1216.
a submit that
Even now, despite the disadvantage of not earlier using the Governor's overtures to extend legitimate commerce, it may be possible to recover a great part of the ground which has been lost. But I would however observe, that whatever may be the result of any different commercial Policy in future, there is little doubt of the failure of that now on its trial.
The contraband traffic has not been restricted, though the legitimate trade has been crippled and diminished by the notorious corruption and violence of those employed ostensibly to put down the contraband trade. It is time that, like all evils which attain great dimensions, the necessity for suppressing the open and shameless attacks made by the Customs officers on peaceable traders has at last enabled me to secure their temporary suppression; but when it is considered that these grave outrages and the interruption of legitimate trade have all resulted, as it was easy to foresee they would result, from the unconditional surrender to the Chinese of privileges connected with the collection of duties exceeding the privileges claimed by them, and that enforced by any other Nation with whom we have a commercial Treaty, if they wished it, the Chinese authorities are at present powerless to prevent such rights being abused and converted into instruments of fraud and extortion: I trust that hereafter greater caution will be used in making such needless concessions.