[ { "id": 224606, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-018 - Others - 1846", "page_number": 512, "title": "CO129-018 - Others - 1846", "content_text": "80\n\nBRITISH POSITION\n\nof subsistence; by the invention of machinery, which daily diminishes the demand for human labour; by a constant accumulation of capital which requires profitable investment; and by a general system of education, which, while elevating the whole of the nation, renders mere animal toil irksome, and demands a higher grade of occupation, at home or abroad, for the intelligent masses of society.\n\nThe premises thus set forth being granted, a statesman will survey the field on which he has to operate. He beholds in Europe and in America a career of successful competition with Britain in the manufactures and produce which the British empire can abundantly furnish; he sees little or no reciprocity of free trade; but on the contrary, the adoption of a more exclusive system; he ascertains that foreign manufactures now not unfrequently displace our goods in distant markets, of which we had heretofore a complete monopoly.\n\nTo the British colonial possessions, and to new and unexplored regions, must England look for the increase of her commerce. The East and the West Indies, the Canadas, Australasia, and Africa, afford valuable and permanent markets within our control; but, excepting India, their expansion is of slow growth, and inadequate to meet increasing exigencies; the opening, therefore, of the vast and populous territories on the borders of the Northern Pacific, is a matter of vital consequence to Britain.\n\nHave we availed ourselves of the advantages which this opening affords? Have we not by a mistaken policy, and by a non-appreciation of the true interests of England, almost shut the door against ourselves which we had been so long anxious to open, and voluntarily excluded the British nation from a country where it is palpably our interest to have a decided permanent influence, and where by our science, intercourse, and commerce, we may exert a beneficial effect on many millions of mankind?\n\nThe solution of these questions is deserving of early and serious investigation.\n\nAt the close of a desolating and expensive war, in August, 1842, in a position to dictate our own terms, and when all negotiation was unnecessary and set aside by the Chinese authorities themselves*, the British plenipotentiary adopted the printed draft of a treaty framed in Downing-street, and sent out to Captain Elliot for his guidance at Canton. This treaty was prepared at a time when we were ignorant on various points connected with China, and great allowance must be made for its framers. Without therefore that diplomatic tact or foresight which an acquaintance with European policy, and British domestic, as well as foreign interests would have conveyed, and without reference to the new position in which we were at Nankin, and to the greater knowledge we had obtained of the people and country in the north of China, we imposed only the terms sketched in the draft treaty, and filled up the blank after the word \"islands\" in the draft with \"Hong Kong,\" and\n\nIt is perfectly well known that when Lieut.-Colonel Malcolm was sent on shore at Nankin, with the terms on which peace would be granted, the imperial Commissioner was surprised that so little was asked, and inquired, \"Is that all?\" which being answered affirmatively, he immediately replied, \"All shall be granted.\"\n\nAND PROSPECTS IN CHINA.\n\n81\n\nexcluded Chusan—the only valuable island on the coast of China, adapted for the purposes which England ought to have had in view.\n\nA primary condition of the treaty was the payment by the Chinese Government of a sum of money then deemed adequate to the expenses of the war; it is now, however, confidently stated by commissariat officers, that the sum of money thus obtained will not cover the mere pecuniary expenditure incurred by Great Britain, after paying for the alleged destruction of opium, for the Hong debts, and the prize-money to the army and navy, and irrespective of the loss of troops by sickness, each of whom costs the state £100. But it having been agreed that the so-called indemnity money should be paid by the Chinese Government in half-yearly instalments, spreading over a period of three years and a half, the maintenance of a naval and military force in China, at a cost of nearly £500,000 sterling annually, was deemed necessary. It can scarcely therefore be contended that the \"indemnity money\" was to the extent alleged of such great advantage, and that the British exchequer has not suffered considerable diminution by the war with China.\n\nThe next great advantage which it was supposed we had gained, was the establishment of four new ports for British trade, as named in the printed draft treaty sent from Downing-street.\n\nOur obvious and natural policy was to cause every port in China to be opened to us, and to have obtained perfect freedom of ingress and egress to and from any city, town, or place in China, with secure guarantees for life and property, and the peaceable and unrestricted prosecution of commerce. This would have enabled our traders to seek out the best spots for mercantile settlements, and time and circumstances would thus have indicated and proved the most suitable marts for extended traffic.\n\nBut if it had even been resolved to restrict the maritime trade to a few ports, in order that the Chinese customs' revenue might have been more readily collected, it was our duty to have selected very different ports from those which, through want of information, were selected in Downing-street, and which, at any rate, ought to have been preceded by a commission of inquiry as to their eligibility for European traffic.\n\nNankin, the great central mart of the Chinese empire,—Yang-choo-foo on the north bank, and Chin-kang-foo* on the south bank of the great Yang-tze-kiang, were neglected, together with the numerous cities and towns bordering on this vast artery, which it is said extends through the richest regions of China for 1800 miles; so also Chapoo, the port of Hang-chow, as large as Canton, and the seat of trade with Japan; Kaou-choo-foo on the northern, and Ting-choo-foo on the southern part of the Shantung promontory; Tientsin on the Peiho, the port of Pekin; Kichu and Kinchu on the northern part of the Gulf of Petchely in 40° to 41° north, rich in agricultural productions, and good stations for trade with Tartary.\n\n* These cities communicate with the richest and most populous districts, by means of the great canal, which is 900 miles long and 35 feet broad. Reckoning the southern with the northern branch, it is 1300 miles long. This will indicate the great importance of our having a Consular station at its central port.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-018 - Others - 1846.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 458931, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-429 - Public Offices & Others - 1915", "page_number": 492, "title": "CO129-429 - Public Offices & Others - 1915", "content_text": "096\n\nne received about 20 days before, and gave them to Ag Vung-shing for the purpose of having them placed in a suitable receptacle to enable them to be smuggled. The second lot he received about seven days before and they had been under the bed at Ng Yang-saing's house ever since. Teong further stated that the tins were given to him by a German named A. Nielsen, she lived at 32 Yangtaepoo Road, for the purpose of being smuggled to India. He said that Mr. Nielsen was of Garrels, Dorner and Co., but now carried on business as \"Cardy & Co.\" at 10, la, Jinkee Road. Ag Tung-shing, on being questioned, said he received the tins from Toong and was commissioned to get them smuggled to India, which he was going to do between the 21st and the 24th of this month.\n\nChinese Detective No. 20, lih Ching-chang, said that on Saturday afternoon of the 16th, he went to East Hanbury Road as the result of information he had received. He saw two shell-barrows, heavily laden with planks. His suspicions were roused and he questioned the coolie about the contents. The coolie said he did not know. Witness forced apart the planks and saw the glint of metal inside. Witness took them to the station. There were tin boxes in the planks. Witness asked the coolie where the planks came from and the coolie said they came from 33 Tengenas Road, and were to have been taken to Chapoo Road. Witness went to the address with a Chinese Detective Sergeant, and found Ag Sɛ-ying there, whom witness took to the station.\n\nIn answer to Mr. Helborow, witness said he did not search the house, but had a look round. Nobody was inside. Eventually Ng B-ping came in, followed by his wife, and witness arrested the former.\n\nDr. Hinckley: One of the first questions asked you was that acting on information you went to East Hanbury Road. Was that information...\n\n1 object.", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-429 - Public Offices & Others - 1915.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 }, { "id": 458932, "series_id": 27, "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine", "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案", "series_use_hku_proxy": false, "document_key": "CO129-429 - Public Offices & Others - 1915", "page_number": 493, "title": "CO129-429 - Public Offices & Others - 1915", "content_text": "Dr. Minekley:\n\none of the defendants,\n\n491\n\nThe information might have some from\n\nMr. Neuman:\n\nPerhaps I may say that the information\n\nreceived was not true, it was believed to have been spurious,\n\nDr. Hinckley:\n\nI am satisfied,\n\nHe knew this\n\nwas an answer to it, because, witnesses said he was suspicious because the barrows were heavily laden, from the fact that the legs of the coolies, pushing the barrows, were troubling. The first barrow was heavier than the second one. It was not easy to see the tins, but after witness stopped the barrow, witness looked through the planks,\n\nMr. Kempson: How many times could you see,\n\nbetween the planks,\n\nWitness:\n\nMr. Newman: Why did you open the planks?\n\nWitness: I saw screws so I thought there was something inside.\n\nThe next witness called was Ng Keo-pan, wheelbarrow coolie, 533 Tang-shan Road,\n\nwas told by Ng Tung-shing to take some planks from No. 533 Tengshan Road to Chapoo Road,\n\nOn Saturday, October 16th, witness\n\nWitness took four pieces, but as he could not bear the weight, he called in a coolie to help him,\n\nThe planks were in bundles done up by ropes. The planks were inside the door of No. 533 Tongshan Road,\n\nWitness tried to move them, but found them too heavy.\n\nWitness asked Ng Ying-shing what was in the planks, and the latter replied medicine. They then went to No. 23 Tongshan Road and there took on three more bundles. Witness placed five bundles on his barrow, and the other coolie had two bundles.\n\nTwo of witness's bundles were heavy, Ng Yung-shing told witness to stop at Chapoo Road and to wait for him until he came.\n\nIn East Hanbury Road, a Chinese detective stopped them. Ng Yung-shing was ahead, and did not see the arrest. He was a partner in the rice shop, and...", "txt_file_path": "txt/2diw2n4r2/CO129-429 - Public Offices & Others - 1915.txt", "external_url": "", "rank": 0 } ]