Peter Osbeck, who was here in 1750-51, as chaplain of the Prince Charles, a Swedish East Indiaman, relates, that there were at that season, eighteen European ships in port: one Danish, two Swedish, two French, four Dutch, and nine English. For the last fifteen years, no Swedish ships have visited China.
The Danes preceded the Swedes in their visits to China, but we could not ascertain the date of the year in which their trade began. During twelve years, commencing in 1732, they sent thirty-two ships to China, twenty-seven of which only returned. Their flag was called Hwang-ke, “the imperial flag,” which name it has retained to this day. Their trade has never been extensive, though it has continued to the present time.
The Russian trading vessels are excluded from the Chinese ports; their trade being confined to the northern provinces, by land.
The English did not reach the coast of China, till about 1635. The whole number of arrivals, during the year 1832, was eighty-seven; ten of this number performed two or three voyages from China. Of the whole number, nine were from London, and sixty-two from ports in India. The vessels brought to China, broadcloths, long-ells, camlets, British calicoes, worsted and cotton yarn, cotton piece goods, Bombay, Madras and Bengal cotton, opium, sandal-wood, black-wood, rattans, betel-nut, putchuck, pepper, cloves, saltpetre, cochineal, olibanum skins, ivory, amber, pearls, cornelians, watches and clocks, lead, iron, tin, quicksilver, shark’s fins, fishmaws, stock-fish, &c. In return, they were laden with teas, silk, sugar, silk piece goods, cassia, camphor, vermilion, rhubarb, alum, musk and various other articles. The value of these exports and imports is as follows:—
In 1828-29, imports, twenty-one millions, three hundred and thirteen thousand, five hundred and twenty-six dollars; exports, nineteen millions, three and sixty thousand, six hundred and twenty-five dollars: in 1829-30, imports, twenty-two millions, nine hundred and thirty-one thousand, three hundred and seventy-two dollars; exports, twenty-one millions, two hundred and fifty-seven thousand, two hundred and fifty-seven dollars: in 1830-31, imports, twenty-one millions, nine hundred sixty-one thousand, seven hundred and fifty-four dollars; exports, twenty millions, four hundred and forty-six thousand, six hundred and ninety-nine dollars: in 1831-32, imports, twenty millions, five hundred and thirty-six thousand, two hundred and twenty-seven dollars; exports, seventeen millions, seven hundred and sixty-seven thousand, four hundred and eighty-six dollars: in 1832-33, imports, twenty-two millions, three hundred and four thousand, seven hundred and fifty-three dollars; exports, eighteen millions, three hundred and thirty-two thousand, seven hundred and sixty dollars.
AMERICAN TRADE.
The American trade to China, is of very recent origin; it commenced after the revolutionary war. The first recorded facts which we are able to obtain, carry back the trade only to the season of 1784-5, in which two American ships were sent, laden, to Canton. In their return-cargo, they carried eight hundred and eighty thousand, one hundred pounds of tea: in the following season, but one vessel was sent, which exported six hundred and ninety-five thousand pounds: in 1786-7, there were five American ships, engaged in the trade: they exported one million, one hundred and eighty-one thousand, eight hundred and sixty pounds of this plant. One of these ships, was the “Hope:” other ships, which were in port during this, and the following season, were the “Washington,” “Asia,” and “Canton;” the last two, from Philadelphia.
The number of American vessels, which arrived in China, during the seasons of 1832-33, ending in June, 1833, was fifty-nine. Some of these ships did not, however, take in cargoes at this port.
These vessels brought quicksilver, lead, iron, South American copper, spelter, tin plates, Turkey opium, ginseng, rice, broadcloths, camlets, chintzes, long ells, long cloths, cambrics, domestics, velvets, bombazettes, handkerchiefs, linen, cotton drillings, yarn and prints, land and sea otter-skins, fox-skins, seal-skins, pearl-shells, sandal-wood, cochineal, musical-boxes, clocks, watches, and sundry other articles.
In return, they were laden with teas, silks, cassia, camphor, rhubarb, vermilion, china-ware, &c. These articles were carried to the United States, Europe, South America, Sandwich islands, and Manila. The following statement will afford some idea of the progress in that trade, and show its present amount:—