The Petition of the Chamber of Commerce "nud Manufactures of the City of Edinburgh, (incorporated by Royal Charter), Humbly showeth,—That it is of the greatest importance that our political and commercial relations with the Empire of China, embracing as it is believed one-third of the population of the globe, should be put on a satisfactory footing.
That the Treaty of Tientsin concluded between this country and Chine, provided for its revision in 1870; but that the convention for that purpose, agreed to between H. M.'s representative at Peking and the representative of the Emperor of China, having been considered very objectionable in several respects by British residents in China and by mercantile bodies in this country, was disallowed by H.M.'s Government.
That, as seen in the matter of that convention, and in other questions which have there is a great divergence of opinion between the official representatives of Great Britain at Pekin and the body of British residents at the various ports, merchants, missionaries, and others, cluding, as your petitioners are given to understand, H.M.'s Consuls also.
That outrages of the most serious character have been perpetrated on the persons and property of foreigners during the last two or three years at Formosa, Chefoo, Swatow, Yangchow, and Tientsin, and that feeling of great insecurity prevails, lest there should be a repetition and extension of these outrages.
That, after repeated attempts to encourage commercial intercourse with. China, by thie reduction of duties on_ articles of Chinese produce and other measures, our exports to that country of British manufactures and produce are very insignificant,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.