Hongtong.
No 428.
Th
Ath January, 1868.
Governor,
Dir Richard Graves Machonnell, C13
His Grace,
to
The Duke of Buckingham Hbhandas.
Mailitary
bontribution.
Tetition to British Parliament against- by Hongtong Reform Association.
Fonts out inconect statemento
in.
(2 Enclosures)
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For 2584/6
toxtract from the "Daily Thess of the 28 December, 1867.
To the Honourable the COMMONS
OF THE UNITED KINGDOM,
in Parliament assembled:
The HUMBLE PETITION of the Under- signed Residents in the CoLONY OF HONGKONG:
SHEWETH :----
THAT the charge apun the revenues of this colony of £20.000 a year, as a military contribu tion, in aid of the expensesentaiked upon the British Government by the maintenance of troops in China, has proved to be a burden, which the colonial finances are unable to bear: Three years ago, when the contribution was imposed, these finances were in a sound and prosperous con- dition: On the 1st of January, 1865, the surplus of assets over liabilities was 3298,000, while in the beginning of 1867 there was only a nominal surplus of $24,000 shown on the public accounts: This sum oreover was so far from being avail- able, that tuo Government was driven to use, for current expenditure, money belonging to suitors in the Supreme Court, and when this was called for, to borrow $100,000 from the local bank at a high rate of interest:
THAT the considerations which induced the Duke of Newcastle to demand a military con- tribution of £20,000 a year from Hongkong, are expressed in a dispatch from his Grace to Mr. Mercer then Acting Governor of Hong- kong, dated September 5th, 1863, in which he says: Although I am aware that the receipts from Laud sales may be expected to fall off, I think it undeniable that the general financial position of Hongkong is, and is likely to remain in a highly sound and prosperous state; I enn hardly doubt that exclusive of the balance in band amounting as I have said to £98,000, there will be an annual sum of £30,000 or £40,000 available for public works, and what may be called extraordinary purposes:"
In a succession of dispatches extending over the next twelve months, Mr. Mercer and Sir Hercules Robinson reatoustrated urgently against the proposed tax: They pointed out that the colony was not able to bear the burden imposed, and if it had been able could not just- ly be called on to do so: The troops stationed in Hongkong were sent out here because Eng- land's share in the foreign trade of China is estimated at over thirty millions sterling, he "cause this trade is mostly carried on in British "vessels from the upen ports in Chiua, at each
of which we have British settlements and "British subjects, for whom we claim exemption “from territorial jurisdiction, because in the management of this vast trade, and in the Go- verament of our own subjects scatter J along "the whole seaboard of Caina, in the factiga "settlements now 14 in number, we are necessa- rily brought into constant intercouree with the "Chinese government, and there can be na doubt that the presence of a small body of troops somewhere nearer Cina than Iulia "has an excellent effect in averting gifficulties, "whiletheyform a base of operations if misunder-
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standings should unfortunately arise." Sir H.- Robinsou declared the troops superfluons as far as the safety of Hongkong was concerned, and un- dertook to be responsible for the maintenance of good order in the colony, with the aid of the local police force alone. He also pointed out that the military authorities occupied land in the centre of the towns, which if it could be resumed by the colony, would let for £10,000 a year, so that in a pecuniary sense the count nity were positively losers rather than gainers, by the presence of the troops. The colony in fict was established not for the purposes of colonisation, or for the advantage of future colonists, but solely because it was considered "it would be a convenience to the mother country on political and military grounds:" THAT in 1847 a eqmmittee of your honour- able House reported in reference to Hongkong
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Nor do we think it right that the burden of maintaining that which is rather a post for general influence, and the protection of the general trade in the China seas, than a colony in the ordinary sense, should be thrown in any degree on the Merchants or other "persons, who may he resident upon it:"- The committee on Military defences in the colonies (1860) include Hongkong by implication amongst those Military posts in which garrisons are * maintained for objects altogether indepen
41
dant of and distinct from the defence of the particularcountries in which they are situated," and the committee were of opinion," that as "these garrisone are maintained without refe. "rence to the wants and wishes of the inhabi- "tants, thy alonld be dealt with exceptionally. "and not included in any general scheme of "colonial contribution."--Again, so late as in 1861, the select committee of your Hon. House on Colonial Military expenditure, included Hong- kong in the class of Military garrisons, naval stations, convict depots, maintained chiefly for objects of Tmperial policy the responsibility and main cost of the defence of which properly devolve on the Imperial government:"
THAT in reference to the capacity of Hong- kong to pay the £20,000 a year, it will be seen the Duke of Newcastle had argued that a sur- plus revenue from £30.000 to £10,000 a year night be reckoned on by Hongkong in future. Sir H. Robinson earnestly strove to convince his Grace that be was mistake, and that this ser plus could not be anticipated. Events as your petitioners have shown have justified the argu iuents of the late governor. The Duke of N w- castle. however, declined to alter his opinion ou the subject, and wrote: "It is impossible for me to doubt that the suority given to the in- habitants, and trade of Hongkong by the presence of H.M. forces, would be cheaply purchased by an annual payment of £20,000), and therefore i should not be doing justice to the inhabitants of this country, if I failed to require that the Imperial Treasury should be relieved to that extent, as soon as possible from the burden of supporting that force." While this corres- pondence was going forward, the colony was underapledge to invest £50.000 ia building a Mint, which had been suggested by Sir H. Robinson as a means of beneâtting the colony, and of saving a large anu lost on exchange to the Imperial Government, When the demand for a Military Contribution was made, Sir H. Robinson stated that he would never have proposed the Miut, if he had been aware of the intention to impose this tax. He therefore urged that the £50,000 might be regarded as Military Contri- bution paid in advance, and be liked on as an advance from the Home Government on ac- count of the Mint, to be repaid as the expected profits should acerne. Mr. Cardwel however, into whose hauds this suggestion fell, would not "allow the payment to be encumbered by any circaitons arrangement with the British Trea sury." The colony was thus required not only to pay the Military Contribution, but to expend in another direction its accumulated surplus capital, by the sacritice of which it might other- Iwise have stared off for a few years, the em- barrassments by which it has now been over- taken :
THAT remonstrances having proved of no avail, the Governor under compulsion brought the proposed rote before the Legislative Council: Official members, who are not at liberty to vote in opposition to orders from the Colonial office (see Sir H. Robinson's disputeh, Sept. 7th, 1864), are in a large majority on this Council, an 1 the vote was consequently passeil, but the Coun cil iomediatly afterwards pussel, by a ma- jority of eight to one, a resolution deelwing the maintenance of troups in Hongkong was Tessary for the protection of Ca.onial Interests. A public meeting was then hell, and a memorial to the Secretary of State for the colo mies, deprecating the contribution and signe 1 y urly the whole mercantile community was
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