CO129-022 - Public Offices - 1847 — Page 49

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against British subjects receiving Foreign — consulships is best avoided, (though this has

been done by instance of Portugal) a sufficient control might

some European States, as in the

be exercised over the individuals accepting such foreign appointments, by making them subject to the permission or exequatur of the Queen, either directly or through Her Majesty's representative in China- which permission- might of an ill

be liable to be withdrawn in the event

use

being made of it. All this I__

should take to be within the inherent-

prerogative of the brown.

I never entertained a doubt as to

the.

necessity of Foreign Consuls in the British Colony of Hongkong holding an exequatur from Her Majesty, and accordingly applied to Lord Stanley in favor of the American and "Danish Consuls, the former of whom has received his. It is our undoubted interest to encourage

the

.....

t

the resort of all Trade to this Port, and I shall be glad to see other flags besides the Danish

and American.

by

The question of permitting or prohibiting. a special enactment of the legislative bouncil of Hongkong, the employment by- British subjects of Danish, Surdish, or other vessels upon voyages beyond the 32.*?

Imeign

degree of north Satitiede, is a more

delicate

and difficult question, and not to be hastily decided. I should hope that when with the progress of time our intercourse with China shall have become more confidential and unfettered, the Ordinance forbidding anytrade to the north of 32° may be repeated, and the motives arising from it for the employment of foreign vesels removed. This

would be

infinitely preferable to the somewhat invidious character of the prohibitory measure in question:

I