HongKong!
M. STI.
2000 Octoba 1869.
Gevarner
In Richard Grauca Mar Donnell,
to
H. Ms. Minister Plenipotention Sir Rishaford Alcock, R.C.B..
Recalls attention to proposed Coinage of a Fail fine-
Puritica
en.
unication asto.
from Mr Kinder
Enclosure & 2 in Governor Sir Richard Braves Macdonnelli Jerfutch M-423 57 10t January 1868-
No. 77.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION,
The following copy of a Despatch from His Excellency The VICEROY of the Two Kwang, received from Her Majesty's Consul at Canton, conveying the approval of the Board for Foreign Affairs at Peking to the reception of the Hongkong Dollar in payment of Government dues, is published for general information.
By Order,
W. T. MERCER, Colonial Secretary.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 8th May, 1867.
THE VICEROY SUI LIN TO HER MAJESTY'S CONSUL
CANTON, May 1st, 1867.
Ou the 23rd April the Viceroy received by Board of War Express a despatch from the Board of Foreign Affairs to the following effect:
"On the 25th February the Board received Your Excellency's despatch stating that it had been represented by the British Consul that a Mint had been established at Hongkong for the coinage of a new Dollar, and that (on application for) the appointment of officials for an assay of this coin Your Excellency together with the Superintendent of Customs had appointed othicers for this purpose, by whom, on an assay being held, it was ascertained that (the new Dollar) was equal to the standard of 9/10 as compared with the pure Silver (Sycee) of the Customs' department, and was equal (in purity or value) to the Mexican Dollar at present used as currency, whence it resulted that Taels 110.1.1 in the new coinage of Hongkong equals Taels 100 in Hai-Kwan Sycee, an authentication to which effect was accordingly drawn up in testimony thereof. The dollar should therefore be permitted hereupon to be used in payment of duty and in ordinary currency, as a convenience to the inercantile and other classes; and the VICEROY hereupon issued a proclamation, conjointly with the Governor of Kwang-tung and the Superintendent of Customs, notifying the same to the public. Copies of the Authentication, proclamation, &c., were forwarded annexed to this despatch. On receipt hereof, the Board have to observe that, in as much as it appears on an assay of the quality of the new coinage referred to that it is equal to the standard of 9/10, and may pass current on equal terms with the present Eagle (Mexican) Coinage and may also, on payment of the due amount of premium as against Sycee, be used in the discharge of Government duties, it is certainly proper that such privileges be conceded to it. It is at the same time necessary that evil doers be stringently prohibited from counterfeiting this coinage or perpetrating (other) acts of fraud by means thereof, to the end that (the arrangements now made) may be obeyed in perpetuity. Should, however, the intrinsic value of the coin hereafter become depreciated, or the trading classes be averse to making use of it, or should irregularities occur entailing injury to the public interests, the Dollar may not in such cases be insisted upon as a valid tender in payment of Government dues. It is impossible not to take into account the possibility of the various objections above enumerated; and the Board in addition to communicating with the British Minister, have to address this despatch to Your Excellency and to request that it duly noted. Enclosed is copy of the Board's despatch to the British Minister."
may
be
On receipt of the foregoing the Viceroy, in addition to communicating its purport to his colleagues, has to acquaint the honorable Consul with its contents, and begs him to take note thereof,-He avails, &e.
TUNG CHIH VI, 3-97.
Translated by
(Signed)
WM. FREDK. MAYERS.
True Copy,
ALEX. FRATER.
22
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