4
It would be difficult to show the Commercial insignificance of a Settlement where the shipping Return of 1847 accounts to 224,465 Tons for European vessels, and for Chinese Junks - Rupees 840,990. The statement appended to this paper of the Sugar lately established, is of itself sufficiently satisfactory.
Trade
All this trade exists in spite of the 13th Article of the supplementary Treaty which not only restricted the Trade with Houghing to Chinese vessels from the Five Ports only, but required ship goods in none but Chinese Junks. The above has fortunately become a dead letter, being in direct contradiction to the following instruction from Viscount Palmerston, dated 3rd February 1841.
"You are authorized to propose a condition that if there be ceded to the British Crown an Island off the Eastern Coast: Nos 3+4 of China, to serve as a Commercial Station for British subjects, the Chinese merchants and inhabitants of all the Towns and cities on the Coast of China shall be permitted by the Chinese Government to come freely and without the least hindrance or molestation to that Island for the purpose of trading with the British subjects therein established."
My Despatch No 169 of 1847 to Viscount Palmerston will shew that I prevented Ke Ying from stopping shipments by Chinese subjects on board of British ships at all the Ports.
As to "the want of vigour on the part of the Governor of Houghong in protecting the interests of British subjects in their intercourse with the Chinese" on which the Committee decline expressing any opinion, I content myself with referring to my despatches of four years to the Foreign and Colonial offices.
I have anticipated the recommendation