OF FOO-CHEW-FOO. 171 



to nip their hopes in the bud. His mode of ac- 

 complishing this object was, I believe, by bribing 

 the Custom-house officers at Sheu-chew-fu to 

 report to the Provincial Governments of Quong 

 Tong and Kiang Sy, that a considerable defalcation 

 had taken place in the transit duties in consequence 

 of the novel mode of transit of teas by sea. Nor 

 were the officers of the Canton Government less 

 alive to the threatened reduction of their emolu- 

 ments, in the event of the removal of the trade to 

 a northern port. The late negotiations also have 

 proved how reluctantly the Imperial Government 

 consented to the opening of the Port of Foo-chew- 

 foo : not, however, from any anticipated loss that 

 might accrue to the Imperial or Provincial Treasury 

 on account of a defalcation of the duties, for these 

 are small, and altogether insignificant ; the whole 

 amount of transit duty through the provinces of 

 Kiang Sy and Quong Tong not exceeding 2 mace 

 4 canclereens the pecul, or half a farthing on the 

 pound avoirdupois ; but on a well-grounded appre- 

 hension that the opening of this port, and this 

 port alone, might accomplish what all the other 

 ports may fail to effect, viz. the removal of the 

 greater part of the black tea trade from the port of 

 Canton : thus occasioning the serious inconvenience 

 of throwing a number of men and boats out of 

 employ in the provinces through which the teas had 

 been so long conveyed; besides a depreciation of pro- 

 perty, and other disadvantages not easy to enume- 



