EXAMINED AND ANSWERED. 179 



It is stated in the parliamentary papers on the re- 

 turns of the China trade, printed January, 1847, 

 that the actual quantity of imports in 1678 junks, is 

 valued at 3,177,145 dollars ; exports in 1281 junks, 

 at 11,654,653 dollars. The quantity of tea recorded 

 to be shipped from this port is so insignificant, that 

 I cannot but suspect that some concealment has been 

 practised by the Chinese with regard to the quantity 

 shipped to the northern ports. It seems inexplicable 

 that the northern merchants should petition against 

 a prohibition in which they had no interest. Thus 

 by whatever test we examine the practicability of the 

 navigation of this river, whether by the quantity 

 of tea brought down to be shipped to Canton from 

 the year 1813 to 1816; the rate of charge for 

 boat hire ; the amount of population on its banks ; 

 or the amount of the existing trade of the port, 

 and traffic on the river ; thev all furnish evidence 

 of great internal activity and prosperity, an actual 

 state of trade of considerable magnitude, and the 

 elements of great future increase; — deficient in one 

 point only, the energy and enterprise of British 

 merchants to develop it. 



Let it also be remembered that Canton owes her 

 prosperity mainly to the foreign trade. It is neither 

 the place of consumption of our imports into China, 

 nor the seat of growth of any of our exports from 

 it ; but in whatever degree our trade has nursed and 

 reared up new domestic industry at Canton, the 

 habits, taste, and disposition of the people, being in 



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