gest abould be maintained secure from that dread of oppression, or subje.tion of their affairs to the knowledge of their own cor. rupt officials, which is sure to possess the minds of Chinese residents here.
Consequences of such a step in Chinese Residente in the Colony.-15. If then there be no right in the Chinese Government to ask this concession, and no reason why they should get anything to which they are not entitled, and, at the same time, sound policy dictates a refusal of such a privilege, it only remains, on this head, for Your Memorialiats to assure Your Lordship that it is the unhesitating - conviction of the whole community, of all professions, trades and callings, of every nation represented here, and of the Chinese themselves, that it is no mere chimerical dread of unknown consequences that leads them so strenuously to object. As the natural outlet for the exports of the whole of the South and West- ern portions of China, and as a free port where protection is afforded to property, and where commercial transactions are sub- jest to the requirements of British law, while dealing with merchants of every trad ing Power in the world, a vast quantity of ¡Chinese produce comes here in native craft i which constantly ply between this Port and the coasta East and West of the Colony, which pays such duties or other exactions as the Mandarine along the Const choose to demand from their own people, and abont which traders here kuwathing-every commodity having a price here regulated only by the law of supply and dentand. The Establishment of a Coustil here, sur- rounded as he would be by a staff of Chi- nese officials and employés, would subject this trade to a supervision resulting in the levying of taxes or duties for the Imperial Exchequer, in addition to those paid to the local officials, and which the Government never get; and the result would be that Chinese traders would, instead of resorting to this Colouy as their Emporium and Mart, go to some other place (such as the neighbouring Colony of Macao, as they used to do formerly) where no Chinese officials harass them or their trade, and thus a deadly blow would be struck at the trade and prosperity of this Colony with really no benefit to the Revenue of China, for the goods would still leave China, but not through Hongkong. It is no answers to this to say that duties would not be collecti ed here, as the Chinese officials attached to the Consulate would obtain accurate know- ledge of the goods imported or exported by Chinese traders, and on the departure of the boat outside of the waters of this Colony, she would be seized and detained for the payment of duties or squeez-8, by the Revenue cruisers which, even now, are trying to hem the Colony in-Chinese I enterprise would be crippled here because, through their relatives, family, or property in thing, all wealthy res dents would be amenable to the inquisitorial powers of the Mandarins; they would not dare to embark in trade, and would soon leave the place. Your Memorialists conclude their state- ment as to this olause in the hope that Your. Lordship will not advise ratification.
Transhipment at Hongkong.-16, The 4th clause of the Convention does not in itself exclude Hongkong from being considered as a foreign port, but the regulations agreed to expresaly say "Hongkong excepted;" and, as goods under this section only come to Hongkong for the convenience of ship- ment to foreign ports, this exception is unfair, and seems expressly intended to prevent the forwarding of goods to Hong- kong for transhipment. Sir Kutherford Alcock, however, has promised that this shall be favourably represented to Your Lordship.
The word "British" in clause 5.-17. The ! 5th clause presses unduly on Hongkong, by confining the benefit of transhipment of duty-paid goods for a treaty port to such goods as are shipped by British Mer- chants;" and Your Memorialists have the aasurance of Sir Rutherford Alcock that this was not intended, as the idea was to extend the rights to all duty-paid goods whether shipped by British or Foreign merchants.
The Port of King Chau.-18. The 6th clause Your Memorialists also look upon as inflicting a very serious and direct injury upon tue trade of Hongkong. The only Treaty Port for the whole of the South and South West of China is Canton, situated about 100 miles up a River, and neither from its geographical position, nor means of access, at all fitted to be the only Channel through which the immense pro- spective, and Vast existing trade cau be car ried on. At present no goods can go to any part of Hainan or the South Western. seaboard, even in native craft, unless they carry a Canton duty-paid "chop" or certi ficate, thus compelling every buyer of Cot- ton or Woollen Manufactures, Opium ori other imports, to go and return 100 miles each way more than there is any necessity for, practically almost prohibiting any in- ports from going into consumption in Hai nan and the opposite Mainland except those that are smuggled. This, so far from bene- fiting the Imperial Revenue, positively causes great loss to it. It is of course just as easy for a Branch of the Maritime Cna- toms service to collect Imperial duties at Kinng-chau as at Canton, and if the port were opened, the traffle would be conveyed in foreign bottoms, affording a certainty to the Customs officials of getting duties on goods which, when carried in Chinese craft to ports presided over by venal and corrupt Mandarins, never contribute one cent to the Imperial Revenue. If Kiuug- Chau were opened, then the true interests of China would be served, and when we know that nearly the whole of the imports would flow first through Hongkong as the natural channel between foreign Countries and the vast populations of Hainan and the mainland bordering on the Gulf of Ton- quin, it stands to reason that the abandon- ment of the Port must deprive Hongkong of a large and lucrative traffic and source- of employment for her capital, her vessels and her colonists. It is well known (und admitted by the Foreign officials of the Imperial Maritime Customs) that whit was formerly a large trade, has become, owing to the Ediot as to Canton duty, shops, almost a nominal one, and that immediately on the opening of this Port A very spirited trade would re-appear. Indeed Your Memorialists gathered from Sir R. Alcock that the abandonment of the Port was agreed to by him under a mie taken impression that Your Memorialists were not anxious for that Port to be open- ed, and also because he really thought that the "favoured uation clause" in the Treaty would preserve the right to frequent the Port to Great Britain if the other Powers did not give it up; but Your Memorialists, fear that where there is a positive aban- donment of a specified right by one Power, it can only be for any future concessions that such i ower could claim the “favoured nation" right, as it has, while having the right to open the Port deliberately agreed to abandon it; and it is therefore they urge most earnestly upon Your Lordship that to abaudon the Port already conceded to us is a grave error, and indicative also of a retrogressive policy which the Chinese will readily turn to account; and they would beg mest strongly of Your Lordship not to abandon the Port, but to open it
at once.
272
gest abould be maintained secure from that dread of oppression, or subje.tion of their affairs to the knowledge of their own cor. rupt officials, which is sure to possess the minds of Chinese residents here.
Consequences of such a step in Chinese Residente in the Colony.-15. If then there be no right in the Chinese Government to ask this concession, and no reason why they should get anything to which they are not entitled, and, at the same time, sound policy dictates a refusal of such a privilege, it only remains, on this head, for Your Memorialiats to assure Your Lordship that it is the unhesitating - conviction of the whole community, of all professions, trades and callings, of every nation represented here, and of the Chinese themselves, that it is no mere chimerical dread of unknown consequences that leads them so strenuously to object. As the natural outlet for the exports of the whole of the South and West- ern portions of China, and as a free port where protection is afforded to property, and where commercial transactions are sub- jest to the requirements of British law, while dealing with merchants of every trad ing Power in the world, a vast quantity of ¡Chinese produce comes here in native craft i which constantly ply between this Port and the coasta East and West of the Colony, which pays such duties or other exactions as the Mandarine along the Const choose to demand from their own people, and abont which traders here kuwathing-every commodity having a price here regulated only by the law of supply and dentand. The Establishment of a Coustil here, sur- rounded as he would be by a staff of Chi- nese officials and employés, would subject this trade to a supervision resulting in the levying of taxes or duties for the Imperial Exchequer, in addition to those paid to the local officials, and which the Government never get; and the result would be that Chinese traders would, instead of resorting to this Colouy as their Emporium and Mart, go to some other place (such as the neighbouring Colony of Macao, as they used to do formerly) where no Chinese officials harass them or their trade, and thus a deadly blow would be struck at the trade and prosperity of this Colony with really no benefit to the Revenue of China, for the goods would still leave China, but not through Hongkong. It is no answers to this to say that duties would not be collecti ed here, as the Chinese officials attached to the Consulate would obtain accurate know- ledge of the goods imported or exported by Chinese traders, and on the departure of the boat outside of the waters of this Colony, she would be seized and detained for the payment of duties or squeez-8, by the Revenue cruisers which, even now, are trying to hem the Colony in-Chinese I enterprise would be crippled here because, through their relatives, family, or property in thing, all wealthy res dents would be amenable to the inquisitorial powers of the Mandarins; they would not dare to embark in trade, and would soon leave the place. Your Memorialists conclude their state- ment as to this olause in the hope that Your. Lordship will not advise ratification.
Transhipment at Hongkong.-16, The 4th clause of the Convention does not in itself exclude Hongkong from being considered as a foreign port, but the regulations agreed to expresaly say "Hongkong excepted;" and, as goods under this section only come to Hongkong for the convenience of ship- ment to foreign ports, this exception is unfair, and seems expressly intended to prevent the forwarding of goods to Hong- kong for transhipment. Sir Kutherford Alcock, however, has promised that this shall be favourably represented to Your Lordship.
The word "British" in clause 5.-17. The ! 5th clause presses unduly on Hongkong, by confining the benefit of transhipment of duty-paid goods for a treaty port to such goods as are shipped by British Mer- chants;" and Your Memorialists have the aasurance of Sir Rutherford Alcock that this was not intended, as the idea was to extend the rights to all duty-paid goods whether shipped by British or Foreign merchants.
The Port of King Chau.-18. The 6th clause Your Memorialists also look upon as inflicting a very serious and direct injury upon tue trade of Hongkong. The only Treaty Port for the whole of the South and South West of China is Canton, situated about 100 miles up a River, and neither from its geographical position, nor means of access, at all fitted to be the only Channel through which the immense pro- spective, and Vast existing trade cau be car ried on. At present no goods can go to any part of Hainan or the South Western. seaboard, even in native craft, unless they carry a Canton duty-paid "chop" or certi ficate, thus compelling every buyer of Cot- ton or Woollen Manufactures, Opium ori other imports, to go and return 100 miles each way more than there is any necessity for, practically almost prohibiting any in- ports from going into consumption in Hai nan and the opposite Mainland except those that are smuggled. This, so far from bene- fiting the Imperial Revenue, positively causes great loss to it. It is of course just as easy for a Branch of the Maritime Cna- toms service to collect Imperial duties at Kinng-chau as at Canton, and if the port were opened, the traffle would be conveyed in foreign bottoms, affording a certainty to the Customs officials of getting duties on goods which, when carried in Chinese craft to ports presided over by venal and corrupt Mandarins, never contribute one cent to the Imperial Revenue. If Kiuug- Chau were opened, then the true interests of China would be served, and when we know that nearly the whole of the imports would flow first through Hongkong as the natural channel between foreign Countries and the vast populations of Hainan and the mainland bordering on the Gulf of Ton- quin, it stands to reason that the abandon- ment of the Port must deprive Hongkong of a large and lucrative traffic and source- of employment for her capital, her vessels and her colonists. It is well known (und admitted by the Foreign officials of the Imperial Maritime Customs) that whit was formerly a large trade, has become, owing to the Ediot as to Canton duty, shops, almost a nominal one, and that immediately on the opening of this Port A very spirited trade would re-appear. Indeed Your Memorialists gathered from Sir R. Alcock that the abandonment of the Port was agreed to by him under a mie taken impression that Your Memorialists were not anxious for that Port to be open- ed, and also because he really thought that the "favoured uation clause" in the Treaty would preserve the right to frequent the Port to Great Britain if the other Powers did not give it up; but Your Memorialists, fear that where there is a positive aban- donment of a specified right by one Power, it can only be for any future concessions that such i ower could claim the “favoured nation" right, as it has, while having the right to open the Port deliberately agreed to abandon it; and it is therefore they urge most earnestly upon Your Lordship that to abaudon the Port already conceded to us is a grave error, and indicative also of a retrogressive policy which the Chinese will readily turn to account; and they would beg mest strongly of Your Lordship not to abandon the Port, but to open it
at once.
272
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