ing to the new tariff, obtaining a pass before they quit port to commence their traffic. Any who may dare to go and trade without having requested such a pass, on discovery, shall be dealt with as offenders of the laws against clandestine traffic, and against contumacious visiting of the open seas. "As to those natives of China who, in past days, may have served the English soldiery or others with supplies, and may have been apprehended in consequence, the High Commissioner has obtained from the good favour of his august Sovereign, vast and boundless as that of Heaven itself, the remission of their punishment for all past deeds; and any such who may not yet have been brought to trial are, therefore, no longer to be sought after; while all who may have been seized and brought be fore Government, are granted a free pardon. All persons of this class must then attend quietly to their avocations, with a diligent pursuit of everything that is good and right; they need entertain no apprehension of being hereafter dragged forward, nor yield in consequence to any fears or suspicions.

"With reference to the arrangements which the High Commissioner and his colleagues have made in regard to duties, every thing has been done with a single eye to a just impartiality. All merchants, then, whether of China or of foreign countries, are called upon to consider the pains that the High Commissioner and his colleagues have taken, and by all means to abide in the quiet pur suit of their respective callings and in the enjoyment of so auspicious a peace. From hencefor

ever continue, and those from afar and those who are near shall perpetually rejoice together. Such is the fervent hope of the High Commissioner and his colleagues; and in this hope they command implicit obedience to what is now thus specially promulgated."

It is impossible not to admire the tone of sincerity and goodwill which pervades this document ; and we trust that it may not be our lot hereafter to have to give an account of any interruption of the amicable understanding thus happily established between Great Britain and China. We cannot, however, divest ourselves of apprehension lest this should happen. When we consider the character of the people with whom we have thus been brought into such intimate contact, and also the temptations to our own traders, particularly in the case of opium, the "teterrima causa belli," to evade the strict performance of the regulations of the treaty, we fear that many long years must elapse, before the Chinese can throw off that jealousy of the foreigner, which has hitherto kept them aloof and isolated from the great community of nations. The different articles of the commercial treaty will be found elsewhere.* We insert here only the 13th, which provides for the case of disputes between British subjects and Chinese, and is as follows:

"Whenever a British subject has reason to complain of a Chinese, he must first proceed to the Consulate, and state his grievance. The Consul will thereupon inquire into the merits of the case, and do his utmost to arrange it amic

ably. In like manner, if a Chinese have reason to complain of a British subject, he shall no less listen to his complaint, and endeavour to settle it in a friendly manner. If an English merchant have occasion to address the Chinese authorities, he shall send such address through the Consul, who will see that the language is becoming, and if otherwise, will direct it to be changed, or will refuse to convey the address. If unfortunately any disputes take place, of such a nature that the Consul cannot arrange them amic ably, then he shall request the assistance of a Chinese officer, that they may together examine into the merits of the case, and decide it equitably. Regarding the pun ishment of English criminals, the English Government will enact the laws necessary to attain that end, and the Consul will be em. powered to put them in force; and regarding the punishment of Chinese criminals, these will be tried and punished by their own laws, in the way provided for by the correspondence which took place at Nankin after the concluding of the peace."

At Canton, Mr. T. Lay was ap pointed Consul: and on the 26th of June, Sir Henry Pottinger formally assumed the Government of the island of Hong Kong. The town destined for the seat of Go vernment, and the residence of merchants and others was founded on the northern side of the island, and named Victoria. The climate of Hong Kong is said to be very unhealthy in the lower grounds, which are covered with paddy fields, and abound in unwholesome exhalations; but the hilly portion of the island is salubrious, and, in all probability, it will be necessary

to transplant the infant settlement thither, in order to avoid the dangerous fevers so prevalent amongst the troops and colonists.

The cupidity of trade soon displayed itself, and the refusal of Sir Henry Pottinger to allow opium to be stored in warehouses in Hong Kong, caused much dissatisfaction amongst many of the merchants, six of whom are said to have withdrawn from Victoria to Macao, on account of the de cision of the Governor. In consequence of this manifestation of feeling, and in order to point out clearly the risk which those who were resolved at all hazards to import opium were exposed to, Sir H. Pottinger, on the 3rd of August, published the following proclamation in the Hong Kong Ga

sette :

"It having been brought to my notice that such a step has been contemplated as sending vessels with opium on board into the ports of China to be opened by treaty to foreign trade, and demanding that the said opium shall be admitted to importation, by virtue of the concluding clause of the new tariff, which provides for all articles not actually enumerated in that tariff, passing at an ad valorem duty of 5 per cent.; I think it expedient, by this Proclamation, to point out to all whom it may concern, that, opium being an article the traffic in which is well known to be declared illegal and contraband by the laws and Imperial edicts of China, any person who may take such a step, will do so at his own risk, and will, if a British subject, meet with no support or protection from Her Majesty's Consuls or other officers."

It remains to be seen whether

ing to the new tariff, obtaining a pass before they quit port to commence their traffic. Any who may dare to go and trade without having requested such a pass, on discovery, shall be dealt with as offenders of the laws against clandestine traffic, and against contumacious visiting of the open seas. "As to those natives of China who, in past days, may have served the English soldiery or others with supplies, and may have been apprehended in consequence, the High Commissioner has obtained from the good favour of his august Sovereign, vast and boundless as that of Heaven itself, the remission of their punishment for all past deeds; and any such who may not yet have been brought to trial are, therefore, no longer to be sought after; while all who may have been seized and brought be fore Government, are granted a free pardon. All persons of this class must then attend quietly to their avocations, with a diligent pursuit of everything that is good and right; they need entertain no apprehension of being hereafter dragged forward, nor yield in consequence to any fears or suspicions.

"With reference to the arrangements which the High Commissioner and his colleagues have made in regard to duties, everything has been done with a single eye to a just impartiality. All merchants, then, whether of China or of foreign countries, are called upon to consider the pains that the High Commissioner and his colleagues have taken, and by all means to abide in the quiet pur. suit of their respective callings and in the enjoyment of so auspicious a peace. From hencefor

ever continue, and those from afar and those who are near shall perpetually rejoice together. Such is the fervent hope of the High Commissioner and his colleagues; and in this hope they command implicit obedience to what is now thus specially promulgated.”

It is impossible not to admire the tone of sincerity and goodwill which pervades this document; and we trust that it may not be our lot hereafter to have to give an account of any interruption of the amicable understanding thus happily established between Great Britain and China. We cannot, however, divest ourselves of apprehension lest this should happen. When we consider the character of the people with whom we have thus been brought into such intimate contact, and also the temptations to our own traders, particularly in the case of opium, the "teterrima causa belli," to evade the strict performance of the regulations of the treaty, we fear that many long years must elapse, before the Chinese can throw off that jealousy of the foreigner, which has hitherto kept them aloof and isolated from the great community of nations. The different articles of the commercial treaty will be found elsewhere.* We insert here only the 13th, which provides for the case of disputes between British sub. jects and Chinese, and is as follows:

"Whenever a British subject has reason to complain of a Chinese, he must first proceed to the Consulate, and state his grievance. The Consul will thereupon inquire into the merits of the case, and do his utmost to arrange it amic

ably. In like manner, if a Chinese have reason to complain of a British subject, he shall no less listen to his complaint, and endeavour to settle it in a friendly manner. If an English merchant have occasion to address the Chi nese authorities, he shall send such address through the Consul, who will see that the language is becoming, and if otherwise, will direct it to be changed, or will refuse to convey the address. If unfortunately any disputes take place, of such a nature that the Consul cannot arrange them amic ably, then he shall request the assistance of a Chinese officer, that they may together examine into the merits of the case, and decide it equitably. Regarding the pun ishment of English criminals, the English Government will enact the laws necessary to attain that end, and the Consul will be em. powered to put them in force; and regarding the punishment of Chinese criminals, these will be tried and punished by their own laws, in the way provided for by the correspondence which took place at Nankin after the concluding of the peace."

At Canton, Mr. T. Lay was ap pointed Consul: and on the 26th of June, Sir Henry Pottinger formally assumed the Government of the island of Hong Kong. The town destined for the seat of Go vernment, and the residence of merchants and others was founded on the northern side of the island, and named Victoria. The climate of Hong Kong is said to be very unhealthy in the lower grounds, which are covered with paddy fields, and abound in unwholesome exhalations; but the hilly portion of the island is salubrious, and, in all probability, it will be necessary

to transplant the infant settlement thither, in order to avoid the dangerous fevers so prevalent amongst the troops and colonists.

The cupidity of trade soon displayed itself, and the refusal of Sir Henry Pottinger to allow opium to be stored in warehouses. in Hong Kong, caused much dissatisfaction amongst many of the merchants, six of whom are said to have withdrawn from Victoria to Macao, on account of the decision of the Governor. In consequence of this manifestation of feeling, and in order to point out clearly the risk which those who were resolved at all hazards to import opium were exposed to, Sir H. Pottinger, on the 3rd of August, published the following proclamation in the Hong Kong Ga

جد sette

"It having been brought to my notice that such a step has been contemplated as sending vessels with opium on board into the ports of China to be opened by treaty to foreign trade, and demanding that the said opium shall be admitted to importation, by virtue of the concluding clause of the new tariff, which provides for all articles not actually enumerated in that tariff, passing at an ad valorem duty of 5 per cent.; I think it expedient, by this Proclamation, to point out to all whom it may concern, that, opium being an article the traffic in which is well known to be declared illegal and contraband by the laws and Imperial edicts of China, any person who may take such a step, will do so at his own risk, and will, if a British subject, meet with no support or protection from Her Majesty's Consuls or other officers."

It remains to be seen whether