1841-1886
STATE OF HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
79
220
(No. 31.)
HONG KONG.
No. 43.
EXTRACT of a DESPATCH from Governor Sir J. F. DAVIS, Bart., to
HONG KONG.
No. 43.
Earl GREY.
MY LORD,
Victoria, Hong Kong,
13th March, 1847.
I HAVE the honour to forward herewith the third Blue Book of the colony of Hong Kong, being for the year 1846.
The last exhibited an improvement in the revenue from 95,347. to 22,2427. Revenue. The present one shows an increase from the last named sum to 27,047. It would be easy to augment this amount, but I have always kept in view the importance of leaving the trade of the place entirely unfettered. To this end I have not even imposed a tonnage duty on shipping, and have abstained from bringing into operation an ordinance which was drawn up for imposing a duty on wines and spirits imported into the colony. No custom-house whatever is in existence.
One of the beneficial results of this perfect freedom of trade has been the fact communicated to your Lordship in my Despatch, No. 141, of 12th December, wherein it appears from the statement of Mr. Consul Macgregor, that a large proportion of the British exports from Canton are previously warehoused in this colony.
An inspection of the comparative statement for the two years, at pages 28 and 29 of the Blue Book, will show that the increase of revenue in the last year has accrued rather from the improved productiveness of existing imposts, than from the enactment of new ones.
By the aid of the revenue levied in the colony, I have been able to dispense with a portion of the sums voted in Parliament for its civil expenditure, amounting, for two years, to 9,119, as detailed in my Despatch, No. 17, of 12th February.
With the strong opinion of the Board of Trade in favour of the tax levied