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THE FRIEND OF CHINA AND HONGKONG GAZETTE.

but the best authorities we have consulted, vari- TO OUR SUBSCHINENS.-The large amount of our out-standing Arrests, admonishes us to request ourously aflix it at some fifteen to twenty millions of Friends and Subscribers to oblige us by forthwith souls. liquidating our Claims, which, trifling is they are individually,-yet, aggregately, amount to a consider

able sum.

Any irregularity or delay in the Delivery or Receipt of the Paper, if brought to out notice we will endeav, në to rectify. Wa shall be inch obliged to our Subscribers, if they will inform us when any change of residence taken place,

THE FRIEND OF CHINA,

}

AND HONG-KONG GAZETTE.

HONG-KONG, THURSDAY, MAY 4TH, 1843.

We have only just time to call the atten- tion of our readers to the Government A is satisfactory to observe the cordial and Announcements in our first page. Whilst

It is certain we shall soon be better acquainted with this long-noglected part of the world. What was denied to the claims of philantrophy and com- mon sense, will be extorted by national jealousy, and hence we rejoice at the occupation of the Marquesas Islands by the French, as it will com- pol our Government to take requisite measures to prevent the predominance of French influence in the Eastern Seas.

By the way, we learn that a Bishop of the Mar- quesas Islands has been appointed, who, with a band of Ecclesiastics, has already sailed from France. The Catholic world, it is expected, will receive a large augmentation in the Eastern Archi- pelago from the devoted zeal of its Missionaries, a to the holy work of converting the heathen; they large number of whom have dedicated themselves

have

The advices report favourably of the We demand for British Manufactures. regret to hear the demise of CAPTAIN FARMER, of H. M. S. Driver,

A fire broke out in the ravine at tho rear of the Lower Bazaar, on Monday night last. About thirty Mat-Houses were destroyed.

The conflagration was rapid that all apprehension of its further engines extending had ceased, before the engi could reach the spot.

80

We regret to learn that another attack has been made on the Bazaar situated at the POINT. Although some booty was off scatheless, three of their number having obtained, the ruffians did not this time get

friendly tone of KE KUNG's reply, it yet our best wishes and prayers for their full been shot. Great praise is due to Sergeant

behoves us to note the assumption on his part that it is the duty of H. B. M's Plenipotentiary to repress Smuggling

If the London Papers are to be believed, (vide the Extract in our No. 55) a Govern- ment Interpreter boasts he has been able to make the Chinese High Authorities comprehend the theory of modern Political Economy, as laid down by Mr Mc Culloch. If this be true, another, we think, might be well employed in explaining to them our inter-national law, in which case they would recognise the expediency of Euro- pean nations repudiating all Governmental interference in inutual fiscal regulations.

We would respectfully urge that this point cannot be rendered too obvious, and much future mis-apprehension may be avoided by this principle, now being dis- tinctly understood & acknowledged by the Chinese.

It would not surprise us should the Chinese Authorities hereafter aver, that H. E. has the ability and the power to supress the illicit trade. Every

manifest tion of H. E.'s will in his intercourse with

them, has been backed, by an irresistible force, and reasoning, analogically it must be hard for them to believe that H. E. cannot restrain a few merchants, a class, too, which the Chinese uniformly affect to despise.

We need not parade the authority of Political Economists or

thStatesmen, to prove that smuggling is

offspring of the rapacious fatuity of the governors, rather than of an "ignorant impatience of taxation" in the governed. The late emi- nent Mr Huskisson's eloquent appreciation of smuggling. on proposing, his Free Trade" measures, is well known. `

Sir Robert Peel's exhibition in the House of Commons last Session, of some smuggled goods, so ingeniously introduced, as to afford the most valid arguments for RE- DUCED DUTIES, must be fresh in the recollec- tion of our readers. Thus it is, in the admirable fitness of things, that even the self-interest and avarice of individuals sub- serve the general good.

success.

The growing importance of our Colonies

es in Fry, for his promtitude and gallantry on the Australia and New Zealand, with the early pos- occasion. The Coroner's inquest on the sibility of the completion of a Ship Canal across bodies, which appears in another part of the Isthmus of Panama, and the adoption of that

our paper, affords details of this lament- to and from the Mother Country, has led, it alleged, to the present occupation of the Marable outrage. On the same night, other quesas Islands by the French Government.

burglaries, we are told, were effected. Our Printing Office was also forcibly entered and robbed during the past week.

route

A glance at the map, will satisfy one, that in the event of a war, a hostile power, so placed, could cut our lines of communication, and till these Islands were captured by us (as of course, they would be) we should be subjected to considerable annoyance, if indeed, our trade did not receive a vast injury.

342,762 28,724,610-

We had not space in our last to give the state- ment of Exports to Great Britain, from 30th June, 1841, furnished by our Correspondent in his letter, dated CANTON, 19th April, and to which we then A great many British vessels now touch at referred. We now subjoin it: Bally and Lombock, proceeding to, or from Syd- Bohea ney, and large cargoes of rice and other products| Congou are shipped thence annually, in British bottoms, Souchong, &c. (our Whale Fishery is also very considerable Caper in the adjoining Seas)-yet we have not heard Black Leaf Pekoe that a British Man of War has ever visited Pekoe those Islands. This is much to be regretted, as there is a

there 18-a strong feeling in our favour antong the natives, who, in their hatred of the Dutch, would be but too glad to hoist the British would be protected from the encroaching policy Flag, had they but the bare assurance that they of the Batavian Government.

If, as expected, the China Seas becomes an Admiral's Station, and Hong-Kong the Depôt and Arsenal; we make no doubt that expedient measures will be taken to make the British name known and respected throughout the Eastern Archi- pelago.

We are catly gratified to find that our humble exertions in aiding to point out the capabilities and value of the Eastern Seas, have received the cor-

roborative sanction of one of the most valued

Sorts

Orange

Twankay

Hyson

Young " Skin Gunpowder Imperial

-643.598

169,134

396,854

285,044

610,555

33,131

2,750,938

1,041,807

501,039 49,677

318,374

237,332

Jb.33,103,945

This amount is exclusive of the DEVON, about. Ib. 500,000, and the ELISABETH, about lb.400,000, say altogether thirty-seven millions shipped up to this date.

authorities on commercial matters, Mr J. R. Mac- Culloch, who, in the last supplement to his well- ||__-_-_- known" Dictionary of Commerce," says " A very little outlay on the part of Government might make, in so far at least, as piracy is concerned, the navigation of the Eastern Seas quite as safe as

that of the Channel; and the advantages thence resulting to our trade, would, in a very short period, far more than countervail the little sacrifice re- piracy in the Eastern Seas, Government should sulting at the outset, Besides putting down take the necesary measures for obtaining accurate information with respect to them, and the ports and countries to which they afford access. We should say, of most of the Islands to the East of know very little, indeed, of many or rather, we Malacca, and yet, several of them are of great extent, and they all abound in valuable products and might, it is probable, were we better acquainted with their ports and capabilities, fur nish the means of carrying on an extensive and advantageous commerce. Had utduty been at all attended to in such matters, the exploration New Guinea, and of the Seas and numberle Islanıls in us vicinity, would have taken precedence

many late expedilums.” -

Late events in China, have at last had the effect of directing public attention at home to the East ern Archipelago, and it is hoped that measures will now be taken to extirpate the Pirates, who have so long infested those seas. At the same? time, we hope every effort will be made to extend the British Trade in that very interesting locality.

Mr. Earle deserves much credit for his exertions in endeavouring to awaken, in influential, quarters, a sense of the importance of those Islands for mercial objects. He has been well seconded by om: the Royal Geographical Society of London. Honourable mention should also be made of Mr. Brooke, whose recommendation of founding a Set tlement in Borneo, we hope yet to see adopted

We have before Brought to the notice of our readers the views we entertain on this subject, and we do not now deem it necessary to go into a lengthened detail. We may, however, say, that Great Britain, by extending her influence in this quarter, would materially benefit the native popu- lations, who are mostly addicted to commerce, and many of which are quite alive to the advantages accruing from the protection and security afforded by the British Flag.

Any estimate of the population of those alhost unknown Islands, must be purely conjectual;

We e are gratified to publish the official confirmation (of the long since reported) appointment of KE YING as Imperial when this High Functionary may Commissioner. We have not yet heard expected at Canton, but we should suppose in about a month.

There are now loading with Teas the...

Grecian Oriental Marchioness of Douro Bella Marina

Inglewood Monarch Minerva

för London.

for Liverpool.

"Leith.

Glasgow.

وو

So that by July the 1st, fifty millions may perhaps after all be shipped,

of the 3d December, we now quote, as The following extract from the Times strongly corroborative of the opinions we have uniformly expressed with regard to matters in this quarter :— Governmental interference in Commercial

ra

and the Intro

**Our readers are aware that among the terms which between Great Britain and China, no stipulation upon constitute the basis of peace, sb happily concluded the subject of the Opiuin trade is to be found. The ple

les of the Celestial Emperor were natu- anxious to come to an understanding upon this ey were not in a position to insist upon it, negotiator peremptorily declined to any such question into the arrangements. HENRY POTTINGER doubtless acted with ina.much as evident reasons of conveniente the principle, UNIVERSALLY RE- ED IN EUROPE THAT EACH MUST ENFORCE ITS OWN FISCAL GULATIONS AS BEST IT CAN, without holding the breach of them by the subjects of a foreign to constitute any und of complaint Government It is less unreasonable Chinese EMPEROR to Cupon Great Britain every private British would be for us to to all such

of our merchants as thin

assume the right et

laws. Our business is to

ud on't. interference with the due. our own countrymen, or a

the one hand,

the Chinese Government still continues to By late letters from Chusan, we learn evince the most amicable disposition towards us, and with the people seem, ea to open up mutual commercial relations. cipal regulations of the In well informed quarters it is asserted that the balance of the $21,000,000 (War Indemnity) is ready to be paid by the Chinese upon the evacuation of Chusan and Koo-lang-soo.

We have much and publishing tion from a For more than one

to disobey those responsibility on abstain from all whether against strangers of the muoi- y in which we trade

easure in translating, ollowing Communica

FRIEND, to whom, on we have expressed