Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-11-17
corr,s,o,de,se IF the Journal Of Commerce

ted in the following Ieters:-l'. 4. So""sfctat'
Correspondence ef the Journal Of Commerce.
MACAO, China, 9th July, 1913.
| bera enco,e The general regulations under which
the British trade is to be conducted at the FIVE Chi
nese ports named in the treaty, together with ia
riff of duties on articles of export and import THIS
tariff appears SO reasonable, that no one IS dissatisfied
with it, These are the imperial duties, and there are
to be added TO them some transit oues such as short
weight, mats, &c, &c, more properly charges, but
he retofore cassed as custom duties. For instance,
YOU will notice that the imperial duty on teas il fixed
at "a taels but with short weight, mats DC, &c, it
is understood they will together amount TO Al taes
On all other articles the additional charges are much
less on imports the duties are very light
The regulations may we'll for The English,
but cannot see how they to suit our trade; Tor
cannot imagine that Congress will grant, or that our
merchants will submit TO, so much power as IS gwen
10 the consus in articles Nos ), b and & The Eng
lish consuls will be expressly appointed to the office,
with sufficient salary for support, without the neces-
sity of application to business, und will no doubt be
debarred from all such rights and privileges whereas,
the American consul viii be without salary, depend
ant on the fees Of the Office and its influence to him
in trade You will readily The improper, yea, ruin
Gus influence il will give him over all his compet-
tors in trade and how completely subject Will be all
their business TO his interest and will So, we are
TO trade under the regulations justice TO our
merchants demands the same restrictions upon our
consuls as are upon the English. This is subject
requiring the immediate attention oil our merchants
at home interested in this trade, and the immediate
attention of our Government.
Ii will be that the consul and his Government
are made directly responsible for the trade of his
try with the Chinese,-for The dutes,-for the good
conduct of ships crews-and in fact for the prevention
of smuggling, by which indirectly fatal blow is had
the opium trade, excluding 1t entirely from all the
ports which the English allowed 10 trade, and
separating it entirely from all regular legal trade The
dealers in it are outlaws; their Government dsown
and will not protect them their trade, or rather their
smuggling, must be carried on outside. The English
authorities will leave outside for the Chinese to deal
with as they may have power or see tit
By these regulations the English are bound TO con-
form the Chinese laws, and also responsible for
their fulment by all English subjects trading at The
FIVE ports The opium smuggers have tor long
time looked for tins result, and in great measure
prepared for it, by putting their illegal trade under the
American flag. Hence was found the ready sale for
many fast.salling American schooners The course
was, a Iona fdc sale OF the vessel to some English
smuggling house, who paid the money to the SELLER
when papers would be gwen in the name nt some
fictitious owner, the acting consul readily and willingly
certify them, when away she sails loaded with OPIUM
and armed ready resist 10 the death all who
oppose her illegal trade and with the star sPanged
banner waving all these nqui,ies ola British sub
ect,-snbeciing our country toa rupture with The CHI
nese jeopadng all trade, and hazurdlng the wealth
and lives OF countrymen engaged IN lawful, honest
trade.
| But, fortunately the hopes of the smuggler have
been checked and the star spangled banner refuses
to father such lniquty. Commodore kearney cap
lured Of these schooners, and sent her TO port,
where she rendered up her stolen protection and hoist
ed that flag which has been he shield for this una"
lul, yea, may say piraiical trade. Commodore Rear
ney has put stop to that which must have thrown
all the opium smuggling under the American hag, and
ended in with China; or at least stop o, trace
1t IS very unfortunate that Commodore Kearney is not
still on this coas:; his presence has never been more
needed. As this trade will not be permitted under
the English flag by English subjects at the Tree
ports. il is understood that the American flag and con-
suate are to be made Of for this trnde calculat
ing on great advantages from being able to 60 where
the English are shut out. And what must be the re-
sut' Perfectly clear. If the Chlne,e are disposed,
they will shut out all our trade from these five ports
! Hence, the great Importance Of having a Consul
I here, disconnected with business in any form and
nature.
The following | took from the circular of a large
house at Singapore, under date of June 30, lS43 1t
may be useful 10 some OF our friends:
| "Greg .2merican DriHS-S, 900 pieces 30 yards long
and 29i inches wide, have been sold al 50 % per
piece cash down, of the American ship John Cos.
ter, during the last few days-2,000 pieces of which
have been retained for the consumption OF the place,
and the remainder sent out TO China. We think 81
80 might readily have been Obtained beng still IN
good demand. THIS kind of cloth is becoming an
article of considerable Importance import, and is
well worth the attention of English manufacturers,
though fear they cannot afford to sell them so cheap
We will send whole piece per Earl of HARDWOOD, TO
show what they are"
From another letter, same date
MACAO, July 9th, ls43.
The arrangement for receiving foreign coin at its
intrinsic value, in payment of duties, &c, | think,
will soon reduce the value of "chopped" money 10
its proper standard, though change has yet taken
place
AT present. you can purchase 100 taes large sycee
for 1913 taels weigh, chopped money say about 3 per
cent premium, while by the recent assny sycee is re.
ported to BIZ than l3 per cent better, showing
that the chopped or broken Spanish coin enjoys hc.
tous value of than 10 per cent! The dollar
OF Peru, you will observe, is valued at about per
cent than chopped; per cent above the Boil
Wan and CHILEAN; and per cent. above the dollar of
Mexico.
The treaty has not yet been published here, but the
"regulations contain enough to claim the grave a,en
lion of our Government. The Office of Consul, it vii!
be observed, of great trust and importance, and
it is devou,ly to be hoped TINT something more than
IlII,, L., Inr