()
(6)
820
ed,zolzeant erić odni močitat danronde dpen and grobce to vie
Londoa doa disha who ele anode nove dad webkumpo në barchas
Diddiw boer na binow, ytrak old 1130* *10/dqaumuðs To @oriq"
aniowotna goldofgez ex* *otenent bra arted to babreq drons'-
arth itsoonid anlegen to stab no tridh mi Shaw muriqa end to unluc
2 qlderoni or over; PADDI
so kafeeni dut nezer ez ne
Adres
1)
169
This appears to be as far as the Congul-General is prepared to
go, but in view of the opinions expressed by him this protest is
manifestly inadequate.
In spite of the fact that no further steps were, as far as
we know, officially taken in Peking or Canton to protect the trade,
the Chinese Authorities appear to have hesitated in carrying out
their design in view of the opposition raised by the merchants, and
it was not until a month later when they considered no further
objection was likely to be made by the British Officials that the
new tax was actually enforced.
The British Merchants thereupon sent a representative to
Canton to fully discuss the whole question with the Consul-General
who, however, maintained his original attitude and declined to admit
that any breach of treaty had been made.
As it was apparently a waste of time to contime these futile
negotiations, the British Merchants again appealed to the HongKong
Chamber of Commerce and after full discussion the Committee decided
that the only course left open to them was to communicate direct
Home with the Government.
I have dealt with this question at some length as I am not
aware as to the extent to which the chargé D'Affaires at Feking has
addressed the Foreign Office as to what is taking place.
The Committee of the HongKong Chamber would beg to recall the
fact that the British Merchante, acting on the belief that treaty
rights for trading with China would be fully secured them, have for
months past been purchasing opium, at what might almost be described
as "famine prices" from the Indian Government.
Through the action of the Canton Authorities, their whole
business is at a standstill. Many thousands of chests of opium,
already sold but undelivered, awaiting sale, and in course of traz-
sit to China, are now unsaleable and the losses which may timus be
thrown upon these firms will represent an enormous sum unless prompt
steps are taken to put and end tothis monopoly and its attendant
restrictions