CO129-034 - Sir Bonham - 1850 [9-12] — Page 322

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

take a brief review of the Colony from its foundation, and, glancing at it as it stood before the treaty of Nanking,

to Examine the effect of that treaty upon its position and prospects, to enquire how such prodigious expectations ever came to be formed of it

how, on what grounds they were formed, they came at all to be entertained and relied upon, long after the grounds upon which they had been formed had sunk beneath them. An introductory sketch of this kind appears to me to be necessary.

And it will enable us to estimate the real present position and prospects of the Colony, now that it has found its actual level and all excitement and expectation have passed away.

When the British flag was hoisted upon this island under Captain Elliot's convention with Keshen in February 1841, it was naturally looked upon by merchants as a future seat, not the grand centre of our general Commerce in these waters. All our old difficulties at Canton were nominally settled under that convention, and it was concluded, leaving us this island with its noble harbor, outside of and perfectly independent of Canton.

Our Merchants, however, looking back upon their old experience of the critical position of their trade in the river, and that the slightest accident might again interrupt it, that the provision made under the Convention was not sufficient to guard against these interruptions, and that every pecuniary loss would have the effect of driving the trade down to this place; looking moreover at the fact that our trade at Canton was almost strangled by the exactions of corrupt officials, looking at all this, they came at length to view the spot in which their harassed Commerce would ultimately find a refuge. They came to view it as the future seat or centre of trade in this quarter, and as the Emporium of the trade of all nations seeking the merchandise of the further East.

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take a brief review of the Colony from its foundation, and, glancing at it as it stood before the treaty of Nanking, to Examine the effect of that treaty upon its position and prospects, to enquire how such prodigious expectations ever came to be formed of it how, on what grounds they were formed, they came at all to be entertained and relied upon, long after the grounds upon which they had been formed had sunk beneath them. An introductory sketch of this kind appears to me to be necessary. And it will enable us to estimate the real present position and prospects of the Colony, now that it has found its actual level and all excitement and expectation have passed away. When the British flag was hoisted upon this island under Captain Elliot's convention with Keshen in February 1841, it was naturally looked upon by merchants as a future seat, not the grand centre of our general Commerce in these waters. All our old difficulties at Canton were nominally settled under that convention, and it was concluded, leaving us this island with its noble harbor, outside of and perfectly independent of Canton. Our Merchants, however, looking back upon their old experience of the critical position of their trade in the river, and that the slightest accident might again interrupt it, that the provision made under the Convention was not sufficient to guard against these interruptions, and that every pecuniary loss would have the effect of driving the trade down to this place; looking moreover at the fact that our trade at Canton was almost strangled by the exactions of corrupt officials, looking at all this, they came at length to view the spot in which their harassed Commerce would ultimately find a refuge. They came to view it as the future seat or centre of trade in this quarter, and as the Emporium of the trade of all nations seeking the merchandise of the further East.
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take a bref review of the Colony from its foundation, and, glancing at it as it stood before the treaty of Nanking, to Examine the effect of that peasy upon its position and - prospe atom to enquire how such prodigious expectations ever came to be formed of it how, on co formed, they Came at all an đi to be entertained and relied upon, long- after the grounds upon which they had been peared: had sunk beneath them for An introductory sticted of this kind, appears me to be mec Faily And: lver towards en a :abling. گتریہ کے پیسے te estimates the real present position - prospects of the Colony, now that it has found it's actual level and all excitement and would perpectation have passed away When the British flag to as hoisted upon this island under Captain Ellict's convention with Reshen in February 1841, it was naturally looked upon by a merchants future seat, fubino As an f not the grand centre of our general Commerce in these waters. All our old difficulties at Canton toere nominally settled wunder that 316 that convention, and it was concluded, leaving us this island with its nobles + harbor, outside of And perfectly independent of Canton __ Our Merchants however; looking back upon their old experience of the critical position of their trade in the river, and that the slightest accident = might again o provision w and a again interrupt it _that was made under the Convention to guards against these interruptions, and that every pecun a beeuning) one must naturally have the effect of driving the trade down to _ مجھے۔۔۔ this place ; _ looking onorcover at the fast that our trade of Canton was almost strangleds by the exactions of corrupt officials, locking at all this, they Mengkeng came at length to view the spot in which their rexed and harrassed assed: Cornmerce would ultimately finds a refuge __ they Care) to view it as the festive seal or centre of trade in this Guantex And ا کی تمام atast Emporium of the trode of all nations secking the mer roshandize of the further East s
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take a bref

review of the Colony from its foundation, and, glancing at it as it stood before the treaty of Nanking,

to

Examine

the effect of that peasy upon its position and - prospe atom to enquire how such prodigious expectations ever came to be formed of it

how,

on co

formed, they

Came

at all an đi to be entertained and relied upon, long-

after the

grounds upon which they had been peared: had sunk beneath them for An introductory sticted of this kind, appears

me to be mec

Faily

And:

lver

towards en a

:abling.

گتریہ کے پیسے

te estimates the real present position

- prospects of the Colony,

now that it has

found it's actual level and all excitement and would perpectation have passed away —

When the British flag

to as

hoisted upon this island under

Captain Ellict's convention with Reshen in February

1841, it was naturally looked upon by a merchants future seat,

fubino

As an

f

not the

grand centre of our general Commerce in these waters. All our old difficulties

at Canton toere nominally settled

wunder

that

316

that convention, and it was concluded,

leaving us this island with its nobles + harbor, outside of

And

perfectly independent

of Canton __ Our Merchants however; looking back upon their old experience

of the critical position of their trade in the river, and that the slightest accident = might again

o provision

w and a

again interrupt it _that was made under the Convention

to guards against these interruptions, and that every pecun

a

beeuning)

one must naturally have the effect of driving the trade down to

_

مجھے۔۔۔

this place ; _ looking onorcover at the fast that our trade of Canton was almost strangleds by the exactions of corrupt officials, locking at all this, they

Mengkeng

came at length to view

the spot in which their

rexed and harrassed

assed: Cornmerce would ultimately finds a refuge __ they

Care)

to view it as the festive seal or centre of

trade in

this

Guantex And

ا کی تمام

atast

Emporium of the trode of all nations

secking

the mer

roshandize of the further

East

s

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