728579-1844-17-Feb-1844 — Page 2

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249

THE FRIEND OF CHINA AND HONG-KONG GAZETTE.

NAMES,

TS out this plan some capital would be no-

carry cessary, but we think the return would be certain, China would be realieved of a pordon of hur sirplus and nearly starving people, and would receive nnun«! supplies of food and such articles, as are the produce | Fortescue

Sylph qf the islands, of Java, Boruno, &c. England would' employ hur shipping in the carrying trade would || Hope supply the colony with most articles of manufactured goods; and those supplying the capital for the enter- prise would have the rents of the now useless lands as a steady and increasing means of paying interest: upon the money advanced.

It is futile to contemplate the great extent to which this scheme might be carried; it is sufficient at pre- sent to consider the subjote as relating, only to Port Essington: should the plan succeed there, (and we see, no reason why it should not,) the new colonies may be increased, and a steam navigation bring those countries nearer each other.

Vassals in Victoria Hannour,

Zephyr(Am) Gondollor

Magnolin Canopus Fairlie Résolution Ratelif Ariel.. D.of.Wel

Bombay

CONSIONNUS.

Tons, Master.

260-all Pardino, Mathesondeo. 305 Macdonald' 403 Crawford

343 Oliver

232 Johnson

Holliday, Wise &

Turnor & Co.

305 Stooyan

765 Robell Wood Garrett Jonos:

lington

Hargreaves

Fraser

541 Scott.

Castle Dutchess: In throwing together these suggestions we have

of Nor- no wish to persuade any person to be guided by our

thumbor- statements only; those who feel interested in the

land + matter may consult for themselves the accounts of

Oriental 392 Wardle persons who may have visited both countries, and then judge what advantages are likely to accrue from

148 Sellgwick Osprey an attempt of the kind. We do not think it would Sharp 270 Me Fee be a miraculous way of realising a rapid fortune, but

Kestrel we think it would be a safe investment for money-a benefit both to England and China, and a steady source of increasing profit to the speculators.

||

325 Beauvais

Co.

Jardine Matheson&co.

Jardine Matheson&co.

Macvicar & Co.

HER MAJESTY'S Ships.

The necessity of raising a Revenue for the Co- lony is evident. The policy, of making Victoria

free port, is also gonerally admitted. There appears that, no other means by which Rovenuo can be derived, than the public lands, licences and other trifling resources. We need not remind our Mercantile Readers, of the advantages of a free port, to them a few hundred dollars more or loss, in the shape of ground rent, is scarcely to be re- membered, when taken into account with the pri- vilege of importing and exporting free of duties.

we must say, the Wore we purchasers

Seventy five years/ot find much

favor in our eyes: - Seventy- time

five

years, is a long to look forward, but, most people would wish to hold land, upon which they erect permanent and expensive Buildings, by a more enduring tenure. It cannot be a matter of much importance to the Government, and to individuals it would give great satisfaction were the title to the land in perpe Luity

Those however, who have purchased at the re cent Sales, knowing the nature of the tenure, and obligations as to Building, cannot well find fault, With them it is a fair bargain, which they have made, with their eyes open; and in future they cannot raise the plea, of ignorance as to the con-

"Agincourt,” 72, Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane ditions. Those who had invested large sums in

U. B. Cap. Bruce

"Casto" 36, Captain. Graham.

Fillock..

•

alligator-Troop Ship-Master Commanding, M.C.

RN

ATEST DAT ES, Nov. 15 ENGLAND

SINGAPORE JAVA UNITED STATES Oct. 25 CALCUTTA

Dac. 20 Dec. 26 BOMBAY STONEY-

Dec. 24.

MANILA CHUSAN SHANGHAI AMOY

Jan. 15 Jan.- 3 Jan. 20

improments, prior to the promulgation of the tenure by which property is to be held on this Is- land, are in a very different position, and their claim to an unlimited: title deserve the serious con- sideration of His Excellency Sir Henry Pottinger,

We are clearly of opinion, that all grants of land, made by Captain Elliot, or Mr. Johnson; and upon which Buildings have been erected, ought to be in perpetuity. There is no doubt, that, but for the faith put in the validity of these grants, Hong- kong would still be a barren Island; an unseemly apenage of the British Crown. No man; can for Jan. 28 Timent suppose, that Merchants, would have Jan. 23 laid out from $ 25,000 to 8 200,000 in Building and Fob 14

improvements, could they have forseen the pobabi- lity, of their property being, claimed by the Crown in Seventy five years, This is a grave subject, and one 40 which we will again revert.

THE CHINESE COMMERCIAL TREATY. —In its present nspect the intelligence from China gives unmixed satis- Semarang," 28, Captain Sir E. Belcher. faction to all parties. The ratifications of the Naukin "Minden," 72, Captain Quin.-Hospital Shin..

H: C. Str. "Proserpine" Comr: Hough R.. N. treaty have been exchanged, and & commercial trade has been concluded. The embarrasing and obstruc-"Sapphire-Troop Ship, Master Commending J. R. tive Hong monopoly is no more; irregular charges and a whole system of corrupt and corrupting fees have been abolished, a fixed and intelligible mariff of med rate duties being substituted; English Merchants aro admitted to intercourse of a footing of equality with the Chinese; consular offfees and diplomatic rolations are established ; British cruizers are admitted to five Chi nese ports, as a useful auxiliary to the Chinese autho rities in maintaining order; many troublesome restric tions on the communication of individuals with indivi- duals are removed; a free and constant intercourse be-

NOTICE. tween the Chinese Main and the British colony is pro- vided for, in a way that must result in a much more Parties sending advertisements, are requested to intimate relation between the two people; and the Chi- write on the face of them, how often, or how long, they nese have abandoned their haughty and fantastic bea-wish them inserted. In all instance, non subscribers, ring, to adopt one of thorough friendliness and reasona will pay in advance. New advertisements, will be ble ofutual deference, Such are the advantages appa- received, until 4.O'Clock, on the evening previous to rent on the face of the documents which have passed publication, Viz. Mondays and Fridays,

etween the representatiros of the two Governments. Two other great advantages, guarantees for the rest, are, the admission of all foreign countries to a partici- pation in the new benefits,-which must tend both to disarm jealousies and to admit China to a place in the great system of the modera civilised world; and the probability that the fixed tariff and improred bustome and port-regulations will so fartenrich the revenue of China as to give the Imperial Government a great in- terest in the new order of things. These advantages might be frustrated by anything which should go to

The conditions and terms, of the late land sales, nullify the regulations just established in their parcti- cal working ifthe Chinese are sincere in their inten- is still the principal topic of discussion among our tions, any treacherous conduct on the part of the British inhabitants, and in fact the only one existing of much would give colour to their lately cherished notions of local interest. We do not, at present, intend en- our barbarism; if they are insincere, British treacherytering fully into this question; but we cannot would justify their treachery; if their Government be avoid hazarding a few remarks, intending however weak, the collusion of British violators of the compaet to return to the subject at an early date." would strengthen rebellious subjects in preventing the Imperial rulers from fulfilling the bargain which we have forced upon them. It is therefore with the grea.ment plan of offering the Allotments to public lest pleasure that Sir H. Podinger's firniness, towards competition, So far as our own experience ex- the British as well as the Chinese, is observed in this tends, we have invariably found this to be the case country. One word as to the negotiators of these im- in all Colonies.. Neither, we confess, do we con-

The publication of the FRIEND OF CHINA, AND HÒNGKONG GAZETTE, commenced on Tuesday last at 6 o'clock A. M.

THE FRIEND OF CHINA,

AND HONG-KONG GAZETTE. VICTORIA, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY,

17r 1844.

We cannot see anything unfair in the Govern

The question, will ultimately be settled, by the Imperial Government. When instructions were sent out, to sell upon lease, it could not have been known, that so much money had been invested in improving the grants made by Captain Elliot or Mr. Johnson. His Excellency Sir Henry Pottin- ger, may not have prower to grant absolute titles to such property, but we trust, the strong sense of justice, with which he is embued will induce him, to recommend such a measure to Her Majesty's Government,

In our publication of the 3rd Feburary, we in-- serted a letter from a Portuguese Subject, uuder the signature of PP. On this letter, during our absence, some remarks were made, by the person then in charge of the editorial department of our paper, with which we cannot concur, So far as the letter itself is concerned, we as an unbia- sed Journalist, would have given it insertion, even although we did not view the question in the samo Flight as its Author,

The Aurora Macaense" of the 10th February publishes in Portuguese P. Ps. letter with the re- marks made in our absence, as bearing the Editorial stamp.

We of course, entirely exonerate the Edi-

tor of the "Aurora" in

that at the time P. P's. letter was

portant treaties. Bir Henry's merits are best described sider, the upset price, an exhorbitant one, this is posed to own doing so, as he was not sup in the description which we have given, cursory as it sufficiently proved, from the fact, of parties ad first published we were in Macao. is, of the extraordinary revolution which he has effec. ted in the views and policy of the Chinese Government. Nor can the ability of the Chinese diplomatists be too bighly estimated. With such minds in China, and the closer intimacy that must now inevitably arise between that country and Europe, it will be hard if millions in both regions do not reap the most signal advantages from this great event in the history of the world

Spectator.

Fre...

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31

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

ARRIVED

1844.

14th Osprey, Hunt, Shanghai, Cargo Ballast Will O'the Wisp. Walker, Bombay, Sundries 15th Bangalore, Smith, London, General and Specie +12 William, Baird, Macao,

Sundrics:

Fza.

15th H. Com. Steamer Sepatris, →→→, Bombay, ̈

Will O'the Wisp, Wallier, Macao,

32

Ariel, Jones, Macao, Pendr

16th William, Baird, Chusan.........

UNDER DESPATCHAME

Duke of Wellington, for Manila on 16th instant, Bombay Castle

Passenger

Whampoa

51 REPORTS

per Osprey, R. Burns Esq.

Bangalore, Mr. Reid 98th Regt, Mossre Attenbury Hamilton, Philleps, and Cohn, e

The Wall O'the Wirp, brought on a portion of the November Mail

The William, reports the General Chassay (Dutch) from Java, armved 13th instant in Macao,

The Bangalore reports that she sat on 12th instant a vessel on shore at Batan (Bashee) apparenty recently on shore, blowing too fresh to communicate, with a high

vancing twenty five per cent, or • more, upon the limits of sale. The obligations, by which buyers, are bound to build, to the value of ten times the annual lease rent is also a wise one. Nothing is more desirable in Victoria, than to avoid the maria for land speculation, which blights the prosperity of too many of the British Colonies. It is the duty of every Government, to place property upon a firm and solid basis. To effect this, it is necessary by enactments, such as the one to which we refer to keep as far as possible, mere Adventurers from getting possession of the lands. These men who have nothing to all to gain, by a fictitious rise in building allo would greedily purchase at the land Sale, were there no check upon them, That regulation, which imposes an obligation to build within a short pe riod, is probably the surest preventative which could have been devised to check the kind of gambling.

an

Our correspondent Publicola" asserts, that at the last land sale, it was an i although not

purchased lot, should only

one year's rental У

We are

this

ent must have be it. If such a conditi appears no reason why. particularly mentioned

vernment alone desirƏL

the effect of this would have been to rad and draw considerable suurs of forei Treasury

With regard to the question in dispute, viz. Whe- ther Sir Henry Pottinger, is justifiable, in including the Portuguese Settlement of Macao, within the limits of the Chinese Empire, in all matters which concern British Subjects, we apprehend, that upon due consideration, there will only be one opinion. Sir Henry Pottinger; with view to carry out those principals of equity which are his character-

determined for the further

and in compliance with the Treaty tered inter between Chica and Great Br nclude this peninsula in the empi of China. British Subjects, violating this treaty, are there- fore made amenable to the ws of country, and tre liable

to the establishe

con

every de

ment

rules of B

hat

inde-

Celestial Empire, with

hat Sir Henry

o the Crown

*