tf; regard to the question of ition to the Nai nent, there is no fon whatever for such a baseless accusation. The Chinese "Maritime Customs. is ft: national organization functioning for the financial credit" of China as a whole, and there Is no question of any member of the Service giving any assistance to one factional Government against another. It true that the former Government at Peking constantly demanded releases ut C need hardly say tently refused either the flotation of a lean or to surrender any revenue monies, ing that the Customs revenue is kel for the service of the foreign and domestic loans and Indempities, and all revenue monies handied by me have only been used for such servies, "The allega that I have hindered the Nationalist Govern nient's aspirations towards tariff autonomy Is equally without found: tion. T have long realized that, irr order to restore El a's financial credit, and to-assist che formation of n stable Government, it is essential that the Customs revenue should be increased, and it is well Known that, even during the unfortunate peried when the Southern and Northern Governments were at war, I endeavoured to make use of the' absolute neutrality of the Customs Administration to arrange for the levy of certain interim surtaxes, which had been discussed between China and the Powers in the Tariff Conference at Peking in 1925 and 1926, and I went to Shanghat in February last with a view to discussing the proposals I had put. forward. My - efforts in. direction unfortunately failed, but it is well known that, in spite of t T ave continued to make sogges-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.