19th September.
IN the commercial negotiations between Great Briain and China which have attained to more unanimity than was expected, the belief has been expressed that full compliance could be relied upon, such as has never been experienced in the treaties made in the past with Chinx. Compliance to be effective must be applied both to China, in its central and provincial governments, and to all the foreign Powers, whether Great, Britain or some other country like Russia, France, or Germany. An agreement on the part of all to comply will be a feat in diplomacy.
In the Articles of the treaty as made known to the public the whole of China is comprehended in the scope of application, and not merely the likin-bearing provinces of Central China. As the removal of likin has been the chief matter under consideration, it seemed the wisest plan to enter into direct negotiations with the two strong Yangtze Viceroys, rather than seek to argue out the matter with the high, but fluctuating and ill-informed authorities at Peking. Though the main feature of the treaty is thus arranged with the men specially concerned, some of the incidental features of the treaty are outside the sphere of these men and must rest with others for a faithful observance, In section 1 of Article VIII it is stipulated that all barriers of whatever kind collecting likin and suchlike dues shall be permanently aboli ished from the eighteen provinces and also the provinces of Manchuria, Will China or some other Power sea to it that compliance is secured in all distant parts of the Empire? Suppose in Manchuria the Russians should desire to establish posts for collecting dues, not on their own goods, but on the goods of other countries, will this be an infringement of the treaty, and, if so, who will undertake to enforce compliance?
In section 2 of the same Article it is stipulated that goods entering China across the frontiers shall pay the same surtax as sea-borne goods that is, 1} times the import duty laid down in the Protocol of September 1901. It has been generally understood that the import duties collected at the Russian frontier in the north and at the French and British frontiers in the south were less than those collected at the so-called treaty ports. A preference has been given to goods that entered China by land over goods entering China on the sea-board, Is i: now definitely agreed that equalisation shall begin to take place? Dalay has, in being leased to Russia, been Company, Lincoln, England. declared a free port; avd if any iraport duty shall be hereafter collected at this free port, it is a business that belongs to Russia and not to China, Suppose, however, that goods are to p's from this Russian territory into the Chinese hinterland, will the Custom-house be Russian or Chinese? and will the import duty be determined by the Protocol or by Russia? At present they pay no import daty atoll, Must the establishment of suc Custom-houses be communicated to the British Government? Or does an obligation rest upon China by this Convention which does not rest on Russia? Will Great Britain on the Parma frontier seek to comply with this new arrangement and conform to the rules at the treaty ports, whether Russix do so in Manchuria or not?
In chawing up this new commercial treaty the first thought has been to benefit trade through new obligations which China would assume, but on a closer study of the principles involved and their fall application, it will be seen that no reform can be introduced into China without Great Britain and all the Foreiga Powers sharing with Chini in the obligations, as they expect to share in the benefits. "It will therefore come true that the engagements with regard to the obligations imposed upon China can have no force or justice, till Great Britain not only shall enter into the engagements binding upon her, but all the Powers shall enter into the same engagements. It is absolutely necessary, in holding China to any obligations of an international character, that all the Powers shall with one consent hold themselves to every obligation which interna: ional intercourse brings to one and all. Unanimity must be reached, or this particular treaty between Great B tain and China can have no force with one or the other.
An open and thorough discussion of every clause in this treaty must take plaice, lest clauses be introduced which will be allowed to become inactive and so affect unfavourably the application of the realy intelligible and important, clauses, We do not mean to imply that the clauses bearing on equalisation of duties are unimportant, but it is quite possible that the ful! significance of these clauses has been overlooked, and we thus allow ourselves to assume obligations which it is tacitly understood will not be observed.
GLARKE'S B 41 PILLS st2 wsrracted to cure either sex, all quired or consti Discharges tie Urinary Organs, Gravel and Pains in the book.
Blereurs.
In boxes Chemists and Patent Medicin: throughout the World. Proprietors, The Lincoln and Midland Counties Drug
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.