HC Deb 02 August 1866 vol 184 cc1898-9
COLONEL SYKES

said, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether it has come to his knowledge that in the provinces in which and adjoining to which the Treaty Ports are situated, in the north of China, the local Mandarins for the last two years have been in the habit of exacting heavy illegal transit duties on merchandise, to the great injury of the import and export trade of those Ports, particularly Ningpo; that the navigation of inland waters by British vessels has been interdicted; and that a shed for drying silk cocoons, built by the agent of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson, and Co., on the Great Canal has been pulled down—all in breach of Treaty obligations; and whether action will be taken with the Imperial Government to insure the fulfilment of the terms of existing Treaties?

LORD STANLEY

said, in answer to the first question of the hon. and gallant Member that he had himself searched and caused search to be made as to the allegations that heavy illegal transit duties had been imposed upon merchandise by the local Mandarins, and he could obtain no information on the subject, nor did he believe that any existed in the department. With regard to the second question, as to the navigation of inland waters by British vessels having been interdicted, it was undoubtedly true that the Chinese Govern- went had forbidden such navigation. The matter had been brought before Sir Rutherford Alcock, the English Minister, who was of opinion that the Chinese Government were not acting contrary to the treaty. On receiving that information, Her Majesty's Government thought it better to refer the question to the Law Officers of the Crown, and their opinion being in accordance with that of Sir Rutherford Alcock, the Government felt themselves compelled to express their concurrence with it. With respect to the third point, all he knew was contained in a private letter received by the last mail a few days ago. That was an ex parte statement, and of course no action could take place upon it until they had fuller information.