C
Enclosure in Governor Sir Graves MacDonnell's Despatch 132 of 27th September 1866
THE STAMP ACT, 1866. The following Memorial respecting the Stamp Act has been presented to His Excellency the Governor from the undermentioned firms and other residents at Amoy.
To His Excellency Sir RICHARD GRAVES MACDONNELL, K.C.B., Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Hong Kong.
The Memorial of the undersigned, Merchants and Inhabitants of the Port of Amoy.
Humbly Sheweth,
That your Memorialists have seen with extreme regret Your Excellency's proposal for a Stamp Act for the Colony of Hong Kong, which they are of opinion is calculated to inflict great injury on the trade and all other vested interests of that Port.
That your Memorialists are many of them directly interested in the prosperity of Hong Kong, such as they are Bankers, Dock, and Insurance Companies, all of which must have suffered had the Stamp Act come into force, independently of the sharp commercial depression.
That your Memorialists would draw Your Excellency's attention to the fact that the trades of Amoy are intimately connected with that of Hong Kong, and anything which interferes with the trade of the latter must have an injurious effect upon that of the former; for example, all the Exchange business of this Port is done through Hong Kong, and nearly all the manufactured Goods, Foreign Cotton, &c., which are consumed here are received via Hong Kong, and they would respectfully state that the proposed Stamp Act will certainly prove a serious burden and obstacle to the continuance of such Trade.
That your Memorialists would, for the reasons set forth above, as well as for those more fully and emphatically expressed in the Memorial of the Hong Kong Community, in which they especially concur, respectfully beg of Your Excellency to abandon the Stamp Act in favor of some other mode of taxation less likely to press so grievously and vexatiously upon the trade of Hong Kong, as well as on that of Amoy and other Coast Ports in the South of China.
Dated at Amoy, September 6, 1866.
[Signed by various firms and individuals, including:]
EMAIL, BROWN & Co.,
DAUVER & Co.,
Amoy Dyeing Company, per J. CASS, Secretary,
ROBERT CRAIG,
W. CUNNINGHAM JOHNSTON,
MUNRO,
F. MEYER,
TAIT & Co.,
ELLIS & Co.,
M. SMITH,
BOYD & Co.,
JONES CARNEGIE & SCOTT,
Jno. L. ANDERSON,
JOHN C. MACKENZIE,
DAN PEDDER,
FRANK LEYBURN,
C. & ROBERT WILSON,
J. H. MENZIES,
WALTER G. H. CAPP,
JAMES JONES,
W. S. SIBBALD,
OK HVAITE,
R. KAISER,
MAN WALK ZACHARIAH,
A. LEIGH,
A. M. DONALDSON,
AUG. MULLER,
H. A. PETERSON & Co.,
H. G. HUG, GERARD & Co.,
BELLAMY & Co.,
J. AYRES,
WILSON, NICHOLLS & GILES & Co.
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE, HONG KONG, 14th September, 1866.
I am directed by His Excellency Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 12th instant, transmitting a Memorial of certain Merchants and Inhabitants of the Port of Amoy praying His Excellency "to abandon the Stamp Act in favor of some other mode of taxation less likely to press grievously and vexatiously on the trade of Hong Kong as well as on that of Amoy and other Coast Ports in the South of China."
His Excellency is much concerned that such erroneous impressions should have alarmed the residents at Amoy, who do not appear to have been acquainted with the very simple and moderate scale of Stamp duties imposed by the revised Schedule of the Stamp Ordinance. It is unnecessary to remark that His Excellency does not believe that measure "calculated to inflict great injury not only on the trade, but also on the vested interests of Hong Kong." If such had been his belief, he would not have proposed it.
Nevertheless, in the anxiety expressed by the inhabitants of Amoy as to the effects of a Stamp duty on themselves, and the mercantile interests of other Coast Ports, His Excellency sees an additional proof of the soundness of the Policy, which has not placed the new duty merely on the property of residents in Hong Kong, but has spread it as widely as possible over the general business and mercantile transactions of all who have dealings with Hong Kong as the main centre of those transactions and principal Commercial Depot of these seas.
Already Hong Kong alone contributes towards the Military protection of British interests and trade in China, and therefore, when her finances are embarrassed, has just right to expect that all who are commercially connected with her should contribute to such expenditure wherever it may be possible to reach them.
His Excellency has therefore sought to accomplish this by a Stamp duty, the only means compatible with the freedom of the port by which the Legislature here can reach parties who, though not actually residing in Hong Kong, nevertheless indirectly derive almost as much benefit from the establishment and maintenance of Hong Kong as if residing there.
It is quite true that the principle of a Stamp duty might be pushed injuriously far and become by its complications and heavy amount "grievous" and "vexatious." It is not true, however, that such terms fairly describe the Ordinance recently passed, and His Excellency sees no just reason why the people of Amoy should assume that an equitable mode of taxation is likely to be carried either by himself or Her Majesty's Government to an extreme calculated to injure the interests which it is their duty to foster and protect.
His Excellency will feel obliged by your forwarding this letter as a reply to the parties who transmitted their Memorial through you.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) L. D'ALMADA & CASTRO, for the Colonial Secretary.
To GEORGE F. MACLEAN, Esq., &c.
Page 210
Page 211
C
Enclosure in Governor Sir
Graves
Richard
bardinell's
Despatch 132 of 27th September
1866
..THE STAMP ACT, 19^ THE following 231emorilu^ respecting
**
the Stamp Act has been presented to Hi Engelle overnor
Whe Governor from. thesoUaentioned firms and Otel dents at mga alvornog zad) ut tul
97. upa silou Hof ba Unre Wiš Ektelleay Sir RICHARD GRATES MACDONNEL, dig!!! CB Covernor “and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony
of long hong diệt khi để thu asdw The Meniorial of the windéreigned, Merchants and follabitants of the Port
- 3 9901
Humbly Sheweth ban sates for studia
biome, badiis.si,boo, a quid That your Memorialists have, seeu, Wile extremne regret Your Excellency sypropu sed Maja Vas for the Colony of Hong- kong, whjentheyre of opinion is calcu lated to inflict great usbtcöuly, on the trade but all lodhe vestedna terests of that Port.
That your Memorialiste are many of them dicotty interested in the prospérity of treat tongkang nasuch as they a keklers of Bank, Dobk; add A spurniïce Cofffdog Shire-all which mast voller had the State Act come in forbe za Braindependently of the, ahʊrp.com.
That
sideration your Memorialists would draw Your Excellency e attention to the fact that the trades of s may diei posti antis mately connected with that of long- kong, and anything which interferes with the acade of the latter sangat havezan injurious-aflets upon that of the former; for example, all the Exchange bikiness of this Part is done through Hongkong and nearly all the maqufactured Goods, For- eigu Cotton, Cum, de, which are con: sumed here are received via Hongkong, and they would respectfully state that the proposed Stamp Act süll certainly, provea. serious burthen and abatacle to the continuare of such Trade,innup lex
That your Materialists would for the reasets Wet forth a-above, as well as for those more fully and emphatically 61- pressed in the Memorial of the Hongkong Community in which they cepcially scoil- side, respectanty beg of Your Excellency to abandon the Ship Ket in favor of some gurmese of Jaxation, leng likely to press so nerously and vexatiously upon the trade of Hongkong, as well as,
on toy and the other Coast Porta in the South of China.
Dated at Amoy, September 6, 1866,
EMAIL, BROWN & Co,
DAUVER & Co.,
Amoy Duck Company...
per J. CASS., Searetary.
ROBERT CRAIG, SA
WACUNNINGHAM JOHNSTON
.00 2 uzo, MUNRO, AJ
F MEYER,lai gaodgneti TAIT & Co.,
ELLIS &CH, 3
001
1
283pp07.Prster de Gen?«Ž
- M. SMITH; 06 aЯavov.BOYD & Co & IMG
PASEDAG Ghie bar 2. tantaI JONES CARNEGIE & SCOTT.
Jxo. L ANDERSON, JOVA§ *azlitini JOHNC MASSEN DARZAN PEDDER, ANE 001
FRANK LEYBURN, C
.00 & ROBERT WILSON,
J. H. MENZIES, SALARI WALTER G. H. CAPP, JAMES JONES,
W. S. SIBBALDATU I OK ЯAÐU HVITE, ZUZUle
R. KAISER MAAN WAK ZACHARIAH, ZZAAMAT AILAZ GBQ, RABBING JOİNOR
A. LEIGH
0 AM DONALDSON,
AUG MULLER,
H. A. PETERSON & Co.,
OL dona HUG, GERARD & Co.,.,,
pp. Bellamy & Co.,
20 & UÊ4. AYRES,
WILSON, NICHOLLS EDOL GILES & Co.
210
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE, HONGKONG, 14th September, 1868. S18,-1 am directed by His Excellency Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell to acknow. ledge receipt of your letter of the 12th in- atant, transmitting a Memorial of certain Merchants and Inhabitants of the Port of Amoy praying His Excellency "to abandon "the Stamp Act in favor of some other "mode of taxation less likely to press "grievously and vexatiously on the trade "of Hongkong as well as on that of Amoy "and other Coast Ports in the South of **China."
His Excellency is much concerned that such erroneous impressions should have alarmed the residents at Amoy, who do not appear to have been acquainted with the very simple and moderate scale of Stamp duties imposed by the revised Schedule of the Stamp Ordinance. It is unnecessary to remark that His Excellency does not be- lieve that measure "calculated to inflict "great injury not only on the trade, but "also on the Tested interests of Hongkung." If such bad been his belief he would not have proposed it
Nevertheless in the anxiety expressed by the inhabitants of Amoy as to the effects of a Stamp duty on themselves, and the mer- cantile interests of other Coast Ports, His Excellency sees an additional proof of the soundness of the Policy, which has not placed the new duty merely on the property of residents in Hongkong, but has spread it as widely as possible over the general business and mercantile trausactions of all, who have dealings with Hongkong as the main centre of those transactions and prin- cipal Commercial Depot of these seas.
Already Hongkong alone contributes to. wards the Military protection of British in- terests and trade in China, and therefore, when her finances are einbarrassed, has just right to expect that all, who are com mercially connected with her, should con- tribute to such expenditure wherever it may be possible to reach them.
His Excellency has therefore sought to accomplish this by a Stamp duty, the only means compatible with the freedom of the port by which the Legislature here can reach parties, who, though not actually re- siding in Hongkong, nevertheless indirectly derive almost as much benefit from the establishment and maintenance of Hong- kong as if residing there.
It is quite true that the principle of a Stamp daty might be pushed injuriously far-and become by its complications and heavy amount "grievous" and "vexatious.' It is not true however that such terms fairly describe the Ordinance recently passed, and His Excellency sees no just reason why the people of Amoy should assume that an equitable mode of taxation is likely to be carried either by himself or Her Majesty'a Government to an extreme calculated to injure the intorests which it is their duty to foster and protect.
His Excellency will feel obliged by your forwarding this letter as a reply to the parties, who transmitted their memorial through you.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) L D'ALMADA & CASTRO,
for the Colonial Secretary.
To GEORGE F, MACLEAN, Esq.,
dec.
des Ba.
Page 210Page 211
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