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THE FRIEND OF CHINA AND HONGKONG GAZETTE.

TEIEND CT CHINA tectural character, which when completed

AND HONGKONG GAZETTE.

HONGKONG, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6ry: 1849.

will be a great ornament to the town.

We cannot but believe that by the time II. E. the Plenipotentiary arrives from the Northern Ports, arrangements, will, been made so that he may lay tho stone of the Church with becoming cero- mony and rejoicing.

WE perceive by the London Mail of Ju- ly 6th, that Sir George Staunton has, in Par liament, given notice of a motion to bring in u Bill authorising the establishment of Courts of Criminal and Civil Jurisdiction.

Whether all the advantages will accrue from the "The Home Government having deter-

naw Treaty, which some sanguinely anticipate, we mined on the retention of Hongkong, will need not now inquire sufficient is it to know that of course take all espedient means for the the announcement of the Pence will (in the present maintenance of its peace and well being. very depressed state of other Markets) cause a vast quantity of British Manufactures to be direct- It is hardly likely they will leave this mat- ter in the hands of an Opposition membered hither. Hence the important question' is sug- unless, as is likely, they may wish to benefited how are these Imports to be paid for by by the great practical acquaintance and The ready response with many, would be, why personal experience of Sir Georgo Staun in Ten to be sure. Anticipating thus much, we shall venture a few observations to show the ex- pediency we had almost said the necessity of our Merchants turning their attention to other articles as likely to be more profitable returns than Tea, under the new Tariff of Sir Robert Peel,

ton.

Wado not gather from the Papers whether the motion was made by arrangement with the consent of the Ministry as is often done with members avowedly in the oppo- sition. I not we can hardly expect that a Bill such as will be required will become law, and hence it is not unlikely that our present provisional state may be protracted for fully nine, perhaps, twelve months.

Existing arrangements being alapted to existing circumstances, so far as life and property are concerned, we shall have no oc- casion of complaint. The immediate forma- tion of means of communication with pro- per drains, bridges, of officient guards on the land and water, of night patrols &c. &c.: are of highest importance: no further delay. should exist with respect to these essential requirements of our increasing population,

and we claim attention thereto.

By a late Singapore: Free Press we observe it is soo likely that a Steamer will ply betweef that Port and Calcutta. We hope this spirited under taking will meet with the success it merits. We hardly think there can be any doubt of it, and we hope the co-operation of our merchants may be relied on in soon starting a Steamer, if Government do not, to ply regularly between this Port and Singapore.

It is generally believed the Home Government will take measures to secure à regular monthly com

munication via Rombay and thence per Steamer

with this Island and the Consular Ports,

4

7

tants of China that one of the Cong sze's, or Com- panies, offered to bring down to Mr. Brooke at Borneo, as many as 8000 Emigrants within a few mood if he could obtain permission for the

introduction.

We learn from Native Authorities that it would be very facile to make arrangements to supply Australia with Labour, and at a lower rate than Hill Coolies could be imported.

We need not point out the great superiority and value of Chinese emigrants to the Indian labourers Singapore attests what they can accomplish unde European direction. How much Java has be fited by their indefatigable industry in developing its resources is very well known. Their acquain tance with various arts and manufactures, their skill as mechanics, agriculturista, gardeners and fishermen, render them peculiarly valuable ind As mentioned in our No 6, the intended Coloni- zation of Moreton Bay, renders it very desirable to the Sugar cane, and other tropical productions; obtain from hence persons competent to cultivate

new, and also in old, Colonies,

for which it is alleged this portion of Australia is very eligible. The Chinese have long been de servedly celebrated for their skill in the manipula- tion of Sagar.

We are assured that their skill as market Gar- deners, in the vicinity of Sydney, would be richly rewarded to the greatly increased comfort of the present

required to supply the markets åt a

We shall on another occasion, point out the ar ticles which, now Hong Kong is a recognised Bri- tish Settlement, may become of very considerable Importance as Exports. At present we confine ourselves to show that the maintenance of the clude any important increase of the consumption. moderate

Our present Exports to England barely double, that of the year 1800, whilst in reference to popu- lation the consumption has not increased but rather diminished,

present enormous duty on Tea, at home, must pre- there bitants.As fisherman also, they are

but a slight increase of consumption of Tea can With the present Duty, we are induced to think be looked for, (should as we expect) low rules con- tinue to rule in England.

In 1801, when the Duty on Coffee was 14 d. per pound, the Consumption of Great Britain was lb. 750,861; in 1830 the duty was at Gd. and the consumption reached lb. 14,020,820. It was still on the increase when Sir Robert Peel reduced the Duty to 4d per pound; which it now is, and which must lead to its substitution, in many in stances for Tea; as at the refreshment houses of the people, the venders of Tea and Coffee have a direct personal interest in encouraging in pref, erence the use of Coffee--It was given in evidence before the House of Commons Committee that at the metropolitan Coffee Shops the proportion only of one third of Tea, to two thirds of Coffee was generally used,

That at the reduced Duty, the Consumption of Coffee will further increase, and so far check the further use of Tea, may be reasonably inferred seeing that the United States and British America with a population of 20 millions (albeit large consumers of Tea) yet use annually 30,000 Tons of Coffee, whilst Great Britain and Ireland with a population of 27 millions consume at present but 12,000 Tons. We must agitate for a reduction of

We understand an eminent firm, who on a former occasion brought out a Steamer to China, have ordered two from England to be immediately de- spatched. On a former occasion the arrival of a Steamer in the Canton river lead to a threatened stoppage of the whole foreign trade. But times nie now altered, and it is not anticipated there.will the Tea Duty. be the slightest objection by the Chinese Authoris ties to our steam navigation of their water,

We have not been told whether these t two Steamers are destined for the Coast or River trade. Their arrival we shall rejoice at as an

evidence

that our merchants are not slow to interpret the signs of the times, and adapt themselves to the

altered circumstances arising therefrom,

Now that all doubts of the permanent. occupancy of our Island are at an end, no further time should be lost in commencing our Anglican Protestant Church. After the liberal contributions of the commanit and the generous aid and support of the £ any further delay will we fear ery mischievous impression as to

the state of the Colony

not know the acting Committee (if there be one appointed to carry out this landable They do n

tentions they

sito we are

IT ment

It is the twenty one

expected that the second instal

e millions will be paid early in the spring, when all the forces in China will be immediately concentrated at Hongkong. The entire force at present allotted to Hongkong will be hore during the present month.

and

In our earlier numbers we have claimed atten- on to the high value of this settlement as the means of affording LABOUR to the other Colonies encies of Great Britain, Amidst the manfo antages which will accrue to the mo ther Country (identified as is her tru

sperity with that of her offspring) from the occ this Island we would not have this important one

of Labour is tho

the

cost.

For ourselves we think vory much larger ques- tions are also involved by the permanent occupa- tion of our Island than we have yet alluded to,

large

The claims set up by the Americans to the Colum- bia river region,the Origon country, as they call it on the West Coast of North America, may be now confirmed to us by actual occupancy, and a l supply of settlers from this quarter. Already the Hudson's Bay Company have two Steamers on this Coast, and in London a Colony is now contem plated to be founded on one of the Sandwich Islands, which will be much benefitted rather than injured by the proposed French Colony on the Mendana group of Islands or better known the Marquesas Islands. Our new Colony (if founded as we expect it will be) in the North Pacific sort of half way house from Ocean, will be a our Columbia river Settlement.

All writers concur in the great salubrity of this country, and its perfect congeniality with English constitutions. All the fruits of our native land at- tain even greater perfection than at home. If it be true, as is alleged, that it only requires a Canal of about fifty miles to connect the Columbia River with a navigable feeder of the Missouri the ad- vantages derviable by Great Britain by occupying this region are of the highest national importance,

Moreover, Japan and China will be eventually dominated by which ever branch of the Anglo Saxon race (American or British) which may now take measures to secure the ascendancy. The Americans are well aware of this one of the clearest headed of their Presidents general Jackson has so testified. Great Britain must not permit this fine re- gion to be made another Texas.

THE NEW BRITISH TARIFF. The Act of Parliament which makes the new Tariff

law, having received the Royal Assent, ut benoves u to glance at its effects on our domestic trade and foreign

commerce.

our countrymen

We rejoice at the almost total abolition of prohibi- tory duties, which were part of a system which long clogged the industry, and crushed the ene

It is indeed matter of feli (which has been treated for the last fifty years with that the narrow huxtering policy of our prede well merited contempt by every man of eminen has written his thoughts on these subjects) is now, and who.

for ever exploded.

That Political Economy is a veritable now solemnly attested by the Imperia the future we shall be spared the

tera

mayhap exalted

the canons

There

ought

add tha

the

to the ritual ofthe

of England would

ere this have been opened.

The Catholics have now in progresy

Church of imposing dimensions and archi- + of subs