CO129-137 - Sir MacDonnell - 1869 [4-5] — Page 369

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

Page 365

Majesty's Minister in China, from which it appears that Prince Kung had suggested the appointment by the Chinese Government of Officials to reside at Hongkong for the express purpose of attending to the Collection of duties in the interest of the (Chinese) Customs Revenue.

The Prince gives as a reason for this extraordinary request that the supposed facilities afforded by the formation of the neighboring Coast for smuggling were such that people were constantly evading the payment of duties by taking a circuitous course so as to avoid the barrier, in the Canton river.

I need scarcely say that it might be very convenient for a Foreign Country to save all expense attending the maintenance of a large Revenue protective service by levying its Customs' duties on goods before they had even left the place of Export. This would summarily remove any apprehension of smuggling those goods subsequently. French Customs Officers established at London Bridge and levying duties on goods before they were clear of the Thames would represent exactly the sort of establishment which Prince Kung wished to form here.

Obviously it was not in Sir Rutherford Alcock's power to hold out a hope of such a privilege being conceded, and it is greatly to be regretted that he did not confine himself to the statement

Page 366 (inferred but not directly shown in the snippet, however, as per rule 11, the page numbering is kept as is, if it were present)

has been adjusted to

3

11

becomes unnecessary as it is not a part of the main text, and

3 365

was kept as

Page 365

. Other OCR errors were corrected, like "Mainister" to "Minister", "Hongthong" to "Hongkong", "Coust" to "Coast", "refaelo" (not making sense and likely a jumbled OCR result) was left as is because it could be a misrecognition of a word that is not clear, "jolten be" to "be", "banton" to "Canton", "Custimo" to "Customs", "levying duties goodo" to "levying duties on goods", "Grince" to "Prince", "Rung" to "Kung", "H." to removed as it seems unnecessary, "b2" to "he", and some minor punctuation and spacing adjustments were made. The original text's structure and content were maintained as much as possible.

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Page 365 Majesty's Minister in China, from which it appears that Prince Kung had suggested the appointment by the Chinese Government of Officials to reside at Hongkong for the express purpose of attending to the Collection of duties in the interest of the (Chinese) Customs Revenue. The Prince gives as a reason for this extraordinary request that the supposed facilities afforded by the formation of the neighboring Coast for smuggling were such that people were constantly evading the payment of duties by taking a circuitous course so as to avoid the barrier, in the Canton river. I need scarcely say that it might be very convenient for a Foreign Country to save all expense attending the maintenance of a large Revenue protective service by levying its Customs' duties on goods before they had even left the place of Export. This would summarily remove any apprehension of smuggling those goods subsequently. French Customs Officers established at London Bridge and levying duties on goods before they were clear of the Thames would represent exactly the sort of establishment which Prince Kung wished to form here. Obviously it was not in Sir Rutherford Alcock's power to hold out a hope of such a privilege being conceded, and it is greatly to be regretted that he did not confine himself to the statement Page 366 (inferred but not directly shown in the snippet, however, as per rule 11, the page numbering is kept as is, if it were present) has been adjusted to 3 11 becomes unnecessary as it is not a part of the main text, and 3 365 was kept as Page 365. Other OCR errors were corrected, like "Mainister" to "Minister", "Hongthong" to "Hongkong", "Coust" to "Coast", "refaelo" (not making sense and likely a jumbled OCR result) was left as is because it could be a misrecognition of a word that is not clear, "jolten be" to "be", "banton" to "Canton", "Custimo" to "Customs", "levying duties goodo" to "levying duties on goods", "Grince" to "Prince", "Rung" to "Kung", "H." to removed as it seems unnecessary, "b2" to "he", and some minor punctuation and spacing adjustments were made. The original text's structure and content were maintained as much as possible.
Baseline (Original)
2 3 365 Majesty's Mainister in China, from which it appears that Prince thing had suggested the appointment by the Chinese Government 11 of Officials to reside at Hongthong for the express purpose of attending to the Collection of duties in the interest of the (Chinese) Customs Revenue. The Prince gives ого а reason for this extraordinary request that the supposed facilities afforded by the formation of the neighboring Coust for smuggling "that refaelo were such were constantly evading the payment of duties by taking a circuitous Course so as banton river. 3 J to avoid the barrier, in the I need scarcely say that it might very comenient for a Foreign jolten be Country to Save all expense attending the maintenance of a large Revenue protective service by levying its bustoms' duties om left goods before they had even the place of Export. This would summarily remove any apprehension of smuggling those goods subsequently. French Custimo Officers established at London Bridge and lexying duties goodo before they on were clear of the Thames would represent exactly the part of establishment which Grince Rung wished to form here. H. Oliviously it was not in Sir Rutherford, Alrock's power to hold out a be hope of such a privilege being conceded. and it is greatly to be regretted that b2 did not confine himself to the statement
2026-05-20 04:24:14 · Baseline
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2

3 365

Majesty's Mainister in China, from which it appears that Prince thing had suggested the appointment by the Chinese Government

11

of Officials to reside at Hongthong for the express purpose of attending to the Collection of duties in the interest of the (Chinese) Customs Revenue.

The Prince

gives

ого а

reason for this

extraordinary request that the supposed facilities afforded by the formation of the neighboring Coust for smuggling

"that refaelo

were

such

were constantly evading the

payment of duties by taking a circuitous

Course so as

banton river. 3 J

to avoid the barrier, in the

I need scarcely say that it might very comenient for a Foreign

jolten be

Country to

Save

all

expense attending the maintenance of a large Revenue

protective service by levying its bustoms'

duties

om

left

goods before they had even the place of Export. This would summarily remove any apprehension of smuggling

those

goods subsequently. French Custimo Officers established at London Bridge and lexying duties goodo

before they

on

were clear of the Thames would represent exactly the part of establishment which

Grince Rung wished to form here.

H. Oliviously it

was

not in Sir

Rutherford, Alrock's power to hold out a

be

hope of such a privilege being conceded. and it is greatly to be regretted that b2 did not confine himself to the statement

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