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The Hon. W. H. Alexander Esq., Acting Colonial Secretary, to J. J. Mackenzie Esq., Chairman of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce. No. 660.
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE, HONGKONG, 17th June, 1863.
SIR, I am directed to reply to your letter of yesterday and to state that His Excellency The Acting Governor has every wish to meet the reasonable views of the Chamber of Commerce, but is unable to set aside the Orders of the Home Government, and declines to discuss the expediency of these, which to answer your letter fully, it would be necessary to do.
I am to point out that the prohibition to export was made under Orders from Her Majesty's Government and that the relaxation proposed to you was the utmost that could be afforded.
To have done more would have been, not a passive, but an active and very deliberate, violation of a regulation sanctioned by Treaty, and His Excellency cannot help feeling surprise that the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce should, with the Treaty Tariff before them, have expected from this Government an active cooperation in what would be simply an act of illegality.
Should Her Majesty's Government order a modification or alteration of the Proclamation of 28th February, His Excellency will lose no time in giving information to the Chamber of Commerce.
I have the honor to be, Sir, your most Obedient Servant.
J. J. Mackenzie Esq., Chairman of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, to The Hon. W. H. Alexander Esq., Acting Colonial Secretary.
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, VICTORIA, 18th June, 1863.
SIR, I have laid before the Committee your letter of yesterday's date, stating, with reference to mine of the previous day, that the Acting Governor has every wish to meet the reasonable views of the Chamber, but is unable to set aside the orders of the Home Government and declines to discuss their expediency. You further point out that the prohibition to export was made under orders from Her Majesty's Government, and that the relaxation proposed was the utmost that could be afforded; and express surprise that this Chamber should, with the Treaty Tariff before them, have expected from the Government an active co-operation in what would be simply an act of illegality. You conclude by giving His Excellency's promise that any change or modification in the Proclamation of February 28, under orders from Her Majesty's Government, shall be communicated to the Chamber without loss of time.
In reply, I have to state that the Committee are unable to trace, in my letter of the 16th, any lurking inclination to engage His Excellency in a discussion on the expediency of the orders of the Home Government; nothing was further from their intention.
It is very desirable to limit this correspondence to its precise object; and the Committee do not therefore advert to the Treaty stipulations for the regulation of Commercial intercourse in Chinese ports, which are alien to the functions of the local Government; but confine themselves to the laws affecting trade in Hongkong. Anterior to the publication of the Proclamation of February 28th, Saltpetre was as much an article of legal Merchandize, in this Colony, as any other description of produce; and its import and export were perfectly free and unfettered by any restrictions. Things being changed by that proclamation, the Deputation of Indian Firms, admitted with myself to an interview with His Excellency, craved an exemption from its provisions in favor of certain parcels of Saltpetre, alleged to have been shipped at Calcutta prior to the date of the Proclamation. No further request, of which I am cognizant, was then made.
Such being the simple statement of facts, the Committee fail to perceive in what manner that concession "would have been, not a passive, but an active, and very deliberate violation of a Regulation sanctioned by Treaty"—or how the Chamber has exposed itself to the charge of having "expected from this Government an active co-operation in what would be simply an act of illegality."
Having, I trust, thus placed the Chamber right with His Excellency, as to the course pursued by it, I have to convey the Committee's thanks for the assurance that he will lose no time in giving information to the Chamber of any change in the Proclamation under orders from Her Majesty's Government.
I have the honor to be, &c.
11
The Hon. W. H. Alexander Esq., Acting Colonial Secretary, to J. J. Mackenzie Esq., Chairman of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce. No. 1066.
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE, HONGKONG, 3d September, 1863.
SIR, With reference to my letters No. 644 and 660 of 15th and 17th June respectively, I have received the directions of His Excellency The Acting Governor to acquaint you, that His Grace The Duke of Newcastle has signified the approval of Her Majesty's Government of the Proclamation of 28th February, by which the export of Military Stores from this Colony is prohibited.
Permits will be given as heretofore to applicants authorized on behalf of the Imperial Government of China.
The conditions of these Permits I am instructed to particularize as follows:-
1stly. A certificate given by the British Consul to the Officer who may be deputed by the Chinese Government for the purchase of Military Stores, specifying the kind and quantity required;
Or
2ndly. An Original Certificate by the Commissioner of Customs stating the kind and quantity of Military Stores, required by the Chinese Government, the signature of the Commissioner being certified by the British Consul.
I am to add that His Excellency is glad to avail himself of this opportunity to convey the above information; as it appears from a communication made to this Government by one of the Mercantile Firms in the Colony, that an erroneous idea exists as to the views of the Home Government in this matter.
I have the honor to be, Sir, your most Obedient Servant.
J. J. Mackenzie Esq., Chairman of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, to The Hon. W. H. Alexander, Acting Colonial Secretary.
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, VICTORIA, 14th September, 1863.
SIR, I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 3rd instant, acquainting me, by direction of H. E. The Acting Governor, that His Grace The Duke of Newcastle had sanctioned the Proclamation of February 28th, by which the export of Military Stores from this Colony was prohibited and communicating the conditions on which Permits will be granted to applicants authorized on behalf of the Imperial Government of China.
The Committee have considered the publication of this letter in the daily journals to be the most convenient form of giving publicity to its contents and on behalf of the Chamber I have to thank His Excellency for the communication now acknowledged.
I have the honor to be, &c., &c.
APPENDIX B.
J. J. Mackenzie Esq., Chairman of the Hongkong General Commerce, to Monsieur le Baron de Meritens, Commissioner of Customs, Foochow.
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, VICTORIA, 3d July, 1863.
SIR, Previous to the receipt of your letter of the 28th May, in reply to that from this Chamber of the 21st of the same month, relative to the published Provisional Regulations affecting Trade with Formosa, the annual election of office-holders had placed me in the chair, and on behalf of the Committee I now have the honor to submit the following observations in continuation of that correspondence.
The Committee fully recognize the liberality of views that has led you to desire to reconcile the interests of Commerce with those of the Imperial Treasury,—and they are very far from offering any opposition to the principle of the progressive measures initiated by you. From a well considered development of such measures they anticipate material benefit to trade generally, no less than to the Customs Revenue, but in the interests of the Members of the Chamber, and of the general Commercial body, they deem it their duty to watch narrowly the attendant conditions of these concessions:—and they feel convinced that you will concur with them in their opinion, that such care at the outset is the best precaution against ulterior misunderstanding.
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The Hon. W. H. Alexander Esq., Acting Colonial Secretary, to J. J. Mackenzie Esq.,
Chairman of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce. No. 660.
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE, HONGKONG, 17th June, 1863,
SIR, I Am directed to reply to your letter of yesterday and to state that His Excellency The Acting Governor has every wish to meet the reasonable views of the Chamber of Commerce, but is unable to set aside the Orders of the Home Government, and declines to disenss the expediency of these, which to answer your letter fully, it would be necessary to do.
I am to point out that the prohibition to export was made under Orders from Her Majesty's Government and that the relaxation proposed to you was the utmost that could he afforded.
To have done more wont have been, not a passive, but an active and very deliberate, violation of a regulation sanctioned by Treaty, and His Excellency cannot hurt feel surprise that the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce should, with the Trenty Tariff before then, have expected from this Government an active cooperation in what would be simply an act of illegality.
Should Her Majesty's Government order a modification or alteration of the Proclamation of 28th February, His Excellency will lose no time in giving information to the Chamber of Commerce. -I have the honor to be, Sir, your most Obedient Servant.
J. J. Mackenzie Esq., Chairman of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, to
The Ion, W. H. Alexander Esq., Acting Colonial Secretary.
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, VICTORIA, 18th June, 1863.
STR-I have laid before the Committee your letter of yesterday's date, stating, with reference to mine of the previous day, that the Acting Governor has every wish to meet the reasonable views of the Chamber, but is unable to set aside the orders of the Honie Government und declines to discuss their expediency. You further point out that the prohibition to export was made under orders from Her Majesty's Government, and that the relaxation proposed was the utmost that could be afforded: and express surprise that this Chamber should, with the Treaty Tariff before them, have expected from the Government an active co-operation in what would be simply an act of illegality. You con- clude by giving His Excellency's promise that any change or modification in the Proclamation of Fch- rnary 29, under orders from Her Majesty's Government, shall be the communicated to the Chamber without loss of time.
In reply have to state that the Committee are unable to trace, in my letter of the 16th, any lurking inclination to engage is Excellency in a discussion on the expediency of the orders of the Home Government; nothing was further foon their intention.
It is very desirable to limit this correspondence to its precise object; and the Committee do not therefore advert to the Treaty stipulations for the regulation of Commercial intercourse in Chinese ports, which are alien to the functions of the local Government; but confine themselves to the laws affecting trule in Hongkong. Anterior to the publication of the Proclamation of February 28th, Saltpetre was as much an article of legal Merchandize, in this Colony, as any other discription of pro- duce; and its import and export were perfectly free and unfettered by any restrictions. things being changed by that proclamation, the Deputation of Indian Firms, abmitted with myself to This state of an interview with His Excellency, craved an exemption from its provisions in favor of certain pare is of Saltpetre, alleged to have been shipped at Calenta prior to the date of the Proclamation. No further request, of which I am cognizant was then made.
Such being the simple statement of facts, the Committee fail to perceive in what manner that concession "would have been, not a passive, but an active, and very deliberate violation of a Regulation sanctioned by Treaty"-or how the Chamber has exposed itself to the charge of having "expected from this Government an active co-operation in what would be simply an act of illegality.
Having I trust thus placed the Chamber right with His Excellency, as to the course pursued by it, I have to convey the Committee's thanks for the assurance that he will lose no time in giving infor- mation to the Chamber of any change in the Proclamation under orders from Iler Majesty's Govern- ment. I have the honor to be, &c.
11
The Hon. W. II. Alexander Esq., Acting Colonial Secretary, to J. J. Mackenzie Esq.,
Chairman of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce. No. 1066.
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE, HONGKONG, 3d September, 1863.
Sint, withr eference to my letters No. 644 and 660 of 15th and 17th June respectively. I have received the directions of His Excelleney The Acting Governor to acquaint you, that His Grace The Duke of Newcastle has signified the approval of Her Majesty's Government of the Proclamation of 28th February, by which the export of Military Stores from this Colony is prohibited.
Permits will be given as heretofore to applicants authorized on behalf of the Imperial Govern ment of China.
The conditions of these Permits I am instructed to particularize as follows:- 1stly. A certificate given by the British Consul to the Officer who may be deputed by the Chinese
Government for the purchase of Military Stores, specifying the kind and quantity required;
Or
2ndly. An Original Certificate by the Commissioner of Customs stating the kind and quantity of Mili- tary Stores, required by the Chinese Government, the signature of the Commissioner being cortified by the British Consul.-
I am to add that is Excellency is glad to avail himself of this opportunity to convey the above information; as it appears from a communication made to this Governminent by one of the Mer- cantile Firms in the Colony, that an erroneous ilea exists as to the views of the Home Government in this matter.I have the honor to be, Sir, your most Obedient Servant.
J. J. Mackenzie Esq., Chairman of the Hongkong General Chamber of Commerce, to
The Ion. W. II. Alexandler, Acting Colonial Secretary.
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, VICTORIA, 14th September, 1863.
SIR-I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 3rd instant, acquainting me, by direction of H. E. The Acting Governor, that His Grace The Duke of Newcastle had sane- tioned the Proclamation of February 28th, by which the export of Military Stores from this Colony was prohibited and communicating the conditions on which Permits will be granted to applicants authorized on behalf of the Imperial Government of China,
The Committee have consilerol the publication of this letter in the daily journals to be the most convenient form of giving publicity to its contents and on behalf of the Chamber I have to thank His Excellency for the communication now acknowledged.--I have the honor to be, &c., &e.
APPENDIX B.
J. J. Mackenzie Esq., Chairman of the Hongkong General Commerce, to Monsieur
le Baron de Meritens, Commissioner of Customs, Foochow.
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
VICTORIA, 3d July, 1863.
SIR, Previous to the receipt of your letter of the 28th May, in reply to that from this Cham- ber of the 21st of the same month, relative to the published Provisional Regulations affecting Traile with Formosa, the annual election of office-holders had placed me in the chair, and on behalt of the Committee I now have the honor to submit the following observations in continuation of that cor- respondence.
The Committee fully recognize the liberality of views that has led you to desire to reconcile the interests of Commerce with those of the Imperial Treasury,-and they are very far from offering any opposition to the principle of the progressive measures initiated by you. From a well considered development of such measures they anticipate mterial benefit to trade generally, no less than to the Custon's Revenue, but in the interests of the Members of the Chamber, and of the general Commercinl boly, they deem it their duty to watch narrowly the attendant conditions of these concessions:--and they feel convinced that you will concur with them in their opinion, that such care at the outset is the best precantion against ulterior misunderstanding.
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