The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-03-28

the whole Western world is alike con
cerned. 1t believes that such a result
may be greatly aided and advanced by
declarations by the various powers claim
ing spheres of interest in China to
their intentions in regard to the treat
ment of foreign trade and commerce
therein. and that the Pr sent is very
favorable moment for informing Her Ma
jesty's Government of the desire of the
United States to have it. make on it's own
part, and to lend its powerful support in
the effort to obtain from each of the vari
Gus powers claiming spheres of interest
in China declaration substantially to
the following effect:
"Q.)-That it will in no wise interfere
with any treaty port or any vested in
terest within any so-called sphere of in
terest' or leased territory it may have
in China.
"(2)-That the Chinese treaty tariff of
the time being shall apply to all mer-
chandise landed or shipped to all such
ports as are within such spheres of in
terest' (unless they be free ports), no
matter to what nationality it may be-
long, and that duties SO leviable shall be
collected by the Chinese Government.
"(3)-That it will levy no higher har-
Dor dues on vessels of another nationality
frequenting any port in such sphere
than shall be levied on vessels of its own
nationality, and no higher railroad
charges over lines built, controlled or
operated within its sphere on mefchan-
disc belonging to citizens or subjects OF
ether nationalities transported through
such sphere than shall be levied on
similar merchandise belonging to It's own
people transported over equal distances.
1.-THE President has strong reason to be-
lieve that the Governments of both Rus
STA and Germany will cooperate il such
an understanding as is here proposed"
The note here refers to recent ukase
of the Gar declaring Ta-Lien- Wan,
which Russia has leased. open to the
world, and Germanys declaring Kiao-
Chao a free port and other steps taken,
including moral assurance given the
United States as to the German sphere
as indicating thai little opposition was
expected from those two powers. Japan
also is cited as doubtless favorable to the
proposition.
Mr.. Choate's note concludes:
1.-THE prompt and sympathetic co-opera
ton of Her Majesty's Government with
the United States in this important mat
ter will be very potent in promoting it's
adoption by all the powers concerned"
LORD sALIsBURY's REPLY.
Lord Salisbury's formal answer, dated
November 3Oth 1899, follows:
81 have much pleasure in informing
Your Excellency that Her Majesty's Gov
eminent will be prepared to make dec
laration in the sense desired by your
Government in regard to the leased terri
tory of Wei-Hai- Wei. and all territory in
China which may hereafter be acquired
by Great Britain, by lease or otherwise,
and all spheres of interest now held, or
that may hereafter be held by her in
China, provided that similar declaration
is made by the other powers concerned"
On February 18th. Count Won Buelow
submitted the formal answer of the Ger
man Government. based upon a promise
that satisfactory written replies had been
made by other powers. The German note
follows:
THE REPLY OF GERMANY.
81 have the honor to inform Your Ex-
cellency, repeating the statements al
ready made verbally, as follows: AS
recognized by the Government of the
United States of America according 20
Your Excellency's note referred to above,
the Imperial Government has, from the
beginning, not only asserted. but also
practically carried out to the fullest OK
tent, in it's Chinese possessions, absolute
equality of treatment of all nations with
regard to trade, navigation and COM
merce. The Imperial Government enter
tains no thought of departing in the fu-
ture from this principle, which at once
excludes any prejudicial or disadvantage
Gus commercial treatment OF the citizens
of the United States of America so long
as it is not forced to do so, on account OF
considerations of reciprocity. by diverg-
ence from it by other governments. III,
therefore, the other powers interested n
the industrial development of the Chinese
empire are willing to recognize the same
principles they can only be desired by the
Imperial Government, which, in this case
upon being requested will gladly be ready
to participate with the United States Of
America and the other powers in an
agreement made upon these lines, by
which the same rights are reciprocally
secured"
THE PLEDGE OF RUSSIA.
Inc Russian answer, TeclllnS tne pfoiu-
Uses to Dalny (Talien Wan) which it had
redeemed by opening that port pledges
itself in the following language:
LAS to the ports now opened, or here
after to be opened to foreign commerce
b the Chinese Government and which lie
beyond the territory leased to Russia,
the settlement Of the question of custom
duties belongs to China herself, and the
Imperial Government has no intention
whatever of claiming any privileges for
its own subjects to the exclusion of forI
eigners 1t is. to be understood however,
that this assurance of the Imperial Gov
eminent Is given upon condition that
similar declaration shall be made by 9TH
er powers having interests in China.
with the conviction that this reply is
such as to satisfy the inquiry made in the
aforementioned note, the Imperial Govern
ment is happy to have complied with the
wishes of the American Government, es'
pecially as it attaches the highest value
to anything that may strengthen and
consolidate the traditional relations OF
friendship existing between the two coun-
tries"