The Express.
London, England, 1847-10-12 00:00:00

Ia 1814-15
V 319-39

C e. d.
3,570,692 n 11
3,609,X3413 7
;UMW 17

4.
8 4

, ------- - -
,500,534 13 7
010,597 15 0

be the consequence, or to calculate nicely the probable results
of any particular reduction, they cannot forbear from stating
the reasons which induce them to think that though the loss
might possibly for a time be considerable it would not be
long continued.
In the first place, tea is as article, the taste for which is
widely spread and growieg among all classes; although
the consumption has evidently been checked, in comparison
with the similar articles of coffee and cocoa, by the want of
that favour in the shape of reduction in duty, and conse-
quently M price to the consumer, of which they have been
thrloclect.
respecltoidveerl,sinweehillBtefrdomutylconto t4hdemperhril.,bsen
from b. to 2d. per lt., the duty on tea has been enhanced ;
but although the effect of this different treatment of articles
so similar in their nature may be seen in the different rates
of increase which have taken place since 1821, the consump-
tion of coffee having increased since that time by 500 per
cent. and that of cocoa by above 1,000 per cent., while the
incense in that of tea in the same period has been only 130
per cent., yet even that proportion, amounting to • positive
increase of 24,000,0001 be , due only to the effect of a more
open trade, fully bears out the general prof osition. That
the consumption of tea has not yet received its full de-
velopment is further clear, if we consider the larger pro-
portion of tea consumed in other populations of similar tastes
with those of the British islands. In these the consumption
is no more than 11b. 10ox. per head; whereas it appears that
in the Isle of Man it is 2165. 190 z., in Jersey and Guernsey
41bs. ton, and in Newfoundland and Australia a very con-
siderably larger proportion.
It will be said, however, that any reduction in duty would
only have the effect, by throwing a larger demand on the
markets in China, of increasing the price to the Eng-
lish merchant; and that consequently the benefit of
such reduction would rather go to the Chinese
grower or merchant than to the English consumer. This
would undoubtedly be the case to a considerable extent,
if the market of. supply were limited, or difficult to be
extended; but your committee are bound to state that
they have no apprehension that this will be found to be
the case with regard to tea. Although it is a point on
which, from the limited acquaintance which we possess with
the interior of China, it is impossible to produce distinct in-
formation, yet we know that the demand for tea from China
has been progressively and rapidly rising for many years,
with no other result than that of diminished prices; and that
there is • population there, commonly assumed at above
three hundred millions, at all hours of the day consuming
tea, which only requires some change of preparation to be fit ,
for exportation; thus implying an amount of supply on
which any demand that may be made for foreign export,
can be, after a very short time, but slightly felt. We'
know also that the market has never been drained of
tea in any one year ; but that there has bees
always a surplus lett to meet any extraordinary do-
mend. We have also every reason to believe, from the en-
dance before us, that the cultivation of the plant may be in-
definitely extended. We have, moreover, the general expe-
rience in all articles, the supply of which is not limited by
physical or other causes (such ascotton, &c.), that an increased
demand, by stimulating the industry or the enterprise of the
parties interested, has the no very distant effect of producing
• larger supply at a lower price, instead of permanently
raising it.
If, on the other hand, it should be said that to convert that
into a profitable which has hitherto been an unprofitable
trade, it is necessary that some part of the reduction should
go to the benefit of the merchant, in increase of price ; the
answer is, that the mere interest on the duty, if reduced
from 2s. 21d. to le., would of itself be enough to make the
whole difference between a losing and a living trade, and the
whole benefit of the reduction would still be left to the
consumer.
tinder these circumstances, your committee have little
doubt that the full effect of any reduction of duty would very
shortly, if not immediately, be felt in the selling price, and
thus, inns long interval of time, any defalcation which might
at first appear, would be repaired by increased consumption.
It must also to remembered that the increased consumption
of sugar consequent on any large increase in that of tea,
would assist in repairing the loss.
For these reasons your committee think themselves war-
ranted in recommending to the house a considerable reduc-
tion in the duty on tea at the earliest period which in its
wisdom it may see fit, as most desirable in itself with • view
to the comforts and the social habits of the people, as in-
volving but a temporary loss to the revenue, and as essential
to the extension of our trade with China, nay, even to its
maintenance at the point which it has already reached.*
The question of the form of the duty has been raised by
various witnesses ; and by one or two it has been proposed
to return either to an ad valorem duty, as in the time of the
East India Company, or to • rated duty, varying with the
different qualities at tea, on the principle of that which was
attempted for the first eighteen mouths after the opening of
the trade. But the fiscal and commercial convenience of a
single fixed duty, together with its proved tendency to draw
a better quality into consumption, overbear in this ease,
as in many other similar cases of taxation, the apparent
equity of attempting to proportion the duty to the quality of
the article consumed.
In regard to other points connected with our commercial
relations with China, your committee have not much to sug-
gest. The provisions of the treaties negotiated by Sir H.
Pottinger appear to have been honestly carried out by the
Chinese authorities, except at Canton ; and even there the
difficulties which have been experienced seem to have arisen
more from the turbulent character and hostile disposition of
the populace, and the weakness of a remote government,
than from any or want of good faith on the part of
the ruling powers. Indeed any other supposition would be
totally inconsistent with the conciliatory course of policy
pursued in the other ports, and more especially with the
character of that distinguished statesman, Keying, who pre-
sides over the government of Canton, and who has on all
occasions shown himself not less the friend of peaceful inter-
course than the enlightened supporter of his country's in-
terests. The port of Sbanghae being immediately adjacent
to the richest districts of the Chinese empire, and especially
to those which produce the principal articles of export, .pro-
mises to become a formidable rival to Canton, and will ine-
vitably draw from it a considerable portion of its traffic. It
already furnishes 16,000 out of the 20,000 bales of silk, and
10,000,000 out of the 57,000,000 pounds of tea which China
last year appears to have furnished to British markets t The
next in importance is Amoy, which purchases to the extent of
nearly half a million sterling of opium and British manufac-
tures, but as yet furnishes little produce in return. With regard
to Ninerpo and Foochowfoo, the trade has hitherto proved but
trifling ; but the period which has elapsed since they have
been opened has been too short, and the attractions of the
greater ports have been hitherto too powerful, to enable us
to pronounce that towns so considerable, connected with
provinces is populous, will not hereafter ecome important
teats of British commerce. The opium trade, however, al-
ready flourishes at Foochowfoo with its usual demoralising
influences on the population, and embarrassing effects upon
the monetary condition of the place. The latter would be
diminished by the legalisation of the traffic; the former, we
are afraid, are incontestable, and inseparable from its ex-
istence. Into this question, however, complicated as it is
with considerations beyond the purview of its inquiries, your
committee forbear to enter further.
The difficulties attendant on the navigation of the China
seas generally seem to have been much mitigated by further
acquaintance with them, and by the careful and scientific
surveys which have been carried on by Captain Collinson
and other officers; but further security would be given to
the approaches to Shanghae and Foochowfoo by the este-
bliahment of a few beacons, buoys, and moorings, at a mo-
derate cost, but of great advantage to the navigation. These
surveys have been already of great service to commerce even
in • pecuniary point of view, and we would recommend that
they should be continued. A regular poet-office communica-
tion by steam-boats from Hong Kong, both to Canton and to
the northern ports, would add much to the security and
activity of our commerce.
From Hong Kong we cannot be raid to have derived di-
rectly much commercial advantage, nor indeed does it seem
to be likely, by its position, I. become the seatof an extended
commerce. It has no considerable population of its own to
feed or clothe, and has no right to expect to draw away the
established trade of the populous town and province of Can-
ton, to which it is adjacent. From the only traffic for which
it is fitted, that of a depot for the neighbouring coasts, it is
in a great degree debarred, except in regard to the five ports,
by treaties, which stipulate distinctly for the observance of
this restriction. In addition, however, to these natural and
necessary disadvantages, it appears to have laboured wader
others, created by a system of monopolies and farms, and
petty regulations, peculiarly unsuited to its position, and
prejudicial to its progress. These seem to have arisen partly
from an attempt to struggle with the difficulties in the way of
establishing order and security in the midst of the vagabond
and piratical population which frequent its waters and infest
its coasts, and partly from a desire to raise a revenue in the
islend in some degree adequate to the maintenance of its
civil government. To this latter object, however, we
think it unwise to sacrifice the real interests of the
settlement, which can only prosper under the greatest
amount of freedom of intercourse and traffic which is con- ,
sistent with the engagements of treaties and internal order ;
nor do we think it right that the burthen of maintaining that
which is rather • post for general influence and the protec-
tion of the general trade in the China seas than a colony in
the ordinary sense should be thrown in any great degree on
the merchants or other penning who may be resident upon it.
To the revision of the whole system we would call the early
attention of the government, as well as to that of the esta-
blishment of the settlement, which, we cannot but think,
has been placed on • footing of needless expense.
Inbonvenience appears to arise also from the dependence of
the governor on two departments of administration at home.
As governor of a colony, he is responsible to the Colonial-
office; as in a manner representative of the crown to •
foreign court, and superintendent of trade, to the Foreign-
office. It would be well if this relation could be simplified.

The British coral at Clotho, is bi doodah, dated 15th Feb.,
IM7, says, " How /aft the Ohms 'Si to abla l• =Oath this con-
tinual drain (Lad VS0.011•L) Otto prelim inabh to Impossible
to Mannino , bat the hot bag row wad oilabilled that the export
of to to llhohol amit bs bonouil other the punt spaten or
dads, it la net Mak Is halos,thad mho a maw spolaghe found
for a larpr adooroptles of Char aspirin Is or
Weir raiolokLgradual
rednetion mod tido yin% k waft Wof our
Imports la Oho, ulll dry am Oa pow lead. the other
hand, it is boort ohmitko ghat SENO the Mum welds=
duo our vol.= eol aralrok wow 11111illed to Idat their
retark opadallyada bobs attraidth• ribs anis spina
trade." 8s thole Mao, awl balms& Ilr J.lnser Ants la the
that It morn bos tom Nil the t *ads la
regalatad mod "tholoth wholly= It
the Igen troth, aoL dot then.
i.p.b.dano =IN% histichz
waled su==wayearro asowlarn=r2raoket
vim dot mho maw ems ha blot to tahafria the Mom • Offer
ansout patriot assMlliti thin tom to to but a Undid
mood d thatetio Irr thiilltnamolloaseloy Winds all throe
mad
width do sow prilloave held Is do maths ecosetptent
co do lab war mot Matte orprat.'"..
tUrJ. Da la hie boil& of the 9ite Feb., LC, !Wm dot la
bit " mot to ,eetod to attrot WM, to dos
dos, the hew polio oaths lltf b am* It moth, bbe ImPth..
Obis (tot tar amid koi ordbos to boar tb• ham loin atoon
part ft Ontro Irma the makohmMelanabsOitwnlon se
Dm to Ur pm stralesPia."

We would also recommend that some short code should be
drawn up for the more convenient administration of justice,
as a substitute for that general reference to the laws of
England, "as far u they are applicable to the cue,"
which in this, ea in some other colonies, is the sole rule
of guidance, and create, much confusion and embarrass-
ment. That drafts of all new laws and regulations, un-
less of an urgent nature, should, as in India, be published
for three or six months before they are finally enacted.
That a share in the administration of the ordinary and
local affairs of the bland sheuld be given, by some system
of municipal government, to the British residents. A
good court of review for the decisions of the con-
sular courts should be established, so constituted as
to ensure general confidence in its decisions; and in
such cue the jurisdiction of the consuls of er civil suits might
be extended beyond 500 dollars. the present limit, so as more
effectually to secure justice to the Chinese in their transac-
tions with British subjects. Facilities should also be given
in Hong-Kong for the acquisition of the Chinese language
and encouragement to schools for the Chinese; and the study
of the Chinese language should be encouraged in the consular
officers, whose efficiency in every respect is of the highest
importance, especially in the present stage of our commer-
cial intercourse with the country. The attention of these ofll-
- should be vigilantly directed to the question of transit
duties on the internal communications of China' by which
the effect of low duties at the ports of entry might be Effec-
tually defeated. On this head, however, there is not as yet
much ground of complaint.

A petition was referred to your committee, emanating
from a highly respectable body of merchants resident at
Hong-long, complaining, among other things, of the mode
in which the land sales had been conducted, and that good
faith bad not been kept in conveying to purchasers no more
than a limited tenure of seventy-five years, in lieu of the
more permanent interest which they allege to have been held
out. It certainly appears that the assurances, however
vague, under which some of the early settlers made pur-
chases and entered into engagements, and expended money,
may easily have led to this expectation ; and we are there.
fore not surprised at the disappointment. No charge, how-
ever, has been sustained against the public officers engaged
in the transactions, who appear to have acted in good faith
throughout. The same petition complains of a want of
vigour on the part of the governor of Hong Kong in posited-
ing the interests of British subjects in their intercourse with
the Chinese ; but on this subject, as we have only partial
information, we forbear expressing an opinion.

. „
We feel ourselves, however, warranted by the papers and
evidence before us, as well as by general considt rations, in
reminding our fellow countrymen residing in foreign coun-
tries, that while they are entitled to expect that the whole
force and influence of their country should be put forth for
their protection, when injured in property or person : yet
that the interests of commerce are best consulted by study-
ing a conciliatory demeanour, and cultivating the good-will
of the nations with which they traffic.
" '

By keeping these considerations constantly in view, by com-
bining firmness in maintaining our own rights with a ttudions
respect for the feelings and rights of others, we hope that the
newly-opened intercourse with this remarkable empire may
be further extend, d from time to time • and that the
jealousies by which it has been so long limited and confined
may, in spite of temporary misunderstandings, which are the
natural result of recent differences and ancient prejudices,
give way ere long to a cordial confidence, founded on a sense
of mutual benefits and mutual respect.