THE  CHINESE  EMPIRE

354
the  American  merchants  to  their  Minister,  Mr.  Peter  Parker,
upon  his  arrival  in  Shanghai.

“Shanghai,  August  5,  1856.
“  Sir,—We  take  advantage  of  your  arrival  at  this
Port  to  address  you  upon  the  subject  of  the  continuation ­
  of  the  foreign  inspectorship  in  the  Chinese
Custom-house  here,  in  so  far  as  it  affects  American
trade.
“  When  established  here  in  the  fall  of  1854,  chiefly
at  the  suggestion  and  by  the  efforts  of  the  Honorable
Mr.  McLane,  the  affairs  of  the  Custom-house  were
in  much  confusion  in  consequence  of  existing  political
troubles  in  this  neighborhood,  and  some  remedy
was  ardently  desired  ;  not  only  by  those  interested
in  securing  to  the  Authorities  their  rightful  dues,
but  by  the  great  body  of  Merchants  themselves,
both  English  and  American.
“  The  firms  which  we  represent  were  unanimous
in  approving  of  an  arrangement  which  promised  to
reform  the  abuses  into  which  the  Custom-house  had
fallen,  and  to  put  a  stop  to  the  irregularities  prevailing. ­

“  Weunderstood,  however,  that  the  new  institution
was  not  intended  to  be  permanent,  unless  continued
political  troubles  and  the  concurrence  of  all  the
powers  interested  induced  the  establishment  of  the
same  system  at  all  the  ports.
“  The  first  and  pressing  cause  for  its  establishment
here  has  passed  away,  the  authorities  having  fully
reorganized  their  affairs  and  being  able  under  their
own  system  and  superintendence  to  conduct  those
of  the  Custom-house  with  as  much  effect  as  elsewhere ­
  ;  and  with  this  cessation  of  any  necessity  f° r
its  continuance,  we  cannot  but  perceive  the  great
disadvantage  in  which  we  are  placed  by  it  in  comparison ­
  with  the  other  ports.  Custom-house  business
in  China  under  Chinese  supervision  is  conducted