CO129-006 - Sir John Davis - 1844 — Page 365

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

the claims,

Even were our

maintaining right less clear, or the maintenance it less easy, than it is.

of

To all that is there observed I may add, that the following Consequences would inevitably result from the Chinese of Hongkong finding themselves subject to Mandarin instead of English jurisdiction. In the first place, that sense of Security that leads them to Colonize here and which has already raised the native population to about 20,000, would be altogether dispelled, and the best portion of the community would abandon the place. Another

consequence would be more serious still, for seeing that they were independent of our tribunals, they would lose all that respect which is

so

necessary from the governed to their rulers, and the power of controlling

them

them would be altogether paralyzed.

When some

of the Chinese

negotiators urged as an argument the

unwillingness of the Chinese to be subject to English rule, they

were

either strangely

ignorant of the inclinations of their

countrymen, or intended to draw

simplicity. The people at

large

at

Chusan, where no

Chinese

Officer

is

allowed by us to appear, will look upon the restoration of that place to their own Government as the greatest misfortune; and were I to propose the choice individually to every

Chinese

inhabitant of Hongkong, I should look

for

an unanimous result.

If I revert to the provisions of the Treaties, it appears that by the 3rd Article of the Treaty of Nanking, the Island of Hongkong is to be possessed in

perpetuity

Page 360

has been revised to meet the exact 6 lines of page number as originally scanned, the corrected response is as below:

Chinese

360

negotiators urged at an argument the

...

Page 360

Page 360

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the claims, Even were our maintaining right less clear, or the maintenance it less easy, than it is. of To all that is there observed I may add, that the following Consequences would inevitably result from the Chinese of Hongkong finding themselves subject to Mandarin instead of English jurisdiction. In the first place, that sense of Security that leads them to Colonize here and which has already raised the native population to about 20,000, would be altogether dispelled, and the best portion of the community would abandon the place. Another consequence would be more serious still, for seeing that they were independent of our tribunals, they would lose all that respect which is so necessary from the governed to their rulers, and the power of controlling them them would be altogether paralyzed. When some of the Chinese negotiators urged as an argument the unwillingness of the Chinese to be subject to English rule, they were either strangely ignorant of the inclinations of their countrymen, or intended to draw simplicity. The people at large at Chusan, where no Chinese Officer is allowed by us to appear, will look upon the restoration of that place to their own Government as the greatest misfortune; and were I to propose the choice individually to every Chinese inhabitant of Hongkong, I should look for an unanimous result. If I revert to the provisions of the Treaties, it appears that by the 3rd Article of the Treaty of Nanking, the Island of Hongkong is to be possessed in perpetuity Page 360 has been revised to meet the exact 6 lines of page number as originally scanned, the corrected response is as below: Chinese 360 negotiators urged at an argument the ... Page 360 Page 360
Baseline (Original)
the claims, Even were our maintaining right less clear, or the maintenance it less easy, than it is. of To all that is there observed I may add, that the following Consequences sonits inovitably result from the Chincte of Hongtong finding themselves subject to Mandarin instead of English jurisdiction. In the first place, that sense of Security that leads them to Colonize here and which has already raised the native population to about 20,000, would be altogether dispelled, and the best portion of the community tomuto abandon the place. Another consequence wouts be more serious still, for seeing that they were independent of our tribunals, they would lose all that respect which is So would - necessary from the governed to their rulers, and the power of controlling, them them would be altogether paralize. When some of the Chinese 360 negaiators urged at an argument the unwillingness of the Chinese to be subject to English rule, they wvere Either strangely ignorant of the inclinations of their countrymen, or intended to draw -simplicity . The people at largely ow ou Chusan, where aro Chinese Officer is allowed by us to appear, will look upon the restoration of that place to their own Government as the greatest. misfortune ; and were I to propose the chrice individually to every Chnick inhabitant of Hongkong, I shouts book for an unanimous result. If Irovert to the provisions of the Theaties, it appears that by the 3 lirticle of the heaty of hanking, the Island of Houghing is to be possessed in perpetuity }
2026-05-16 15:34:44 · Baseline
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the claims,

Even were our

maintaining right less clear, or the maintenance it less easy, than it is.

of

To all that is there observed I may add, that the following Consequences sonits inovitably result from the Chincte of Hongtong finding themselves subject to Mandarin instead of English jurisdiction. In the first place, that sense of Security that leads them to Colonize here and which has already raised the native population to about 20,000, would be altogether dispelled, and the best portion of the community tomuto abandon the place. Another

consequence wouts be more serious still, for seeing that they were independent of our tribunals, they would lose all that respect which is

So

would

- necessary from the governed to their rulers, and the power of controlling,

them

them would be altogether paralize.

When some

of the Chinese

360

negaiators urged at an argument the

unwillingness of the Chinese to be subject to English rule, they

wvere

Either strangely

ignorant of the inclinations of their

countrymen, or intended to draw

-simplicity . The people at

largely

ow ou

Chusan, where

aro

Chinese

Officer

is

allowed by us to appear, will look upon the restoration of that place to their own Government as the greatest. misfortune ; and were I to propose the chrice individually to every

Chnick

inhabitant of Hongkong, I shouts book

for

an unanimous result.

If Irovert to the provisions of the Theaties, it appears that by the 3 lirticle of the heaty of hanking, the Island of Houghing is to be possessed in

perpetuity

}

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