therein that the Chinese government be permitted to establish on British Territory in Hong Kong a Custom House of their own for several purposes including that of searching and examining all Chinese vessels part of the British Empire parallel can be found to such an extraordinary proposal by British Diplomatic Agent, now submitted that by Mr Wade, who proposes the "purchase extension of the Import Trade" visiting that port, and of levying Duties on their Cargoes which introduction of duties it appears of a varying nature and might at any time become prohibitory without being legal according to the opinion of Mr Wade who is probably quite correct.
3. I am not without some fear, however, that at a British Colony - the creation there of a Foreign Imperium in Imperio - the establishment of a power independent of the Governor and local Executive, and authorized to overhaul, search, levy; and otherwise exercise independent and undefined irresponsible authority as well as over a most numerous and important class of vessels frequenting any part...
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