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THE CHINA MAIL.
HONGKONG, FRIDAY, JAN. 17, 1879.
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THERE is one thing in which the Chinese have discovered the Governor to be their match-in diplomacy; and when this quality is exercised in the true interests of the Colony, it gives us pleasure to note His Excellency's success, It would be a very desirable thing if we were able to record a few more such victories on the part of Mr Hennessy, Be this as it may, it has been reserved for the present Governor to secure. a higher price for the Opium Farm in Hongkong than has ever yet been obtained for that monopoly. If half be true that we have beard on the subject, the ses of in- trigue, falsehood, overreachings, and finesse that has been successfully waded through by the head of the Government on this occasion has been wide and deep. As we have pre- viously stated, this was to have been ex- pected. When Chinese have a famous op- portunity of making money, or when they are likely to lose hold of a favourable means of so doing, all the powers of cun- ning and chloanery of which the Celestial nature is capable are called into the most active operation. So has it been in this case; but so determined has Mr Hennessy stood his ground on this occasion that he has won the race with hands down." Opposing interests of the strongest kind having appeared upon the scene, the game was probably much more simple than it might otherwise have been ; but the result has satisfactorily proved the correctness of Mr Hennessy's views on the subject, as well as the possibility of attaining his object even when the strongest Chinese interests are arrayed against him. It is said that the competition of the Saigon and Hongkong rivals was of the most refreshing description. Even some of the leading foreign residents, however, began to fear that the price was being unduly forced, when the sum ap- proached two hundred thousand, and that the trade in prepared opium might be driven away altogether from the Colony, As a last chance the Saigon capitalist sug- gested that a final sealed tender should be sent in, to be opened in the presenos of both parties. This was done to-day; and the result was that, while the Hongkong capitaliata hazarded a bid of $201,000 for one year, the Salgon Farmer had offered $205,000 for three years. The Farm there. fore falls into the hands of Tan King Sing, who now farms the preparation of the drug in Slugapore and the Straits, in Saigon, and in Hongkong. The sum formerly realized under this head of revenue was not more than $132,000, the present rent being therefore an increase of $73,000 per annum for three years. The dual offers of both tenderers were bared upon the condition that the more etringent provisions of the new Opium Farm Ordinance should become law, and be strictly enforced.
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