156
In its memorial the Chamber of Commerce maintained that both foreigners and Chinese who were British subjects, when travelling or reading in China, needed the protection of a consul and the right to be tried in a British Consular Court.
On the other hand, the Chinese on the British soil of Hongkong needed no such protection. They could rest confident in the fair administration of British justice. In addition it was pointed out, "they have an important official in the Registrar General, to whom as 'Protector of Chinese' they can always have recourse for advice and assistance.
The Chefoo Convention was never ratified by Britain. Therefore China could not claim by treaty rights the privilege of appointing a consul for Hongkong.
The question arose again in 1874 as the result of the so-called "blockade of Hongkong." This development had been anticipated by Sir Rutherford Alcock, the British Minister to China, at the time China had first asked for permission to station an official in Hongkong as a check to smuggling.
In 1868 the Viceroy of the Two-Kwangs had opened customs stations near Hongkong to collect provincial duties on goods carried by Chinese junks sailing from Hongkong.
Two of them were near the eastern and western approaches to the Hongkong harbour. Another was on the island of Cheung Chau. In 1871 the stations began collecting the treaty tariff duty on opium,
In addition, armed revenue cruisers were introduced to see that the stations were not bypassed. They patrolled Chinese junks, chased smugglers and attempted to ensure that proper duties were paid. The foreign merchants in Hongkong labelled this effort of the Chinese to protect their interests as a "blockade.”
The Chinese, however, had not given up their wish to have a consul in Hongkong. The expense of maintaining a fleet of armed vessels near Hongkong was heavy. There was always the danger
156
In its memorial the Chamber of Commerce maintained that both foreigners and Chinese who were British subjects, when trav- elling or reading in China, needed the protection of a consul and the right to be tried in a British Consular Court.
On the other hand, the Chinese on the British soil of Hongkong needed no such protection. They could rest confident in the fair administration of British justice. In addition it was pointed out, "they have an important official in the Registrar General, to whom as 'Protector of Chinese' they can always have recourse for advice and assistance.
The Chefoo Convention was never ratified by Britain. There- fore China could not claim by treaty rights the privilege of ap- pointing a consul for Hongkong.
The question arose again in 1874 as the result of the so-called "blockade of Hongkong." This development had been anticipated by Sir Rutherford Alcock, the British Minister to China, at the time China had first asked for permission to station an official in Hongkong as a check to smuggling.
In 1868 the Viceroy of the Two-Kwangs had opened customs stations near Hongkong to collect provincial duties on goods car- ried by Chinese junks sailing from Hongkong.
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Two of them were near the eastern and western approaches to the Hongkong harbour. Another was on the island of Cheung Chau. In 1871 the stations began collecting the treaty tariff duty on opium,
In addition, armed revenue cruisers were introduced to see that the stations were not bypassed. They patrolled Chinese junks, chased smugglers and attempted to ensure that proper duties were paid. The foreign merchants in Hongkong labelled this effort of the Chinese to protect their interests as a "blockade.”
The Chinese, however, had not given up their wish to have a consul in Hongkong. The expense of maintaining a fleet of armed vessels near Hongkong was heavy. There was always the danger
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