the shore with warehouses. Even without.
any
in the present rate of duty on Shipments
Chinese Ports, some
change of tea from
differential farm of Honghong, would have all the effect desired.
rate in
Of a cognate
is a
a quection.
nature with the above
which has been lately submitted-
to me in the enclosed Letter from
a Mercantile
as to the
firm at. Victoria__ It enquires possibility of Shipping Chinese Sugars from Honghong with a certificate
as to their migin. Some of these. Sugars might come from the five ports of China, where we have Consuls ; but the greater portion would be likely to
arrive from Formoza_ and other parts
we
have none.
where
Sugar Duties Act. 7
On. reference to the Sugar
and 8 Viet. Capt. 28, I observe that Clause. 6
dispenses with a certificate from
-certificate from a Consular_
Officer at the original port of Shipment, by
the
"
434
the words "if any such there be . It would therefore be allowable to Ship Sugars landed at Houghtong from Formosa and other places where we have no Consuls - The only obstacle existing, in the same clause, is the description of the Officer who should sign the certificate at Nongthing, he being defined as the principal Officer of
Customs.
there is no
•"
Now this being a perfectly free port.
Officer of Customs whatever, but . I
shall probably propose to the Incentive. Council-
the
measure.
of nominating
some Civil
offices expressly for the purpose, with the title required. by the Act, as it is of great importance that- this Colony should not be debarred from advantages contemplated..
the
This, but - chiefly the first mentioned- proposition of a differential duty in favor of teas Shipped from Houghing, would (to use
the
expression of one of our Merchants)" make the
fortune