128
Review of Public Occurrences During the
Mareti,
A comunittee appointed to frame regulations for a British hospital at Whampoa.
27th. Under this date, sır G. B. Robinson wrote to viscount Pal- merston regarding facilities of extending British commerce to other ports in China. The following is an extract from the letter.
"From the period when the first ship, the Merope, captain Parkyns, 1820- 21, commenced the system of delivering opium at various places, I have closely questioned intelligent men, who have had opportunities of making observations; and the result of my inquiries is the conviction, that the peo- ple are intensely desirous to engage in traffic, certain to prove alike advan- tageous to themselves and to foreigners; that the mandarins are anxious to benefit thereby, but are, reluctantly perhaps, compelled to enforce th prohibitions regarding trade; and that an opening for almost unbounded commercial operations would be the desirable effect of little more than a demonstration on the part of our government of a determination to establish a proper understanding in the political and commercial relations of the two countries." Corresp. p. 87.
March 8th. Their excellencies the governor, lieut.-governor, and commissioner of customs, having framed a new code of restrictive regulations, addressed the same to his majesty for approval: these restrictive regulations commenced in 1760; were revised in 1810 and in 1831, and again on the present occasion. For a translation of the eight regulations forwarded to Peking under this date, sce vol. III., p. 580.
24th. A report was current in Canton that an insurrection had broken out in Sz'chuen, having commenced near the close of the last year.
26th. Fatqua's hong, said to be debtor to the local government for arrears of duties to upwards of 200,000 taels, was this day closed by the magistrates of Canton, in obedience to an order from the com- missioner of customs.
April 1st. Under this date the following official notification was published in the Canton Register.
Pursuant to instructions under the royal sign manual, captain Charles Elliot, R. N., has this day succeeded to the office of second superintendent of the trade of British subjects in China, vacant by the resignation of John Harvey Astell, esq., and Alexander Robert Johnston, esq., late sccretary to the Commission, has suc- ceeded to the office of third superintendent. Edward Elmslic, esq., senior clerk on the chief superintendents' establishment, has been charged provisionally with the duties of secretary and treasurer, and it is requested that all public commu nications may be addressed to that gentlcinan.
Macau. 1 April, 1835.
By order of the Superintendents,
Edward ElmSLIE,
Acting secretary and treasurer