The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-04-08
FroE tie Victoria Hong Kong Register, Jan 29.1
LATER FROM CHINA AND JAPAN-LORI
EIIGIN AT SHANGHAI

ELGIN AT SHANGHAI.
! On the return of Lord Elgin to Shanghai after
his expedition up the Yang tse-Kiang, he was
waited upon by a numerous body of merchants
and representatives of British and Indian firms,
who presented him with complimentary address
on his successful career in the North of China. In
reply, his Lordship explained to them the policy by
which he had been governed in his intercourse
with the Chinese authorities, and after referring to
the stolid arrogance with which his pacific PROPOSE
tons had been met by the Court at Pekin he
said:
"My own course has not, however, been always
smooth and free from difficulty. The navigator
whose main business 1t is to bring his own yes sci
safely into port, with flags flying, and amid the
cheers of welcoming friends, will select the deepest
| stream, and eschew to the best of his ability both
rocks and shoals. But the diplomatst, according
to my notions of duty is rather in the position of
| the Master of dredging machine. He has to open
way for the more favored craft that are to follow
| him. The most critical places are, therefore, pre-
cisely those towards which he is bound to steer
Among the critical places, which in nv progress as
negotator, found in mid-channe right ahead
of me, two were pre-eminently so-the trade in
Opium, and the Chinese Custom House svstem
had long sincerely commiserated the false and
cruel position, in which men of high honor and in
| tegrity, engaged in commerce with China, are
placed by the irregularities which characterize the
administration of the one, and the anomalous con-
ditions under which the other is carried on and |
did not consider that the difficulties ATTENDING tho
removal of these evils and the risk of msconcepton
to which those who undertook the task must neces-
sarily expose themselves would justify me in alb
staining from the attempt to grapple with them.
| AS regards the last mentioned of these subjects
it is necessary that should offer one word of ex-
PLANTATION at the outset in order to prevent misap-
prehenson not so much here as elsewhere. 1t must
be distinctly understood that the notifications in
troduced into the Chinese Tariff in reference
| to Opium, do not in any degree fetter or restrict
the discretion of Great Britain regards the raf-
fic in the article. If the British people and the
British Government see fit to do so, they may still
make 1t penal for British subject to engage in it,
and by so doing although they will not probably
in any material degree diminish the consumption of
opium in China, they will, no doubt, do something
more or less etlectual towards preventing British
subjects from being the importers. Short, how
ever, of this extreme measure, of the likelihood of
the adoption of which each man may form his own
opinion, am satisfied that the barren announce
ment by foreign Government of its assent to the
principle that the trade in opium is Illegal is pro-
ductive of nothing but mischief, that it is deuson
and a snare both to the Chinese, and those who
have commercial dealing with them. 1t is noto-
rious that, Notwithstanding the clause in the Trea-
{ ty of w angina which pronounces opium to be con
traband, and the strong declarations of American
statesmen on this head, the American flag has beer
in some instances used habituay even by British
ubiects to cover that traffic. In my recent discus
ions with the Chinese Imperial Commissioners,
have merely sought to induce them to bring the
trade in opium from the. region of fiction into tina
of fact, and to place within the pale of law, anG
therefore under its control article which is now
openly bought, Sold and taxed by them beyond
that pale. The effect of the change On the inter
ests of the trade itself will be, believe, either tr
fling or NULL If, on the one hand the taxes tc
which the new tariff subjects the Importer be some
what greater than the squeeze now levied on the
article, he will the other hand be relieved from
certain charges incident to traffic ostensbly con
traband.
As regards the lax and corrupt administration O
the Custom House, may observe that, in addition
to many other evils to which it gives rise, it bear
hardly on the subjects of the Treaty Powers who
are amenabe to certain checks and control from
which unrepresented foreigners are free. l hav,
endeavored-not, l hope, altogether without sue
cess-to impress the Imperial Commissioner
the Importance of establishing Custom House sys
tenn which shall be uniform at the several oper
ports, equal in its operation all parties, ant
controlled by persons of integrity and competen
knowledge"
ASSAULT UPON AN AMERICAN Ex-VIcE CoNsUL.-
A violent assault perpetrated this morning @,
the person of o. L. Roberts, Esq, formerly Vic
+ Consul of the United States of America in thi
port. Of the reported of this violation of tn
law and of common decency we say nothing at pre-
sent. But the aggressor may feel assured that thu
provocation must have been yerv great indeed if h.
finds it such as will induce Hong Kong Jury t.
t allow him to introduce into this colony his cviz
ed custom of cowhding, to violate our laws fo
the qualification of his private revenge.
JAPAN.-Dates have been received at Shanghai
, from Nagasaki up to the 3lst ultimo The Japan
ese have now permission to sell bulocks to for
eigners, which they do, at So (Mexican) head
Sheep have been imported by the Governor from
, Shanghai for the supply of foreigners and ship
ping.
The Danish brig Vilhelmine, which had gone t.
Nagasakl from Shanghai, was not allowed to trade
5 and had to sail on the 2lst December, three day
E after her arrival. in consequence of there being n
treaty between Denmark and Japan. The vessel
OF treaty powers are allowed to trade, pending tn
n Iundn In n,,tnh f,n
of 30th January. 1856, and additional articles G
10th October, 1856.