HC Deb 25 February 1898 vol 54 cc30-1
LORD CHARLES BERESFORD

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give any information to the House as to con- cessions alleged to have been made by the Chinese Government in the interests of British and Foreign trade in China?

MR. CURZON

The following are the arrangements which have been agreed to by the Chinese Government on the representations of Her Majesty's Minister at Pekin—

  1. "1. The internal waterways of China will be opened to British and other steamers in the course of June next, so that, wherever the use of native boats is now permitted by Treaty, foreigners shall be equally allowed to employ steamers or steam launches, whether owned by them or by Chinese.
  2. "2. In view of the great importance attached by Great Britain to the retention of the Yang-tsze region in Chinese possession, the Chinese Government have formally intimated to the British Government that there can be no question of territory in the valley or region of the Yang-tszc being mortgaged, leased, or ceded to another Power.
  3. "3. The post of Inspector General of Maritime Customs shall, in the future, as in the past, be held by a British subject, so long as British trade with China at the ports continues to exceed that of any other Power.
  4. "4. A. port will be opened in Hu-nan within two vears."