certificate could be produced that the Authorities at Canton (the port to which they said it all went) had objection to its coming within Chinese territory. -
9.
Mr Mackenzie demurred to this, as he said Saltpetre was a monopoly of the Government in China.
10.
It was this remark that made me extend my enquiry till I lighted on the article under the Treaty to which I have referred and of which I attach a copy hereto.
11. The correspondence between the Acting Colonial Secretary and the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce I also enclose.
12.
It will speak for itself. It is certainly not the duty of this Government to act as Custom House Officers for Canton, and I hope they never will be called on to do so, but there is a difference and a wide one between guarding the freedom of our Port and sanctioning under the Governor's hand an act which carried out to completion would be neither more nor less than an infraction of Treaty stipulation.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord Duke,
Your Grace's,
Most Obedient Servant,