CO129-016 - Sir John Davis - 1846 [1-6] — Page 468

the shore with warehouses. Even without.

any

in the present rate of duty on Shipments

Chinese Ports, some

change of tea from

differential farm of Honghong, would have all the effect desired.

rate in

Of a cognate

is a

a quection.

nature with the above

which has been lately submitted-

to me in the enclosed Letter from

a Mercantile

as to the

firm at. Victoria__ It enquires possibility of Shipping Chinese Sugars from Honghong with a certificate

as to their migin. Some of these. Sugars might come from the five ports of China, where we have Consuls ; but the greater portion would be likely to

arrive from Formoza_ and other parts

we

have none.

where

Sugar Duties Act. 7

On. reference to the Sugar

and 8 Viet. Capt. 28, I observe that Clause. 6

dispenses with a certificate from

-certificate from a Consular_

Officer at the original port of Shipment, by

the

"

434

the words "if any such there be . It would therefore be allowable to Ship Sugars landed at Houghtong from Formosa and other places where we have no Consuls - The only obstacle existing, in the same clause, is the description of the Officer who should sign the certificate at Nongthing, he being defined as the principal Officer of

Customs.

there is no

•"

Now this being a perfectly free port.

Officer of Customs whatever, but . I

shall probably propose to the Incentive. Council-

the

measure.

of nominating

some Civil

offices expressly for the purpose, with the title required. by the Act, as it is of great importance that- this Colony should not be debarred from advantages contemplated..

the

This, but - chiefly the first mentioned- proposition of a differential duty in favor of teas Shipped from Houghing, would (to use

the

expression of one of our Merchants)" make the

fortune