POINTS FOR CONSIDERATION
124
CANTON:
Consul-General
Vice-Consul
Interpreter
Two Assistants at £400 and 300 each Contingencies, ordinary and extraordinary
£2000
900
500
700
900
-£5000
-£3000
SHANGHAI:
Consul
1500
Interpreter and first Assistant.
450
Second Assistant
250
Contingencies, ordinary and extraordinary
800
NINGPO:
Vice-Consul, to be acquainted with
800
Chinese language
Assistant
300
Contingencies, ordinary and extraordinary 400
-£1500
FoоCHOO, as NINGPO
AMOY ditto
1500 1500
£12,500
House-rent, &c., for each Consulate averaging
£500 a-year each
•
Total Consular and Trade department
2500
£15,000
If the soundness and justice of these views and opinions be denied on reasoning and facts entitled to consideration, it is suggested that a commission of three disinterested men be appointed to report on the whole question, after examining Chusan and the Consular ports.
The expense of this commission would be trifling and temporary compared with the large and permanent expenditure now being incurred from the British Treasury on the coast of China.
R. M. MARTIN.
PAPER A, IN POINTS SUBMITTED FOR CONSIDERATION, &c.
Grounds and Reasons for Negotiation with the Chinese Government respecting Chusan.
1st. The spirit and meaning of the Treaty of Nankin, in accordance with the proclamation issued by Sir H. Pottinger, in the Chinese lan- guage, when entering the Yang-tze-kiang river, June, 1842, was, that the English were to have an island adapted for a residence, suitable for In no a commercial emporium, and as a security against future war.
but one of these three points of view can Hong Kong be considered; they all apply to Chusan in a pre-eminent degree. It is not to be sup- posed that the Emperor of China, in ceding Hong Kong, knew that he
OF GOVERNMENT.
125
was giving us a mere rock; incapable of producing sufficient food for the sustenance of its inhabitants for one day; almost uninhabitable for men a brief period, by reason of its insalubrious climate; totally in- adapted for commerce; and by its inutility and expensiveness, affording an excitement to, rather than a guarantee against, another war.
2nd. The great distance of Hong Kong from the seat of the Impe- rial Government, and from our increasing trade and interests in the central regions of China, require our having a minister resident at Pekin, with an attendant ship of war in the Peiho, unless we had Chusan for our residence.
3rd. By the possession of Chusan fewer of our people would re- quire to settle and establish themselves on the mainland, and abundant scope being thus afforded for British energy, enterprise and industry, there would be no possibility of continental aggressions or encroach- ments, which is likely to be the case when the English find themselves cooped up in a small barren, unhealthy rock, without trade, and devoid of any of the advantages which render life useful or agreeable.
4th. The English are entitled to residence in and free ingress and egress to and from the city of Canton. This has been hitherto denied: neither are they enabled to dwell in cool, healthy places in the sur- rounding country, or to take exercise; but they are confined to a few feet of ground in the suburbs, amongst the lowest class of the Chinese, and subject to daily insult and annoyance, All this is contrary to
treaty.
We will waive the right of entry and residence in the city of Canton, in consideration of obtaining Chusan for our residence.
5th. The Imperial Government desire to restrict the residence of Europeans to as few places as possible on the mainland. In considera- tion of obtaining Chusan, the English might consent to retire from Ningpo, Foochoo, and (if necessary to the obtainment of our object) Amoy.
There are several other points which can only be discussed verbally, but it is confidently felt that if the above five points were properly explained and urged, the Imperial Government would cede Chusan to England.
R. M. MARTIN.
PAPER B, IN POINTS SUBMITTED FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT.
Governmental Establishments of Hong Kong-Expense and Duties, &c., of each Department, with Economical Remarks on Reduction.
1. ESTABLISHMENTS AND EXPENSE.
Governor of Hong Kong, with the title of Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, and Superintendent of Trade. Salary per annum House-rent, &c., averaging Private secretary's allowance
Total annual charge
£
6000
•
700
300
.£7000
519