No 20, of 1843. –
Inclosure N. 4 in Despatch
29 July 1843
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
His Excellency Sir Henry Pottinger, Bart., &c. &c., Her Majesty's Chief Superintendent of Trade, &c., &c., in China, is pleased to direct that the annexed documents be published for general information.
RICHARD WOOSNAM,
By Order. Macao, 23d September, 1843.
329
Copy of Despatch
N. 128
requesting that defined Rules
to Lord Aberdeen, &c. &c.,
may
to Her Majesty's Servants leave of absence being granted be laid down regarding
in China.
September 1843.
Macao, 22d September, 1843.
G. T. LAY, Esq.,
Sir,
Officiating Consul, Canton.
I deem it advisable to reply in an official form to your private letters of the ... and instants, with the twofold object of placing my sentiments on record for the future guidance of yourself and Her Majesty's other Consuls in China, as far as they may be applicable to their stations, and of making those sentiments public, for general information.
You will see from the Notification which I have had published in all the newspapers under date the 14th instant, that I highly approve of your Circular dated the 28th of July, regarding ships' Manifests, and that none are to be received in which the rules you have laid down shall be omitted.
I am glad to find from your recent letters that such a change for the better had taken place, that you and Mr. Thom had considered it unnecessary to deliver the letter to the Imperial Commissioner, regarding the delays in the Hoppo's establishment. I need hardly say, that I quite concur in the opinion you express, and the answer you gave, when referred to, respecting the Linguists. I told you in my original instructions, to bear in mind "That it is no part of the duty of the British Government or its officers to render mercantile firms or individuals any assistance in conducting their business, beyond what is laid down expressly in the General Regulations;" and I remarked, that I considered it advisable and right to draw your particular attention to this fact, as I had had reason to believe, that an impression had been imbibed, that Government was bound by its officers and establishments to supply, in some measure, the loss of the agency of the abolished Hong Merchants. I also pointed out, that such an impression was equally erroneous and absurd, as demonstrated by the General Regulations and Tariff being applicable to the five ports, at four of which no such thing as licensed merchants had to my knowledge ever existed.
You were quite right to submit Mr. Coolidge's petition to the Imperial Commissioner, but, in doing so, you ought to have particularly explained, that it was handed up by him in his capacity of agent to a British firm, and not as an 'American merchant,' which His Excellency appears to have understood from his reply. That reply is, in my estimation, highly satisfactory; for although it does not immediately remove the obstacles to trade of which Mr. Coolidge had complained, it distinctly admits, that the late Hong Merchants are no longer the servants of, or under the dictation of, the Chinese Government; and could the pecuniary demand which is hanging over those individuals on behalf of the imperial government only be adjusted to their satisfaction, or altogether removed, they would stand, as merchants, in a position of independence and stability, which they have never before enjoyed at any period of our connection with China.
I propose to publish this letter, as well as the Imperial Commissioner's reply to Mr. Coolidge's petition; and adverting to the matters and occurrences to which they refer, and the consequent disappointment and clamor which has been felt and raised, I likewise think it expedient to append to them a passage of my original Instructions to you, from which it will be seen, that from the first, I considered the delays and trouble that have arisen, to be inseparable from the introduction of the new system in the commerce of Canton.
I have the honor to be, &c.,
HENRY POTTINGER. (Signed)
(True Copy)
RICHARD WOOSNAM,