Discouragements to Trade 13 



the goods from further tax ; but the repeated stoppages of 

 the junks and the vexatious examination of the goods 

 (mitigated to some extent by ample douceurs to the 

 examining officers) have to be endured. One article in 

 demand by the native photographers, who are found in all 

 the chief towns of Szechuan, viz. " dry plates," has been so 

 repeatedly ruined by these examinations, that they are now 

 all smuggled through at a heavy cost. As the real remedy- — ■ 

 the total abolition of all inland taxation — although quite 

 practical with good management, is not likely to be applied, 

 the only plan for the present is for " foreigners " to follow 

 their goods in person, and lodge complaints with their 

 Consuls for undue detention until the inland officials give up 

 the harassing of transit-pass goods as a game no longer 

 worth the candle. 



To sum up : — In the preceding pages I have endeavoured 

 to show that our trade with China, and especially with the 

 West, is not one-tenth of what, seeing (i) the size of the 

 field, (2) ' the immense natural resources of the country, 

 (3) the industry of the people, it ought, under proper 

 conditions, to be. The absence of such proper conditions 

 I have shown to be not irremediable, but due to the 

 following artificial obstacles, viz : — 



I. The rudimentary condition of communications. 



II. The discouragement of mining and other enterprises, 

 which might afford employment to the population, displaced 

 by the introduction of improved methods. 



III. The multiplicity of inland tax-stations. 



It is to the interest of all concerned in the improvement of 

 our trade, and the prosperity of our manufactures, to do their 

 utmost to bring about an alleviation of these conditions. 

 Trade in China cannot be left to take care of itself as in 

 Western countries. However invidious it may seem, we 



