The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-22

new convention the Custom House receipt Is |
TO be conclusive evidence of tho payment Of |
all taxes on imported articles but in oonsi- |
deration of the convenience thus afforded TO
merchants the duty is raised from Ave per
cent to seven and q half and the duty on
opium is increased by separate clause The
alteration in tho tariff may perhaps be lust
and reasonable, but it scarcely justifies Mr.
Burlingame's statement that the treaty pro-
vides for q reduction of duties. His asser-
tion that two new ports, Wanchow and
Chekiang, are opened to foreign trade is
correct, but he omits to add that Kiang-chow
is removed from5 the list of treaty ports A
place called Wuhu is also opened to trade,
but il does not appear whether it is to rank
as treaty port. The right of foreigners to
work coal mines, which is enumerated by
Mr.. Burlingame among the Chinese
concessions, reduces itself in the text of
the treaty to an engagement that
an Imperial Commissioner shall, by way of
experiment, open mines at these specified
places. ''The question of the employment
of foreigners to assist in mines, and of using
foreign machinery, will be left to give effect
to by the Imperial Commissioners. An ex-
pertinent in coal mining, conducted by an
unwilling Chinese Mandarin without the aid
of colliers or of mining engineers, will pro-
badly not overwhelm the Imperial Govern
ment with superiuous coal That the Chi
nese Government is in no hurry to encourage
steam navigation, or to provide fuel for the
purpose, is proved by singular limitation of
the right which is conceded to navigating
certain inland waters. European merchants
must exclusively use boats of the Chinese
fashion, impelled by sails or oars, but
during certain parts of the course the
local authorities are to supply them with
tug. The Imperial Government is pro-
badly afraid rather of the mill
tary aptitudes of steam vessels
than of their competition with native craft.
When the Chinese ambassador speaks with
out qualification of O right of inland naviga-
ton, he unconsciously expresses the differ
ence between his own diplomatic communi-
cations and the policy of the Government
| which lie represents In his American treaty
| he inserted the odd provision that the United
States should furnish the Chinese Govern
ment, on requisition, with the professional
| aid of engineers and other scientific persons
In opening or examining its coalfelds China
seems to be in no hurry to profit by the right
| which it has secured.
Although the objections of the London
| Committee are entitled to due consideration,
| the English Government will probably sup
port Sir Rutherford Acock by ratifying the
treaty. 1t cannot be doubted that the Eng
| lish Ambassador has taken counsel with his
resident countrymen, and also with the
foreign merchants who, under the most IA
vored nation clause, will be entitled to the
benefits of the treaty, if their Governments
| consent to undertake the corresponding obi
| cations. Bystanders may perhaps discern ad-
vantage rather than inconvenience in esta-
| blishing the principle that the treaty of Tien-
tsin is not the final rule of intercourse between
| China and the outer world. 1t is not to be
supposed that the numerous details of
| the treaty are frivolous or useless, more
| especially as they were settled on behalf of
j the Chinese Government by the able English
| Superintendent of the Imperial Customs. II
| may be taken for granted that Mr.. Hart is as
anxious as Sir Rutherford Alcock to promote
foreign commerce, if only because the reve
nue. of his employers will be increased in pro
| portion to the extension of trade. There are
few more curious proofs of the rapid diffusion
| of modern civilization than the undertaking
of the Government of Pekin to establish
bonded warehouses in which imported goods
may be stored free of duty. In 1873 Sil
Robert Walpole, teen in the height of his
power, was nearly driven from Office by The
clamor which was raised against his proposed
introduction of the system; and between
sixty and seventy years afterwards elapsed
before it was adopted in England. In sixt,
years more bonded warehouses have spread o.
far as China; and it is even agreed that tn
English and Chinese Governments shall il
concert frame commercial code. In tn
meantime the Chinese Superintendent o
Customs is to have q seat on the judicia
bench, and voice whenever an English sub
ject is charged with breach of customs re
gulations; and conversely the English consu
is to take part in all proceedings for confsca
tion of goods belonging to English merchants
Lit is further recommendation of the treat
that it is the first agreement with the Chimes
Government which has not been extorted b.
force, for the United States and the mino
powers only followed in the wake of the Eng
lish and French armies