The Hon. Secretary begs to circulate copies of a telegram just received from Shanghai and would be much obliged if the Members of Parliament noon the to fact China ignores Mackay Treaty rendering same ineffective in most essentials China actively opposes currency mining taxation navigation stipulations beg British Government insist on Treaty being made immediately operative signed seventy British merchants."
On the 9th of May, Mr. Burkill adiressed the following letter to Lord Lansdowne, copies being sent to twelve loading Chambers of Commerce with a request for ce-operation My Loxp,—The Committee of the China League have received from Shanghai a dispatch to the following effect':—"British merchants draw H. M.'s Government's attention to the fact that China ignores the Mackay Treaty rendering the same ineffective in most essentials China actively opposes currency mining taxation and navigation stipulations and we beg H. M's Government: to insist on Treaty being made immediately operative."
The China League is informed that this dispatch is a copy of one sent to your Lordship and that the original was signed by 70 British merchants My Committee are strongly of opinion that more than sufficient time has been allowed to the Chinese Government to take at least some steps towards the loyal fulfilment of the stipulations of the Mackay Treaty, and they cordially éup-port the petition of the 70 British merchants of Shanghai for the active intorvention of H. M.'s Government with a view to securing to them the due enjoyment of their Treaty rights, Two and " half years have elapsed since the signing of that instrument, and it is no exaggeration to say that not only have no serious stops been taken by China to give effect to the Clauses of the Treaty but that her offer's have been directed generally towards nullifying them, both in the spirit and in' the ter, and it would appear that unless a vigorous protest be entered by H. Government the history of the Shanghai Treaty will be the history of the Tientsin Treaty and that the bitter experience of Chinese bad faith in the past will be our portion in the future.
In June 1902 the China League had the pleasure of expressing their appreciation of Sir J. Mackay's services in negoing the New Treaty and their approval of the conditions and stipulations embody ed therein, and these views they believe were shared by all the Commercial Bodies and traders of Great Britain who were interested in the China trade.
The disappointment will therefore be the greater if the present contemptuous attitude of the Chinese Government towards her solemn engagements be allowed to continue unrebuked or without protest,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.