Star.
London, England, 1830-05-14 00:00:00

CANTON TRADE.

A list of Hong Merchants, stating the particular privi-
leges and powers with which they are invested in res-
pect to the Canton trade.
The following is a list of the present Hong Merchants,
according to their designations, as they stand in the fac-
tory books of the East India Company at Canton, in
China :—Howqua, Mowqua, Chunqua, Puankhequa,
Goqua, Fatqua, Kinqua.
The whole foreign legal trade of Canton was formerly
vested in the Hong merchants alone. By the regula-
tions established by the government, no Chinese subject
was permitted to hold commercial intercourse or commu-
nication with foreigners, excepting the Hong merchants.
Any Chinese infringing on those regulations became lia-
ble to be seized and punished for such transgression.
Notwithstanding these regulations, the shopmen, or out-
side dealers, did carry on trade with foreigners, to a li-
mited extent ; and on a request to the government to
authorize the trade of the shopmen, the Viceroy, in July,
1828, issued an edict, determining the articles is which
the Hong merchants should continue to possess the ex-
clusive privilege, and leaving to the shopmen the trade in
all other articles not enumerated.

The privileges and powers given to the Hong mer-
chants consist in their having the exclusive right of
dealing in 24 enumerated articles of export, and in 53
enumerated articles of import. In consequence of these
privileges, they are made responsible for the good and
orderly conduct of foreigners while in the river of Canton;
for the due regular payment of all the imperial duties and
port charges ; and for the prevention of all smuggling and
illicit trade.

In the whole foreign legal trade for the enumerated
articles, the seven Hong merchants possess a strict and
complete monopoly ; the prices for all goods bought and
sold being settled by them and the foreign traders only,
none other Chinese being allowed to interfere therein in
any way whatever ; and so large an amount of the foreign
trade being thus vested in the seven Hong merchants,
they derive thereby a very great influence in fixing the
prices of both exports and imports in each year.

1)1?!:.F. 71).

Antexed is a copy of the Edict of the Viceroy of
Canto', issued in Juiy 1826, on the subject of the fo-
reign wade of Canton, referred to above.
Jos. THOM 1.‘014

EOM India House, May
Extract, China Consultations, July 19, 1828.
Proclanation concerning the Trade carried on by Shop-
men. Dated the 14th July, 1828.
Le, Covernor of Canton, &c. with Yen, Commissioner
of Customs at the port of Canton, hereby make known re-
gulations agreed upon for carrying on commerce between
Asttiee shopmen and foreign merchants of all nations, and
rehuire obedience to the same.
The Treasurer and Judge of Canton, having received
orders to meet and deliberate on the subject, reported to
me, the Governor, as follows :
" We, being commanded to meet and deliberate for re-
gulations for the trade between native shopmen and fo-
reign merchants, ordered the Kwang Chou Foo to unite
with the Nauliae and Pan Yu Magistrates, and examine
the old records on the subject, then consult, and state their
opinion. They did so, and laid the result before us, when
we came to the following resolutions :
" Foreign merchants of all nations coming to Canton
were formerly restricted in their dealings with shopmen
to leather shoes, China ware, &c.—eight articles. Ex-
clusive of these, all imports and exports were confined to
the Hong merchants, who were made responsible for the
duties, to prevent smuggling and such nefarious proceed-
ings. The linguists were appointed solely for interpreting,
and were not responsible for trade. It is proper to keep
them on the old footing, in conformity with existing laws.
" But the Hong merchants have now represented that
the Americans are now desirous to trade either with shop-
men or Hong merchants, as they please, whether for great
or small commodities ; and of late foreign ships in great
numbers have come to Canton, in which are a great many
trading skippers for whom the eight articles to which they
were restricted are insufficient. The circumstances of
present and former times are different. That, on delibe-
ration, they would make out a list of the larger articles of
import and export cargo to be confined to the Hong mer-
chants, and earnestly solicit a change (of the old law),
which would be showing compassion to remote foreigners,
and be beneficial at home. This was their motive.
" We, the Treasurer and Judge, commanded the officers
before named to examine into this subject, and report,
which they did. It is proper for us now to state the re-
sult, which is, that a list be made out of exports, tea, raw
silk, &c. 53 articles; all of which large commodities the
shopmen shall be prohibited from dealing in. All other
goods not inserted in the list, whether exports or imports,
coarse and heavy commodities, miscellaneous articles, and
eatables, shall be left free for the foreign merchants to
deli with shopmen, and shall be shipped off by Hong
merchants, who are to be responsible for the duties. As
to worked silks, since they are not brought from Souchow
or Hangchow, but woven from time to time by the natives
of Canton, when applied for by the foreign merchants,
and since the Hong merchants say that this practice is
expedient both for foreigners and natives, it is right to
grant their request to leave silks free.
" All coarse and miscellanecus articles now inserted in
the list are free to the foreign merchants who now chooses
to deal with shopmen; but, hereafter, if the shopmen incur
debts, the Mandarin merchants shall not be implicated ;
the foreign merchant must, in all such cases, be left to
himself to clear his account
" With respect to shopmen dealing with foreigners, it
is inexpedient to leave them without some one to inspect
their conduct. We, the Treasurer and Judge, request
that it may be made the duty of the Hong merchants and
linguists from time to time ; and, should there be any
smuggling, the Hong merchants shall be responsible, and
the linguists be brought up and punished.
" This change seems required by the times ; and since
the foreigners will be compassionated, the merchants
accommodated, and the responsibility fixed, there will
be no loss to the revenue, nor any obstacle from the laws.
" Having received orders to examine and consult, we
now submit whether these suggestions be right or not,
and wait for instructions to promulgate them : we, more-
over, request that a communication may be made to the
Hoppo to examine and conform."
These statements have come before me, the Governor;
and as the deliberations are completed, I direct, in ac-
cordance with the above suggestions, a list may be made
out of exports—tea, raw silk, &c.-24 articles.—[ Here
he quotes verbatim the preceding paragraphs, and desires
the Hoppo to issue a proclamation in their united names
to the Hong merchants, to communicate the orders of
Government to the foreigners of all nations, and to the
native shopmen, that one and all of them may yield obe-
dience to the same.]
Thus the affair comes before me, the Hoppo, and I
hereby issue, in the name of the Governor and Hoppe, the
following orders :—(Here he repeats the preceding, and
then adds—)
Let merchants, foreigners, and linguists and shopmen,
all be hereby fully informed that hereafter they are re-
quired implicitly to obey the preceding regulations, to
examine and conform their dealings to the list of exports,
and imports hereto annexed. Hong merchants alone are
allowed to trade in the articles therein contained. Shop-
men are not permitted to have any secret intercourse with
foreigners.
Of the wrought silk each ship is to be limited to 8,000
catties. The said shopmen are permitted to deal withfo-
reigners only for miscellaneous articles, not in the great
articles of commerce.
The foreign merchant, in dealing with shopmen, has
been required to give in a list through the linguist, whose
ears and eyes were very near, and can very easily in-
vestigate.
Hereafter, in reporting goods to be shipped off, he must
distinguish clearly which belong to Hong merchants and
which to shopmen. It is made the duty of the linguist to
discriminate according to law ere a permit be given. He
is tot allowed to confuse those things ; if be do, hi will
be severely punished.
The linguists are besides ordered to make out a list of
all the foreign goods' shop., and whether the owners be
substantial good people, and cause them forthwith to
present to Government associated names for security, to
be preserved on record.
As to any debts that may be contracted, the foreigners
themselves must manage the affair.

• • ;
• •
- • '
It is made incumbent on the Hong merchants and lin; 71,
guists to examine and report on what is going on. If
they presume to conceal what they-know, and any clan-
destine proceeding be educed, they will be severely pro-
secuted. Positively, the Governor's and Hoppo's words
gone forth ; the law will follow. Positively no indul-
gence will be shown. Let every one implicitly obey.
Oppose not this special edict.
List of articles to be dealt in by the Hong mercl..inti
alone :—Tea of all sorts, the silk of liockwang, ra-
Canton silk, all sorts of cloth, native cassia, cassia bud 4,
sugar candy, white sugar, tutenague, alum, cloves, nu!.
mega, quicksilver, camphor (Chinese), rhubarb, Galati-
gal, China root, vermillion, gamboge, danmer, star nni -
seed, mother of pearl, cochineal.
ha PORTS.—Worleys, Dutch camlets, camlets, long
ells, broad cloths, cloth cuttings, camlets, foregn gin-
seng, sandal wood, birds' nests, cloves, nutinee:3, put-
chuck, olibanum, camphor (Borneo), elephants' teeth,
pepper, tin (foreign), lead (do.), rupper (do.) steel (du.)
cotton, rattans, betel nut, smelts, Prussian kite, heche
de mar, sharks' fins, fish maws, material for rljs:;-mak-
ing, ebony, red wood, cochineal, wax, myrrh, a drug,
asafccitda, sow bop oil, quicksilver, foreign i-en, wax,
terra japonica, mother o' pearl shells, sago,
undressed, jelly (a seed weed), flints, besear, amber, golf
and silver thread, all sorts of skins, nutmegs.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS,—TUURSDAV.
Lord ELDON presented several petitions front Wales against
any alteration of the Welch judicature.
Sir J. Graham, Sir. Mundy, Mr. Marshall, and others from the
Commons, brought up several private bills.
31r. Hoiwouse brought up the Hungerford-market bill.
Lord KING presented several petitions against the renewal of
the East India Company'a charter.
The Marquis of CLEVELAND presented two petition,' from
the miners of the counts, of Durham, praying for protection by tht•
imposition of duty on the importation of foreign lead. Also tw
petitions from the name county for the alteration of the tithe systeit..
Earl BATIIU IZST, a petition from North Shields against tit •
punishment of death in cares of forgery.
The Marquis of BUTE, five petitions against the renewal of U.
East India Company's Charter.
BEER TRADE.
The Marquis of LANSDOVI'N I: presented a petition front III!
magistrates and other inhabitant% of ironic, in Sonter,tddin e,
against the proposed repeal of the duty on beer. The petitioner,
recommended an increase of duty on gin, on the ground that the
low price of both articles would produce wore vice and immorality
among the lower classes of the people.
WEAVERS. PETITION.
Earl STANHOPE begged to call the attention of their lordship,
to a petition from the Weavers of Coleshill, in Coventry, signed by
2,400 of that trade. They complained of deep distress, and hay 'in;
no support for themselves and their families. They stated, that out
of 2,800 looms, 1,500 were unemployed. The Noble Earl also re.
sented a petition from Whitby, complaining of distress among lll-
seamen of that port, and the hardship of being compelled to pay to-
wards Greenwich Hospital.
SHIPPING INTEREST.
Earl STANHOPE then rode pursuant to notice, and said, in pre-
senting the petition which the ship-owners of the port of London had
done him the honour to place in his hands, he felt himself under the
necessity of making a few observations upon the subject, which he
considered one of the greatest importance. In so doing, he should ab-
' stain from all details, because that was not the proper time for going
Into all the bearings of the question. It would be in the recollec.
Lion of their lordships, that the newfangled principles of free trade
were introduced by persons who had retired from office, but
their pernicious councils still influenced the rulers of the country.—
At the time the new system was introduced the ship-owners said
time changes could not be made without danger to. he shipping
loftiest It had been shown by the results of a series Of years, that
it was impracticable for the ship-owners to compete with foreigners,
Roder the new system. Their lordships knew that the wages of
foreign seamen were from twenty to twenty-five shillings a
month. The English seamen obtained from fifty to fifty-five
shillings, and how the ship-owners could enter into competition
under that difference their lordships might decide. The effect
had compelled the shipowners to lower their freights. (The
Duke of Wellington here expressed a gesture of dissent)....ll the
noble duke differed from that statement, that noble duke should in
justice to his own opinion, allow an inquiry into the subject.
He had received communications on the subject, and it was stated
by the petitioners that the effect of this reciprocity system had
reduced the capital of the ship-owners one-half. Not only had
their capital ban reduced one-half, but they had been com-
pelled to reduce their rate of freight to the rate of freight in fo-
reign ships. If that was the fact, and the noble earl believed that it
could not be denied, how could the merchants avoid the reduction
of seamen's wages ? It had been said that the petitioners were un-
reasonable in their demands : that was not the case. They required
that which they were entitled to. They required that the articles
purchased by this country in foreign ports should be imported in
British vessels. The noble earl said he should be obliged to the
noble duke to explain whether or not he denied the fact stated in
every petition from the ship-owners, namely, that the petitioners
had reason to be dissatisfied with the indifference they had met with.
(Hear.) If the noble duke did not admit the fact, it would be
clear and evident that Parties-mist were bound to institute
an Inquiry; but if the noble duke did admit that to be the
case, he certainly did wish to hear that noble duke explain
why the ship-owners did not receive proper attention. He was
aware, however, that upon this, u on other occasions, little at-
tention would be shown to the complaints and remonstrances of the
class whose interest he was disposed to advocate, although be had
himself no participation in that interest. Their complaints had
been from year to year laid before Parliament, and no justice had
been done. He trusted that would not always be the case, and
that their lordships would introduce inquiry. What was the com-
plaint of the petitioners ? They said they received no remuneration
for their cr.pital, and it was the duty of those whose interest had
been sacrificed, to seriously remonstrate. It would be sane satis-
faction to the petitioners—some answer—if his Majesty's Govern-
ment would assure them that the treaties of reciprocity concluded
with almost every part of the world would not be renewed, and that
the treaty which the Noble Duke had lately concluded with the
United States of America would continue but for a limited period.
He knew it would be said that whilst those treaties of reciprocity
continued it would be impossible to give the petitioners relief, but
something might be done to mitigate their losses. It might be said
the reciprocity treaties would not be renewed. The Noble Earl con-
cluded by moving that the petition do lie on the table.
The Duke of WELLINGTON was not at all surprised that the
noble earl avoided going into detail ; had the noble earl done so. he
would have discovered cause to doubt the truth of some of his asset..
tions ; he would have seen from the papers connected with his peti-
tion, which have been from time to time moved for and placed on the
table of the House, that since the commencement of the reciprocity
treaties, the shipping of Great Britain had increased at least to One
half more than it was prior to those treaties. From a document
which he held in his hand he could substantiate that assertion to
the satisfaction of their lordsldps. (Hear.) From that paper, it
appeared that the number of ships entered outwards, in the year
11814, was 8,975 ; in 1815, the number was 9:959 ; the" average
number for the three following years, that is, from 1815 to 1818, both
inclusive, will be found to be no less than 12,088; fur the three fol.
lowing years, namely, up to 1823, inclusive, 11,031 for the years
1824, 1825, and 1826, the number is 12,574 ; and for the three years
ending with 1129, the average is 13,409, being, in round numbers,
5,000 of increase beyond the amount before 1814, the date of the
reciprocity treaties. He begged, also, to direct the attention of
' their lordships to the fact, that the increase in British ahlpping, to
which he had just alluded, was * gradual increase. He could also
assure the house that the amount of last year exceeded any former
year previous to 1814. Whilst he stated they facts, he would
also take a review of the foreign shipping. From an authentic
source it appeared that the number of these trading to the port of
London was 5.286 ; for the following three years, the average
was 3.974; for the three following. namely, to 1820, the ave-
rage number was 4,039 • to 1823, 3,573; to 1826. 6,114 ; and
lastly, to 1829, 5,406 ; ;hum showing a material falling off in fo-
reign ships during the same period that an increase, as he had
shown, had taken place in British shipping.--(Hear.).—The state-
ments made by the noble earl re-tarding the ruinous has which at
present, and for some time beef attended the shipping trade ge-
nerally, he must be allowed to say that it appealed surprising
that so many should be found to follow a losing trade, . and that
the number of ships should be increased. The advantages of the
trade, he admitted, might not be pest, but still there were advan-
tages. Ott the amount of foreign wow duriag the same time there
was also a corresponding increase, sod this ton, be is moaned, with
what is called by the noble earl a Wing mule; bet he should take
the liberty, in addition to whatihe hid alrudzubbeitegilt ferwird, of
stating the Mamba, of ships actually entered a,issas sober.
anent to 1814. In that year the number M meted to 733; in 1815,
949; in 1811, ; in 1817, MI Is 1818, 781; in 1819,797;
1820, 615; in 1821, ; 871; UM, SU; lo 1824, 837 in
1825, 1,003; in 1846, 1,I•M; and lea the lost those years a car.
responding inCIRS‘C : in short the average pearliest. the reciprocity

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FRIDAY EVENTING, MAY 14, 1830.