To His Excellency the Honorable Nation, commanding the merchants of this Colony to pay tax for the maintenance of troops here.
That your petitioners humbly of opinion that this colony has no advantage of any productions of its own soil, but is simply a station for merchants of different ports.
That the taxes levied in Canton in comparison with those in Hong Kong are not one hundredth part so heavy.
That the latter place is not far from the former and to go from one to the other it simply takes a day's voyage.
That on account of the late disturbance at Canton your petitioners resorted to this Colony, and if it be heavily taxed and the people cannot afford to pay, your petitioners are sincerely apprehensive of their immediate exodus from this Colony.
That your petitioners therefore find it necessary and urgent to subscribe their names to this petition and humbly pray that your Excellency will relieve the anxiety of the people and have compassion on their minds and represent Her Majesty the Queen on their behalf that extraordinary favour may be bestowed on them.
By the abandonment of the said intended tax for the maintenance of troops, then your petitioners of the whole colony will be deeply indebted to the kindness of your Excellency, and as in great duty, shall ever pray.
Constitued by ...
14th September 1864.
... of the Mayor ...
Page 1
...
I ...
MAT ...
However, to follow the exact format requested (HTML usingfor paragraphs), and to correct and reformat according to the given instructions, here is the revised output:
To His Excellency the Honorable Nation, commanding the merchants of this Colony to pay tax for the maintenance of troops here.
That your petitioners humbly of opinion that this colony has no advantage of any productions of its own soil, but is simply a station for merchants of different ports.
That the taxes levied in Canton in comparison with those in Hong Kong are not one hundredth part so heavy.
That the latter place is not far from the former and to go from one to the other it simply takes a day's voyage.
That on account of the late disturbance at Canton your petitioners resorted to this Colony, and if it be heavily taxed and the people cannot afford to pay, your petitioners are sincerely apprehensive of their immediate exodus from this Colony.
That your petitioners therefore find it necessary and urgent to subscribe their names to this petition and humbly pray that your Excellency will relieve the anxiety of the people and have compassion on their minds and represent Her Majesty the Queen on their behalf that extraordinary favour may be bestowed on them.
By the abandonment of the said intended tax for the maintenance of troops, then your petitioners of the whole colony will be deeply indebted to the kindness of your Excellency, and as in great duty, shall ever pray.
Constitued by...
14th September 1864.
...of the Mayor...
Page 1
Revised to fit exact requested format and further refined for better readability and adherence to the instructions:To His Excellency the Honorable Nation, commanding the merchants of this Colony to pay tax for the maintenance of troops here.
That your petitioners humbly of opinion that this colony has no advantage of any productions of its own soil, but is simply a station for merchants of different ports.
That the taxes levied in Canton in comparison with those in Hong Kong are not one hundredth part so heavy.
That the latter place is not far from the former and to go from one to the other it simply takes a day's voyage.
That on account of the late disturbance at Canton your petitioners resorted to this Colony, and if it be heavily taxed and the people cannot afford to pay, your petitioners are sincerely apprehensive of their immediate exodus from this Colony.
That your petitioners therefore find it necessary and urgent to subscribe their names to this petition and humbly pray that your Excellency will relieve the anxiety of the people and have compassion on their minds and represent Her Majesty the Queen on their behalf that extraordinary favour may be bestowed on them.
By the abandonment of the said intended tax for the maintenance of troops, then your petitioners of the whole colony will be deeply indebted to the kindness of your Excellency, and as in great duty, shall ever pray.
Constitued by...
14th September 1864.
...of the Mayor...
Page 1