of Peace, consisting of sixteen Articles, and one additional Article relating to small vessels, is now written out, forming, with its accompaniments, four pamphlets, and is formally signed and sealed by their Excellencies the British Plenipotentiary, and the Chinese Imperial Commissioner, who, in the first instance, take two copies each, and exchange them, that their provisions may be immediately carried into effect. At the same time, each of these high functionaries, having taken his two copies, shall duly memorialize the Sovereign of his nation; but the two countries are differently situated as respects distance, so that the will of the one Sovereign can be known sooner than the will of the other. It is now therefore agreed, that on receiving the gracious assent of the Emperor in the vermilion pencil, the Imperial Commissioner will deliver the very document containing it into the hands of his Excellency Hwang, Judge of Canton, who will

proceed to such place as the Plenipotentiary may appoint, and deliver it to the English Plenipotentiary, to have and to hold, Afterwards, the Sign Manual of the Sovereign of England having been received at Hong-Kong, likewise graciously assenting to and confirming the Treaty, the English Plenipotentiary will despatch a specially appointed officer to Canton, who will deliver the copy containing the Royal Sign Manual to his Excellency Hwang, who will forward it to the Imperial Commissioner, as a rule and a guide to both nations for ever, and as a solemn confirmation of our peace and friendship.

A most important Supplementary Treaty.

Signed and sealed at HoomunChae, on the Eighth day of October, 1843, corresponding with the Chinese date of the Fifteenth day of the Eighth moon, of the 23rd year of Taoukwang.

(L.S.) HENRY POTTINGER.

SIR HENRY POTTINGER, Baronet, G.C.B., Her Britannic Majesty's Plenipotentiary, &c., &c., in China, has the gratification to announce, for the general information and guidance of all subjects of Her said Majesty, that he has concluded and sealed, with the High Commissioner appointed by His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of China to treat with him, a Commercial Treaty, stipulated for in the Definitive Treaty of Peace, signed at Nanking, on the 29th day of August, 1842, and the ratifications of which Definitive Treaty of Peace have been lately exchanged under the Signs Manual and seals of Her Majesty the

Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, &c., and His Majesty the Emperor of China.

Her Britannic Majesty's Plenipotentiary, &c., now publishes the export and import Tariff, and the Regulations of Trade, which have been, after the most searching scrutiny and examination, fixed and finally agreed upon, and which Tariff and Regulations of Trade are to be promulgated in Chinese, simultaneously with this proclamation, accompanied by a proclamation on the part of the Imperial Commissioner, &c.

Her Britannic Majesty's Plenipotentiary, &c., trusts, that the provisions of the Commercial

Treaty will be found in practice mutually advantageous, beneficial, and just, as regards the interests, the honour, and the future augmented prosperity of the Governments of the two mighty contracting Empires, and their subjects: and his Excellency most solemnly and urgently calls upon all subjects of the British Crown, individually and collectively, by their allegiance to their Sovereign, by their duty to their country, by their own personal reputation, respect and good name, and by the integrity and honesty which is due from them as men, to the imperial rights of the Emperor of China, not only to strictly conform and act up to the said provisions of the Commercial Treaty, but to spurn, decry, and make known to the world, any base, unprincipled, and traitorous overtures which they, or their agents or employés, may receive from, or which may be in any shape made to them, by any subject of China -whether officially connected with the Government, or not-towards entering into any collusion or scheme for the purpose of evading, or acting in contravention of, the said provisions of the Commercial Treaty.

Her Britannic Majesty's Plenipotentiary, &c. will not allow himself to anticipate or suppose, that the appeal which he now makes to all Her Majesty's subjects will be

PROCLAMATION ISSUED BY THE KEYING, High Commissioner, &c., &c., Kekung, Governor-General, &c.. and Ching-yuet-sai, Governor, &c., issue this Proclamation for the purpose of giving clear information and commands.

Whereas, when the English had last year ceased from hostili

unheeded, or overlooked, by even a single individual; but at the same time it is his duty, in the responsible and unprecedented situation in which he has been placed by the course of events, to distinctly intimate, that he is determined, by every means at his disposal, to see the provisions of the Commercial Treaty fulfilled by all who choose to engage in future in commerce with China; and that in any case where he may receive well-grounded representations from Her Majesty's Consuls, or from the Chinese authorities, that such provisions of the Com mercial Treaty have been evaded (or have been attempted to be so), he will adopt the most stringent and decided measures against the offending parties; and where his present powers may not fully authorize and sanction such measures as may seem to him fitting, he will respectfully trust that the Legislature of Great Britain will hold him indemnified for adopting them, in an emergency directly compromising the national honour, dignity, and good faith in the estimation of the Government of China, and in the eyes of all other nations.

God save the Queen. Dated at Government-House, at Victoria, Hong-Kong, this 22nd day of July, 1843.

HENRY POTTINGER.

IMPERIAL COMMISSIONER, ETC. ties, our august Sovereign granted them commercial intercourse at Canton and at four other ports, and was graciously pleased to sanction the Treaty that had been concluded; the ratifications of that Treaty have now therefore been exchanged, and Commercial

Regulations have been agreed upon, and a Tariff of Duties, wherein all fees and presents are abolished, has been distinctly settled. These, as soon as the High Commissioner, with the Governor-General and Governor, shall have received the replies of the Board of Revenue, shall be promulgated, and shall become the rules to be observed in the various ports. The Tariff of Duties will then take effect with reference to the commerce with China of all countries, as well as of England.

Henceforth, then, the weapons of war shall for ever be laid aside, and joy and profit shall be the perpetual lot of all: neither slight nor few will be the advantages reaped by the merchants, alike of China and of foreign countries. From this time forward all must free themselves from prejudice and suspicions, pursuing each his proper avocation, and careful always to retain no inimical feelings from the recollection of the hostilities that have before taken place. For such feelings and recollections can have no other effect than to hinder the growth of a good understanding between the two people.

With regard to Foochow, Amoy, Ningpo, and Shanghai, the four ports which, by His Imperial Majesty's gracious permission, are now newly opened for trade, it is requisite that the replies of the Board of Revenue should be received before the commerce of those ports should be actually thrown open. But Canton has been a mart for English trade during more than two centuries past; and therefore, the new regulations having been decided upon, they ought at once to be brought into operation, that the far-travelled merchants may not be any longer detained in the

outer seas, disappointed in all their anticipations. The High Commissioner, the Governor-General, and the Governor, have therefore, in concert with the Superintendent of Customs, determined, in fulfilment of their august Sovereign's gracious desire, to cherish tenderly men from afar, that a commencement shall be made with the opening of the Port of Canton under the new regulations, on the 1st of the 7th month. The wishes of the merchants will thus, it is hoped, be met.

The island of Hong-Kong having been, by the gracious pleasure of His august Majesty, granted as a place of residence to the English nation, the merchants of that nation, who will proceed from thence to the various ports, will be numerous; and such vessels as they may engage to convey them to and fro will therefore be required to lie under no restrictions, but merely to accept engagements at fair and just rates. If, however, such passengers convey goods in the same boats with the view of evading the dues of Government, they shall be subject to such fines as the law shall direct. Should merchants of China desire to proceed to the Island of Hong-Kong aforesaid, to trade, they will be required only to report themselves to the next Custom-house, and to pay the duties on their merchandize according 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 before Government are granted a free pardon. All persons of this class must then attend quietly to their avocations, with a diligent pursuit of every thing 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 just impartiality all merchants, then, whether of China or of foreign countries, are called upon to consider the many pains that the High Commissioner and his colleagues have taken, and by all means to abide in the quiet pursuit of their respective callings, and in the enjoyment of so auspicious a peace. From henceforward amity and goodwill shall 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.

A true Translation,
(Signed) J. ROBT MORRISON,
Chinese Secretary and
Interpreter.

(L. s.) VICTORIA R. VICTORIA, by the grace of God, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c., &c., &c., to all and singular to whom these presents shall come, greeting:

Whereas by a certain Act of Parliament passed in the Session of Parliament holden in the third and fourth years of the reign of His late Majesty King William the Fourth, intituled 66 An Act to regulate the Trade to China and India," it was amongst other things enacted, that it should and might be lawful for us, by any commission

or commissions, or warrant or warrants under our royal sign manual, to appoint not exceeding three of our subjects, to be superintendents of the trade of our subjects to and from the dominions of the Emperor of China, for the purpose of protecting and promoting such trade: and whereas by a certain other Act of Parliament, passed in the Session of Parliament holden in the sixth and seventh years of our reign, intituled 'An Act for the better Government of Her Majesty's subjects resorting to China," it is amongst other things enacted, that it shall be lawful for us, by

any commission or warrant, under our royal sign manual, to make such provision as to us may seem fit, for the temporary exercise of the duties of chief superintendent of the trade of our subjects to and from China, in the event of a vacancy occurring in that office by death, resignation, or otherwise: and whereas, in pursuance and in exercise of the powers in us vested in and by the first-recited Act, We on the fourteenth of May, one thousand eight hundred and fortyone, by a warrant under our sign manual of that date, did appoint Sir Henry Pottinger, Baronet, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, to be Chief Superintendent of the trade of our subjects to and from the dominions of the Emperor of China: and whereas, in pursuance and exercise of the powers in us vested by the said recited Act of the sixth and seventh years of our reign, we on the twenty-sixth of August, one thousand eight hundred and forty-three, did by a certain other warrant of that date, under our royal sign manual, ratify and confirm the said recited appointment of the fourteenth of May, one thousand eight hundred and forty-one, and did make such provision as to us seemed fit, for the temporary exercise of the duties of the said Chief Superintendent, in the event of a vacancy occurring in that office by the death or resignation of the said Sir Henry Pottinger or otherwise; now know ye, that we have revoked, and do hereby revoke, the said recited warrant of the fourteenth day of May, one thousand eight hundred and forty-one, and the said recited warrant of the twenty-sixth of August, one thousand eight hundred and forty-three: and we, in further

pursuance and execution of the powers and authorities in us vested by the said recited Acts of Parliament or otherwise, do by this our commission or warrant under our royal sign manual, constitute and appoint our trusty and well-beloved John Francis Davis, Esquire, to be Chief Superintendent of the trade of our subjects to and from the dominions of the Emperor of China, for the purpose of protecting and promoting such trade: and we do declare and grant, that the said John Francis Davis, Esquire, shall hold the said office during the pleasure of us, our heirs, and successors, and no longer and we do hereby strictly charge and require the said John Francis Davis, Esquire, in the execution of this our commission, to conform to and observe all such rules and regulations as are or shall be given to him for his guidance, either under our royal sign manual, or in such instructions as shall from time to time be given to him in our Privy Council, or by us through one of our Principal Secretaries of State. And we do in pursuance and exercise of the powers aforesaid, further direct and appoint, that in the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of Chief Superintendent, as aforesaid, by the death or resignation of him, the said John Francis Davis, Esquire, or otherwise, the person who shall be administering the government of the island of Hong-Kong, shall, in such ease, assume and hold the office of Chief Superintendent, and exercise all the powers and duties thereof, until such time as any person appointed by us to hold the said office, shall arrive in Hong-Kong, and shall undertake the duties of the said office. And we do further direct, that this our commission