permitted to depart. The Superintendent of Customs will select certain shroffs, or banking establishments of known stability, to whom he will give licences, authorizing them to receive duties from the English merchants on behalf of Government, and the receipt of these shroffs for any moneys paid them shall be considered as a government voucher. In the paying of these duties, different kinds of foreign money may be made use of; but as foreign money is not of equal purity with sycee silver, the English Consuls appointed to the different ports will, according to time, place, and circumstances, arrange with the Superintendents of Customs at each, what coins may be taken in payment, and what per centage may be necessary to make them equal to standard or pure silver.

IX. Weights and Measures.

Sets of balance-yards for the weighing of goods, of money-weights, and of measures, prepared in exact conformity to those hitherto in use at the Custom-house of Canton, and duly stamped and sealed in proof thereof, will be kept in possession of the Superintendent of Customs, and also at the British Consulate at each of the five ports, and these shall be the standards by which all duties shall be charged, and all sums paid to Government. In case of any dispute arising between British merchants and Chinese officers of Customs, regarding the weights or measures of goods, reference shal be made to these standards, and disputes decided accordingly,

X. Lighters or Cargo Boats.

Whenever any English merchant shall have to load or discharge cargo, he may hire whatever kind of lighter or cargo-boat he pleases, and the sum to be paid for such boat can be settled be

tween the parties themselves without the interference of Government. The number of these boats shall not be limited, nor shall a monopoly of them be granted to any parties. If any smuggling take place in them, the offenders will of course be punished according to law. Should any of these boat-people, while engaged in conveying goods for English merchants, fraudulently abscond with the property, the Chinese authorities will do their best to apprehend them; but, at the same time,' the English merchants must take every due precaution for the safety of their goods. ***

XI. Transshipment of Goods.

No English merchant ships may transship goods without special permission: should any urgent case happen where transshipment is necessary, the circumstances must first be transmitted to the Consul, who will give a certificate to that effect, and the Superintendent of Customs will then send a special officer to be present at the transshipment. If any one presumes to transship without such permission being asked for and obtained, the whole of the goods so illicitly transshipped will be confiscated.

XII. Subordinate Consular Officers.

At any place selected for the anchorage of the English merchant ships, there may be appointed a subordinate consular officer, of approved good conduct, to exercise due control over the seamen and others. He must exert himself to prevent quarrels between the English seamen and nativeš, this being of the utmost importance. Should any thing of the kind unfortunately take place, he will in like manner do his best to arrange it amicably. When sailors go on shore to walk, officers shall be required to accompany them, and, should dis

turbances take place, such officers will be held responsible. The Chinese officers may not impede natives from coming alongside the ships to sell clothes or other necessaries to the sailors living on board.

XIII Disputes between British Subjects and Chinese. 4,

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 amicably. 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 amicably, 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 punishment of English criminals, the English Government will enact the laws necessary to attain that end, and the Consul will be empowered 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 Nanking after the concluding of the peace.

1

XIV. British Government Cruizers anchoring within the Ports.

An English government cruizer will anchor within each of the five ports, that the Consul may 4 E

1843.

have the means of better restraining sailors and others, and preventing disturbances. But these government cruizers are not to be put on the same footing as merchant vessels, for as they bring no merchandize and do not come to trade, they will of course pay neither dues nor charges. The resident Consul will keep the Superintendent of Customs duly informed of the arrival and departure of such government cruizers, that he may take his measures accordingly.

XV. On the Security to be given for British Merchant Vessels.

It has hitherto been the custom, when an English vessel entered the port of Canton, that a Chinese Hong merchant stood security for her, and all duties and charges were paid through such securitymerchant. But these security-merchants being now done away with, it is understood that the British Consul will henceforth be security for all British merchant ships entering any of the aforesaid five ports.

Whitehall, November 6, 1843.

The Queen has been pleased to order a congé d'elire to pass the Great Seal, empowering the Dean and Chapter of the cathedral church of Lichfield to elect a Bishop of that see, the same being void by the death of Doctor James Bowstead, late Bishop thereof; and Her Majesty has also been pleased to recommend to the said Dean and Chapter, John Lonsdale, Clerk, Bachelor of Divinity, to be by them elected Bishop of the said see.

Whitehall, November 3, 1843.

The Queen has been pleased to appoint the Reverend James Robertson, Minister of Ellon, in the county of Aberdeen, to be Secretary to Her Majesty's sole and only Master Printers in Scotland, in the room of Doctor David Welsh.

Whitehall, November 4, 1843.

The Queen has been pleased to constitute and appoint Charles Edward Cox, Esq. to be Lieutenant-Colonel; James William Freshfield, Esq. to be Major; and Frederick William Bossy, Esq. to be Adjutant, with the rank of Captain, of the Artillery Company of London.

Whitehall, November 6, 1843.

The Queen has been pleased to present the Reverend James Murray to the church and parish of Reay, in the presbytery and county of Caithness, vacant in consequence of the Reverend Finlay Cook, late Minister thereof, having ceased to be a Minister of the Church of Scotland.

Whitehall, November 6, 1843.

The Queen has been pleased to nominate, constitute, and appoint James Walker, Esq. Advocate, to be one of the Ordinary Clerks of Session in Scotland, in the room of George Joseph Bell, Esq. deceased.