PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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TELEC.O. 882
3 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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6. "That this meeting cordially sympathizes with the objects of the Petition to Her Majesty the Queen by Chinese merchants, and the Memorial of the Chamber of Commerce to the Right Honourable the Earl of Carnarvon, believing that the statements which they contain are substantially correct; and that the Petition would have borne many more signatures but for the almost universal apprehension in which the Hong Kong natives dwell for the safety of their families in China, that this dread causes them to have an almost insuperable objection to testify in public to the unscrupulous exactions of the Chinese Customs and their officials.
7. "That the Chairman convey to his Excellency Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy, K.C.M.G. and C.B., Governor and Vice Admiral of Hong Kong, the request of this meeting that, pending the receipt of replies from home to communications already for- warded, his Excellency, with a view to the abatement of the evil, will have the goodness, in concert with Sir Brooke Robertson, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul at Canton, to bring under the notice of his Excellency the Viceroy of the Two Kwang Provinces, Jui, and the Superintendent of Maritime Customs for Kwangtung, the outrageous and defiant manner in which his Excellency the Viceroy's Proclamation of 6th February, 1869, is disregarded, with the object of obtaining the issue of a fresh Proclamation on the subject; and also take such steps in connection with Admiral Shadwell, C.B., F.R.S., as may be necessary for the extirpation of these nests of pirates' from the island seas, and the immediate and final closing of the Hoppo's agency opened in Hong Kong for the collection of imposts and issue of
passes for the harbour gates.
8. "That the Chairman of this meeting do forward these Resolutions to the Honourable the Colonial Secretary, asking that his Excellency the Governor will have the goodness to transmit a copy of the same to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, with the earnest request of this meeting that Her Majesty's Government, who are alone competent to deal effectually and permanently with the case, will take such steps as may be necessary to secure the promised freedom of the port and harbour of Hong Kong.
9. That the Chairman do forward copies of these Resolutions and of the proceedings at this meeting to the several Chambers of Commerce at home, to Members of Parliament, and others, with the request that, in the general interests of the China trade, they will exert themselves to obtain for Hong Kong a restitution of the commercial privileges granted by Royal Proclamation on the erection of the Colony."
Sir,
Inclosure 3 in No. 4.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hong Kong, October 27, 1874.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday's date, covering a copy of the Report of the proceedings at a public meeting held in the City Hal on the 14th September last, regarding the action of the Customs cruisers in the neighbour- bood of this port.
In accordance with the request preferred in the 8th Resolution, his Excellency the Administrator will in due course transmit the Report to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
With reference, however, to the 7th Resolution, to which you have also especially drawn attention, his Excellency would be glad to be informed in which way it is considered that the Viceroy's Proclamation of the 6th February, 1889, has bass disregarded.
Judging from the remarks of the different speakers at the meeting, the complaint raised is against the action of the Superintendent of Maritime Customs himself, while the Proclamation referred to is levelled at the action of persons who have falsely assumed the characters of cruizers in the "Customs service."
H. Lowcock, Esq.
I have, o.
(Signed)
CECIL C. SMITH, Acting Colonial Secretary.
33
Inclosure 4 in No. 4.
Sir,
Hong Kong, October 30, 1874. I HAVE the honour of acknowledging the receipt of your letter of 27th owning mine of 26th instant, and receipt of the Report of the proceedings at the public meeting at the City Hall on the 14th September.
I note that, in accordance with the 8th Resolution, his Excellency the Administrator will, in due course, transmit the Report to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Referring to the 7th Resolution, I observe that his Excellency would be glad to learn in which way it is considered that the Viceroy's Proclamation of the 6th February, 1869, has been disregarded; and, in reply, would simply state that it has been so disregarded by the renewal of the blockade, which was removed in 1869, owing to the representations of his Excellency Sir Richard Graves McDonnell, which representations were the cause of the said Proclamation being issued.
I would refer you to a notice of the Proclamation in the communication addressed to the Chamber of Commerce on 17th February, 1869, mentioned in page 31 of the Pamphlet.
The Hon. Cecil C. Smith,
Sir,
Acting Colonial Secretary, Hong Kong.
Inclosure 5 in No. 4.
I have, &c, (Signed) H. LOWCOCK.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hong Kong, October 30, 1874.
I AM directed by his Excellency the Administrator to transmit to you the accom- panying Pamphlet entitled "The blockade of Hong Kong."
In forwarding to this Office a copy of the same publication for transmission to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, the Chairman of the public meeting has specially drawn the attention of his Excellency to Resolution 7 of those passed, and on this point I have to request your attention to the letter (copy inclosed) which I have sent to Mr. Lowcock.
Mr. Lowcock's reply, as soon as it is received, shall be forwarded for your con- sideration.
Sir Brooke Robertson, C.B.,
Sir,
I have, &c. (Signed)
CECIL C. SMITH,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
Her Britannic Majesty's Consul, Canton.
Inclosure 6 in No. 4.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hong Kong, October 81, 1874.
am
WITH reference to the last paragraph of my letter of yesterday's date, directed by his Excellency the Administrator to transmit to you the inclosed copy of Mr. Lowcock's letter regarding the 7th Resolution passed at the public meeting.
In his Excellency's opinion the difficulty raised in my former letter has not been cleared up.
Sir Brooke Robertson, C.B.,
I have, &c. (Signed)
CECIL C. SMITH,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
Her Britannic Majesty's Consul, Canton.
nclosure 7 in No. 4.
Sir,
Her Majesty's Consulate, Canton, October 31, 1874.
I HAVE had the honour to receive your despatch of the 30th instant, inclosing a pamphlet, entitled "The Blockade of Hong Kong," and a copy of a letter
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