346
34
57. How shall such influence be counteracted? It has been answered that the new Colony of British Columbia has been fostered with this view; but though the prestige of that settlement may be felt on the waters of the North Pacific,
eastern waters
it will be unknown on the
Asiatic side and even could it
be
"recognized it must be borne in mind that British Columbia is 5000 miles from the nearest station of the China Trade, while great Hongkong with its long organized naval yard
and its convenient dock, is within easy distance of the Chinese Ports and not more than 1000 miles from the port furthest north and nearest the Amoor, which is
again equally the
distant from
the same port and further than Hongkong from the
others.
58. I hold it then for
certain that we must have
and retain a Colony on the
China coast, we have one occasion for
and there is no occasion,
another, many considerations point to the inexpediency of