete. Goods consume t in the Foreign Settlements were never liable to likin: why make them liable to surtax? Especially, why make foreigners contribute directly to the funds required by China to pay her indemnity for the anti-foreign Boxer rising? In abolishes the duty-free list we have done quite enough for 2 Government that two years ago was trying to drive us all into the sea.
But, asa plain man, and in the hope of preventing waste of valuable time, there are one or two qu-stions that occur to me which perhaps one of the Commissioners might be good enough to answer, so that our minds may be reassured and that we may know for a truth that in paying the proposed considerable "'surtax" we dose with some reasonable prospect of getting a fair quidproquo in exemption henceforward from illegal and arbitrary taxation inland. Iwas not one of those who saw in Sir James Mackay's earlier proposals any danger to the merchant's Interests, because in those prop>sals it w: clearly stated that in return for the i creased duties there was to be entire abolition of every form of inland taxation, local, provincial, imperial, and municipal—a wide and sufficiently clear definition. There were also safeguards of the only kind that make for safety, viz., safeguards that depended on its being to the interest of the Chinese Government to keep iis engagements. True, we were to be asked pay duties, undefined, but estimated at something like 15 °/, on'Imports, and the manufacturers (as well as section of impor-be removed lock, stock and barrel? Is it not a further essential condition of reform and of prosperity in the future, that exports shall be stimulated in every possible way; and what prospect is there of any exports (i.e. national wealth) being loft if the "land-route" Custom Houses in the fav interior will have to mike out of the export surtax their entire tivelihoo1, where formerly they preyed upon the foreign goods also? The Treaty, as it his ben expounded to us at the China Association meeting and in the Press, gives an inevitable impression that the interests of the manufacturer have been made paramount, and that no regard has been paid to the vast and urgent questions of internal reform, reform without which the country is financially (and therefore politically) doomed. Ibis as important to safeguard native goods from arbitrary taxation as to exempt' those of foreign origin. I propose now to submit a few questions arising directly out of the treaty as it has been communicate. to the publi Y.—How are the foreiga merchants ab the treaty ports, or their Consuls, g sin to prevent the stoppage and delay of all manner of boats xt the salt stations, which ave t> remain, and where salt boats are to stop to have their certificates vised?" Is it likely that the officers and exciseman and police, who are to remain in these interesting survivals of a corrupt, past, will always be able to identify a salt ft, and that other craft will not, asin the present day, be liable to remain, awaiting a vis6, for' periods varying with the ability and willingness to pay a "squeeze?" Or have the present negotiations effected subtle change in the leopard's sp sts TL.—What is the exact wording of th" clause defining the soparvision and con trol of the I. M. Customs over the worl ing of the consumption tax and other Nat've "Departments?" Is it correct that thereunder one or two of the foreign Customs staff will be detactel, not by or-General, but by ths Chines* Officials, to exercise an oft.
isin and control" over all ax, Consumption, Salt, other Bureaux of an entire province? If this is the case, will the Treaty Commissioners go alittle further and detins the word "efficient"? S'r Robert Hart hud two inves to ded with in the matter of tle loan of 1808 and, with the whole of his staff to draw from as he thought fit, he has been unable to control iki in those provinees. How is the Chinese-appointed assistant to vise the entire working of revenue collection in Szechuan or Kuangsi IIL.—Is the proposed 10 per cent excise (was there ever a more suicidal tax') on ative manufactures to be applicable to all articles mads by natives or foreigners anywhere in China! If so, why is the fact not mor- clearly and frankly stated? The lealing article of to-day, in its reference to this subjee', woul! lind the reater to infer that only cotton mills are concerned, but in the concluding sentence we find it casually observed: "he sum - prinsipl and procedure are to be applied to all other foreign products of foreign type turned out by machinery, whether by
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.