52
Star of Hong Kong for six years. It consisted principally of transports conveying troops, and vessels waiting for orders, or seeking freight. No trial has been given to the place without any satisfactory result nearly four years residence, or occupation of the Island.
An immense expenditure, commercial efforts have failed to produce any operation. Freary mouth the shipping entering the harbour is diminishing, and the imposition of tonnage duty will, it is said, still further decrease the number.
There does not appear the slightest probability that under any circumstances Hong Kong will ever become a place of trade. The island produces nothing whatever; its geographical position either as regards the Chinese Coast generally or Canton in particular is bad.
53
For the trade of the Coast of China it is too far to the Southward of a territory which extends upwards of 2000 miles; and if it were practicable to remove the extensive trade of Canton, the arrival of the open sea would be either to come to the Northward, in the neighbourhood of the Tea districts, or to come to some Island, or place in the Canton River. Averring either delusions that have been previously promulgated, is the allegation that Hong Kong is a protection to the British commerce at Canton, and especially to the Tea trade with reference to the latter it should be remembered, that the Chinese are as eager to sell us Tea, as we are to buy it; that the cessation of the trade would be a greater injury to them, than to the British Nation; that there was no difficulty in procuring Tea during the...