1841-1886
COLONY OF HONG KONG, &c.
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districts of China, along the Yang-tze-Kiang, and other great rivers and canals, the people are more civilised, more wealthy, and (now that they are becoming acquainted with the English) more disposed to friendly and commercial intercourse. By purchasing tea and silk near the place of production, the charges of land carriage, fees, &c., will be reduced, and the cost price thus lessened by one-third to the British consumer; on the other hand, the Chinese will be able to purchase at a cheaper rate British manufactures when they are brought by our vessels to their doors. These and other considerations render it a matter of national importance that our trade with China be diffused over several ports, instead of being confined to Canton,
There are now five ports open on the coast of China to all European, East Indian, and American vessels. There can be no reason why those vessels should establish any trade at Hong Kong, merely to change cargoes from one vessel to another; and if the Chinese government sanction the proposition to allow a vessel to sell part of her cargo at one port, and then proceed to another, or to form bonded warehouses at each port, there will be still less probability of any trade being established here. It is indeed a delusion or a deception, to talk of Hong Kong becoming a commercial emporium, and to liken it to Singapore. The circumstances, and position of Hong Kong and Singapore present no resemblance whatever. Hong Kong is a barren rock producing nothing, not leading to any place, surrounded by no trading or populous communities with various commodities for barter; and disadvantageously situate at the most impoverished extremity of a coast line of 2,000 miles, and which for half the year is only readily accessible in one direction.
Singapore is most advantageously placed at the point of the rich Malayan peninsula, and at the entrance of the Straits of Malacca, which may be considered the high road between eastern and western Asia. It is surrounded by, or lies contiguous to, the most fertile, wealthy, and populous islands and countries in the world. Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Celebes, Maccassar, Penang, Siam, Cochin China, Tonquin, Birmah, &c. The harbour of Singapore is capacious, perfectly sheltered, easy of access from every point of the compass, and never experiencing a tempest. The climate is very salubrious. The island of great beauty and fertility, with an undulating surface, an area of 120,000 acres, all capable of tillage, and of which 20,000 acres are now under the luxuriant and profitable cultivation of sugar-cane, nutmegs, pepper, rice, beetel-nut, gambier, cocon-nuts, &c. The sugar made by Mr. Ballastier, with a steam-engine, or by Mr. Montgomerie, by water and cattle mills, is equal to any produced in the West Indies; the nutmeg trees are already yielding abundantly; the black pepper produced during the past year amounted to 38,000 piculs (a picul 133 1/4 lbs.); the gambier to 85,000 piculs, and there are 100,000 cocoa-nut trees in full bearing; live stock, bread, water, delicious fruit and vegetables of every kind, and at moderate prices, are at all times ready for the shipping; 86 miles of excellent roads have been completed; land is being sold in fee-simple at a minimum and maximum price of five to 10 rupees, or 10s. to 20s. per acre; 50,000 industrious and skilful inhabitants are spreading cultivation in every direction; four companies of sepoys constitute the sole military force of the island, which has not even a fort for its defence; the revenue in 1842, amounted to 509,087 rupees, and the disbursements (including 165,955 rupees for troops, and 49,789 rupees for Bengal and Madras convicts), to 494,029 rupees, leaving a surplus income to the extent of 15,058 rupees; and under the able management of the present Governor, Colonel Butterworth, it is one of the most lucrative possessions of the British Crown.
The remarkably eligible position of Singapore for a commercial emporium, led to its establishment as a British colony by Sir Stanford Raffles in 1819, when there were but a few Malay fishermen on the island, who disputed with the tiger for their occupancy. In one year, the trade of the island amounted to 1,000,000 l. sterling; in 1824, to 3,000,000 l. sterling; and last year, and indeed for several years, the commerce of the island has averaged 5,600,000 l. sterling.
This trade is carried on with many countries; with Great Britain to the extent of 3,000,000 dollars; with Calcutta, 2,800,000 dollars; with Java, 1,500,000 dollars; with foreign Europe, North and South America, Madras, Bombay, Arabia, Ceylon, Penang, Malacca, Birman, Siam, Cochin China, Manila, with Hainan, Formosa, and the whole coast of China, with Sumatra, Borneo, Rhio, the Moluccas, Mauritius, Australia, &c., traders from all these places, meet by common consent at a central mart close to the equator, and exchange the productions of Asia, for those of Europe and America. It is erroneously supposed, that Singapore has been created by its trade with China, such is not the fact. The total import tonnage of Singapore in 1838-9, in square-rigged vessels was 178,796 tons, of which that from China was 32,860. The native tonnage for the same year was 48,000, of which the Chinese vessels constituted 8,000.
The "Straits' produce" which the Chinese require are brought to Singapore by Malay, and other coasting craft, who would not proceed to the northward, and the proprietors of the Chinese junks with whom time is no object, and who go down the coast to the Eastern Archipelago with one monsoon, and return with the other, prefer the speculation with their varied cargoes, and the visiting of their countrymen at the different islands.
But, sufficient has been stated to show that there is no analogy whatever between Hong Kong and Singapore; and that the geographical, territorial, and commercial advantages which have contributed to the prosperity of Singapore, are totally and entirely wanting, and can never be created at Hong Kong.
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