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46 VOL. I

Copy No 13, 'Gentlemen, 1***

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THE FRIEND OF CHINA,

NAD

HONGBONG

GAZETTE.

PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY MORNING.

HONGKONG, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2ND, 1843

Macao, 24th Janf. 1843,

I have the honor to forward for your No- tice and information, certain Extracts from a Memorandum which I addressed to the Imperial Commissioners. Elepoo and his Colleagues on the 21st Instant.

Before the Plenipotentiary can offer any decisive opinion with regard to Transit Duties, which are likewise by the Treaty to be specially fixed, he dum, explanatory of the present system, showing requires to be furmshed with a game desig

Memoran the Authorized amount in each Province. It is so obvious, that it is hardly necessary to point out, that whatever facilities may be outwardly intro- duced, for the Export and Import Trade of the Sea Ports; the whole of those facilities may be render ed absolutely; nu gatory so far as the greater part of the Empire is concerned, by such diferous Tran- sit Duties being demanded on Goods, passing through the Country, as should amount to a post II. M's. Plenipotentiary.tive prohibition of their transit. This must there- (True copy.) ́ ́RICHARD WOOSNA M

fore be looked into, and the Plenipotentiary will Mamak dia, Acting Secretary || alluded to, at the early conventence of His Excel- hope to be favoured with the Memorandum above Messrs Matheson

lency the Imperial Commissioner.

I have the honor to be,

&c.

Signed, HENRY POTTINGER.

Braine Burn

Thomson and Livingston.

EXTRACTS.

As soon as the leading and important points discussed in this Memorandum are settled, there will be no difficulty in arranging the details, such as the mode and period of payment (of Dues) the loading and storing of Goods, the locations to be assigned for the dwelling and warehouses of the Merchants at the different Forts, and other similar The first step to be taken is to fix a Tariff, show-Memorandum, by observing, that should any of the nratters, and the Plenipotentiary concludes this ing the Price at which a certain stated d quantity of each Article of Import or Export Commerce, 'is to be assumed, and on such price to lay down the Duties that are to be henceforward charged, and which must include? Fees, Perquisites and Allow ances of every description, for if anything is left unfixed it will be sure to lead to future references, discussions and trouble. If the Chinese Authorities desire it, I see no objection to the duties being di- vided into "Imperial" and "Extra" or "Official" Dues, but whatever may be their appellation they must be rigidly defined.

After the Tariff of Import and Export Duties, the Anchorage or Harbor charges are to be settled, and the most simple mode that occurs to ine of doing this, in to name a certain sum per Ton, on the Registered burthen of every certain size) that may enter the Ports. "In con- vessel (aboye a sidering the anchorage and harbor charges, it is to be borne in mind, that the Government of China has hitherto done nothing towards facilitating com- mercial intercourse, by building Light houses, lay ing down Buoys,or Moorings, and erecting Beacons, and therefore it necessarily follows, that these charges should be exceedingly light, and equally well defined as the Duties.

The Consuls at the different Ports are to see, agreeable to Treaty, that the Duties and Anchor- age, or Harbor charges are paid, and the moment the amount of each is fixed, the necessary rules, will be laid down in concert with the Chinese High Officers, for the regulation and guidance of the Consular Functionaries, who will not be allowed. to trade themselves, and will consequently have nothing to divert their undivided attention from the efficient discharge of their duties.

The Plenipotentiary has already, at Nanking, explained to the Imperial Commissioners, that the British Government holding Hongkong, can in no way disadvantageously affect the external or in- ternal commerce of China, because the English Government have no intention of levying any kind of Duties there, and consequently goods carried to that Island from any Place in Chiua, should pay, on Shipment from such Port or Place, the Ex- port Duties; whilst goods purchased at Hongkong and brought from that Island, whether in Foreign

Ships or Native Vessels, to any Port or Place in China will pay the blished Import Duties at

arrangements now about to be made, not work object for which they were intended, they may be, well in future, or appear on trial, unsuited to the at any time, casily revised, since where confidence and good intentions mutually exist, no suspicion of, or objection to the motives of a revision, can pos- sibly interferedus skinn t

Dated on board the Steam the Canton River, the 21st Jaudary, 1843.05 U

Frigate "Akbar” in The Signed HENRY POTTINGER mom að vill beur H. Ms. Plenipotentiary. True Extracts RICHARD WOOSNAM

muneb odt of houmicine

en zuidholy an Acting Secretary.

Macao, 25th January, 1843 GENTLEMEN, and fo

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||

Price $ 11 monthly Or 12 yeurly

there was any other arrangement, had you and Mr. Tuom taken up your residence at Although my opinion, with regard to the "the

Consoo House. Hong Merchants having ficial intercourse with the officers of the no longer any of- British Government, is so decided and con- clusive, yet I will avail myself of this op- portunity to record, that I not only do not see, the smallest objection to their continu- ing to act as Brokers (in the same manner that the wealthy trading Parsees and other natives do in India) to the British Mer- chants, but shall be very happy to promote

such rangement, by my advice and

the whole of the Creditors of the insolvent and I will even add, that were Hong Merchants, to come forward and unanimously propose, that the payment of the three Millions of Dollars, provided for by the Treaty, on that account, should be suspended, and the said Merchants debts hitherto been) by instalments. I shall be to that extent, be discharged (as they have

pending the Commands of Her Majesty's prepared to give effect to that proposal, Government-it being of course clearly and distinctly understood, and recorded beforehand, that the guarantee of the British and Chinese Governments, does not extend beyond that amount.

I quite approve of your having engaged a Hong, for the residence of yourself, Mr. Tпoм and Captain BALFOUR, and to carry on your business, during your detention at Canton, but your first letter on this point, has not yet come to hand.

propose to send a copy of this letter to I have the honor to forward for your that there is no objection whatever to your the Committee of British Merchants, so notice and information,

1. a copy of my letter making it public. No. 43 of this date, to the address of Mr. MORRISON.

[Signed]

SR, G

"

I have the honor to be, Indu&c.pl(&c.

HENRY POTTINGER

H. M's Plenipotentiary.

True Copy.

RICHARD WOOSNAM Acting Secretary. Messrs. Matheson

Braine Burn Thomson and Livingston.

> Macao 25th January 1842.

Your private letter of the afternoon of the 23rd Instant, reached me Inte last night, and I take the earliest opportunity of assuring you,

qualified approbation of, as well as great ing you," in this form, of my un-

satisfaction at you and Mr. Tuom having declined either to reside at the Hong Merchants Consoo House, or to meet the Chinese Officers at that place, for the It will be understood from the preceding rticle, transaction of business that Hongkong is merely to be

such Port or Place

as if they had come direct

to China from foreign Countries.

sort

depo

to sell the

to send the

Place in China

accordingl

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within th

which Merch

tb Native Chinese Dea

ચક્કા you at this hour, that

y feeling of good wi ndness towards the Hong Merchant &

long bee

case of Exports useful meritorioUS

but the time has arrived when

ection with the Officers

ent must

appear fron

intended by the

that the

yet I infor

even had it

the p

ton could not possibly have, sunpo

official

I have the honor, &c. &. [Signed] HENRY POTTINGER

H, M's Plenipotentiary, True Copy RICHARD WOOSNAM

Acting Secretary.

SUPPRESSION OF PIRACY.

Extract from a Memorandum addressed

to the Imperial Commissioners. 25 question that urgently calls for the most serious and immediate consideration, is the extent to which Piracy, has lately increased in the Canton River, and Islands situated on its Estuary and which, if not speedily checked, will very shortly. put a stop to all intercourse, except in vessels of War, and has already obliged every Boat that fence, The Plenipotentiary is prepared to unite plies, to be armed and manned for purposes of de-

with the Provincial Government, in any plan that may be throught advisable, towards suppressing this ovil, and he thinks that might be best done by

multaneous and preconcerted measures; the first sending two or three fast sailing and well armed step which, would be each of the Governments Boats, to cruize against the Pirates: the second, that the Chinese Government should send Manda- rins to the different Islands, to register and rumber the Boats; the third, to proclaims that any Boat found at sea, after, certain period, without a Re- gister and number, would be confiscated; the fourth, to warn all persons from the present univ- ersal practi purchasing passports from the the filth, for the Chinese G ernment

the

es may umshment AS

Pirate Boats

ases o

the Plenipote out vessels of

Chma the inco

nd the

of long venture Combined efforts of The Bitrat