THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 7TH DECEMBER, 1872. 517
Issue a Proclamation for general information.
Whereas the foreign Silver [coin] in daily use among the people of the Kwang-tung Province has long been in circulation, and is moreover admitted to be advantageous and convenient. Whereas in the 1st moon of the present year (February, 1872), SIR BROOKE ROBERTSON, the British And Consul, forwarded [specimens of] a new Eagle Dollar transmitted by the Hongkong Treasury; with a request that an Officer might be deputed to assay them; an Officer was accordingly thereupon deputed to melt down and assay this coin in concert [with an Officer from the British Consulate], when, taking the Haikwan Tael of pure Silver as the standard, the outturn was found to be nine-tenths [of a Tael], or the same amount as in the Eagle Dollar hitherto in circulation; one hundred and eleven Taels, one mace, one candareen, of the new Eagle coin, being equivalent to one hundred Haikwan Taels. Minutes [of the assay] were drawn up in proof thereof, and it became the duty of the Viceroy and his colleagues to allow this coin to be tendered in payment of duties, and to sanction its general cir- culation, for the convenience of traders and people. A Proclamation was thereupon issued calling on the people to act accordingly. This is on record.
Having now heard that among the people in the different localities, far and near, there are still some to whom [the existence of this Proclamation] is not known, it is the duty of the Viceroy and his colleagues again to issue a Proclamation.
This Proclamation therefore is to inform you Merchants, Traders, Soldiers, and People, of every District, that you must know that the new Eagle Dollar transmitted by the Hongkong Treasury has been assayed by a special Officer conjointly [with an Officer from H. M. Consulate, and it has been decided that] it can be tendered in payment of Duties, and come into general circulation.
You are not to look upon it with suspicion (lit. with guessing and doubts to regard it.) Rogues and vagabonds, and such like, are moreover hereby strictly forbidden to secretly fabricate counterfeit imitations of the above mentioned coin with a view to their own profit; and should they dare to set this prohibition at defiance, they will most assuredly, upon discovery of the fact, be at once punished with the utmost severity.
Tremble and obey!
Let there be no disobedience!
A Special Proclamation.
Tungchih 11th year, 10th Moon, 30th Day, (30th November, 1872.)
Translated by
WALTER C. HILLIER.
開商准銀十用較傾
鷹成鎔
立錢
遵行憑分
照通單抵
海
以據 百來銀
用鷹錢一律以新銀一百一
試
計
以九與 當成
請
委員試驗當經委員會同
銀事
正銀事
經員
將月
香間
前銀
示律兹便應紋
英利民崇
民間日用洋銀久已通行向
崇 爲曉諭事照得廣東省
二品頂戴督理粵海關稅務
郎廣東巡撫部院張 欽加 兩廣總督部堂瑞 兵部侍
大清文華殿大學士兵部向書
運到新鷹錢成員轉送前來
所比同
來局
東稅欽部
尙省務加侍書
可新爾諭
十懲敢鷹
望幷嚴禁棍徒人等假冒前 可以輸餉通用不必猜疑觀 新鷹銀已經委員會駼成色 爾等須知香港銀局運到之 諭各屬商賈軍民人知悉 周知合再出示曉諭爲此示 開民間遠近各處向未一律
商民當經示醶遵照在案兹
不員銀
拿懲辦各宜凜遵毋違特示 倘敢違玩一經查出定卽嚴 項鷹銀式樣私造影射漁利
十凜經私
+
同治十一年 十月三十日示
示示嚴利前觀色
No.228.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
The following Table of Meteorological Observations, taken at the Government Civil Hospital
during the Month of November, is published for general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 7th December, 1872.
CECIL C. SMITH, Acting Colonial Secretary.