vessel receiving exported opium was to give a receipt for
it to the Superintendant.
(4) The Master of a ship, having opium on board, arriving in the Colony (whether the opium were
destined for Hongkong or not) was to report the same to
the Superintendant, under a penalty of a fine of $500,
or imprisonment, & such opium was to be forfeited.
(5) Previously, if a ship arrived when the
Superintendant's Office was closed, the opium could be
landed without a permit, its landing being reported
to be when the Office opened. This was now forbidden,
80
A
These suggestions were referred to the Chamber
of Commerce, who suggested, with certain minor alterations,
that the merchants own warehouses should be used, instead
of a big Central warehouse, the merchants giving similar
bonds as were given by the Shanghai merchants as to the
bonded hulks at that port: they further asked that the
necessity existing under the old Ordinance (22 of 1887)
ordering that all export permits should be reported to
the Opium farmer should be done away with, as giving
him an unfair advantage: & finally opposed altogether the
idea that any duty should be collected in Hongkong,
pointing out that such a system would considerably interfere
with the optional shipments for Hongkong & Shanghai, so
often utilised, & that further, duty at Shanghai being paid by the native dealers, & not by the importers, the change contemplated would entirely change the incidence of the duty upon Opium shipped from this port to Shanghai,
thus injuring the Merchants.
Accordingly certain alterations were made in
the