142
THE FRIEND OF CHINA AND HONGKONG GAZETTE.
FRIEND OF CHINA AND HONGKONG GAZETTA.
HONGKONG, THURSDAY, NOVEMER 94rg. 1842.
ence of Chinese at the various Russian fairs, at several of which immense mercantile transactions take ploce, At Mat-mai-chin the Chinese town vis-a-vis to Kiakhta there is no Hong merchants monopoly as at Cantor,
The teas received at Shanghai are brought from In a long document, their Excellencies K-YING Ningpo and Foo-ghow-foo, seaward we are told and and NEW-KEEN publish the following, as the settled
thence forwarded by the Hoangho and Grand results of their negotiations with the British Pleni-Canal into Tartary. We conclude these desultory potentiary while at Nanking
remarks, by repeating that we hope to furnish 1. THE Chinese Government will at
more detailed particulars of this trade, meantime present be responsible for the Hong mer- we may mention that the Russian Government chants paying to their English creditors, publish their commercial statistics, but we cannot in this debts to the amount of two millions of dol-It appears obtain a copy, of the last issue lars. Hereafter Hong merchants and all
remote part of the World. other classes of natives, are to be alone re- sponsible for their own debts; the Manda- rins only affording their official aid..
2. None but merchant ships are to come and go to the FIVE PORTS, no ships of war being allowed to visit them. Not even merchant ships are to visit any other than the FIVE PORTS.
Depreciated dollars. By the Price Current it appears that Carolus or Old Head Spanish dollars are at twelve per Cent. premium, whilst Mexican or Republican dollars are at four per Cent dis count. We have heard it asserted, that such pre- ference of the former to the latter, is wholly a fantastic caprice of the Chinese seeing that they are of equal intrinsic value. We doubt whether this be the fact, and feel pretty sure the natives The English fully agree to the re- have good grounds for a preference, which per building of all the Fortresses, and the put-haps however they carry too far. ting of them in the same state of defence as formerly
3.
|
the
had my bayonet with me. I was beaten in houses and may have used it I bought 9 bottles of Shamshoo that night from the women Alok for three rupees. John Mc Daniel stated. He was not guilty, Mitchell told him when they were pris- oners in the Guard room that he, Mitchell was the man who had killed the China man, and that Me Kinlay and Alexander Mc Laine were the men who were with him.
Alexander Me Laine said he was one of the drinking party in the Barracks, but did not enter the town that night, and that he had no knowledge of the murder till the next day.
The sentry stated that on the night in question, he saw a man running up to the barracks and be- fore he could turn out the guard to seize him, he had entered the barracks. When the man passed him, he was twenty yards off.
It is believed the Court martial will be held when
Sir Hugh Gougli arrives on the Island.
By late Papers from Sydney, we find that the Joint Stock Banks in Van Diemans Land, have conte unanimously to the resolution of reducing the rate of interest on money. The uew regula- shall be eight per cent; on bills beyond three tions are, that on three month's bills, the interest
coinages although executed under the Republican, and on Cash Credits ten per cent; on deposit It is we believe quite true, that some of the later months, and also on over-due and renewed bills; are yet equal to the dollars of the Royal regime. receipts payable at three month's notice, there 4. Although peace is declared, all pla- It is not the less unquestionable that vast quanti should be allowed five per cent. We believe the ces in the Empire may not be fully aware ties of dollars fubricated in South America from Shares of all these Banks are at a considerable of it, and should the officers in those unin-inferior silver, have been circulated in China, premium, nor have we heard that they have dim- formed places cause trouble to the English; many thomands have been received at the Bankinished in value, since this notification. This re- no fighting is to take place, as all will soon
of England with the China chop marks (tests of mark is applicable to those also, which originated be fully informed by Proclamation of the their genuineness) thereon. Macculloch says in London, by the last accounts the Stock of such such coinages vary in fineness from 4 to 93 dwts institutions, averaged more than 20 per cent pre- establishment of amity and good will.
of Silver, Those referred to were beyond the mium. 5. As soon as this year's instalment of latter amount of inferiority, and several specimens Grossly injudicious and unmercantile as has the money is paid, the English ships of war were sent for examination to the Numismatic Society, been the conduct of the UNION BANK, and the are to withdraw from the Long River and If our memory does not deceive us, the base metal certain knowledge of very heavy losses from the return to their own country.
was wholly inclosed in an outer case of pure Sil-late failures in Calcutta; we are glad to see the have been fabricated with the knowledge or con- whilst those of the BENGAL BANK are at Sixty per ver. It was supposed these spurious dollars must Shares are still at a premium of thirteen per cent nivance of the directors of one of the Mexican cent, and the AGRA BANK which has declared a mints. Dr. Hort the Assayer of the U. S. at New dividend of Eleven per cent per annum is at thirty Orleans say a large quantity of depreciated dollars per cent premium. At Bombay despite the wretch- are there circulated. They are so well executed ed aspect of commercial affairs, the premium on that very few persons, even the most experienced the old Bank Shares, is twenty five per cent whilst ed on them, intimating they are from the Durango can detect them. The letter "D" is generally stamp the new (just started) commands five per cent. mint of Mexico. Of four sorts submitted to an- alysis; it was found that one was of the value of 62,22 the second 72,22 the third 83,50 and the fourth 96,33 at the American rate of 8 4,80 to a 8. The English agree, that if any Chi-pound sterling, Does not the repugnance of the nese criminals take refuge on board an of this depreciated coinage?
natives to Mexican dollars arise from imports here English Merchant ship or man of war, or take up their residence at Hongkong, to give them up, upon requision from the Chi- nese Authorities. China enters into a like agreement touching English criminals.
6. The English Plenipotentiary agrees to place under immediate arrest, every British officer who may be found levying duties upon Chinese shipping.
7. In all difficulties between the natives of China and the natives of England, which may arise from their intercourse at the FIVE PORTS, the Chinese are to be handed over to the Chinese Authorities of the place, and the English to the English Au- thorities for trial, &c. &c.
We shall be much obliged if any of our friends, will favour us with accurate statistics of the Rus sian trade with China. Before the Select, Com- mittee of the House of Commons in 1830 Mr. Crawfurd, estimated the annual export of Tea to Russia via Kiakhta to amort to lb. 28,000,000, and the whole value of exports imports at that emporium at £6,000,000 sterling.
By our last accounts from Shanghai, we are in- formed that Port forwards, nearly the whole of Teas which are sold to the Russians, and that many of the opulent merchants there, are largely interest- ed in the Russian trade From a Chinese, who had visited Moscow and Nishny-novgorod, and now at Canton, we have learned through a friend many interesting particulars of Russo-Chinese in- tercourse. There are however so many obvious discrepancies in his statements, that we solicit fur- ther information from our correspondents. For instance, in opposition to Mr. Crawfurds statement, our informant says the quantity of Tea sent via Mai-mai chin to Russia is annually 14,000 boxes only. En passant it may be said the manner in which these teas are packed, may account for their high repute and the superior flavour which Carav an teas, are said to possess. We are told there is first a paper envelope for the tea, which is sur rounded with bamboo leaves, then inserted into a leaden canister, the whole inclosed in a box. Some kinds of teas, are put into boxes, enveloped m bamboo leaves which are chunamed, and then put
into basketa.
From all we can make out, the duties are much Taper on Russian Goods than those levied on sumlar Foreign goods at Canton. It is almost pure; ly a barter trade, Fors and woollen goods, being the principal articles given in exchange for the
cap Compared with the trade in the Bou mart that of Kiahkta, is quite free, seeing that an one can join the Caravan proceeding to t sian frontier and no opposition seems to be offered by the Authorities of either Country to the
Dared 8th Moan, 26th day, 30th of Eep cute 1849
Supply of Labour to our Colomies. By late let- ters from Sydney we perceive the Colonists there, are indignant at not having the same privilege to import Coolies from India as is, they say, accorded by Lord Stanley's late Bill to the Sugar Growers of the Mauritius, We do not see any just ground for the exception yet we think they will not much suffer, if they turn there attention hither. On many occasions we have recommended this course, and we believe our suggestion is now under consideration at Sydney. Sure we are, under proper arrangements, an abundant supply of the most useful kind of labour might be obtain ed from hence. We shall be glad te co-operate with our best exertions and advice, if applied to on this important subject. Wo see at the Mauritius, not content with the probable supply of labourers migration from Africa and also from Chma, from India, they are now offering a bounty on im-
POLIUE,
In the Case of the alleged murder at Chekchoo, to which we referred last week, it came out on the examination before the Chief Magistrate of the Prisoners, Samuel Mitchell, Jolm Mc Doniels and. Alexander Mc Luine, all privates of the 26th Regiment, that on the night in question three Sol- diers entered the house of the deceased, who was stabbed by them; according to the Chinese witnes, ses there seemed no reason why they should have such a crime. It was said that samshoo was not entered the house, nor any incentive to commit sold by the deceased nor was he or the inmates of body, thirty six hours after death certified as fol- his house plundered. Dr. Coles who examined the lows. There are two wounds on the chest, as if made by a Bayonet, both triangular, with clean edges the broader base of the triangle: being up- permost. One of the wounds must have caused instantaneous death, being through the heart
As stated in our last, on the same evening ano- ther house was entered and a China woma bed and wounded.
The property ta trinkets valued at $8. Dr. Cafes who attended her, found that she had a number of wounds on different parts of her body, two on her head and many bruises.
||
tion of the immense advantages, which would It was, we have no doubt, the perfect convic- accrue from the establishment of a Bank in China, that led Mr. Wm. Jardine to project soch an ins- titution; the head quarters to be in London, the monetary metropolis of the World. Although great efforts were made to enlist public opinion in its favour, and to our minds no
ever offered better prospects of success. Project yet the Capitalists of London were decidedly averse to it, and the BANK OF ASIA, was never launched ex- cept in a Prospectus requesting subscriptions for the Shares.
The commercial disasters of the last few months have, we regret to say, struck down some of the parties who then actively Jardine to establish this Bank, If the indisposition co-operated W ith Mr. of the London Capitalists to embark, arose from the uncertainty of political affairs in China; the position is now wholly changed, and the cession of Hongkong, as a British Colony, affords every guarantee for the local security; so essential to a Bank.
T
field for profitable operations, the attempt although That there is a wide, we might say the undest
unsuccessful, of such an experienced merchant as Mr. Jardine iş abundant testimony Seeing the lively interest the firm, (of which for so many years he was the head), is now taking in our Is- the same auspices will yet established. If not we land, we are disposed to think a BANK here, under. know, that Branches of other establishments, will be soon opened in our town, and by the last Lon- don Mail, we were informed that a Bank was then in contemplation; to be located here, the correspondents at home would in that case be, the London Joint Stock Bank: from among shareholders it was said the subscriptions to the new undertaking were expected mainly to come.
whose
table one, with a numerous and opulent body of We may add, that this Bank, is a highly respec- Shareholders, The nominal Capital of the Com- £50 each. £ 10 per Sha pany is £3,000,000, consisting of 60,000 Shares of
sho
quire
so that but
imulated to £
we can testify.
of the
Islanders would
The Optum War
persist in 30
ad the renew
The prisoner Samuel Matchell in hie defence stated, "I was mad drunk with Shamsoo, and the Chinese the
has only been vet re
is paid up 10
From
E this Est Kikhment. our brother
d with such an
hey will we