Cate
years, and to what an extent the consignments are divided between the
English
lish and thus
American Houses at Canton
making
it
In
Firms to Keep side
in
cumbent
the English
on the
by side with the American.
every principal market —
In
estimating the British
position in China, I am not sure
that
sufficient weight has hitherto been given
to the element of American influence in
the general offers of this country. Yet
it appears to me
that the British Minister
should sit down to work out a
new settlement with this Government or
the old, without taking
taking into his account the disturbing
force of American jealousy — reaction of American interests upon his
arrangements, would form but a
very
narrow and inadequate view of his subject. Witness the conflict of interests
before
Thus — it is
interest to draw down the Canton trade
to this place towards fostering our young Colony —
It is the interest of the Americans,
or their pleasures or their jealousy, (more imperative than either) to keep it where it is, and to support Canton — The necessities
of the trade are such that were they to choose to be, they must be also — they force us to support Canton in the face of our
own
advantage to the contrary. So much
for the chance of superseding it =
I may observe here that the rapid and prosperous growth of the Chinese settlements at Singapore, Batavia,
and
were a sad warning for local speculators — The spacious
argument was — if the junks of China freighted with its produce, find their
way
a remote market in
Archipelago,
then
a fortiori they will find
to a vast emporium opened up
on our shores — But
our
speculators
forgot the difference
of the circumstances
they forgot that the exchange which the
China trader hitherto went to seek through
all