Elb
Com
the consulate enalise the captain to receive.
sailing letter and return outside.
by the worst takes Export Cargo, a blank for Shipping goods, similar to those used by streps is prepared and the consignce and Interpatter settle all details. At highwater Sorchas can lay alongside the Jetties out Canton and receive or discharge then lading without delay, but Schooners and buttery drawing more, water cannot readily avail themselves of this facility
The
expence for running the Forchas is
moderate and as
02
they
are able to
carry
300
400 Peculs of Goods in a secure and expeditions manner, they are begining to be extensively employed in conveying small lots of merchaning, from Hong Kong and Macas to Canton, which they can frequently do at a much cheaper rate- than Ships. - one of these boats cango an
then
return in about
OL
week
are also used
are:
by passengers to some extent, but if they.
it materially fitted up to cary passengers, it ma
reduces the room
for cargo.
agreement.
The rate for freight passage be depends upon circumstances, and is a matter of special
Torchas also do res four rep the Namoh and Amoy but this distanc is (was)
unusual and is not contemplated in the above sailing letter.
Coast as
It will be seen that the original clause of the Seepplementary heaty, relating to small craft Lorchas be confines their operations between Hong Kong, Macar and Canton, for as is said
in Article 17, "For chow foo and the other ports having none of this kind of Intercourse and none of this kind of small craft, it would be unnecessay to make any arrangements a
is regards them?
The Coasting Trade, between one and the other of the five ports open to Foreign Trade was not permitted from the commencement to Foreigh Vessels, but was a afterwards secured to them through the exertions of Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary (Sir Jur Davis, I think) who had indeed to contend for some time with the Chinese Authorities to secure to Steamers
the right of running on the Canton River. As the other Ports rose in importance and the Foreign community increased, Sailing letters were also granted by Her Majestys
5
531
Chief superintendent of Trade to Schooners and
to the like craft owned by British subjects residing at the other posts and these vessels were permitte to participate in the Coasting Frade..
Portuguese Zorchas being permitted to visit the other ports besiege, Canton, those sailing under the British flag to the same privilege.
of course entitled
evere
As ever has been the case on the Coast of China, Piracy exists to a
great extent, and it can be little wondered at that the distinves
state of that Empire, has during the last few years favored it's increase. The incompetency of the Chinese Authorities to protect the honest trader against the acts of Pirates, compelled the suners of Junks and Fishing Boats to hire some of the "Zorchas to convey them from one plac to another and to act as Protectors at the lifferent Fishing stations. At Ningpe for
Ningpo for years this was
ce profitable employment for a number of the Portuguese Lorchas, so that the Governor of Macar appointed on that account a Consul at that place. The Mandarins themselves employed these Sorchas to convey their crafts, the Mandarin, at Hainan of late would not despatch their Vessels to Cantor unless they had secured the services of one of them, and the traders from, that Island would rather wait for week than sail without such protection, and it may appear, strange that this protection is so much thought of, consisting in most cases. of a crew almost entirely Chinese, except one European - the Master, without him the Lorcha, a superior vessel to the Chinese Junk would be no more protection than any of the Native craft. I suppose for the the same reason that some Natives would be useless. soldins unless they had European Officers
The Sorcha of course is a better sailer. than the Junk and it could therefore not fail to be employed by chinese and others without having any regular papers, which they could not obtain from the Chinese Government, since it will not grant papers to bessels which are not constructed according to the prescribed model
The
great complaint against Hong Kong has been in former years that no respectable Chinese had settled there (see Blue Book of,
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