numbers deeply laden – remain here some days out
Go if to feel the market, and, as deep as they d go. Came, merely shipping few Chests of Opium at other times they sell everything here __ invest the proceeds in Opium and a few pieces d go out in ballast __ with goods, and go
nothing settled or regular about the trade. No fixed demand _ nothing upon which the general broker here can calculate so that he might lay himself out to have the very stuffs ready for them by a given time.
Under these circumstances I cannot pretend to make an estimate of its value or extent
As a Whaling Station - Hongkong Expected by some to take prominent position _ I do not think it will.
The influx of so many of the southern whalers into this Port in 1848 and 1849 appears to me to have arisen from temporary causes.
They could not proceed to the Sandwich Islands or any of the Ports in the Pacific, without the certainty of losing their crews to the gold countries up here to refit.
My opinion is that they may perhaps look for some of the homeward-bound whalers from the Coasts of Corea and Japan to touch here but for mere refilling stores and supplies of all kinds at Shanghai, without coming so much further to the Southward for them
I should observe however that those on the spot who are engaged in and understand this trade, differ from my opinion, and maintain that this will be the Port of refit and sale of the stock on board _ for two reasons _
Page 337
22
1.
First