Star.
London, England, 1830-07-27 00:00:00

'rise of price. Suppoeinig the quantity could be angirer.ted, pre.
vious arrangements, Wault.be necessary to obtain it, the tea plant
rembring at least two or ihiee years to come to maturity..' sudde.
supply of an incteabed demand, especially for green tea, would, it
is saki, be of a deterioratcu quality. In cases, however, where de,
Chinese have found that the demand was increasinig, they hay,
made their provisions accordingly, though some difficulty has
occasionally been experienced by traders in obtaining all they
wanted.
The Report admits it to be proved, that the price of tea is hi ;her
in England than in America, or on the Continent, but the quality it.
superior; and a remarkable fact is elicited in the evidence. namely,
that black tea, if kept in a warehouse and not in a cellar, improves
and becomes stronger by keeping. The average amount of annuli
Revenue derived front tea to the Crown is 3,300,0001. and it pos.
'eases this extraordinary merit, that it costs in collection somethim;
less than 10,0001. The Report concludes by stating the conclusions
the Committee have arrived at with respect to the opening of the
trade.
EFFECTS EXPECTED swat THE ABOLITION OF THE LOB-
PANIC'S EXCLUSIVE PRIVILEGE.
The opening of the trade between Great Britain and Chi:,
would not, it is thought, cause any alteration in the policy of the
Chinese Government towards Foreigners, unless the Revenue shall
fall off from an increase of smuggling by free traders, or unless there
should be, from private disputes, more frequent collisions betwce:
Europeans and Chinese. In either of these contingencies, appre-
hensions arc entertained that the trade might be entirely interdicted.
But, on the other hand, it is said that such a fatal result a cold be
averted either by the sense which the Chinese Governmeut entertains
of the rilue of the trade, or by the influence of the population of
Canton, And of the tea districts, which are deeply interested in its
continuance. If the trade were interdicted, tea, it is thought, might
be brought to Sincapore, and other places accessible to the British
traders, in Chinese junks; but such a commerce is stated to be
contrary at present to the laws of Chine ; and much doubt is felt,
whether, by the means of such insecure vessels as the junks are re-
presented to be, tea could be obtained in sufficient quantities for the
English market.
It is said that the interest of the Hong merchants, in a pecu-
niary point of view, would be promoted by an open trade as an
increase in the number of purchasers of tea would afford an op.
ponunity for commanding high prices. In spite, however, of
such ex cted advantage, the Hong merchants, trim an apprehen-
sion of ihtlattad risk and responsibility, are represented to be against
any change. On the other hand, it is stated that the Americans
and other foreigners, dealing freely as private traders, have not
experienced any combination against them on the part of the Hong
merchants.
In order to derive advantage from a free trade between Great
Britain and. China, it would be necessary, as some think, that
' the monopoly of the Hong merchants sliculd cease, and that
a Commercial Treaty, upon mutually liberal principles, should
be formed between the two countries. It is, however, appre-
hended that the Chinese would not be induced to enter into sucit
treaty by any other than coercive means, and these it is fancied might
be easily and successfully used.
Many of the witnesses are strongly impressed with the belief, that
a very large increase in the consumption of British manufactures
would be the consequence of opening the trade. Private merchants.
they say, can push a commerce much better than a Company ; and
new wants and desires would be created by the never-ceasing efforts
of individual enterprise and speculation. These witnesses refer,
not only to the fact of the American having of late made exports of
British manufactures to China, but they also refer to the result of
opening the trade with India, followed as that measure unques-
tionably was by an Immense increase in the exports from this
country.
In opposition to these views, it is said that the small proportion
of the American exports of British manufactures, relatively with
bullion, coupled with the fact that the Officers of the Company's
ships, having no freight to pay, have not increased their exports,
ought to be considered as a proof that the consumption has not, as
yet, been found susceptible of any material augmentation. It is
further stated, that a formidable obstacle to the growth of a profita-
ble export trade from Great Britain to China arises from the obliga-
tion under which India is placed—of annually effecting a large
remittance to England, and which remittance is now advantageously
made by the Company through the medium of Chinese produce.
It is likewise observed, that the extended use of British manufac-
tures in India has been promoted by fiscal regulations, which the
British Government had the power there to make, but which it
could not effect in China.
With respect to the price of tea, it is thought that the first
effect of an increased ,demand in China, consequent upon the
opening of the trade, would be materially to raise the price
there ; though indeed this effect (unless the Hong should be
enabled to dictate prices) might be expected gradually to sub-
side.
It is said that the charges of bringing the tea to England and
selling it would be much less in a free trade than they arc at pre-
sent, and therefore that tea would be afforded to the consumer at a
lower rate. In answer to this, it's remarked, that most of the Coen.
pony's charges are controukd by law ; that these might be reduced
if the law were altered ; and that what the Company get in shape
of profit is necessary, with the obligations imposed upon them, to
enable them to administer the Government of India. According to
this view, whatever the consumer of tea might gain by a reduction
of the rate of profit to the importer, would either be at a sacrifice to
India, not now ins situation to bear it, or must be made up by the
people of England ; besides which it has been observed that the abi-
lity-of the private traders to furnish tea cheaper than the Company,
would depend upon the effect which an open trade might have upon
prices at Canton.
One great advantage expected to result from an open trade with
China, is the facility which it would give to private merchants to
effect returns from India, in which great difficulty is now expe-
rienced. It is said that the Company partake largely of this 'neon-
venience, and that owing to the pressure of the demand for the Go.
vernment remittances, it has become necessary to make the China
trade a principal channel of effecting them. Deprived of this chan-
nel, India would be obliged to remit through the private trade, by
which (should remittances to so large an amount be practicable) a
loss would be sustained equal to the difference between the rupee
valued at the Board's rates, and at the current exchange.
If the trade were opened, the Company would still possess the
power of trading with China • and it is thought by some that their
capital and influence might enable them to trade more successfully
than private merchants. Bat it is Mid that this competition might
be mutually injurious, without the country's being benefitted by
an extension of her commerce ; and that this Company's profits, if
they had competitors, would be so reduced as to prevent them
from ministering to the financial aid of Indian territory.
The Report thus concludes :

Your Committee have endeavoured to give a fair and impartial
summary of the evidence on the China Trade which has been
brought before them.

Whether this object shall have been faithfully and satisfactorily
effected, will appear to the House by a careful perusal and examina-
tion of the whole evidence itself ; but it will not fail to be borne in
mind, that in the midst of such multifarious and conflicting state-
ments as that evidence contains, and restrained as your Committee
have been (both by what has been expressed in the House, and by
their own sense of what, at the present period, would be either pru-
dent or just) to the plain unbiassed narrative of their proceedings,
it has not been in the power of your Committee to offer such obser-
vations, and to enter upon such discrimination of the evidence as
might be a guide to the House in the decisions hereafter to be made.
Your Committee have, on the contrary, done their utmost to guard
against the appearance of a leaning on the one side or the other.

Their observations, your Committee have felt, ought not, by any
inference of their own, to convey opinion, which may have been
taken up ; but in the execution of the important duty committed to
their charge, while from necessity some valuable information may
be left unnoticed, they have studiously endeavoured, by classifica-
tion and arrangement, to bring the moat material parts of the evi.
denee into view, and thus to facilitate to the House the means of
acquiring for itself an accurate knowledge of its real tendency and
result.