The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-02 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT,

HOUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY).

ADMISSION OF BRITISH SALT INTO CHINA.

Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY rose to call the atten-
tion of the Government to the question of the admission of
British salt into China, and to inquire what steps had been
taken for bringing the subject before the Government at
Pekin. He observed that hitherto salt had been a monopoly
in the hands of the Chinese Government, from which they
derived a large revenue. Formerly the Indian Government
stood in a similar position, and had not only a monopoly of
the importation, but also of the manufacture of salt. That
article was now imported into India at a considerable profit
to the British manufacturer, and under the new system the
revenue in India had been collected at a cheaper rate than
under the old system. He believed there would be no diffi
culty in making such regulations for the import of salt into
China as would leave to the Chinese Government the same
amount of revenue which they at present realised from that
article.
The Earl of ELGIN felt some difficulty in giving a full
and complete explanation of the transactions in which he
had been engaged on the coast of China. He went to that
country with certain instructions, and was in the habit of
communicating with the Government and with parties in-
terested in trade and commerce; but neither his instruc-
tions, nor the treaty, nor the arrangements consequent upon
that treaty, nor the correspondence on the subject, had yet
been laid before Parliament; and therefore he trusted if their
lordships should consider his explanations imperfect and in-
complete, they would not imagine that he had wilfully or
through carelessness neglected the commercial interests of
the country. It should be borne in mind that he went to
China at a period of considerable difficulty, with a desire
to bring hostilities to a close, and that it was his duty to
consider along with other interests the interests of the
Chinese Government, for nothing could be more prejudicial
to the interests of this country than that the resources of
China should be 53 crippled as to prevent that Government
from occupying its proper position. He had perhaps been
prevented from pressing on the Chinese Government some
of those commercial changes which he should have done if
he had thought the interests of the Imperial Government of
no consequence. With regard to the introduction of salt,
he found it utterly impossible to induce the governor at
Shanghai to enter into the matter; but he did not despair
of the eventual result. All that was necessary was to per-
suade the authorities that the revenue would not suffer from
the change. It was not until the Ist of January last year
that he received the first representation in favour of the in-
troduction of salt into China, and he believed that if Mr.
Bruce could succeed in convincing the Chinese Government
that their revenue would not suffer, they would break
through the salt monopoly. That monopoly had the
prestige of great antiquity, and it was said to have existed at
least 1,000 years before the Christian era. The system
under which the tax was raised very much resembled that
under which the opium tax was levied. One of his great
objects was to improve the custom-house system in India,
and if guarantees could be given to the Chinese Government
for the regular collection of the revenue, it would greatly
facilitate the object which his noble friend had in view.
With regard to the treaty between China and Russia, he
must speak with great reserve; but the only treaty which
securedthe right:of apermament residence at Pekin was the
English treaty. Other countries, under the most favoured
nation clause, could obtain the same right, but the privilege
most certainly belonged to this country. He had thought
it his duty to represent to the Government that it might
perhaps nor be advisable at the present moment to press
with too much stringency on the Chinese Government the
right to insist on a permanent residence at Pekin; but, of
course, if any other nation was permitted to maintain an
ambassador there, the Government of this country would
insist upon exercising the same right (Hear, hear.)
Lord WODEHOU SE said that distinct instructions had
been given to Mr. Bruce to bring the salt question under
the attention of the Chinese Government, and to press it
upon their consideration.
The Admiralty Court Bill was read a third time and
passed
The Jury Trial (Scotland) Act Amendment Bill was also
read a third time and passed.
The Boundaries (Ireland) Bill was read a second time.
The Diplomatic Pensions Bill was read a third time and
passed.
The Criminal Justice, Middlesex (Assistant Judge),
Bill was also read a third time and passed.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.
ELECTION PETITIONS.

Mr. EVANS, the chairman of the committee appointed
to try the merits of the petitioners against the return of
Lord Bu y and Mr. Sneider, announced that the com-
mittee had decided that these gentlemen were not duly
elected for the borough of Norwich, and that bribery had
been committed in several cases, but it was not proved that
it was with their knowledge.
The CLERK read a letter from the petitioners against
the return of the sitting members for the western division
of Kent stating that the petition had been withdrawn.