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Historical Records of New Zealand South

Trade With China

Trade With China.

White, in his "Convict Life in New South Wales and Van Dieman's Land," says:—The Chinese had been accustomed to visit the northern coasts of Australia for ages, and they had numerous settlements in the Indian Archipelago in very remote times.

In a communication dated Sydney May 20, 1802, Governor King informs the commander of La Corrie that he observes by his clearance from the Isle of France that he is bound on a sealing voyage on the coasts of New Holland, and thence to China.

In a communication from Governor King to Sir Joseph Banks dated June 5, 1802, he writes:—The great abundance of sea elephants, prom and other seals, that are throughout these straits, and all up the south-west coast, will make this a place of great resort, if the "oyl" of the elephant or skins are held in request, but at present, we are told, the China market is quite glutted with them; however, that may not always be the case.

In a communication from Governor King to Lord Hobart dated November 9, 1802, he writes:—The small vessels that catch seals about the islands have brought in a quantity of sealskins and oil. The former they sell or barter with the masters of ships going to China, but, as their value has considerably fallen in China, they get very little for them at present. However, as this is most considerable among the very few productions (natural) of this country that can be esteemed commercial, and as they will always be received in China, I have, and shall, encourage that pursuit as much as possible to those who may be of industrious and enterprising dispositions.

During the year 1802 the following vessels cleared out at Sydney for China:—Arthur (Scot, master), with 265 tons cargo, and in ballast; Coromandel (Stirling, master), with 522 tons cargo, and in ballast; Perseus (Davidson, master), 362 tons, and in ballast; Atlas (Brooks, master), 435 tons, and in ballast, and part of original cargo; Hercules (Betts, master), with 395 tons, and in ballast;—making in all, 1979 cargo tonnage.

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M. Peron, naturalist to the French expedition in search of La Pearous (Perouse) in 1804, writes re Sydney Harbour:—A crowd of objects demand our attention in every direction. In the port we saw drawn up vessels that had arrived from different parts of the world, some of which were destined to pursue new and difficult voyages. Some had come from the banks of the Thames or the Shannon to pursue whale fishing along the frigid shores of New Zealand. Others were bound for China, after depositing the freight they had received from the English Government for this (New South Wales) colony, and were preparing to sail for the mouth of the Yellow River. Others, laden with pit coal, were about conveying that precious combustible to the Cape of Good Hope.

In a despatch from Assistant-Surgeon Thomson to the Under-Secretary for State dated June 28, 1804, it is stated:—These amphibious animals (seals) come on shore in immense numbers to feed, and bring forth, and nurse their young in the islands to the southward, particularly Bass Strait. They are valuable on account of their fur, skin, and oil. Four small vessels have been employed by people of the colony in this trade for four or five years past, and several thousand skins have been sent on freight in ships to China; but the immense number of fur skins imported into that Empire by the English and Americans from the north-west coast of America, and transmitted overland by the Russians from Siberia, had so glutted the China markets that the fine seal fur only sold from 4s to 5s 6d per skin, a price which by no means repaid the New South Wales adventurers for their industry and perseverance. England affords better market. The fur is used in making the felt from which hats are manufactured, and from that circumstance the price of seal fur skins in England ranges from 6s to 14s per cumstance the price of seal fur skins in England ranges from 6s to 14s per skin. This was but lately known in New South Wales, and an industrious man, who had been a convict, sent Home last year 2000 sealskins and eight tuns of elephant oil as an experiment. This oil is procured from a large amphibious animal, which they call the sea elephant, which only comes on shore on King's Island in Bass Strait, and yield each nearly half a tun of oil. That oil sells in England from £35 to £42 per tun. The seal oil bears the same price.

In a former letter I had the honour of stating the general and individual inconvenience that attended the Americans, not only occupying fishing stations in and about Bass Strait, but frequenting this port, from which they have drawn several useful people, and, in fact, depriving the inhabitants of the only staple hitherto acquired. How far this may or may not be allowable I have not taken upon me to decide, but have requested instructions thereon. I also stated the circumstances of a small vessel belonging to an individual being sent in quest of "the beche-de-mer. That vessel has returned, and, although they failed in that object, they acquired another of not less value—namely, sandalwood, which is in such great request with the natives of India and China. It has long been known, from intercourse with the Friendly Islands, that sandalwood was a production of some of the Feejee Islands, which are a group hitherto not much known. The proprietor of this vessel was induced to make the trial from the information of a person who professed a knowledge, but who, unfortunately, with several others, was cut off at Tongataboo, one of the Friendly Islands. After going to several of the Feejees, and finding much difficulty, and not a little apprehension for the safety of their small vessel from the natives' attack, they accomplished their object by procuring fifteen tons of sandalwood in exchange for pieces of iron, at an island called by the natives Vooie. Whether it is plentiful or not is doubtful, a.s the people belonging to the vessel could not land, the wood being carried on board by the natives in small quantities. However, should it prove abundant, and become more easy to obtain, it may hereafter be an advantageous object of commerce with China.—Governor King to Earl Camden in a despatch dated Sydney, April 30, 1805.

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George Barrington, late Officer of the Peace of Parramatta and Superintendent of Convicts, writing in 1810, says:—The frequency of the passage from the new settlement at Botany Bay by ships trading to China, and their return thither, have led to a more intimate acquaintance with the people of that continent than we had with it before, besides correcting many erroneous reports concerning that country. The result of such information may not be totally irrelevant to the subject at large, which subject, being the History of New South Wales, including Botany Bay, Port Jackson, Parramatta, Sydney, and all its dependencies, enriched with beautiful coloured prints.

A small mutilated volume in Hobart Museum without date, but evidently alluding to the 1820 period, has the following:—A few Chinese mechanics, who have been brought by captains of ships, and have remained in the colony, have been found to answer extremely well. I have not the slightest hesitation in saying that I am convinced nothing would so much conduce to the welfare of these colonies as a large importation of these people. They are willing to go to any place where there is a prospect of employment. They are a strong and industrious class of people, orderly and easily managed, and, being accustomed to cold in their own country, they do not suffer in this climate. The price hitherto paid has been from 12 to 15 dollars monthly to a good carpenter, and eight dollars to a common field labourer, and their food found them. It is well known, however, that they might be got for much less—say, eight to ten dollars for mechanics, and five to seven for labourers. While I was in Hobart, the captain of a ship offered to bring a shipload of them from Singapore, if the colonists would agree to take a certain number—say 200—paying him 120 dollars for each man's passage. They were to be indented three to five years, and the money advanced for their passage to be refunded to him out of their pay, he taking the risk of their dying before the advance was worked out. The scheme was never publicly proposed, as the ship was taken up for another destination; but I have no doubt, but that, without difficulty, an association might be formed for the importation of mechanics and handicraft men of all sorts, which, I think, would be of the greatest assistance to the settlers. The farming operations might be performed by convicts, but, by having Chinese carpenters, etc., his expenses would be much diminished, and his comfort increased.

A deputation of Sydney merchants, reported in the Sydney papers of December 15, 1831, to the Governor, suggested the importance of an application being made to the Bengal Government for power to be vested in the Governor of New South Wales to license vessels for the China trade, "which would enable the Sydney merchants to carry on a brisk and advantageous trade in colonial and other bottoms, bartering for their teas in bacon, hams, butter, cheese, furs, etc.; thus rendering the sea trade a channel for larger annual exports of local produce." His Excellency assured them the commercial interests of the colony should ever have his utmost support, and that he would see what further could be done in the matter.

Clause 44 of Sydney Port Regulations dated February 6, 1819, provides:— The masters or commanders of every ship or vessels sailing from this port to China or India shall and are required to enter into bond or bonds with and to the naval officer, in the penalty of £500, under condition not to land in any part of the territory, belonging to the East India Company any convict, free, or other person taken on board from this colony, unless by permission of the Governor-General of India, or other Governor in said territories.

During the year 1824 two vessels entered in at Sydney direct from China. The shipping records afford no clue either to their cargoes or purposes.