NEWS FROM CHINA.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue II, 2 September 1843, Page 311

NEWS FROM CHINA.

[From the Launceston Advertiser, August 3.] By the ship Terror, arrived at Adelaide, we have news from China up to the end of March. The intelligence is of great commercial importance. All kinds of imported goods were repreiented to be 'very-doll of sale. We quote below the translation; of a document, purporting to be a public notification of the regulations

of trade about to be adopted at Canton, which appears in the Hongkong Gazette, of March 1 6 :—: —

" As the foreign merchants at Hongkong store their goods at that place, "any Chinese merchants who may wish to buy such goods can proceed there for that purpose ; or any English merchant wishing to bring his goods to Canton to deal with the Chinese, he can do so ; as is fit and proper. - -< " Chinese merchants taking goods to Hongkong from Canton must at that time pay their duties, and English merchants bringing goods to Caton or the other ports, must, on entering, give a true and exact account of such goods, and pay the duty on the same according to Chinese customs. So also Chinese merchants who go to Hongkong to buy foreign goods, shall on Returning make a true and exact account of such goods, and pay duty on the same according to Chinese customs. " Seeing that the Co-hong system is about to be abolished, and as among the Hong merchants there are many of experience, they must choose from such fit and proper persons to act as their brokers or agents. If they be rich and of good repute, truly can they be trusted. ' Let such brokers take care that all proper dues and duties be paid. If the English merchants wish to do business with any Chinese merchants whatsoever, they can now do it. " All imports or exports the broker or agent is bound to report to the Custom-house officers, in order that the duties may lie duly paid. " The English merchants use dollars for currency, but the Chinese Custom-house law rethat Sycee silver be paid. Now, the English merchants can pay their duties in dollars, at the rate of 107 taels of dollars for 100 taelß of Sycee silver; but let no -more be charged.

"As the English ships will bring goods to Hongkong, and take in China goods without going to Canton, the Chinese Government will notTeqaire duties to be paid twice, so no duties will be levied there ; but should any English ship enter the port of Canton, or Shanghai (». c. any of the ports), whether it be large or small, it must be examined and measured, so that all ships in coming or out-going shall pay proper duties, and on the specified day of the month. " The Chinese vessels employed in going to or from Hongkong must be numbered and provided with a proper pass, or chop. In order to prevent fraud, it is expedient that such vessels be examined, and it be ascertainted that the contents of each vessel agree with the account given in. Let the rate of freight be fixed by the proper officers ; it must not be left to the owners of the vessels to extort heavy charges from the merchants.

" The Chinese merchants must pay their duties through the proper parties, who will (if dollars) convert the same into (the standard) Sycee. If it is not convenient for the English merchants to come to the custom house, they can select some honest silversmith, or shroff, and by him send their duties; he will see the money weighed by the Custom-house officers, who shall give a receipt for the same, which will prevent mistakes and confusion.

" On foreign goods imported by the English, they will pay the duty ; but on foreign goods bought, and brought by the Chinese from Hongkong, they (the Chinese) will pay the duty, and the Chinese Government will not require duties on such goods from the English merchants at Hongkong* " The brokers' and linguists' remuneration, or charges, will not be fixed by the Chinese authorities ; nor should the brokers and linguists fix their own charges, but leave the amount to be paid tp be determined by the merchants who employ them. " The new duties about to be levied on the various kinds of goods shall, when arranged and decided on, be published to all the merchants of every nation. All this in order to give effect to and make manifest the gracious condescension of (the Emperor)."

Orders had been sent to America for heavy guns of the best construction, for arming the forts.

On Tuesday last, says the Hongkong Gazette of February 9th, a numerous assemblage of our friends attended at Messrs. Jardin, Matheson, and C 0.,. Point, to witness the launch of the first vessel built on the island. She was named the Celestial, and is entirely of teak. Her model and construction do great credit to her designer, the late carpenter of the Fort William, whose skill is well known. Her measurement is about 80 tons, and she has been built, we are told, for the eminent Parsee, Sir Jemsetjeebhoy, of Bombay, to which port she proceeds forthwith.

Isthumas of Panama Canal. — At a meeting of the Academy of Sciences, M. I). Humbolt said that the works preparatory to the" commencement of cutting through the Isthmus bf Panama were advancing rapidly. The commission authorized by the Government of New Granada to construct a canal between the two seas, have concluded theii survey of the land which the canal will intersect, and reported much more favourably than was to have been expected. The chain of the Cordilleras does not extend, as had been imagined, across the Isthmus. The explorers have, on the contrary, discovered a valley very favourable for the purposes of the undertaking. The natural disposition* of the waters is also favourable. Three rivers, portions of the beds of which are navigable, will be made to form port of the canal. The necessary cutting will not be more than twelve miles and a half. The fall or inclinational will be regulated by two large locks. The entire length of thU canal will be 49 miles ; the breadth of the surface of the water 135 feet, and 55 at the bottom. The depth will be twenty feet, trtiichwiu enable it to be navigated by ships of from 1,000 to 14,000 toni burden. The cost of its completion will be fourteen million of francs, or £65,000. —New Zealmnd Journal, March 4.