Page:Europe in China.djvu/445

Rh Chinese community were taxed $4 per head, and the British and foreign community $250 per head. Although Sir Richard willingly modified details of the Bill to meet minor objections of the community, he failed to give satisfaction, as a strong majority of the public objected to the Bill in toto. A second public meeting was held, resulting in the presentation of another Memorial condemnatory of the whole measure. When it was announced (early in March, 1867) that H. M. Government had ratified the Bill, the temper of the community was aroused and Sir Richard was publicly accused (March 15, 1867) of having induced Lord Carnarvon to believe that the Governor's arguments had reconciled the community to an impost which, ill reality, was all but unanimously felt to be deeply injurious to the true interests of the Colony. However, by the time the Stamp Ordinance came into operation (October 9, 1867), the feeling of the community, though maintaining strong objections to the measure and subsequently re-iterating its condemnation of it by another public meeting (March 17, 1868), had changed, so far as the Governor's connection with the Ordinance was concerned. It was then generally believed that the Stamp Ordinance would never have been brought into operation if the Governor had been allowed free hand in his dealing with the gambling problem, and that the determination of H. M. Government to insist, in spite of all arguments and remonstrances, upon the payment of the Military Contribution, had made the enforcement of the Stamp Ordinance a matter of sheer necessity. By order of Sir Richard, several prosecutions were instituted with a view to compel the Chinese population to comply, in some measure, with the provisions of the Stamp Ordinance. These prosecutions, however, served only to invigorate the general dissatisfaction felt with the working of this measure. With the exception of receipts to be given to foreigners, Chinese tradesmen and merchants disregarded the Ordinance and stamped commercial documents only in cases in which they apprehended the possibility of litigation. Anxious to improve the working of the Ordinance, Sir Richard appointed