CUSTOMS
CHINESE MARITIME.
Two major blockades have figured in the history of Hongkong. One occurred in the days of Capt. Elliott, the man who won Hongkong for Great Britain, and was directed by the British against Canton officialdom. The other was purely a Chinese institution.
It is with this second, and more serious blockade that I am concerned to-day. Its genesis is found during the Administration of Sir Richard MacDonnell and was connected with an attempt by the Mandarins in Canton to ruin the native junk trade.
At the close of the year 1871, the Administrator of Chinese Customs at Canton made a rule that all foreign laden Chinese junks in South China, intending to sail for Hongkong from any Chinese port, must first report at Canton or Pakhoi before proceeding to Hongkong. This hostile move was defeated for a time by Sir Richard MacDonnell.
It seems however that the rule openly made by the Canton Customs authorities in 1871 had been secretly acted upon for years. In October 1867, the steam cruisers of the Canton Customs aided by native gunboats employed by the holders of Chinese monopolies in Canton (especially the salt and salpetre farmers) commenced what was thenceforth known as the Blockade of Hongkong.
These steam cruisers and gunboats, patrolled day and night, every outlet of the harbour and waters of Hongkong. They boarded and searched every native junk leaving or entering, arrested every junk that had no proper papers and levied double duty in the case of goods shipped at Pakhoi or Canton, for other Treaty ports by junks, which touched at Hongkong during the voyage.
It was a movement which pretended to aim only at suppressing smuggling but which, in reality operated as an extra tax on the legitimate junk trade of Hongkong. Its effect was really to compel the junk trade of the Colony to pay double duty unless conducted via the two principal ports of South China, Pakhoi and Canton.
The interference with the legitimate native trade in foreign goods resulting from this Customs Blockade of Hongkong aroused a considerable commotion in the Colony. A universally signed protest in the form of a Memorial to the Secretary of State was presented to the Governor on July 20, 1868. Fresh excitement arose when it became known that the Viceroy of Canton had opened in Hongkong an opium tax station; and when a salt revenue station was opened by the officers of the Likin stations, intended to collect in Hongkong all the various taxes demanded at outside stations, swift Government action followed.
The Governor immediately suppressed every such office that was discovered.
Meanwhile the Blockade continued and taxes were collected "on the sly" in the Colony. The result of the Blockade was striking.
At the close of the year 1868, a sudden depression, which reached its height in 1869, came over the native trade of Hongkong. The cotton dealers of Hongkong exported in 1869 only 110,000 bales in place of 200,000 exported in 1868. No more than 335,000 piculs of rice passed through the Colony, in 1869. The sugar trade also showed a considerable decline. The market commissioners reported sales amounting in 1869 to $146,000 against $165,000 in the previous year. The salt fish trade continued on the decline which had set in from the moment when the Customs Blockade commenced.
CUSTOMS
CHINESE MARITIME.
Two major blockades have figured in the history of Hongkong. One occurred in the days of Capt. Elliott, the man who won Hong- kong for Great Britain, and was directed by the British against- Canton officialdom. The other was purely a Chinese institu- tion.
It is with this second, and more serious blockade that I am concerned to-day. Its genesis is found during the Adminis-
ion of Sir Richard MacDonnell and was connected with an attempt by the Mandarins in Canton to ruin the native junk trade.
At the close of the year 1871, the Administrator of thinese Customs at Canton made a rule that all foreign låden Chinese
unks in South China, intending to sail for Hongkong from any hinese port, must first report at Canton or Pakhoi before proceeding to Hongkong. This hostile move was defeated for a cime by Sir Richard MacDonnell.
It seems however that the rule openly made by the Centon, Customs authorities in 1871 had been secretly acted upon for years. In October 1867, the steam cruisers of the Canton Customs aided by native gunboats employed by the holders of Chinese mono- polies in Canton (especially the salt and salpetre farmers } commenced what was thenceforth known as the Blockade of Hongkong.
These steam cruisers and gunboats, patrolled day and night, every outlet of the harbour and waters of Hongkong. They boarded and searched every native junk leavingor entering, arrested every junk that had no proper papers and levied double duty in the case
f gods shipped at Pakhoi or Canton, for other Treaty ports by junks, with touched at Hongkong during the voyage.
It was a movement which pretended to aim only at suppressing uggling but which, in reality operated as an extra tax on the gitimate junk trade of Hongkong, Its effect was really to
善
ompel the junk trade of the Colony to pay double duty unless conducted via the two principal ports of South China, Pak of and Janton.
The interference with the legitimate native trade in foreign goods resulting from this Customs Blockade of Hongkong aroused a considerable commotion in the Colony. A universally signed protest in the form of a Memorial to the Secretary of State was presented to the Governor on July 20, 1868. Fresh excitement a rose when it became known that the Viceroy of Canton had opened in longkong an opium tax station; and when a salt revenue station
蕾
as opened by the officers of the Likin stations, intended to llect in Hongkong all the various taxes demanded at outside etations, wwift Government action followed.
The Governor immediately suppressed every such office that As discovered.
Meanwhile the Blockade continued and taxes were collected " on the sly" in the Colony. The result of the Blockade was striking.
At the close of the year 1868, a sudden depression, which reached its height in 1869, came over the native trade of Hongkong the cottom dealers of Hongkong e xported in 1869 only 110,000 ba- les in place of 200,000 exported in 1868. No more than 335,000
icule of rice passed through the Colony, in 1869. The sugar Grade also showed a considerable decline. The market com rudores reported s ales amounting in 1869 to $146,000 against $165,000 in the previous year. The salt fish trade continued on the decline which had set in from the moment when the Customs Blockade commenced
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