226
from the visits of the Chinese Cruisers which are
in and out of the Harbours;
always running
because, all possible prejudice to the Junk Trade
apart, the Cordon
of
Custom
Hoves and cruisers
is firstly
a
standing
Carol)
of veritation to
the
even when
Colomal community, and secondly an offence more or less to the dignity of the Colony, the action of the Crivers is strictly defensibles. Lastly, because there action is, on occasion, indefensible; as, for instance when they make seizure of Junke
Q
within the ports of the Colony, proceeding which of course can
Tolerated.
neven
be
Before M. Hammessy's apponitment Your Lordship will remembers, I had made it stipulation in the Chefox Agreement, that
Chinese Government whould name
a
the
Officer to
with
aw
Confer Officer of the Colony and officer of the Consular service"
an
establishment of some
in order to the system that shall enable
the Chinese Government to protect its revenue?
without
without prejudice to the interests of the Colony?
This Commission never met, but Sir Brooke Robertson, whom I had chosen as the Consular member, did confer with the Governor General and Superintendent of Customs at Canton, the Hoppo,
after a negotiation
as he is called, and
of several months, which had been prolonged by the verions illness of Lui Brooke Robertson, he obtained the consent of the Chinese Authorities
to a set of rules, copy of which he forwarded to the Foreign Office of attarch 1878.
on
the
These rules provided, pot that the Cruisers should not surround any parhcular place, but should be dispersed, and, being furnished with seats, should stamp the papers of any junk they
no
on
might overhaul; after which that funk, producton of the sealed papers, should be free of inspection by any
second Cruiser: Quoly that
pink should be carried off to Canton for trat, unbl the Cruiser seizing her should have)
made careful excommnation and have reported to the Hoppe : 3rly that if a Colonial Junk
Compa