Minister Rockhill to the Secretary of State.

No. 327.]

Sir: In continuation of my No. 311 of May 15, I have the honor to state that on that date, it appearing to me desirable to secure from the Chinese Government a written statement concerning the scope of the imperial edict of May 9 appointing the high commissioners of customs, I addressed a note to the Prince of Ch’ing, a translation of which is inclosed herewith. On the 17th I received the prince’s reply, in which he informed me that the newly appointed commissioners had, in an interview with Sir Robert Hart, informed him that customs affairs in the future be managed as heretofore. This reply I considered so unsatisfactory that I did not deem it necessary to communicate it to you.

I now have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of a note dated the 6th instant from the chargé d’affaires of Great Britain to the dean of the diplomatic body, inclosing a translation of a note received by him from His Highness the Prince of Ch’ing explaining the imperial edict of May 9. The British chargé d’affaires informs the dean in this note that he has received authorization from his Government to state that it is satisfied with the contents of the prince’s note.

Of course the question involves not only the whole subject of the administration of the maritime customs, properly speaking, but also that of the native customs at the treaty ports, which by the portocol of September 7, 1901, were placed under the control of the maritime customs.

Upon receipt of this information from the dean, I telegraphed you on the 7th instant the substance of the prince’s note, as follows:a

I have, etc.,

W. W. Rockhill.
[Inclosure 1—Translation.]

Mr. Rockhill to the Prince of Ch’ing.

Your Imperial Highness: On the 9th instant the following imperial edict was published:

“T’ieh-liang, president of the board of revenue, is hereby appointed to the post of minister superintendent of customs affairs, and T’ang Shao-i, junior vice-president of the board of foreign affairs, is made associate minister of customs affairs. All Chinese and foreigners employed at any station of the imperial maritime customs are placed under their control. Respect this.”

On the same day I telegraphed an English translation of the above edict to my Government, and later I received instructions directing me to inquire of your imperial highness whether or not there was contemplated in the issue of this edict any change whatsoever in any department of the imperial maritime customs.

I have the honor, therefore, to request your imperial highness to inform me at as early a date as possible what changes, if any, in the administration of the imperial maritime customs are involved in the execution of the above edict.

I avail, etc.

W. W. Rockhill.
[Page 285]
[Inclosure 2—Translation.]

The Prince of Ch’ing to Mr. Rockhill.

Your Excellency: On the 15th instant I had the honor to receive a dispatch from your excellency stating that on May 9 the following imperial edict was published:

“T’ieh-liang, president of the board of revenue, is hereby appointed, etc.”

Your excellency then stated that on the same day you telegraphed an English translation of this edict to your Government, and later received instructions to inquire whether or not there was contemplated in the issue of this edict any change whatsoever in any department of the imperial maritime customs. Would I therefore inform you at as early a date as possible whether or not any such change was contemplated?

In reply I have the honor to state that Their Excellencies T’ieh-liang and T’ang Shao-i have been appointed by their imperial majesties ministers of customs affairs; that these ministers, T’ieh and T’ang, have already received the inspector-general of customs, and in a personal interview have told him that the customs affairs would be managed as usual. It becomes my duty, therefore, to inform your excellency of the facts, and request that you transmit the information to your. Government.

Prince of Ch’ing.
[Inclosure 3—Translation.]

Mr. Carnegie to M. Baroli.

Monsieur Le Doyen:

The question of the administration of the imperial maritime customs being one of special interest to the representatives of the powers at Peking, I have the honor to send you herewith a note, with an English translation, which I have just received from His Highness Prince Ch’ing, with regard to the recent edict. I have been authorized by my Government to declare that it is satisfied with the assurance contained in this note.

Begging that you will kindly circulate this letter with its inclosures among our honorable colleagues, I have the honor to renew, Monsieur le Doyen, the assurance, etc.,

Lancelot D. Carnegie.
[Subinclosure to inclosure 3.]

The Prince of Ch’ing to Mr. Carnegie.

Sir: I had the honor to inform you in a note of May 27 that the special appointment by China of high commissioners for the exclusive control (or management) of the maritime customs made no change in the mode of administration laid down in the loan agreements. At an interview at the Wai-wu Pu on May 28 you intimated that the terms of this note were not sufficiently explicit as to China’s intentions and requested a further statement in the matter.

In the seventh article of the loan agreement of 1896 and in the sixth article of the loan agreement of 1898 it is stipulated “that the administration of the Chinese imperial customs shall remain as at present constituted during the currency of this loan,” and I have the honor to state that the imperial decree of May 9, specially appointing high commissioners to control (or manage) revenue affairs, does not make any change in the method of administration laid down in the loan agreement.

While communicating the above for your information, I avail, etc.,

Prince of Ch’ing.
  1. Supra.