again and again, and rubbing it in. I would first begin with Hong Kong, Yangkiang, New California, &c.: one or two Consuls there first, and then consider about Penang and the other five places near, according to the nature of the place and the number of Chinese there, taking permanent steps and gradually extending the principle.
As to French and Dutch possessions, perhaps it will be easier to deal with them. I am not ignorant of the tough nature of foreigners' dispositions, and that every matter raised requires a vast expenditure of labour; still, if we are not afraid of interminable despatch writing, if we do not lose ourselves in a maze of conflicting counsels, and if we do not over- or under-estimate the importance of each successive step, there is some advantage to be hoped for. If the protection we exercise is complete, the people will be in good case generally, besides the opening up trade. If wealth is plentiful, our home troubles will be abated, and we need not busy ourselves about distant schemes. If our administration is far-reaching, the minds of all will be united as one, and at the same time our people can keep an eye for us on what goes on in the enemy's land. If the requests we have to make are few, the dignity of the State will be enhanced, and thus we shall be able to get rid of foreign dictation.
My anxiety is for the welfare of our millions of people abroad, and for this reason I cannot rest easy without having my say, and I therefore, most respectfully, present this humble Memorial for the Emperor's perusal, setting forth my views upon the appointing of Consuls in English Colonies, and discussing the general question of gradually appointing officers to the various islands in the Southern Seas.
P.S.-Again, in the English Colony of Hong Kong Island, there are 140,000 or 150,000 Chinese emigrants; the place is close to the provincial metropolis of Canton, and is one of the most important keys to China. All the foreign and Chinese trade goes first to Hong Kong, after which it is redistributed over the various provinces. The most troublesome international questions are (1) the surrender of criminals; (2) smuggling; and (3) Chinese waters. But, as there is no Chinese official there, there is no means of exchanging sentiments, often to the obstruction of administrative business throughout the whole province, which shows that arrangements for the appointment of Consuls form one of the most pressing questions of the time. The former Envoy Kwoh Sung-tao held this opinion, but had not time to put it into effect before his recall. During Tseng Ki-tseh's tenure of the post he several times addressed the British Foreign Office, but it never came to anything. Apparently the secret of their objections is that nearly the whole population of the island is Chinese, whilst the Europeans only number a few thousands. If the appointment of Chinese officials were granted, there would be a regular understanding between them and the high authorities of Canton, which they (the British) of course would regard with great uneasiness; thus it comes that they persistently refuse to grant it. The other day I prepared a despatch for the Foreign Office, quoting the rule of international law upon the subject, but without making any allusion to Hong Kong particularly. Sanderson, the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, sure enough expressed to the English Secretary of Legation, Macartney, his doubts about Hong Kong, adding that Chinese officials, being unfamiliar with foreign affairs, might get to overstepping their legitimate spheres and interfering with the local prerogatives, to the great obstruction of business.
Reflecting that Tso Ping-lung, our Consul at Singapore, manages to get along very well with the British authorities, even the Foreign Office allowing that he conducts his business very satisfactorily, I sent Macartney to explain that, if a Consul were appointed to Hong Kong, Tso Ping-lung would be transferred thither in the first instance, and, judging from the conversation which took place, the matter will not be very difficult to arrange. It is, however, the established practice of the Foreign Office to put every- thing off as long as possible, unless they are persistently pressed for a reply. We shall therefore have to wait for the Foreign Office reply, and, if they still hesitate to grant the request, I will contest the point with them whenever occasion may offer.
This postscript Memorial is respectfully submitted.
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Yangkiang is a new name: possibly Port Darwin. [Mr. Parker states in a further letter that it means Rangoon.-H. C. J.] *New California is Australia, ie., the "gold diggings."
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