THE FR
AND
OF CHINA
AZETTE.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3RD, 1847
ours of Divine Bermice in the Couo Set 6 A. 1, par 10 4. M.
THE FRIEND OF CHINA AND HONGKONG GAZETTE.
were sausted
"21760 | ani We, în CCU I
steported the fember did not see
hold an
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hat he would have been anxious, quite for bu own reputation as for that of the the commaa justice of dim from the charge of having set at de- horities of his own Bovereign. of this, we find in the Friend of China of the bruary, the following comment on the As
But at General letter
China resisted the odious commerce in opium; an expedition after the fashion of Cortes subdued the Celestial Empire. Two seas existed, the entrance of which was not under the command of England, the Chinese Ocean and the Red Sea. Aden and Singapore have completed the chain of forts which bind the commerce of the world. 2. In 1810, England was without exception, the The Astant Adjutant General's letter, which state most heavily burdened by the weight of taxa. tion She is now, in proportion to her wealth, we subjoin, denies that any Order was issued to the Troops declaring them to be independent of the Po- less taxed than France. Thirty years ago England lice. This statement may be correct, in as much spent £80,000,000 sterling, while France spent bat the half. In 1844, England spent £55,000,000, whilst France expended £57,500 000.
on opposed to that of the On the 24th February 1
the
Adoj tant-General addressed a letter to the Colonial Becretary, in which he says I am directed
as the document in question was not what is termed to acquaint you for the information of His
a General Order, or the Soldiers may have been in-
Let us observe, at the same time, one single Excellency the Governor, that the statement formed of their happy independence without any attributed to certain soldiers of the 18th Regi paper having been read. They stated, that accord fact, the enormous difference in the resources of ment, as regards the issua of an order declaring to the orders they received in the Barracks the the two countries, for the supply of such benvy ing them to be independent of the police, is bloody peelers had nothing to do with them. Had public burdens. Looking still at 1844, as amely wholly without foundation.” We quote from they said according to a General Order, then Cap- of comparison, I find, says Baron Dupin, that the lain Bruce's letter might have shook their testimony. commerce of England, favored by a skilful system our publication of the 27th February our con viotion after reading this letter at The Police were instructed not to interfare with of taxation, is so great, that the mere amount of them, and the report of the trial of the two Soldiers, the produce of the soil and industry of Great Britain Adjutant-General's letter denies that
sold to foreign nations, in eleven months, is equal was issued to the troops declaring them to be in which appeared in the Register, shows that acl-
to the total annual expenditures of the Treasury. On the other hand, in France, we only behold an protect a Citizen who was struck by a soldier in his NOTICE The bars of Public Worship in the Unins dependent of the police. This statement may being upon these instructions, a policeman refused to
correct, in as much as the document in question
unlimited increase in the taxation, and we have own house. The Royal Irish is a well behaved re was not what is termed a General Order, or thegiment; but if such absurd ideas are promulgated ranched a point at which we require the amount of twenty three months of the sale of our produce to foreigners to pay our expenditures, whilst eleven months, only, sufice to the Engish,"
VINCENT STANTON,
Victoria, 1st June, 1847.
Colonial Chaplin.
CHAFEL present are 11 A. M., and past 6 P. M.
Victoria, 3d May, 1847.
Tas Monthly Overland Friend of China will be ready for delivery at noon on Thursday.
set
SOLDIERS MAY HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THEIR INDEPENDENCE
Hour
PAPER HAVING
BREN TEAD. Such was our opinion after duly deliberating between the evidence before the Court and the letter; and for holding that We direct attention to Mr Isaac Buchanan's theo-opinion we are vituperated by the Englishman
most abundantly, ry of free trade with the colonies and with Ireland. This gentleman passed many years in North Ame rica, and is a warm advocate of the interests of those coloutes. It appears to us, however, that he writes as an American colonist, sorgetting that the pro vinces form but a small portion of a mighty empire, Jo legislating for which many interests have to be considered.
By the Pskin we received an incomplete file of Cape papers, from the 12th February to the 16th April. Through some irregularity five of the papers were only delivered at this office on Mon- day, or six days afer the Pekin's arrival.
Sir Henry Pottinger had entered vigorously on the dates of his appointment; by the latest advices he was on the frontier. Pato, a celebrated crief, scht a message praying for peace The reply was, that an unconditional surrender alone would be listened to, bis life being spared. Two of Sir Hen- ry's followers have received lucrative appointments, -Richard Burgass, Esq., to be Commissioner of Claims arising out of the Kaffir war, and Richard Woonam, Esq., Secretary to Her Majesty's High Commissioner
The former Governor, Bir Peregrine Maitland, embarked for England in February. Several ad- dresses were presented to him by the inhabitants and the various religions bodiel of Cape Town.
In our shipping report we have acted some wrecks In the neighbourhood of the Cape.
The Amiga, bease 20th December, arrived at Table Bay on the 19th February, and sailed for Liverpool previous to the 22d. The Sir Robert Sale, Loader, hence 9th January, arrived on the Bath February, and sailed previous to the 11th of March. The Wanderer, Priest, from Liverpool for China, sailed from Table Bay on the 11th April.
Or Saturday we published a letter from Mr Mac. gregor to the Chairman of the Committee of the British Chamber of Commerce at Canton, intimat- ing Sir John Davis's intention of withdrawing the military guard from the factories. We have been favoured with a copy of the reply to that communi. cation, from which it will be observed, that in the opinion of the Committee, the presence of a guard gives a feeling of security to the respectable Chi- nese as well as to foreigners. This coincides with the view we took of the matter; and it remains to be seen whether his Excellency will carry out his intention, or defer it, in respect to the wishes of his countrymen in Canton, mbo, it is to be believed, are in a position to form a due estimate of the danger that would be incurred were they left defenceless in the present state of our political relations with China, and with a populace burning for an oppor tunity to retaliate for the outrages of April.
CANTOR, 17th June, 1847.
F. C. MACORBOR, Esq., SrI have the honor of acknowledging receipt of your letter of the 14th inst, addressed to me as Chai man of the Commitee of the Canton British Chamber of Commerce on the subject of the removal of the guard now stationed at the Factories. The Commitee in reply thereto assure you of their readi. pess to assist in the completion of the measu
measures al- luded to; but in reference to the latter part of your letter beg to observe, that they consider the presence guard gives a feeling of security to the respec table Chinese as well as to the foreigners against those widden and tumultuous attacks to which re. sidents in Canton are subject; and feel compelled jurther respectfully to repeat the opinion expressed in their letter of 2d June as to the causes from which the Trade is still suffering so severely and from which it can hardly be expected to recover while the present acertainly exists with regard to the prospective measures of the British Government. I have the honor to be, dec.
D. JARDINE Chairman,
the Enghal
the column
sand!
|
The Englishman's censure falls fight, and we whistle it down the wind without a thought. We would say to our contemporary, however, be more cautious for the future la accepting communications from this quarter on "unquestioned authority," as more than one journal has been gulled by what they are pleased to style unquestioned authority." The Englishman's correspondent may have omitted to inform him of one fact, which we now whisper in his ear-General D'Aguilar did not issue lan order having reference to the police, the communication was made verbally in an address to the men 111
After he receives this explanation, we re- quest the Englishman to peruse his editorial of the 18th April; more especially the passages in
italics.
by their superiors, it is not a matter of astonishment that some of the men becoine riotous, and that it was necessary to disabuse them of a false impression by severe example."
The insinuation contained in the above paragraph deserves the severest reproof. Tho whole accusa- tion against the Commanding Officer, rests, as we have observed, upon the hearsay evidence of expres sions used by two drunken soldiers. The authority given to them by the Court joduces a direct official denial, backed by the completest possible proof, namely, that the military authorities had themselves brought the offenders to trial before the Civil Court, thus practically refuting the alleged intention to dis pote its authority, even without knowing that such But a charge was likely to be made against them. the Hongkong Editor insinuates that the Major Ge- neral is guilty of a CONTEMPTIBLE QUIBBLE, and that although no such general order had been issued, the soldiers may have been informed of their happy independence without any paper having been read,' An officer who could lend himself to such a practice as that of privately instructing his men that they would be supported in breaking the law, when he dared not commit himself by a written order, WOULD as UNFIT FOR THE PUBLIC SERVIOR. Therefore, to in- sinuate such a charge, without a shadow of proof, is so offensive that we can only attribute it to some (From the Englishman, April 12, 1847.) personal motive having overcome the Editor's sense On Friday last, we mentioned our intention of of public duty. The only shadow of a foundation noticing the attack made upon Major General for this most scandalous attack, is contained in the D'Aguiler by the Friend of China We publish the assertion that the police were instructed not to in report of the case given in that journal, which, as interfere with the soldiers. A moment's reflection, might have been inserted under a misapprehension however, would have sufficed to convince the writer of the facts, is not censurable, but what cannot be that if such instructions were issued, they must justified in a repetition of the accusation after the have emanated from the civil authorities under General had given it his official contradiation. whom the police acted, and that the military officers The facts of the rase have been communicated to could in no way be accountable for their conduct, us upon unquestionable authority, and are as follows: Indeed, bad there been the sort of contest for supre Two soldiers of Her Majesty's 16th regiment were macy which the Hongkong Editar would lead us to arraigned before the Supreme Court of Hongkong believe, the orders of the civil authorities ought to for riot and assault in a public house, as reported in have been precisely the reverse of those alledged, and the extracts we have made. A policeman in giving the policemen should have been instructed that they evidence against the prisoners stated that on the night were to teach the soldiers that they held no exemp- of the riot the soldiers called out that they might tion from the laws to which other British subjecia do as they pleased, that according to e orders they are amenable. received in the barracks the bloodg Peelers had Upon this passage the nothing to do with thera." Chief Justice most unaccountably expressed himself as follows: "It was a most extmordiary opinion that any order from a commanding fficer could exempt a soldier from being amenable to the civil do su. They claim it from a general order read in authorities; nothing but an Act of Parliament can the barracks this was mere waste paper."
the Chief Justice to the alleged language of two In consequence of the credibility thus attached by drunken soldiers, being the mere hearsay evidence of a policeman, the Friend of China made the fol- lowing remark:
to be surpassed by those of the Major General,
"The absurdities of the Police Magistrate are only
would appear that that Potentate has issued a ge amenable to the civil powers, and to give weight to neral order, inforrning the soldiers that they are no
the document, the Superintendent of Police tella us he was not to interfere with the soldiers. The Chie!' Justice right well say that the General Order was no better than a piece of waste paper.
(Here follows a reference to the reported pro- ceedings.)
In consequence of this, Major General D'Aguilar caused the following letter to be addressed by the Ae- sistant Adjutant General to the Colonial Secretary:
TO THE HOSCURABLE MAIOR CAINE,
*Colonial Secretary, appeared in the proceedings of the Supreme Court, as pub BuWith reference to the following passage which lished in the Hongkong Register of the 23rd instant, 1 am directed to acquaint you, for the information of His Ex- cellency the Governor, that the statement attributed to cer issue of an Order declaring them to be independent of the tain riotous Soldiers of the 18th Regiment, as regards the Police, is wholly without foundation,
"The Boldiers called out that they might do as they pleased that according to the orders they received in the remarking on the evidence the Chief Fustice said it Barracks, the bloody Feelers had nothing to do with them,
was a most extraordinary opinion that any order from Commanding Officer could exempt a soldier from being amenable to the Clyn Authorities. Nothing but an Actor Parliament cas do so. They claim it Général or der read in the Barracks this was mere waste paper.
Having ready stated that no such. Order has ever been issued to the Troups, it is only secerary to add, this! the Boldiers above alluded to were brought betare e Su preme Court to answer for their misconduct, at the instance of the Military Authorities, when an option had been con siderately given by the Oficiating Chief Magistrate for making their offence thembject of a Court Martial have the honour to be tc.
BEFOR Coptam,
1 Assistant Adjutant General.
Liry 184
We have thought it only simple justice to Major General D'Aguilar, with whom we have no persona! acquaintance, to refute a calumny which may al ready have been widely spread. But we cannot con· clude without expressing our regret that any mem- ber of our eastern fraternity should have shewn s0 should have endeavoured to support a refuted charge unfair a spirit to attacking individual character, and
by unwarrantable insinuation. We are all liable to in confessing them when proved against us; but to errors and mistakes, and there ought to be no shame persist in a calumnious accusation when publicly disproved, if from false pride displays lamentable weakness, but if arising from malignity deserves the
nalist. scornful reprehension of every independent jour-
REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE. (From the Polynesian, April 3.)
It needs no prophet's vision to forsee that Cali. fornia and its neighbor Oregon are destined to become to the North Pacific what Chile is to the South Pacific-populous, flourishing, and important States, with the advantage over the latter of instit tions based upon the phror foundation of Anglo Saxion liberty and morals. Whatever terms Mexico may make with the United Stater, it is universally conceded that California will not go back to the imbecile and corrupt rule of Mexico Inadequate to its government, with a population of 10,000 souls of her own Spanish American stock, she becomes doubly so, with its addition of rayriads speaking the self-stimulating institutions of the United States; so English tongue and born and reared among the that, should the United States consent to forego the advantages of their conquest, her own citzens now there, amalgamated with the natives of the soil, would speedily set up for themselves, and knock for admittance into the family of nations. Whether California becomes a permanent territory of the United States, or an independent government, the general interests of mankind will have been vastly benefitted by the political changes, which have thrown that country open to the immigration of hardy, industrious, enterprising, settlers, accustomed to self government, and to clear their way through nature's ronghoat obstacles. The right sort of tamers of the wilderness will pour into the country by thous Bands, and by the time they have fulfilled hair des tiny of breaking up the virgin soil, felling the forests, and opening the mines, commerce and christianity will have turned them into a community as orderly as they are enterprising. Scope for the fullest de- velopment of humanizing energies will undoubtedly be afforded by the laws which will be placed over. the country. Consequently the civil lúducements being upon a par with the natural advantages, set- 1lers will willingly make a home opun those western shores.-Literally, westward the star of empire has now found its way, and it must stay its course and its benignant rays to attract hither true worship stop right over this Bethlehem of the West, leading
pers of the babe in the manger.
Her
Charles Dupin, is highly complimentary to Eng The following contrast drawn by the Baron
upon which British legislation has been "based land, and is valuable as illustrating the principles
We compared California and Oregon to Chile. A glance at the map will show their superior natural advantages and adaptation for a quicker progress in the race of civilization. Chile is rich in mines And agricultural wealth, and possesses a hardy, industri. ous population. With these advantages, and the blessings of a form of government borrowed from the experience of the United States, she has excelled all her other sisters in acquiring national wealth and importance. California and the Oregon have their population to acquire; but to Anglo-Saxon energy a single lustrum is a century. Chile has fewer advantages for internal commerce. mountaine obstruct free inland communication, and rivers she has next to none. Not so at the north. Extensive ranges of desert separate the countries from their eastern neighbors, but there are neither mountains nor other impedimente not readily sur mounted by those ever Bavigeble iron rivers, rail. roads. The Columbia, Willamette, Sacrament, Colorado, and other rivers are all accesible to steam, and can be made to beer rich resigns to
they drain their waters, gathered from the fertile vallies which In mineral wealth, in agricultural these countries are then excelled by more on the resources, and in facilities for foreign commerce,
waters of the Pacific. Providence, in all these respects, has richly endowed them, and extending as they do through nearly twenty degrees of latitude, they afford a variety of climate sufficient to enjoy all of the productions of the temperate zone, with a liberal share of those more properly the offspring of the tropical. To this my be added that range of temperature most favourable to human longevity and development with secur
Freedom of the 8011
security to property, constitute the primary elements of national prospe rity. Possessing these in addition to what nature has dons for them, Oregon and California will maturally become the El Dorados of the Pacific for the enterpriage
mapped begun already to see the effect upon our on and last year appressed a further sum of Davant fed kiton. With equal natural
pesce, victorious and tranquil, spent £86,000,000 In 1816, the British Government, in perfect
eterling, no part of which was applied to the extinc tion of the national debt.
In 1824, its expenditure exceeded £67,000,000. In 1844, the latest period to which the accounts have been completed, its oxpenditure was reduced to £55,000,000.
amounted to £33,500,000; it is now reduced to In 1816, the interest of the national debt
£28,000,000, and four million on temporary an- nuities, which are gradually disappearing year by ear. Whilst Great Britain was obtaining these splendid results, she was effecting a vast reform in the manner and extent of her public burdena
Between 1815 and 1841, a balance being struck between taxes increased and diminished, this power has abolished an amount of £24,000,000 of taxe
28,000,000
The tazer abolished are those, especially, which paralyze industry, and oppose abatacles to the so periority of British commerce over that of other nations. in effecting this, do not imagine the England bas abstained from carrying out gigantic enterprises, so eining gay Turgies and de fending her wile spread dominions with an armet hand. She presca.
of sul
presed by force
Syrian question her
scale, but with a soil koeked up by a selfish feudalism, or held by inert sinew or ioane minds, this kingdom most continue in its comparative paralytic state, while other cours are being born into acties existence all around i unless it makes an effort and stimulates the industry of its
Jepoculating them with some of the
th
foreign enterprise. Farms, industrial efforts must be on
ted ither, or else e
DG Every whe
Sisear and usef
in a commerce Di
both veres, keep
jostred of beat.
emphatical pretebi stale of