Page 117 - Merchants and Mandarins China Trade Era

103.
6
again after the opening of new ports in 1842. The new agents

predominately came from the growing American ports of New

York and Philadelphia. While Boston and Salem merchants
1
dominated the early China trade, during the late 1820 s and
1
1830 s New York garnered the largest share of shipping to and

from Canton. Other than Russell & Co., which drew partners
1
from New York as well as Boston in the 1830 s, there were

few Bostonians at Canton.

Besides a similar geographic background, these Ameri­

cans shared a commercial orientation that also contributed to

the homogeneity of their community at Canton. They were over­

whelmingly from merchant families in the Northeast. The China

trade became a self-perpetuating institution for many families

in Boston, New York and Philadelphia. Most American residents
1 1
in the 1820 s and early 1830 s had been masters or supercargoes,

and clerks in the United States previous to that. With the

formation of commission houses at Canton, these residents

called on their own families to send out sons and nephews to

clerk for them. Virtually all merchants at Canton had former

commercial experience or were related to a merchant. At Canton

a newcomer would clerk for four years to learn the business.

He then joined the house as a partner, transacting business

and teaching new members the trade. After seven years in China

he returned to the United States to drum new commissions for

the house. When he left, he chose his own replacement at Canton.

The new appointee most often was a relative. Consequently,

6
The Chinese Repository lists commissbn houses at
Canton in its population census.