New-York tribune., 1901-07-04
YELLOW BOOK ON CHINA.
PEKING NEGOTIATIONS UP TO THE
MIDDLE OF JUNE MADE PUBLIC.

Paris July 3-A yellow book issued to-day
covers the Chinese negotiations from the end
of 1900. when the collective note was presented
to the middle of June. when the ministers de-
cided the question of indemnity The dispatches
deal chiefly with the discussions of the settle
ment the total of the indemnity and how China
was to pay The French Minister. NJ Beau
cabled to NJ. Delcasse, the Foreign Minister. on
June Z:
MI Rockhill yesterday proposed 10 raise the
customs duties to 10 per cent, provided the Chi
nese Government agreed, first to change the
duties from ad valorem to specific; second, to
abolish all likin transit duties; third, to revise
likin export duties on the principal articles and,
fourth. to participate in the amelioration of the
water routes.
NJ Beau June Il, cabled that the diplomats
had unanimously agreed to take over the native
duties second, the disposable remainder of the
maritime duties. and third the salt duty. They
all agreed on an increase of the import duties
) per cent except Mr. Rockhill, who declared
he could not consent unless specific duties were
substituted for ad valorem; second, the improve
ment of the waterways of the Pei-Ho and Wang
Po and third, the revision of the regulation of
fuvial navigation. The diplomats agreed on the
first two conditions, but there were some obJec-
tions to the third
NJ Beau June 15 announced that Mr.. Rockhill
had declared that his government would with
draw the third condition.
Accord was thus established regarding the re-
sources to be devoted to paying off the debt
With regard to the realization cf the latter, the
British, American and Belgian ministers de
clared they could not accept a guaranteed loan,
and the adoption of the system of bonds was
thus inevitable. The diplomats adopted it unan-
imously. The rate of per cent is to be main
tanned minimum interest.
NJ. Decasse replied on June Is agreeing to the
decisions of the ministers, and adding:
The government sees in the establishment of
this guarantee of a common-to- all creditor the
governments serious pledge for the maintenance
of a good understanding between the powers
who have interests in China and who are work
ing to develop them.
The yellow book brings out the fact that NJ.
Delcasse strongly deprecated the desecration of
the Chinese imperial tombs. M. Pichon, the
French Minister at Peking preceding NJ. Beau.
replied to a query the subject that the
French troops were quite Innocent of the desc
Grafton of these tombs.
NJ. Pichon cabed on January Is that both
Chinese and foreign inhabitants admitted that
the French quarter of Peking was the calmest
and the best governed of any of the foreign
quarters, and that the Chinese of Peking and
the whole of Pe-Chi-Li Province had asked to
be placed under French authority.
NJ Delcasse cabled Nj. Pichon January "a. as
follows:
The complete opening of China to foreigners
which is urged in certain quarters appears TO
me to be premature. as the Chinese Government
is not yet in n state to insure peaceful contact
between it's subjects and Foreigners over its
entire territory. 1t would be more prudent TO
adhere system of open ports, increasing
their number according to needs and possi-
bilities