CO129-027 - Public Offices - 1848 — Page 451

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18 May 1847.

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R. M. Martin, Esq. was likely to arise, it would be more injurious to our trade with China than the Government to a certain decree acknowledging the trade—Certainly not; our main trade at present is in tea, and the Chinese are as much dependent upon the sale of tea as we are upon the purchase of it. During the war, when we were capturing their cities, the tea trade went on as usual; therefore the efforts of the Chinese government to put down the opium trade would not affect our trade.

3950. You do not think that a state of things which would lead to a piratical system in China would be injurious to our trade?—I do not perceive that it would have that effect.

3951. You admit that the people would have opium; then if the government did all it could to suppress the opium trade, must not the result of their carrying out their views be a piratical state of things?—It would lead probably to severe contests, as in the recent melancholy case, where two vessels were cut off at Chimmoo Bay; but probably the Government of this country would be bound to interfere to prevent its flag being used for the purpose of smuggling opium into China against the laws of that empire.

3952. Mr. Ewart.] Have any other means occurred to you of extending our trade with China?—I think a great deal may be done by opening collateral intercourse with the nations surrounding China. The first country to which I would beg the attention of the Committee would be Japan; we had formerly a factory in Japan, and in 1613 the Emperor of Japan granted a treaty of privileges to this country of a most favourable nature. I have discovered in the British Museum a copy of that treaty, a translation of which I beg to give in. It is written in the Firogane character, and gives us perfect freedom of access for all goods to Japan. We were ultimately compelled to abandon that factory by the aggressions of the Dutch, but for many years the Japanese government retained the English factory for them. I think it is possible to re-open our intercourse with Japan on the basis of this treaty, and that a mission, undertaken as Great Britain ought to undertake it, would be effectual in obtaining for us even better terms than the Dutch now have at Nangasaki. I will hand in the translation of the treaty. (The same was delivered in. Vide Appendix.)

3953. This original writing is still intelligible to the Japanese?—Yes.

3954. And therefore this instrument might be the basis of a negotiation with them?—Yes; the Japanese are very strict in adhering to promises.

3955. How has the treaty been translated?—The translation is along with the original in the British Museum. A letter was also written from the Emperor of Japan, accompanying that treaty, to the King of Great Britain. There is an old translation of that, of which I will hand in a copy. (The same was delivered in. Vide Appendix.) The position of Japan, as evidenced upon this skeleton map (producing a map), shows how advantageous would be the intercourse with reference to China, and to the intermediate peninsula of Corea. Corea is a peninsula of about 500 miles long and 200 broad, with a fine climate, an excellent soil, and an industrious people; it would afford to us a considerable outlet for our manufactures. A harbour named Chosan, near the south-east extremity of the peninsula, has been visited recently by Sir Edward Belcher. It is a harbour to which the Japanese resort for trade with Corea; and as Corea does not belong to China, but has merely a ceremonial of investiture on the accessions of its sovereigns, it would be perfectly free for us to enter into commercial arrangements with Corea without any negotiation with the Chinese government. On Lord Macartney's mission in 1792, he was instructed to open a communication with Japan, Cochin China, and all countries, but the state of affairs prevented it. The French have recently sent a mission to Japan, but more complimentary than for the purpose of any commercial intercourse. The Americans have recently sent a mission, but they have been refused intercourse, for they are viewed as inferior in rank to the English, and probably it would not be deemed courteous to give the Americans access to Japan, when England has not yet applied. I learned at Java recently, from a Dutch gentleman who had returned from Japan, that the Japanese were expecting a mission from England, that they had translated the whole account of our war with China, and that it would be a favourable opportunity to make an impression upon the Japanese authorities, and to obtain commercial intercourse with Japan. Those islands may be termed the Great Britain of the China seas; they contain about 35,000,000 of inhabitants far more civilized than the Chinese, whom they hold in contempt; in fact they only permit six Chinese junks a year to visit them at one port, Nangasaki.

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than the Chinese, whom they hold in contempt; in fact they only permit six R. M. Martin, Esq. Chinese junks a year to visit them at one port, Nangasaki.

18 May 1847.

3956. And only one Dutch ship?—Two is the number now.

3957. Have you examined the past and present intercourse between Holland and Japan?—I have reported on it to Her Majesty's Government.

3958. Can you give the Committee any further information as to our former relations with Japan?—We had a factory there, and we were exceedingly well received.

3959. For how long?—From 1613 to 1623. We were then expelled by the conduct of the Dutch, which was somewhat similar to the massacre at Amboyna, and they obliged our people to retreat from Japan.

3960. What is the result of your inquiries into the trade between Holland and Japan?—The trade with Holland has diminished latterly, in consequence of the monopolizing spirit of the Dutch government; they are restricted to a single port at Nangasaki; but if we had free intercourse with the capital, with Jeddo, I think a very large trade might be carried on, not only with Japan, but intermediately with the adjacent places.

3961. When did the ship called the "Morrison" go there?—I think the date was 1837; she went there on a mission from Canton, but was unsuccessful; no efforts were made to prosecute it. There is an island marked on that map, called Quelpaart's Island, which is worthy of attention as a trading station.

3962. Is Quelpaart's Island, which is south of the peninsula of Corea, a good trading station? It is. The circumstance of its geographical position renders it most advantageous for a trade with Japan, with Corea, and with China. I understand that the country is fertile, and is covered with cattle; some of our ships visited it during the war, and obtained supplies there. If it were made a commercial trading station under the protection of a 10-gun brig, not expensively established as a colony, I think it would afford the means of trade with all the countries around, and time would indicate its value.

3963. What is its relation to China?—It has no relation to China; it is connected with Corea.

3964. Is it under a kind of feudal investiture?—No, it is a mere appendage to the peninsula of Corea.

3965. Corea you state to be a country connected directly with the crown of China?—Only so far directly that the sovereign of Corea receives his investiture on coming to the throne, and sends annually some present to Pekin. The Coreans carry on trade at Pekin, but they are perfectly independent in their relations, and have been at war with China and with Japan.

3966. Is it something like the Pacha of Egypt and the Turkish government?—It is probably so. It would be a great advantage to our merchants if they had Corea open to them for their traffic.

3967. Quelpaart's Island would be a good position, having on one side China and on another the peninsula of Corea, and as a third side the Japan Islands?—Yes; I am not speaking of it as a colony, but as a trading station.

After a few years it might be seen what advantages were realized; but in order to carry on a trade with the northern regions, it would be necessary to repeal the Act which prohibits British ships or subjects going beyond the 32d degree of north latitude.

3968. Is that part of the present stipulation with China?—Not at all; it is a gratuitous Act, restricting ourselves. I never could understand what was the object of preventing British merchants seeking to push their wares into the northern regions. It is an Hong Kong Ordinance, No. 1, of 1846, creating penalties for any ship going beyond the 32d degree of north latitude. Ordinance was founded on an act of the Privy Council here originally.

The

3969. And not based upon any understanding with the Chinese government?—Upon no treaties. There is another region to which a collateral trade might be carried on, and that is the region of Siam and Cochin China, extending South of China.

3970. There are also the Loo Choo Islands?—They are small; Manchouria would form a station for our coasting traffic. Siam and Cochin China it is estimated contain a population of 50,000,000. We have a treaty with Siam, but it is so imperfect, that it has never been acted upon. It requires ships to take their guns out, &c. It appears to be subject to restrictions which would prevent