PROCLAMATION.
THE letter, of which a Copy is hereunto annexed, having been addressed to me by the Mercantile Firms who have signed it, on behalf of themselves and others, I do hereby direct and proclaim, in conformity with their application, that, pending the Gracious pleasure of the Queen of England, the Mexican and other Republican Dollars shall be taken as, and considered to be, the standard in all Government and Mercantile Transactions at Hongkong, and other Places in China, in the occupation of her Majesty's Forces, unless at the time of such Transactions taking place, it should be expressly specified to the contrary.
AND I do further announce, that the present Proclamation is not to be taken in any way or shape as affecting the Provisions of the one which I promulgated on the twenty-ninth day of last month relative to the Circulating Medium on the Island of Hongkong.
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN,
DATED at Hongkong, Government House, this 27th day of April 1842.
(Signed) HENRY POTTINGER.
BY ORDER.
Sir,
J. Robt: Morrison,
Acting Secretary and Treasurer.
To His Excellency
Sir Henry Pottinger Bart:
&c. &c. &c.
with reference to the existing scarcity of the Spanish Pillar Dollar, and the certain further diminution of that Currency in consequence of the Coinage having ceased. We beg leave to suggest to Your Excellency the eligibility of making the Mexican, and other Republican Dollars, the Standard in all Government and Mercantile transactions at Hongkong or other places in China in the occupation of Her Majesty's Forces.
It is the general wish of the Mercantile Community in China to adopt the Republican Dollar as the general Standard of value, as soon as circumstances may admit of their doing so; but they are clearly of opinion that some time must elapse before the Chinese will be brought to abolish the distinction between the different Coins, and in the meantime they conceive an early public intimation from Government to the effect suggested would tend to accelerate and facilitate the measure.
Sir,
Your most obedient Servants
(Signed) Jardine, Matheson &c.
Dent & Co.
Fergusson, Leighton & Co.
Macricar & Co.
Macao 4th April 1842.
(True Copy)
J. Robt. Morrison.
Acting Secretary and Treasurer.
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