THE FRIEND OF CHINA AND HONGKONG GAZETTE.
ment takes the responsibility, hereafter, seeing it is now determined that the English may have commercial dealings with any Merchants whom sover they please, so that, being able to choose the Merchants for themselves, they are nowise in the same position, as when dealing with a limited
themselves, these items, are in addition to the re- gular duties; and afterwards, when the four Ports (up the Coast) shall be opened, arrangements must be made with the Viceroys and Governors of the Provinces concerned, to provide for these extra expenses, but on no account, will there be such a As their amounting to three or four times the
perial Commissioners, the most minute and strin gent rules as to the conduct of the British Mer chants, and their Servants or dependants on pretence will they be permitted to go into the Country, or away from the Sea Ports to trade, nud every merchant, will be held responsible, for the orderly behavior of his sprvants and dépondants
number of Hong Merchants, licenced by China: regular Duties. Thus, in like mauner, at the of whatever nation, or class they may be.
whatever Dobts therefore, there may be, they shall only be able to sue for the recovery theroof, through the Govorament, and can no longer call for reimbursniert by the Government itself.
(Truo Extract.)
No. 4.
R. WOOSNAM. Acting Secretary. . From the Plenipotentiary 5th September 1842, The High Imperial Commissioners and Governor General, are already perfectly aware that one of the Chief canses of this disagreement and consequent hos tilities, that are now happily at an end, was the unau- thorized exact.ons and extortions of the Canton Cus-E toin - House officers, and local Authorities, and which exactions and extortions frequently raises the lumpe- rial and regular dues, to double and treble and even fourfold the proper am unt; to speak therefore of making the Canton Custom House regulations and Tariff the bases of future arrangments, is as it were. "Perpetuating remonstrance and discussion". Her
City of Canton, there have always been certain established rates, and the extortions and augnen- tations, that have swolled these to 9 or 4 times the regular Duties, should be submitted to the Vice roy and Hoppo of Canton, who will examine and distinguish clearly, between those charges which ought to be abolished, and those, which ought to be retained; but on no account, will such à vi- cious custom of trebling and quadrupling the regu lar Duties, be permitted. quacoping the rogu
In your Excellency's reply, it is stated; that after paying all expenses, you wish that a large overplus of Revenue, may flow into the Imperial Treasure &c. In our Chinese Custom House, just as we collect the regular established duties, so do we send them on this is our constant rule.
We do not ask more than the fixed rates, that we may have an overplus, and yet the expenses of the Custom
must be
Majesty's Plenipotentiary, has already recommended lency ts Wellare) som Paid, (as your cel
that the Authorized Tarif und Duties of the five Ports should be called for, and compared and an average struck for the whole.
The advantages of this arrangement are so obvious, that they do not require to be enlarged on. H. M. Plenipotentiary can most solemnly and conscientiously assure their Ex's the Imperial Commissioners. that on the Questions of leport and Export Duties, as well us Transit dues, his sole and anxious object, is to fulfil the duties of an impartial umpire between the two Countries, He neither wishes to see the Duties so high as to encourage or foster Smuggling, nor yet so low, as not to form a fair and legitimate source of im- perial Revenue after paying the expenses of Establish.
Question to a final close.
someway or other, so that we can only calculate aud decide upon, what is just enough to cover these expenses, and there stop. If your Excellency will consult with those who transact business with this Country, and have long resided in China, and if your Excellency will care- fully examine into particulars, you will clearly comprehend our meaning.
Moreover, no British Ships will be allowed to visit any other Ports, than those opened by Treaty, and should any person be detected in attempting to smuggle, or trade without paying the established doties, the Chinese Government Officers will be at perfect liberty, to seize and confiscate such Goods. It is however so obviously the interest of the Bri tish Merchants, to live on friendly terms with the people of China, among whom, they are even to dwell for a tine, and with whom, they will have Mercantile dealings, that there is no fear of their misbehaving, and II. M. Consular officers will sce that they strictly conform to the rules, to be laid down, so far as the Government of China and its officers are concerned.
The moment these points can be finally settled, they shall be embodied in a Supplementary Trea- ty, and submitted for the gracious ratification of the Sovereigns of both Countries.
Signed
JIENRY POTTINGER II. B. M. Plenipotentiary.
RICHARD WOOSNAM
Acting Secretary."
(A True Extract)
To His Excellency
Sir,
SIR HENRY POTTINGER, BART, HI, M's Plenipotentiary and Superintendent of British Trade
in China.
3rdly. British Subjects being permitted to trade. at five Ports, as above
Superintendent must of course he established, each place, for the direction of their affairs. All Englishmen what- ever, ought to be completely under his control, and We have the honor to acknowledge the receipt the Mandarins of the Central land, will also under-
of Your Excellency's letter to the British Mer- take that ou
our Merchants and people be placed chants in China, under date 28th ultimo, with the under proper restraint. Thus, both parties, car several enclosures therein referred to, and in re- rying on their Trade on a footing of perfect equa-plying to that communication, we beg leave to forward to your Excellency copies of Resolutions passed at a general Meeting of the Merchants, by which Your Excellency will observe, that the Undersigned have been requested to act as a Committee on the occasion.
ments &c. With theses ntiments the Plenipotentiary will be happy to confer with the Imperial Commissi- oners, as soon as they have received instructions from the Cabinet, and the Plenipotentiary will meet their Exlity and justice, no insults or deception whatever, cellencies at Canton, or any other Port, they may will be permitted, which might lead again to the consider more convenient, to bring this Important involving of the two Countries in war. As for the
Goods,
are be bought and sold, we can only permit these to be bargained and settled at the Public Residence, it will never do, for them to R. WOOSNAM, proceed to 'distant markets in the Acting Secretary.such places, thereby causing loss
Country, and to the Revenue by smuggling, be that ever so small.
13th September, 1842.
RICHARD WOOSNAM
Acting Secretary.
Steam Frigate "Queen," off Nanking, 5th Septem- ber 1842,
(True Extract).
No. 5. From the Imperial Commissioners dated
the 13th of September 1842.
(Tue Extract.)
It does not appear to us that, at the present mo- ment, the information before us, is of a sufficiently tangible or specific character, to enable us to place any thing before Your Excellency which could be useful, but if Your Excellency could furnish us with translations of the documents, which are said to contain an exact account of the Imperial Duties, we might be better able, on arrival of the Chinese Commissioners, to state the views of the British Merchants as to any proposed alterations.
On all other points, Your Excellency will pro- bably agree with us, that it might be expedient to refrain from drawing up any statements, until the arrival of those Authorities may enable us to learn
shall in future be conducted. the principles, upon which it is intended the Trade
2ndly. Another article (see under head No. 4) alludes to the duties being high and low, at dif ferent Ports; and we proposed that the scale of No. 6 the Canton Custom House, should be
be assumed as
FROE THE PLENIPOTENTIARY a model, and sent in to the Board of Revenue,
DATED THE 17th SEPTEMBER 1842. when being duly canvassed by them, the same "2nd. With respect to the second item of their should be respectfully put in force. Your Excel Excellencies memorandum, Her Britannic Majes- lency objects to this, as still more perplexing matters, ty's Plenipotentiary, can only repeat his anxiety to and says that it is, as it were perpetuating remons- see the Tariff and Duties, fixed on a fair scale. so trance and discussion. We find that in China, the that they shall, as before stated, neither be so high Custom House duties, have certain fixed rates, as to foster or encourage smuggling, nor yet so beyond which, no extortion is permitted, thus in "low as not to form a fair and legitimate source the case of the Custom House duties, these are printed and made up in a volume, and the English- | « set of Establishments &c. H. B. M. Plenipoten- of Imperial Revenue after defraying the Expen- men, who have resided for many years at Cantontiary reads with real satisfaction, the firm inten- cannot but "know all about them. Where in any tion of their Excellencies, to abolish all extortions case,
has excess of Duty been levied? Those ex- and abuses and he earnestly suggests, that what- tortions and abuses, alluded to, which trebled and ever the amount of Duties and charges, whether Macao, Jany, 6th, 1843, (Signd) Alexr, Matheson, quadrupled the Duties, must have proceeded from Import, Export, or Transit may be, it should be the followers and underlings of the Hoppo, the specifically defined, and not in the smallest degree Hong Merchants. Linguists and Compradores.
officers. left to the arbitrary pleasure, or opinion of the local
which so much discussion and discontent has sprun
That, has been the great evil at Canton, out of
Now we, the High Commissioners, looking up,|| embody in ourselves, the kind intentions of our gracious Emperor, and how can we permit, that matters be carried on, on any other principle, than that of satisfaction for what is past, and guarding || othe against mischief for the future? Thus, when we spoke of adopting the scale of Duties of the Cus tom House of Canton, and referring it to the Bo of Revenue, to be fully convassed by them respectfully put in force, we were expressly allud ing to the Regular Imperial Duties, and as your In ports, such as Woollen-Cloths, Camlets. Clocks Watches &c, and your Exports such as Ra Piece Goods Tea, Rhubarb &c. are not which every year, pass through the Custom - of Foochow foo, Ningpo, and Shanghae," matter is submitted to the Board of Rev examination and deliber on, they cannot d wise than adopt the Canton fixed. Dute
star
necessary salaries to clerks, writers and ionaries, high or low, be included in dunes, so that Merchants shall know they are to pay on their Merch in. ther on Importation or Exportation. Her onic Majesty's Plenipotentiary, is still of opini.
til the dunes can be equalised
the model at the five ports of Canto Amoy, Ningpo and Shanghae, it will be
rangement for both Empires,
the equali being defined
Plenipot
We need only add, that our Committee will at all times be ready to communicate with your
Excellency may wish us to do so, Excellency personally, or by letter, whenever your
We have the honor to be
Your Excellency's, most Obedient, Humble Servants
George T. B Wm Tho
(True Copy)
RICHARD WOOSK
Acting Secretary.
NOTE of proceedings Merchants held on i the house of Messia Jent Iideration a letter, dated
cons
Con
eed
act upon
e abuses
age 2
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