At the Washington Conference (1921–1922) steps were taken and agreements were entered into looking toward the revision and adjustment of various of the treaty provisions. Among other things it was agreed that the rates of duty of the Chinese treaty tariff should be increased and that a Commission should be created to examine China's laws, courts, prisons and administration of justice, and to report on facts and make recommendations in relation to the problem of legal jurisdiction in China.
The Special Conference on the Chinese Tariff met in October, 1925, and worked for nine months. It did not succeed in arriving at the agreements necessary to carry out the provisions of the Washington Treaty. The nearest approach to definite action by the Conference was the adoption by the Delegates on November 17, 1925, of a resolution, the substance of which was intended to be incorporated in a treaty, declaring that China should be permitted to enjoy tariff autonomy, putting a national tariff law into effect, in 1929, and that China should abolish the system of levying internal duties upon merchandise in transit. Inasmuch as the treaty has not been negotiated, this resolution has, presumably, no legal standing, but its adoption has had the effect of giving the Chinese the impression that their right to enjoy tariff autonomy has been admitted and affirmed by qualified representatives of the foreign Powers.
In July, 1926, the Tariff Conference adjourned sine die. For months there had been no formal full
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