P
THE FRIEND OF CHINA AND HONGKONG GAZETTE.
50 feet square, and paved with small red stones which give them a neat appearance.”
not
Such a propensity have the Chinese for smug gling that even such a bulky article as Salt is Banded without payment of the duty. In Sir, we find the Chinese code awards, in the case of George Stauntons translation of the Tatsing leuh le smuggled Salt the whole of it to the informer, whilst in the case of other goods, but three tenths. As to the prime cost of Salt in China we are yet able to obtain accurate data, still we think the cost is higher than in Bengal, which there va- ries from half a rupee, to fourteen annas for a maund of 80 pounds. This is resold by the Com- pany who retain the monopoly, which Warren Hastings established, at an advance of 6 to 800 per cent. The profit from the Sales in Calcutta netted the Company in the year 1827, One crore and 82 lacs and 78,185 rupees: according to the Report of the House of Lords in 1830.
Our last Price Current from Bombay quotes Salt (the quality of which we do not know) at 14 to 15 rupees per rush of 40 tons. Three months before, the price was 18 to 20 rupees. In the official year 1840-1 but 414 tons of Salt, of the value of 1,564 rupees were imported. During the same year, was exported to Singapore and the Stracts 1,498 tons, value 6,316 rupees. Accord ing to Rushtons Gazetteer for 1842 it appears the average cost (at the cheapest producing Agencies during the ten years ending in 1836) was 100 Rupees for 100 maunds, the net Sale proceeds 400 rupees; not noting decimal parts. The Imp ort duty on Salt at Calcutta is Rs. 3. 4. as, per Maund, but the quantity entered is quite insign ficant except on government account. The au thority before cited, states the revenue which ac- crued to the Company from the Bengal Salt mo nopoly, to be 145,28,000 Rupees, and the quantity of Salt actually consumed in the same jurisdiction to be 44, 63, 500, without notation of weight. We presume, seers are meant, if so this monopoly must be very grievously felt by the poor Rice eating Hindoo, seeing that he cannot afford to purchase one fifth, of what is ordinarily consumed by the omnivorous European.
In a committee of the House of Commons, moved for, and presided over (a few years since) by Lord Grosvenor, it was incontestably demons- trated, that India could be supplied with Sult at a lower rate from Cheshire, than by its present native producers. That several cargoes despatched thither would have paid well, but for the imposition of the prohibitory duty of the Company, to protect its own monopoly.
This brings us to the point, to which we would claim the special attention of our mercantile rea- ders. We would ask them whether it would not now pay to bring Salt to China. Seeing that Coals can in quantity be shipped from Liverpool, for the East, including China, we know no reason why a bulky, but a more valuable artiele, Salt, should not be sent largely to the free port of Hongkong,
We
find during the year 1839, of 11,837,594 bushels (Ib 50 each) of Salt exported from Eng- land, (declared value € 218,907) fully one half was sent to America. The export from England must we think be now above 300,000 tons annu- ally, at an average cost say of 14s. to 16s. per ton. When last year in Liverpool, we found the best sort of white Salt in Squares,
M. BOUDIN, chief medical officer of the military minute doses of arsenic, as a substitute or partial Hospital at Marseilles, has adopted with success, substitute, in of fever, In
bstitute, in the cure of
cure of agues and certain classes
annually by the French army in Algeria, was of Sciences his communication to the Academy states the quantity of quinine used valued at 100,000 francs,
tioned near Jehol, in that portion of Mongel Tar- M. GADET, a French Lazarist missionary, sta- tary which has been added to the Chinese Pro- Sciences at Paris, through M. S. Julien, some vince of Chi-li has forwarded to the academy of specimens of rice, which were remarkable, from their having been grown, not in the marshes usual ly producing this plant ; but on cetration of wheat, and that too, without any ground fit for the need of natural or artificial irrigation. This rice is of a Species, the natural locality of which is Cochin-China. A considerable quantity of Silk Worms were also sent by the same person. We hope the Consuls, when appointed, will be able to transmit to England and our Colonies, many very useful but peculiar products of China, with a large amount of information respecting this peculiar people
BIGINAL COLREST
Hongke
THOE,
November 23th, 1842.
DEAR SIR, columns, will you make known the following circum THROUGH the medium of your widely circulated stances, they are simply as follows.
147
beat the deceased was, that the deceased had not breal – told the deceased that any one was invited. After the fast enough for him and his friends, Llic Capt. had not chief matei shed the chief mate overboard, he camo forward to best mo I was struck twice and then ran on the Forecastle, the mate following and then pushed me overhoard, 1 will swear to all this There was no boat lowered to pick up either me or the deceased all the people were below, I swam ashore (I saw the de- ceased sink)
The witness was required by the Jury to take his Coat off, to see if there were any marks of his being beaten. {
I was very much exhausted. I told the deceased'e bró I could not get a boat to look after the deceased, as ther what had occurred, the deceased had not been beaten before. I have been 28 days on board the Caci- the deceased Sinking. The deceased was about 8-or 9 gue. It was a very dark night it rained and blew hard. I was on the Starboard side of tho Vessel when I saw Cubits length, from the Vessel (distance 11 English feet) neither I nor the deceased cried out for assistance deceased could not swim but I can a little. the Cacique was about 200 yards from the shore, the
Cacique on Saturday morning last, I called for break- W. MAN-Sworn,-I am Master of the Barque fast at 8 oclock. it was not ready, that was the time I had ordered breakfast, two friends had come on board to breakfast I asked the Steward to be quick and get it, but he did not seem inclined to exert himself but rather was slow about it, I had never touched him bc- fore, but had frequently told him I would if he did not obey orders and this time I took a small Gasket or plaited rope and I gave the deceased a ropes ending. I struck him on the back and posteriors. I gave him about 14 dozen lashes; when the breakfast did come it.... was not catable and 1 smacked his face twice with my open hand, the deceased said it was the Cook's fault I A Sale of Stores from the wreck of the Brig Liver- then came on deck and flogged the Cook with the pool was held at Chusan on the 26th, ult,, at which I same, į gasket gave him not quite 1 dozen strokes writers. I had previously solicited the attendance of about 6 more strokes, I then told him he might go acted as Agent and Auctioneer on the part of the under-after that when the breakfast came I gave the deceased about Sixty Shipmasters in port at the time, but the ashore. He did not go. Two days previous to this oc- vessel on board of which the Sale was to be held laging currence, the deceased came and told me his time was in the outer harbour, seven only attended. In the course of the Sale a 1 † inch Chain Cable of 115 fathoms was
up and asked permission to leave the Ship. On refer- put up, for which to my great surprise only eighty more to serve I told him so, he admitted it, and I then ence to the Log book, I found the deceased had 3 days dollars was bid; however being anxious to complete the told him at the expiriation of his time he might leave sale in order to forward the returns, I after some the Ship as he had told me, he did not wish to hesitation reluctantly knocked it down to Captain dined on board, the deceased did not appear the worse Barrett at that price. I have subsequently learnt that for the beating, made no complaint, and apparently Mr Giles Wade, Master of Her Majesty's Store Ship every thing went on better than usual. In the aftermoon Choma Coutts, had agreed to accept a bribe from I went on shore, and did not return till 4 oclock next Captain Barrett not to bid against him and moreover morning, at about I that morning the chief mate called that Mr. Wade had induced other parties not to bid for me, delivered a letter from a friend and then stated that Cable, urging Captain Barretts extreme want of it both the Cook and Steward had left the Ship; I called all Scheme were easy about the matter. the parties being entirely ignorant of his disreputable hands an immediately and questioned the crew and I have been they all said they knew nothing of the Cook or Steward prompted to make this communication trusting that it having left the Ship, and they supposed they must have, may have a salutary effect and put a stop to such swam ashore, the Chief mato entered in the Log book nefarious transactions.
that at day light he found the Cook and Steward mis- sing and my Servant served out the Grog I heard no. thing further of the Steward till Sunday night, when Mr. Marchbank brought his Servant on board and he stated to me that the Cook and Steward had left the Ship after dark, the night previous to his statement, to
the
I Remain
A Dear Siraza Yours most Respectfully
JOHN ORD,
Master of the late Brig Liverpool.
EVIDENCE TAKEN AT THE INQUISITION BEFORE
MR. EDWARD FARNCOMB ·
CORONER
Daman came to me and said there
November 8th 1842. could be put 17. 6d.
ROBERT JONES-a Policeman-Sworn--This morn. on boarding a 6 oclock. I was coming into the market, a Chi- at 243. per ton; Common white Salt at and Rock Salt at 10s, per ton.
was a dead It may be men- body lying on the Beach that it was the body of his tioned that on the latter, the river freight to the brother and he requested me to go with him to the Port of Shipment, amounts to 50 per Cent of its Magistrate to make complaint, which I did. went cost, when raised from the mině.
with the Chinaman to look at the body and I saw blood on the deceased's head and face I went to report to the magistrate. The Chinaman told me that he and the deceased had been working about a month on board the Barque Cacique, another Chinaman who was with him, said that the deceased had been beaten on board.
Audax-examined-1 am out of employment. Whilst
Our commercial friends, from these facts, and after having ascertaining the average Sale prices in China, for Salt of vanous qualities, will be able to judge whether it will ever be an article of Import. We are inclined to think it will be found like ly ere long to become a very important one. The broum Salt, vended here (which is inferior to crush- ed Rock Salt) is sold we are informed at about 278 6d. per ton, to the wholesale dealer, The white Salt and this is the article, which most ments attention; is retailed at 31 per picul. It is hard- ly to be
posed the prime cost of this article in China fuel ere is relatively so dear, can be under La picul, double this would we think be found about the price. But at the former rate of 1 at 4s 04 the and 18 picuts to the Ton Salt (which is customarily 2600 1b) such price (of a very nese) would be
£3 per ton
ale
go
to sea,
swim ashore that the Cook had reached the shore bat the Steward, not being able to swim and being encum- bered with clothes, had been drowned, The evening that the deceased and the Cook left the Ship was very dark with wind and rain I saw a corpse this morning about the size of the deceased, but could not identify him, being so dreadfully bruised and mutulated, I gave the deceased no further chastisement than what I have stated and can prove it was not too severe.
GEORGE AERS SWorn. I am chief mate on board the Cacique, in the morning of Saturday last the Capt. had ordered breakfast at about 8 o'clock, it was not ready two persons had came on board to breakfast. I saw the Capt. strike the deceased he gave the deceased 5 or 6 strokes on the back, nothing occurred beyond the usual routine of Ship duty, the rest of the day. I did not have occasion to find fault or punish the Look or Steward the remainder of the day, when I came on deck there. was no one there. I then called all up to get the second anchor ready and when we had finished, I gave orders for the Grog to be served out, The Capt. Servant serv I was washing myself in my house this morning, someed it out, very often the Capt. Servent serves it out at people came and told me there was a dead Chinahin on the Beach and wished me to go and see whether it was my brother. I had been looking for my brother whom I recognised in the deceased as I had missed him for 2 days The Cook of the Cacique dare land asked me, whether I had seen my brother la had been killed by the Chief mate of that
overboard I said I had not, seen bi mediately and got a Bont
that I first sav ther thaideteased
9 oclock I called for the Steward and neither he nor the Cook were to be found, the men looked round the deck aud said they believed they were gone and I did not troub
myself any further about the matter. It esh and quito dark, I reported the matter next morning some time between that to day I heard that the deceased had been have seen the deceased and cannot recog- will take ray oath that I neither struck or or the Cook or Steward ov
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