A DIGEST DESPATCHES ON CHINA (Including those received on the 27th of March) A CONNECTING NARRATIVE COMMENTS. LONDON: JAMES RIDGWAY, 139, PICCADILLY. 1840. LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, Duke-Street, Lambetli. )X b^ UNIVERSITY OF CALIr OUNIA SAISTA BAiiUAiLA CONTENTS. Page Questions stated ..... i 31 Dec. 1833. Instructions to the first superintendents under the crown ...... 3 Jan. to Oct. 1834. Lord Napier's superintendency. The forcing of the passage of the Bogue. Lord Na- pier's death ...... ^ Feb.&March,1835. Comments of the Duke of Wellington , . 3 Oct. 1834. Mr. Davis's superintend* ncy . . .11 Jan. 1835. Sir George Robinson succeeds Mr. Davis . 16 19 Feb. 1835. Recovery of the twelve sailors of the ' Argyle,' after a remonstrance by Captain Elliot at the gate of Canton . . . . ib. 30 March, 1835. New regulations on trade by the Chinese, and against smuggling . . . . .17 Opinion of Sir George Robinson of the safety of the smuggling trade . . . .22 Different view of Captain Elliot on that point 23 14 Dec. 1836. Captain Elliot's succession to the chief oflBce, and his first despatches . . . .25 Dec. 1 836 to Dec. Discussions on the mode of communication 1837. with the Chinese 29 2 Feb. 1837. Debates of the Chinese authorities on the ques- tion of the opium trade. Plan for its legal- isation ....... 38 7 Feb. 1837. Captain Elliot's opinions and suggestions . 52 20 Sept. 1 837. Lord Palmerston's directions for naval protec- tion in the China seas, and for a visit from the admiral on the East India station . 54 26 Sept. 1837. Seizure of British Lascars implicated in an affray. Negotiation by Captain Elliot on the subject, and successful issue . . 55 18& 19 Nov. 1837. Reports upon the opium trade at the end of & 7 Oct. 1837. Predictions of danger . . . 57 20 April, 8 Oct. & Reports upon the opium trade of 1838. Accurate 13 Dec. 1838. prediction of the probable course of events. Attempt made to execute a native before the factories, but defeated . . .61 31 Dec. 1838. Concluding events of 1838. Suppression of the river-smuggling 67 CONTENTS. 2 Jan. 1839. 30 Jan. 1839. 30 March, 1839. April, 1839. 2 April, 1839. 27 May, 1839- 18 July, 1839. August, 1839. 21 August, 1839. 5 Sept. 1839. Sept. 1839. 23 Sept. 1839. 21 Oct. 1839. 5 Nov. 1839. Page Captain Elliot applies for more powers . . 78 Appointment of Lin, and his first proclamations 81 Imprisonment of the British merchants at Canton 88 Execution of a native in front of the factories 89 Narrative of the forced passage up to Canton made by Captain Elliot in an unarmed boat 90 Continued imprisonment of all the foreigners, and endeavours to obtain possession of the person of Mr. Dent. Agreement to sur- render the opium from the ships outside . 92 Captain Elliot's explanations of his motives 111, 112. 116. 120 Bond and penalties attempted to be forced on the imprisoned foreigners, and Captain Elliot's resistance . . 121, 123 e^ se^. Arrival of the last of the liberated foreigners at Macao 133 Impulse given to the illicit trade by Lin's vio- lent measures ..... Death of a Chinese named Lie-wy-hee in an affray ...... Captain Elliot warns the Chinese authorities of the dangers of their course Conflict at Kow Loon with three man-of-war junks under a battery. They attempt to escape, but are beaten back by Captain Elliot Poisoning of the water, and Captain Elliot's remonstrances ..... A boat with sixteen Englishmen missed. Blockade declared. The boat and people discovered to be safe, and blockade with- drawn ...... Adjustment with the Chinese Adjustment frustrated by the ' Thomas Coutts.' Engagement at Hong Kong between Her Majestys ships and a fleet of war-junks . Captain Elliot's retrospect of his own conduct 137 138 145 146 149 154 161 168 180 Conclusion 198 et seq. London, \st April, 1840. DIGEST, &c. It is the good fortune of this question that it has excited a strong interest on the part of the public at large, in addition to the interest taken in it by party men for their own pur- poses. All that the question wanted was that such atten- tion should be given to the official documents by impartial men as would insure the formation of a sincere and unbi- assed public opinion, strong enough to control factious opinions, or deprive them of their influence and effect. The interest shown by the public is all that could be wished ; but the consequence has been, that the bulky volume (456 folio pages) of the Parliamentary Papers is out of print, and the object of the present publication is to exhibit the essen- tial portions of the Parliamentary volume in a compendious and accessible shape, with such comments as may be neces- sary for explanation and connexion. The subject is in itself so curious, so interesting, so strange in its details, and in some parts of it so exciting as a narra- tive of political struggles, and dangerous adventures, that the merest novel reader would scarcely find the correspon- dence tedious ; but by way of introduction to the perusal by that class of persons who will take a worthy interest in it as matter of the highest public importance, we would beg them to look to the bearings of it upon the following ques- tions : — Ist Whether the trade in opium received the slightest encouragement from the English Government, or the officer now serving under them in China, and whether, on the con- trary, it did not receive as much discouragement as it was possible for them to give to it in the face of a Report from a Committee of the House of Commons ?* * For an i-xtract from thia Report see Apiipndix. B 2nd. Whether that trade was not until 1837 favoured and promoted by the authorities of the Chinese Government in act and deed, though denounced in words ? 3rd. Whether any human agency, British or Chinese, any Government however despotic, any laws however san- guinary, any execution of them however terrific, is of force to put down this trade, and whether the effect of stopping it at Canton has not been merely to scatter it along the coasts ? 4th. Whether the series of struggles for direct inter- course with the Chinese authorities instead of communication through the Hong merchants, and for the residence of the Chief Superintendent at Canton instead of Macao, were struggles about mere matters of form, or were not on the contrary for objects which were essential to the maintenance of peaceful relations with China, and to the safety of the British merchants and the prosperity of their trade ? 5th. Whether the instructions issued by Lord Palmers- ton were not the best calculated to attain those objects had they been attainable, and whether there would have been any wisdom in a more active interference than that exercised by Lord Palmerston with proceedings conducted at a distance of five months' sail, and in their nature subject to continual fluctuation and sudden emergency ? 6th. Whether the emergencies, the strange dilemmas, the hazards, the heavy responsibilities which the latter half of Captain Elliot's dispatches recount, have not been com- petently met and dealt with, with all personal and political intrepidity, — resolutely, wisely, and well ? These are the principal questions which it is proposed to the reader to bear in mind, and the documents selected will follow each other in order of date, except when we may see special occasion to depart from it, in which case the devia- tion will be noted with the date. It was on the 10th December, 1833, that a Commission was issued to supersede the Supercargoes of the East India 3 Company, whose monopoly of the trade with China had been then dissolved, and to appoint in their place three ser- vants of the Crown as Superintendents, of whom Lord Na- pier was the chief.* On the 31st December, 1833, instructions were issued to the Superintendents under the Royal Sign Manual, and the 2nd, 18th, and 19th clauses of those Instructions are in the following terms : — " 2. In execution of the said Commission, you will take up your residence at the Port of Canton, in the dominions of the Emperor of China ; and you will discharge the several duties contided to you by the said Commission and Orders in Council respectively, at Canton aforesaid, or at any other place within the river or port of Canton, or at any other place which may be hereafter appointed by Us, and not elsewhere. " 18. And it is Our further pleasure that so often as it may be necessary for you, in conducting any such mediation as aforesaid, to prefer any complaint or remonstrance to the officers of the Government of China, you do observe all pos- sible moderation ; and do cautiously abstain from all unne- cessary use of menacing language ; or from making any appeal for protection to our military or naval forces, unless, in any extreme case, the most evident necessity shall require that any such menacing language should be holden, or that any such appeal should be made. And we do further com- mand and require you, in the general discharge of your duties as such Superintendents, to abstain from and avoid all such conduct, lancruage, and demeanour, as mijjht need- lessly excite jealousy or distrust amongst the inhabitants of China, or the officers of the Chinese Government ; or as might unnecessarily irritate the feelings, or revolt the opi- nions or prejudices of the Chinese people or Government ; and that you do study by all practicable methods to main- tain a good and friendly understanding, both with the offi- cers, civil and military, and with the inhabitants of China, with whom you may be brought into intercourse or com- munication. " 19. And we do require you constantly to bear in mind and to impress, as occasion may offer, upon our subjects resident in, or resorting to China, the duty of conforming to the laws and usages of the Chinese Empire, so long as * Fur the enactments, empowering the Crown to constitute the miperin- tenclency, and the order iu council, is sued in pursuance of it, see Appendix. II "J such laws shall be administered towards you and them with justice and good faith ; and in the same manner in which the same are or shall be administered towards the subjects of China, or towards the subjects or citizens of other foreign nations resident in, or resorting to China." — pp. 2, 3.* On the 25th of January 1834, Lord Palmerston issued amongst others, the following directions to Lord Napier, then about to take his departure for China : — " It is obvious that with a view to the attainment of this object, the establishment of direct communications with the Imperial Court at Pekin would be desirable; and you will accordingly direct your attention to discover the best means of preparing the way for such communications : bearing constantly in mind, however, that peculiar caution and cir- cumspection will be indispensable on this point, lest you should awaken the fears or offend the prejudices of the Chinese Government, and thus put to hazard even the existing opportunities of intercourse by a precipitate attempt to extend them. In conformity with this caution you will abstain from entering into any new relations or negotiations with the Chinese authorities, except under very urgent and unforeseen circumstances. But if any oppor- tunity for such negotiations should appear to you to present itself, you will lose no time in reporting the circumstance to His Majesty's Government, and in asking for instructions ; but previously to the receipt of such instructions, you will adopt no proceedings but such as may have a general ten- dency to convince the Chinese authorities of the sincere desire of the King to cultivate the most friendly relations with the Emperor of China, and to join with him in any measures likely to promote the happiness and prosperity of their respective subjects." — pp. 4, 5. " Peculiar caution will be necessary on the part of the Su- perintendents with regard to such ships as may attempt to explore the coast of China for purposes of traffic. It is not desirable that you should encourage such adventures ; but you must never lose sight of the fact that you have no authority to interfere with or to prevent them." — p. 4.* The proceedings of Lord Napier, which unhappily termi- nated in his death on the 11th October 1834, not quite three months after his arrival in China, do not seem to have been "* For the rernaining portions of these iustructions see Appendix. in accordance with the spirit of his instructions, and may bo briefly disposed of ; for their result showed that they were in- judicious, and his policy died with him. At the same time it is due to Lord Napier's memory to say, that in taking up his residence at Canton, he only pursued the course which his instructions prescribed. His error was in pursuing this course without the caution, moderation, and regard to Chinese usages and prejudices which had been enjoined upon him. He did not wait at Macao, or any other place in the river for a passport, but proceeded, by surprise as it were, to Canton. He demanded at once to hold direct com- munication with the Viceroy, and rejected the communica- tions which were sent to him through the medium of edicts addressed to the Hong merchants, which had been the usual mode of intercourse in the time of the Supercargoes. It was no doubt of great importance to the British interests that all their communications with the Chinese authorities should not be exposed to the cognisance, and placed in some sense at the mercy, of this close copartnership of merchants, in whom was vested, by Chinese law, the monopoly of all the trade carried on with foreigners. But substantially impor- tant as this object is, it was not to be pursued at all hazards, and it showed a want of acquaintance with the character of Chinese Policy (natural perhaps in a new-comer) to suppose that it could be obtained by a covp- de-main. The Viceroy for some time, with a passive wariness, allowed Lord Napier to run his course. He was subjected however to some petty annoyances, and the Hong merchant, Howqua, in addressing him was induced to alter the Chinese character expressing his name, to one which signifies ''laboriously vile. " Lord Napier was all the more determined to stand his ground, and then came the order to the Hong merchants not to ship cargoes on British account, which was prepara- tory to an edict for stopping the trade, and had that effect in the mean time. Lord Napier, further provoked, went the length of placarding in the streets a statement of the cir- cumstances, which ends by something very like an appeal to the people against the Government. "The ignorance and obstinacy of the Viceroy has thus allowed the Hong merchants actually to put a stop to the trade, when he himself only threatens to do so. He sends the Mandarins, and they return as empty as they went, when the official document was offered for their convey- ance ; and the consequence is that thousands of industrious Chinese who live by the European trade, must suffer ruin and discomfort through the perversity of their Government. The merchants of Great Britain wish to trade with all China on principles of mutual benefit. They will never relax in their exertions till they gain a point of equal im- portance to both countries; and the Viceroy will find it as easy to stop the current of the Canton river, as to carry into effect the insane determination of the Hong." — p. 33. At this the solemn pomposity of the Viceroy gave way to a natural burst of anger, and he placarded the following notice : — " A lawless foreign slave, Napier, has issued a notice. We know not how such a dog barbarian of an outside nation as you, can have the audacious presumption to call yourself Superintendent. " Being an outside savage Superintendent, and a person in an official situation, you should have some little know- ledge of propriety and law. " You have passed over ten thousand miles in order to seek a livelihood ; you have come to our Celestial Empire to trade and control affairs ; how can you not obey well the regulations of the Empire ? You audaciously presume to break through the barrier passes, going out and in at your pleasure ! — a great infringement of the rules and pro- hibitions! According to the laws of the nation, the Royal Warrant should be respectfully requested to behead you, and openly expose (your head) to the multitude, as a terror to perverse dispositions." — p. 34. The events which followed this notice are shortly stated in a letter of the 28th of September, 1 834, from the Secre- tary of the Commission. " Not contented with their earlier acts of annoyance and indignity, whether of a personal nature, as the unnecessary breaking open of Lord Napier's baggage, and the seizure of the compradores, or purveyors of provisions ; or the more serious and public injury inflicted by the stoppage of the trade, the local government were emboldened, on the 4th instant, to proceed so far as to beset the residence of the Chief Superintendent with a large number of soldiers, to drive away his Lordship's native servants, and to cut off all supplies of provisions. Under these circumstances, accom- panied by the denial to sanction or make good any com- mercial transactions involving British property subsequent to the 16th of August, the Right Honourable the Chief Superintendent deemed it necessary, on the 5th instant, to apply to Captain Blackwood, by letter, for a guard of marines for the protection of the factory; and to request that officer at the same time to proceed with His Majesty's ships • Imogene' and * Andromache,' to the anchorage of the trade at Whampoa, for the greater security of British property and persons. " The frigates found no difficulty in effecting their pas- sage through the Bogue, though not without silencing the fire of the Chinese forts by their own, after having received several rounds of shot without returning one, as in the case of the ' Alceste in 1816.* " On the arrival of His Majesty's ships at Whampoa the communication between that place and Canton was entirely closed by the Chinese for all purposes of commerce or otherwise and a negotiation commenced, in which the local government required the withdrawal of the frigates from the anchorage of the merchant ships and the retire- ment of Lord Napier from Canton, previous to the resump- tion of commercial dealings. His Lordship was therefore induced, on the 15th instant, to address a letter to the British merchants, in which he informed them that having thus far without effect used every effort to estabHsh His Majesty's Commission at Canton, he did not feel authorised at present, by a continued maintenance of his claims, to occasion the further interruption of the trade of the port. Captain Blackwood was accordingly requested to proceed with His Majesty's ships to Lintin ; and Lord Napier and suite embarked in two chop-boats for Macao, on the 21st instant." — p. 40. And thus came to a close the proceedings of Lord Napier, * Our readers may perhaps recoUect an amusinf* account, given in the newspapen of the day, of the deportment of Captain Elliot (afterwards Chief Superiiuendent) on the occasion of forcing this passage of the Bogtte. He signified his contempt of the Chinese batteries by bitting on the deck of his cutter in an arm-chair, with an umbrella over his head to protect him from the sun. It is, however, due to the batteries to state that they sent a shot through his mast. a "^ mad, mistaken, barbarian eye," according to the go- vernor of Canton ; but in British estimation, however mis- taken in some respects, a very gallant officer and a zealous servant of the Crown. As soon as his earliest despatches had been received, the Duke of Wellington, then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, had replied to them in a despatch, dated 2nd February, 1835, in which it will be perceived that his Grace adopts the policy of Lord Palmerston's instructions to Lord Napier. " Your despatch of the 9th of August, and your letters marked ' private,' addressed to Lord Palmerston, to the 21st of August, were received at this office on Saturday the 31st ultimo. '* I learn that a vessel will sail for Canton from the river Thames this afternoon ; and I avail myself of that opportu- nity earnestly to recommend to your Lordship's attention the instructions of Lord Palmerston of the 25th January, 1834 ; and most particularly the 18th and 19th Articles of the general Instructions which you have received under the Royal Sign Manual. "It is not by force and violence that His Majesty intends to establish a commercial intercourse between his subjects and China ; but by the other conciliatory measures so strongly inculcated in all the instructions which you have received." — p. 26. On the 24th of March, 1834, the Duke of Wellington addressed to his colleagues the following Memorandum : — No. 23. — Memorandum by the Duke of Wellington. " March 24, 1835. " The despatches and proceedings of the Commission of Superintendents in China have given us all the information that we can acquire up to the end of October, 1834; and as it is quite obvious, from the reports and proceedings, that the attempt made to force upon the Chinese authorities at Canton an unaccustomed mode of communication with an authority, with whose powers and of whose nature they had no knowledge, which commenced its proceedings by an assumption of power hitherto unadmitted, had completely failed ; and as it is obvious that such an attempt must inva- riably fail, and lead again to national disgrace ; and as it appears that, as soon as Lord Napier had withdrawn from Canton to Macao, the trade had been opened, that pilots had been allowed to take British ships up the river to Whampoa, and that the trade was flourishing as ever when the accounts came away, — it appears that the time is come when the Cabinet may take into consideration the means of managing and regulating this affair in future. " It is quite obvious that the pretext for the jealousy of Lord Napier and his Commission stated by the Chinese, was his high-sounding titles; the reality, was his pretension to fix himself at Canton without previous permission, or even communication, and that he should communicate directly with the Viceroy. " It does not much signify, as far as the Chinese are con- cerned, what we call our otiicer in our language. He must not go to Canton without their permission. He must not depart from the accustomed mode of communication. " For our own purposes, and for the sake of the trade, he must be a man of naval, military, or official rank and reputation : he must be one in whose firmness and discretion we can rely ; and he must have great powers to enable him to control and keep in order the King's subjects. " By the 5th Clause of the 3rd and 4th William IV., c. 93, the King is enabled to appoint by Commission or Warrant, not exceeding three of his subjects to be Super- intendents of the Trade of His Majesty's subjects to and from China, to settle such gradation among the said Super- intendents, (one of whom shall be styled the Chief Superin- tendent,) and to appoint such officers to assist them in the execution of their duty, and to grant such salaries to Super- intendents and officers, as His Majesty shall, from time to time, deem expedient. " The Gth Clause enables the King to give to the Super- intendents, by Order in Council, power and authority over the trade of his subjects in China ; to make regulations, by Order in Council, touching the said trade, and for the government of the Kings subjects within the said do- minions; and to impose penalties and imprisonment for the breach of the same, to be enforced as specified in tlie said Order; and to create a Court of Justice, with criminal and admiralty jurisdiction, for the trial of offences committed by His Majesty's subjects within the said dominions, and the ports and havens thereof; and to appoint one of the Super- intendents to be the officer to hold such Court, and other officers for executing the process thereof, and to grant such salaries as to His Majesty shall appear reasonable. 10 " The expense of the establishment forntied under the authority of the Act of Parhament was 18,200/. The offices were as follow : — One Chief Superintendent .... £6,000 One Second Superintendent .... 3,000 One Third Superintendent .... 2,000 One Secretary and Treasurer . . . 1,500 One Chinese Secretary and Interpreter . 1,300 One Chaplain ] ,000 One Surgreon . . - 1,500 One Assistant Surgeon 800 One Master Attendant 800 One Clerk of a superior class, to act as Registrar of the Court of Judicature . 300 £18,200 The Master Attendant has been abolished . £ 800 The Assistant Surgeon might possibly be discontinued . 800 The Third Superintendent to be discon- ~ tinned 2,000 The Second Superintendent to receive 2,000/. instead of 3,000/. Saving . . 1,000 £4,600 Total remaining expense 13,600/. *' I see that His Majesty has the power to appoint not exceeding three Superintendents. I would recommend one Chief Superintendent, and one Second Superintendent. " The Act of Parliament enables the King, by Order in Council, to appoint one of the Superintendents to hold the Court. I would recommend that the Second Superin- tendent should be a gentleman of the legal profession, and that he should be appointed to hold the Court. " According to this mode of proceeding, the whole plan can be carried into execution without altering the Act of Parliament. " It might be expedient to give the succession to the office of Chief Superintendent, by warrant under the Sign Manual, to the Secretary and Treasurer instead of the Second Superintendent, he being a gentleman of the legal 11 profession, upon the death or sudden coining away of the First Superintendent. "If provision should thus be made for really forming a Court, it would be necessary to frame some simple rules of practice, which might be carried into execution without the assistance of gentlemen of the legal profession, who would not be found in the Canton river. " If the Cabinet should be disposed to adopt this plan, 1 would give immediate directions for the draft of the pro- posed Order in Council, to make the necessary alterations and arrangements. " Some alterations must hkewise be made in the instruc- tions to the Superintendents under the Royal Sign Manual. " They are instructed to proceed to and reside at the port of Canton. " The port of Canton is described as being within the Bocca 'i'igris, to which point it is stated that His Majesty's ships are not to go. " The Superintendents therefore are required to go to, and reside at, the place to which these Chinese authorities will not allow them to go, and at which they will not allow them to reside. " This and other matters require alteration. " It will be in the power of the Government hereafter to decide whether any effort shall be made at Pekin, or else- where, to improve our relations with China, commercial as well as political. That which we require now is, not to lose the enjoyment of what we have got. " I would recommend that till the trade has taken its regular peaceable course, particularly considering what has passed recently, there should always be within the Consul General's reach a stout frigate and a smaller vessel of war." — pp. 51,52. Mr. Davis, the second Superintendent, succeeded Lord Napier as Chief of the Commission, and in a despatch from Macao of the 28th October, 1834, he announced to Lord Palmerston the policy which he intended to adopt, and which he did in fact pursue, during the short period of his Superintendency. " A rumour which I have fair grounds for believing, although as yet unsubstantiated in writing, static that the Viceroy bas lost several steps in rank, and that he is recalled 12 from office, on account of the late proceedings at Canton. What is the precise nature of the charges against him, I cannot as yet ascertain ; though it has been stated generally, that his punishment was for * deceiving the Emperor.' Any correct information on this important point, I shall not omit to forward to your Lordship, as soon as obtained, since it may materially influence the proceedings of His Majesty's Government in regard to an appeal to Pekin or other- wise. " I will only observe, with reference to such an appeal, that should a measure of the kind be determined on, not through a cumberous and expensive Embassy with its atten- dant difficulties of ceremonies, but simply by means of a despatch to the mouth of the Pekin river; it might be recommended by such reasons as the following. First, that no fact is better authenticated than the general ignorance in which the Local Government keeps the Court in regard to the Canton trade and its treatment of Europeans ; secondly, that Chinese principles sanction and invite appeals against the conduct of the distant delegates of the Emperor ; thirdly, that a reference of the kind was so successful in 1759 as to occasion the removal of a Chief Commissioner of Customs at Canton, though made by only a subordinate officer of the East India Company. " Whatever may be the line of proceeding finally adopted by His Majesty's Government, 1 have already stated my conviction that during the progress of the commercial trans- actions of individuals, and awaiting the arrival of further instructions from England, this Commission has no other course to pursue than that of absolute silence ; unless in the improbable event very soon to be determined, of such spon- taneous advances being made by the Chinese Government as might admit of the recommencement of negotiations. " That such an event is not probable 1 should surmise from the circumstances of edicts having been issued by the Local Authorities, (though as yet I have not obtained copies,) confirming the first prohibition against the residence of the King's Commission at Canton ; and the Company's agents here have thereupon been requested by the Hong merchants not to sub-let any portion of their factory to the Superinten- dents during the continuation of their lease. It is more- ovei', desired that a commercial agent, called by the Chi- nese a Taepan, should be sent to Canton, and not a King's officer."— p.p. 44, 45. The rumour alluded to by Mr. Davis was afterwards 13 confirmed. Loo, the Governor of Canton, had been degraded by the Emperor on account of having suffered the two fri- gates to pass through the Bocca Tigris to Whampoa, which place is only fifteen miles from Canton. The degradation only applied to his personal rank, and the Emperor left him still at his post, as if that he might have, along with the stimulus, the opportunity to retrieve himself. And in every subsequent exiict. Loo is under the mortifying necessity of announcing his degradation in the same breath with all his high-sounding titles : " LOO, Secondary Guardian of the Heir- Apparent, bear- ing insignia of the highest rank. President of the Tribunal of War, Governor of the Provinces Kwangtungand Kwangse, Hereditary King-chay-too-wei of the first class, degraded from official standing, but retained in office, &c., issues this order." — p. 56. In addition to this degradation. Loo was sentenced to have " his two-eyed peacock's feather plucked out," which may be supposed to be equivalent to the degradation of a Knight of the Bath by chopping off his spurs. The questions in dispute being suspended however, the Superintendents keep- ing themselves quiet at Macao, and the ships of war having left the port. Loo was soon restored to his rank and his feather. On the 2d of January, 1835, Mr. Davis sends home an Imperial edict with the following observations : " This paper attributes the effbrrs of Lord Napier to obtain a direct communication with the government and the transactions consequent thereon, to the numerous extortions of the Canton merchants, and observes, that the foreigners, * unable to bear their grasping, stir up all disturbances.* Were it at all probable (which I feel assured it is not) that the grievances admitted in this Imperial document and ordered therein to be redressed, were thus brought forward from any really spontaneous desire to do justice to strangers, and relieve the Canton trade from its iieavy burthens, tliis would at least prove that our complaints, so often repeated, had at length reached the Court of Pekin. 14 " There is, however, far greater probability in attributing this disposition to criminate the Hong merchants, to that feehng of uneasiness which its present position in respect to the English trade is so well calculated to excite in the cau- tious and timid government of this country. A species of apology is thus provided for the late occurrences and a desire professed to remedy grievances ; in expectation perhaps, that the harsh, unreasonable and unprecedented measure, of rejecting Lord Napier's first letter of announcement, and subsequent attempts at direct correspondence, may expose it to the risk of future and embarrassing discussions. " However desirable it may appear to His Majesty's Government to avoid, if possible, the chance of a serious rupture with this country, at the same time that every en- deavour is made to ameliorate the condition of British traders at Canton, it may with the utmost safety and certainty be averred, that the similar desire on the part of the Chinese government is no less sincere ; however carefully it may be sought to be disguised under the absurd phraseology of its official pa'pers. " While the document above referred to, proposes relief to the fair trader of Canton, another edict, of which I have also the honour to enclose a translation, is levelled against the smuggling trade of Lintin and the coast. It is almost needless to observe, that previous documents of the nature have proved entirely nugatory, and that the opium trade at last has continued in spite of them. It remains now to be seen whether the native government, having its attention at length awakened by the increased amount of smuggling transactions consequent on the open trade of this season, will endeavour to give greater efficacy to its edicts, and oppose some effectual impediments to* the contraband com- merce of Lintin." — p. 76. On January 19th 1835, Mr. Davis gives Lord Palmerston the following resumee of the past and recommendation for the future : " After a lapse of considerably more than three months since the re-opening of the trade consequent on Lord Na- pier's retirement from Canton, I am tempted to take a brief review of the principal occurrences of this period, as the best ground of an opinion concerning the measures which His Majesty's Government may deem it fit to adopt rela- tively to China. 15 ** I am aware that two courses of a very opposite nature might have been taken by me, subsequent to Lord Napier's decease, in Ueu of the one which, according to the best of my ov. n judgment and with the entire concurrence of the Board, I have pursued ; and which, considering that a season of unusual commercial activity and an increased amount of tonnage is now drawing quietly to a close with the monsoon, I see no reason to regret. I might in the first place have tried the effect of a measure which has not been without its advocates and which (under very peculiar and favourable circumstances) was successful in 1814, — I mean the ^withdrawal of the ships from the river and the stop- page of the trade on our part. I do not deny that this might have been productive of considerable embarrassment to the local government for the time : but the ill success of such a course in the season of 1829-30, when the Com- pany's ships were detained for about five months to little or no purpose, was a warning which I now do not regret having profited.by. The effect of such detention on private shipping would have been ruinous, and a serious blow to the future trade with this country. " I might, on the other hand, have adopted the opposite extreme measure of an immediate submission to the dic- tates of the local government, and have proceetled to Canton to place myself under the management of the Hong mer- chants ; but from this I was deterred by the conviction stated to your Lordship in my despatch of the 11th November, that • any adjustment ought to take place as the result of a mutual necessity ; and that an unbecoming and premature act of submission on our part, under present circumstances, could not fail to prove a fruitless, if not a mischievous mea- sure.' I feel persuaded that it would have been the most effectual means of preventing the Emperor's favourable edict, enclosed in my despatch of the 22nd instant. " The proclamations ot the Viceroy, (copies of which I had the honour to forward under dates the 2nd and 11 th November,) calling for the election or appointment from home, of a * trading chief,' betrayed the difficulty which the local government had brought on itself by its refusal to acknowledge Lord Napier. Translations of subsequent papers (not intended for our perusal), which I had the honour to forward on the 18th November, proveil the importance which the local government really attached to the trade, and its anxiety to avoid a rupture; as well as the responsibility which the Emperor had fixed on the Vice- roy, in respect to the preservation of tranquillity. 16 " It was reasonably hoped by the Commission, that a complete silence and abstinence from all further attempts to negotiate with the Canton Government, pending the re- ference home, might be attended with a favourable effect. The Imperial edict, forwarded with my despatch of the 2nd instant, in which the blame of the transactions of August and September is thrown on the Hong merchants, and the late troubles attributed to their extortions on the trade, must be viewed as an unequivocal sanction of that opinion. An opportunity is afforded by this Imperial document, which His Majesty's Government (should it be indisposed to ac- cede to the Chinese proposition of a ' trading chief ) may not be inclined to neglect, in making an appeal to the Court of Pekin against the conduct of its servants at Can- ton, whose corrupt system in relation to the European commerce tends nearly as much to defraud the Emperor of his dues, as to oppress and discourage the foreign trader. I am at least persuaded that it could be only after the failure of such an appeal, that the policy and justice of any coercive measures towards the local government could be otherwise than questionable. — pp. 78, 79, and 80. With this, Mr. Davis's despatches (always clear and ju- dicious) come to an end, and he is succeeded by Sir George Robinson. Soon after his, accession an event occurred which unluck- ily compelled the Superintendent to be the first to break the silence which had been hitherto maintained, and again to attempt a communication with the Viceroy. The mate and eleven of the crew of a British vessel, (the Argyle) had gone on shore for a pilot on the Chinese coast, and had been seized and detained by the natives for the purpose of ransom and plunder. It was necessary to make a strenuous effort for their rescue, and in pursuance of a precedent of the successful delivery of a letter to the Viceroy, at the Water- gate of the City, by Captain Freemantle in 1831, Captain Elliot proceeded to that point and attempted to deliver one from the Superintendents. But as it was not marked with the character " Pin," signifying a petition or respectful re- port, (a point always contended for by the Chinese, and which the Superintendents did not consider themselves au- 17 thorised to concede), the Mandarins who repaired to the gate refused to receive it, and Captain Elliot, who had been surrounded and hustled by a riotous mob before the Man- darins arrived, did not succeed in forwarding the written communication. His verbal remonstrances, however, and the evidence which his enterprise afforded of the importance attached by the Superintendents to the subject, had all the effect that could be desired. Immediate exertions were made by the Governor for the liberation of the twelve men, and they were restored to their ship unhurt on the 19th of February, 1S35. On the 30th March, 1835, Sir George Robinson reports the issue by the Hoppo, the head of the Chinese Custom- house at Canton, of an order by the Governor for the enforce- ment of eight regulations afflecting the trade, and directed chiefly against smuggling. Opium is, however, only inci- dentally mentioned in these regulations, and it is not so much the selling of opium which is quarrelled with, as the evasion of duties by carrying on the trade in the " outer seas," (i. e., at Lintin, Macao, &c.) and not coming up the river and entering the port Sir G. Robinson speaks of the regulations in these terms : — •' I need hardly observe to your Lordship that the single object of the republication of these instruments from time to time, is to enable the Local Government to evade responsi- bility in every conceivable contingency which may arise out of the foreign intercourse, by fixing the duty of a most mi- nute conlroul upon other persons. Whilst things proceed in a quiet and usual course, the regulations are not adverted to, but the moment there is the smallest degree of present inconvenience, the provincial authorities turn to this most comprehensive rubric of prohibitions, and immediately pro- nounce that certain traitorous Hong merchants, &c., &c., (always choosing men of substance,) have been guilty of a breach of the laws of the empire. Their own vindication in the eyes of the Emperor is then attempted, and pretty gene- rally achieved, by the vigorous pursuit of these victims, 18 fining them heavily, or putting them to death, or both, as the urgency of the case shall seem to require." — p. 87. The regulations are in the form of a memorial to the Em- peror, and they contain the following distinct admission that the former laws, restrictive of trade, which had been made from time to time, had become obsolete. It is thus apparent, on the showinor of the Governor of Canton, how difficult it is to know what laws of the empire are considered to be valid and what a dead letter, by the Chinese authorities themselves ; for some of those admitted in this document of 8th March, 1835, to be obsolete, are of no earlier a date than 1831. The words are these — " There have also been further regulations, from time to time, namely, in the 14th year of Keaking, (1810,) and in the llthyear of Taoukwang, (1831,) determined on, by the several former Governors and Lieutenant-Governors ; and on representation (to the throne) the same have been sanc- tioned ; obedience has been paid to them ; and they have become established laws. These have been complete and effectual. But in length of days, wherein they have been in operation, either they have in the end become a dead letter, or there have gradually sprung up unrestrained offences." — p. 89. Sir G. Robinson seems to have thought the new regula- tions against smuggling and the trade at Lintin, worthy of as little attention as the old, and may, perhaps, have gone somewhat too far in his disregard of them. For his subse- quent despatches are devoted chiefly to advocating the cause of a rather turbulent gentleman of the name of Innes, a trader in opium, and to the justification of the step of fixing his residence at Lintin, which he adopted on the 25th No- vember, 1835, of course with a view to aflford facilities to the outside trade. The case of Mr. Innes will be best explained by the following extracts from despatches of Lord Palmerston's, dated 6th June and 8th November, 1836: — 19 "Your despatch of the 20th November last relating to the case of Mr. Innes, and the records of the proceedings of the commission from July 28th to August 16th relating chiefly to the same case, were received here on the 28th of March, the records being inclosed in a despatch from Mr. Eimslie, the Acting Secretary and Treasurer, dated De- cember 10, 1835. I gather from them the following infor- mation : that Mr. Innes, a British merchant residing at Canton, had conceived himself to be unjustly treated by tlie Chinese authorities, in consequence of their demurring to satisfy a demand he had made upon them for the restitution of some bales of merchandise belonging to him, which had been seized by the Chinese Custom-house Officers; and that, upon experiencing delay in the settlement of his de- mand, he had notified to the Governor of Canton his inten- tion to procure redress for himself by acts of reprisal against the Chinese trade, " All the papers relating to this case are at present under the consideration of the law officers of the Crown, and until I have received their report upon them I shall not be en- abled to send you such precise and definite instructions as the complicated nature of the transaction appears to me to require. But I cannot abstain from expressing to you the surprise with which His Majesty's Government learned Mr. Innes's intentions, — intentions which cannot be too strongly condemned ; and which, if carried into execution, would have rendered Mr. Innes liable to the penalties of piracy. If Mr. Innes alone were concerned, ke might be left to abide by the consequences of his own violence; but the proceedings which he threatens to adopt would expose to inconvenience and danger the British subjects at Canton ; and I have therefore to instruct you to prevent Mr. Innes, by all legal means, from executing his threats, if his own sense of their impropriety should not already have induced' him to renounce them. " With regard to any expectation which may have been held out to Mr. Innes, that the authority of His Majesty's Government might possibly be exerted to procure for him the redress he has required, I must observe that his claim involves questions of considerable difficulty, and is by no means so clear and unquestionable as to warrant any such measure as, " to make the recovery of Mr. Innes's property a subject of demand on the Chinese authorities on your first formally coming into contact with them." c2 20 " You will however avail yourself of any suitable oppor- tunity to press upon the Chinese authorities the restoration of the property in question, unless those authorities can show that the goods were seizable by the Custom-house re- gulations, in consequence of being found in the place where they were seized. " It must be remarked, however, that there was ground for unfavourable presumption against the goods ; and that upon the principle contended for by Mr. Innes, — that the employer is responsible for the agent, — he (Mr. Innes) who was at the time employing the pilot Acha, who had charge of the goods, may be required to pay forfeit for the violation of the Chinese Custom laws by the pilot." — ^pp. Ill, 112. " Foreign Office, Sth Nov. 1836. " You have already been informed, by my despatch of June 6th, addressed to Sir George Robinson, that the papers connected with this transaction were under the consideration of the law officers of the Crown. The report which I have now received from the law officers fully confirms the opinion which I expressed in that despatch, that the acts threatened by Mr. Innes would, if carried into effect, amount to piracy. I have therefore to instruct you to communicate to Mr. Innes the opinion of His Majesty's legal advisers with regard to the intention which Mr. Innes had announced ; and to express the conviction of His Majesty's Government that he will abandon all intention of having recourse to pro- ceedings which high legal authorities have declared would amount to piracy. You will further inform Mr. Innes that if the contrary should unfortunately happen, and if he should persist in carrying his former intentions into execution, he will be abandoned by the British Government to the fate which such a course will probably bring upon him; and further, that the commander of any of His Majesty's ships which may fall in with him, will be bound to act towards him as the Naval Instructions require commanders of His Majesty's ships of war to act towards pirates whom they may meet. *' With respect to your representations to the Chinese authorities with a view to obtain the restitution of Mr. Innes's property, you will conform yourself to the instruc- tions contained in the latter part of my despatch to Sir George Robinson." — p. 126. 21 On the 7th of June Lord Palmerston takes up the subject of Sir G. Robinson's removal to Lintin ; and at the same time announces the abolition of the office which he held and the appointment of Captain Elliot to conduct the affairs of the Commission. " Your despatches of the 16th and 29th of January were received here yesterday, and His Majesty's Government is accordingly furnished with some means of forming an opinion with regard to tlie measure which you adopt(>d in the month of November last, of taking up your residence at Lintin. " As to the advantages which you anticipate would result to British commerce from the formation of a permanent establishment at Lintin of the nature of that which you suggest in your despatch of December 1 st, 1 835, 1 have to say that, after duly considering what you have said yourself in favour of such an establishment and the reasons against it, His Majesty's Government do not feel that they have yet been put sufficiently in possession of the means of form- ing any final opinion upon this suggestion ; and I therefore cannot authorise the permanent residence of the Commission at Lintin until I have received further information upon the subject. " You are not, however, to understand, from what I have said above, that I disapprove of your having resided for some time at Lintin. So imperfectly informed as I am with respect to what can be stated for and against the step you had adopted, 1 am obliged to take for granted that your reasons for having adopted it appeared to you to be of suf- ficient weight to counterbalance the inconveniences attendant upon your having separated yourself from your col- leagues, and having undertaken alone to carry on the busi- ness of the Commission, without waiting to learn whether your government coincided in your own particular views or not " It has long been the intention of His Majesty's Govern- ment to reduce the establishment in China : this measure is called for by the necessity of practising economy in every branch of the public service ; and is justified by the extent and nature of the business which the Commission has to transact. For the due despatch of this business, I am of 22 opinion, that an establishment considerably less than that which now exists will be sufficient. I cannot yet exactly state what may be the precise nature of the future establish- ment, but I am clearly of opinion that there is no longer any occasion for the continuance of the office of Chief Super- intendent. It therefore now becomes my duty to acquaint you that His Majesty's Government have decided to abolish at once the office and salary of Chief Superintendent. In communicating to you this decision, I have at the same time to inform you that your functions will cease from the date of the receipt of this despatch. You will make over to Captain Elliot all the archives of the Commission ; which will, of course, include copies of every despatch, and its enclosures, which you have addressed to this department during the period you have acted as Chief Superintendent." —pp. 113,114. Subsequently to the transmission of this despatch from the Foreign Office, there arrived despatches from Sir G. Robinson, further on the subject of the smuggling trade. By the following, dated Lintin, 5th February, 1838, it would seem that Sir G. Robinson thought the smuggling a very safe and flourishing business, conducted with great prudence and integrity ; and as to the opium trade, nothing was easier than to put it down, if the Government thought fit to give directions to that effect. " I see no grounds to apprehend the occurrence of any fearful events on the north-east coast, nor can I learn what new danger exists. I am assured from the best authority that the scuffles between diff'erent parties of smugglers and Mandarins, alike engaged and competing in the traffic, are not more serious or frequent than in this province. In no case have Europeans been engaged in any kind of conflict or affray ; and while this increasing and lucrative trade is in the hands of the parties whose vital interests are so totally dependent on its safety and continuance, and by whose prudence and integrity it has been cherished and brought into its present increasing and flourishing condition, I think little apprehension may be entertained of dangers emanating from imprudence on their part. Should any unfortunate catastrophe take place, what would our position at Canton 23 entail upon us but responsibility and jeopardy ? from which we are now free. " On the question of ' Smuggling Opium,' I will not enter in this place, though, indeed, smuggling carried on actually in the Mandarin boats can hardly oe termed such. Whenever His Majesty's Government direct us to prevent British vessels engaging in the traffic, we can enforce any order to that effect ; but a more certain method would be to prohibit the growth of the poppy and manufacture of opium in British India ; and if British ships are in the habit of committing irregularities and crimes, it seems doubly necessary to exercise a salutary control over them by the presence of an authority at Lintin." — pp. 119, 120. » We are very far from wishing to detract from the repu- tation of Sir G. Robinson, whose merits should be tested by his many years of service under the East India Company, and not by the few months of his service under the Crown. It is possible that the appearances which deceived Sir G. Robinson would have equally deceived most men ; but the real truth was, as subsequent events showed, that the illicit traffic was full of danger. It throve as much after Sir G. Robinson's departure from China as before ; but Captain Elliot did not draw the same inferences. In a despatch, dated I9th November, 1837, his view of the subject is thus given : — " I am disposed to believe that the higher officers of the provincial government are perfectly sensible of the extensive smuggling of opium carried on in the European passage- boats, and from some motive, either of interest or policy, or probably of both, they oppose no immediate obstacle to such a condition of things. " But the continuance of their inertness is not to be depended upon. Disputes among themselves for the shares of the emoluments, private reports against each other to the Court, and, lastly, their ordinary practice of permitting abuse to grow to ripeness and to rest in false security, are all considerations wliich forbid the hope that these things ran endure." — p. 241. 24 And as to putting down the opium trade by a direction of the British Government, it is plain, from all that ensued, that there was neither law, authority, physical means, moral influence, nor any other agency of either government, Bri- tish or Chinese, which could give any force or effect to such a direction. The Chinese government tried it (God knows) to the utmost, and it will be seen in the sequel what the consequences have been, not only as regards other ob- jects, but as regards the opium trade itself. What Lord Palmerston's views may have been as to the issuing of such a direction on the part of the British Government may be gathered from the last paragraph of his despatch of the 8th November, 1836 :— " The assumption of powers which you have no means of enforcing, and the issuing of injunctions which are set at nought with impunity, can only tend to impair the authority and lower the dignity of His Majesty's Commission in the eyes of those by whom it is of importance that it should be looked up to with respect." — p. 129. On the 22d of July, 1836, Lord Palmerston addressed the following instructions to Captain ElHot : — " I have to observe to you that it does not appear to His Majesty's Government that it would be expedient that you should attempt to re-open communications with the viceroy through the Hong merchants ; but, on the contrary, it is desirable that you should decline every proposition to revive official communications through that channel, whatever may be the quarter from whence such propositions may come. " It might be very suitable for the servants of the East India Company, themselves an association of merchants, to communicate with the authorities of China through the merchants of the Hong ; but the Superintendents are officers of the King, and as such can properly communicate with none but officers of the Chinese government. This is a point upon which you should insist ; and I have therefore to ii)struct you, if any attempt should be made by the Hong merchaHts to enter into communication with you upon 25 matters of public business", to express your regret that you are not at liberty to receive any such communications except from the Viceroy direct, or through some responsible officer of the Chinese government. " I have to add that His Majesty's Government do not deem it expedient that you should give to your written communications with the Chinese government the name of 'Petitions:''—^. 123. On the 6th December, 1836, Lord Palmerston, in reference to piratical attacks, and also to an outrage committed by a Portuguese officer at Macao, which had been reported to him, informs Captain Elliot that His Majesty's Government had deemed it expedient — " As well in consequence of these occurrences as with a view to the protection of British commerce in general, to address instructions to the Admiral commanding His Ma- jesty's ships in the East Indies, directing him to station a ship of war constantly in the China seas, and to call the special attention of her commander to the necessity of watching over the interests of British subjects at Macao." — p. 132. On the 8th May, 1836, Sir G. Robinson sends home an edict against the trade on the coasts, which he says is " merely one of the usual screens under cover of which the Manda- rins themselves engage in the illicit trade, or, by the influence of large bribes, connive at its existence and increase." On the 14th December, 1836, the despatch from Lord Palmerston, abolishing Sir G. Robinson's office, was received at Macao, and Captain Elliot assumed the direction of affairs. The following is an extract from his first despatch, dated Macao, 25th January, 1836 : — " The peaceful and conciliatory policy by which the King's Government appears to me to desire to maintain and promote the commercial intercourse with this empire, is not very generally approved by the fifty or sixty resident mer- chants at Canton; and a determination to give it effect, so 26 . far as depends upon me, is the least popular task I could have proposed to myself." — p. 136. And on the 14th March, 1836, he writes thus : — " It had long seemed to me that the arrival of the new Viceroy at Canton would furnish us an occasion for the re- opening of our communications with the provincial authori- ties, by the only channel which, I am well persuaded, will ever open out to us at once, without a very hazardous and a very needless struggle. " Being at Canton, and conforming heartily to the spirit of our cautious and conciliatory instructions, I see every day more reason to believe that, without much address upon our parts, and in short by the mere force of circumstances, we should soon come to make ourselves so useful to the native authorities, as to lead them (gradually and silently indeed, but surely) not only to admit, but to court direct communi- cation with us. In China, to keep things quiet is the best evidence as well as the whole end of successful administra- tion : as soon as the Viceroy found out that we were sincere allies with him in that object, he would sedulously cultivate our friendliness.' — pp. 136, 137. Captain Elliot's next despatch, Macao, 27th July, 1836, adverts to a memorial which had been addressed to the Emperor by one of his ministers in favour of legalising the trade in opium, which memorial, though supposed by Cap- tain Elliot to have been sent home by Sir G. Robinson, did not in fact reach the Foreign Office till a subsequent date. Captain Elliot's comments on it are as follow : — " You will observe that the Memorial already bears the Imperial command to examine and report, which, in their official system, may be said to be a signification of assent. The formal and final orders will probably be here in the course of a month or six weeks. This is a great change in- deed ; but it would be a complete misconception of its cha- racter to confound a change of means with any change in the principle of their policy. This, as respects the foreigner, may be pretty accurately described to be, first, the minimum amount of foreign social intercourse which shall be consist- cut with the active pursuit of trade according to their lights of the most advantageous mode of carrying on trade ; and, decidedly, the most anxious avoidance of any such serious difficulties with the foreigners on the spot as might furnish foreign powers with a pretext for interference. " This stroke is aimed at the overthrow of the Lintin and outside trade and the limitation of our commercial sphere to Canton and the Hong merchants. The extent to which it is successful must depend mainly upon the adherence to the moderate duties and charges proposed in the Memorial. These would be about seven dollars per chest, and under present circumstances the native smuggler cannot land a chest of opium at the nearest depot to Lintin under, at the very least, forty dollars. Thus, then, you will perceive that if this charge is established and faithfully adhered to, no premium can present itself to induce the native to smuggle : and, indeed, it should be added that as soon as the opium may be lawfully introduced at Whampoa,* and at Wham- poa alone, there is no more reason to believe that the smug- gler will be able to introduce it at other points than Canton, than he has hitherto been able to introduce any other arti- cles which may come into Canton, but nowhere else. Smug* gling there may be at Canton, as there is now of all sorts of merchandise to an immense extent, but there will be smug- gling no where else than at Canton ; that is, always sup- posing that the charges are kept at the moderate rate now proposed, the probabilities of which I cannot judge of It has been a confusion of terms to call the opium trade a smuggling trade : it was a formally prohibited trade, but there was no part of the trade of this country which had the more active supjwrt of the local authorities. It com- menced and has subsisted by means of the hearty conni- vance of the Mandarins, and it could have done neither the one nor the other without their constant counte- nance. In my mind, it is much less the Lintin or the coast trade that have produced tliis striking measure than the tea and the tract missions to the coasts, of last year. These events attracted the very anxious notice of the Court itself, and this scheme is the result. The Lintin trade, as long as it was quietly pursued, always had the countenance of the high Mandarins of this province, and * For the purposes of trade, Whaiopoa and Canton may be coobiduied wt the same port, and they seem to be ui>ed here as identicaL 28 though they were naturally unfriendly to its extension to the coast of the neighbouring provinces, still they were disposed to stifle complaints to the Court upon that subject, in order to stave off searching inquiry into their own affairs here. Tracing backwards, no doubt the opium will be found to be the great primary cause of this change. But the immediate cause here, has, I firmly believe, been the distribution of tracts. The opium ships might have continued to visit the coasts with little more than former notice, but the books alarmed the Court seriously. " This State Paper is a public confession that the Chinese cannot do without our opium, and that being the case, the regulation of the manner of its introduction in such wise as will render it least mischievous to their policy of foreign exclusion, is no doubt a skilful measure, but I greatly ques- tion its efficacy. It has been delayed too long. The officers and the people have been accustomed to the feeling that the Government is at once false and feeble. Sooner or later the feeling of independence which the peculiar mode of conducting this branch of the trade has created upon the part of our countrymen in China, will lead to grave diffi- culties. A long course of impunity will beget hardihood, and at last some gross insult will be perpetrated, that the Chinese authorities will be constrained to resent ; they will be terrified and irritated, and will probably commit some act of cruel violence that will make any choice but armed interference impossible to our own Government. The immediate effect of the legalization of the opium will be, I should suppose, to stimulate production at Bengal ; there is some notion here that it will encourage the growth of the poppy in China, and that home-produced opium will thrust our own out of the market ; eventually perhaps it may, but results of that kind are of slow growth." — pp. 137, 138. He pursues the subject on the 10th October, 1836 ; — " We are in expectation of soon receiving the final orders from Pekin for the legalization of the opium. This is un- doubtedly the most remarkable measure which has been taken in respect to the Foreign Trade, since the accession of this dynasty, when the ports on the coast were closed ; and it had been prefaced by a series of reports to the Emperor, strikingly worthy of attention. They incline me to believe. 29 that it wants but caution and steadiness to secure, at no very distant date, very important relaxations." — ^p. 138. On the 14th December, 1836, he announces his purpose of re-opening the intercourse with the Viceroy. After stating his " strong persuasion that a conciliatory disposition to respect the usages, and above all to refrain from shocking the prejudices of the Chinese government, is the course at once most consonant with the magnanimity of the British nation, and with the substantial interest at stake, in the maintenance of peaceful commercial relations with this empire/' he proceeds : — " Being thus impressed, my Lord, I hope it will be a source neither of surprise nor dissatisfaction to you to learn, that I do not propose to protract the actual interruption of our public communications, upon the ground that we have a right to a direct communication with the Viceroy. " I will only add that the very remarkable movements of this Government in respect to the foreign trade actually in agitation, and the critical state of uncertainty in which the results still remain, furnish me a strong additional motive for desiring to place myself at Canton as soon as possible." —p. 139. In the next despatch, 30th December, 1836, he explains his proceedings in the execution of this purpose ; — " I perceived that the recent arrival of your Lordship's despatches would afford me a favourable pretext for address- ing myself to the Governor of the two provinces; and I was mindful that any delay in the communication of my appoint- ment might hereafter be construed into a point of a very suspicious nature, extremely difficult of satisfactory explana- tion : I lost no time, therefore, in drafting the accompanying note to his Excellency. " Another reason, too, had always presented itself to me, in recommendation of this prompt application to the Go- vernor. It seemed that a communication forwarded on the very recent receipt of Instructions from Ilis Majesty's Government, would of itself be a state of circumstances well calculated to dispose the Governor to lend a reasonable 30 attention to moderate and unsuspicious overtures, respect- fully submitted for his Excellency's adoption. " The translation of this paper was sealed up and directed in the same form in which the Select Committee of Supra- cargoes had been accustomed to superscribe documents to the Governor's address. In other words, the superscription bore the Chinese character ' Pm,' carrying in our language the signification of ' an address from an inferior to a superior.' * * * * Hf " Upon the morning of the 25th instant I had the satis- faction to receive an official communication from the gentle- man to whom my address had been confided, covering an edict from the Governor in reply to it, together with a note from Howqua. * * * * * " This edict, my Lord, has appeared to me to justify some hope that a point of no ordinary public moment is susceptible of attainment, namely, the direct Imperial sanc- tion of the official character of a person at Canton, wholly unconnected with trade, and I trust your Lordship will approve of the terms in which I have replied to his Excel- lency's edict with the intention to promote that result. * » * * * ** It is proper to state to your Lordship, that I took occa- sion to tell the merchants in strong terms, for communication to the authorities, that I could not undertake, upon the part of His Majesty's Government, the least share of responsi- bility for the adjustment of any disputes or difficulties wliich might arise at Canton, pending my protracted absence from that place in conformity with the Governor's desire. " His Excellency, in his wisdom and sense of justice, would admit that it was fit I should be placed in a situation to prevent and control before I could be called upon to manage and adjust. This was an argument very congenial to the mode of general reasoning in this country upon all points of responsibility ; and they assured me that it should be earnestly pressed upon the Governor's attention. * * 4: * * " I have thus, my Lord, once more opened the commu- nications with this Government ; and I sincerely trust your Lordship will see no reason to disapprove of my motives or of the manner of my proceeding. I have acted under a strong persuasion that all hope of peacefully carrying the 31 point of direct official intercourse was futile ; that the actual condition of circumstances was hazardous ; that the Instruc- tions in my hand do not warrant the assumption that I have any high political or representative character ; and, finally, that the course itself which I have pursued is neither dero- gatory to the national honour, nor at variance with sound principles of public propriety and utility. " I shall venture to trouble your Lordship, by an early occasion, with a few ideas as to the mode by which, in ray opinion, it would be judicious to preface and accompany an attempt to carry the point of direct official communication, not only to the Governor, but from the Governor, whenever it shall appear that sufficiently urgent public grounds shall exist for achieving such a concession. " Your Lordship will hear with satisfaction that the' trade at Canton is proceeding in tranquillity." — pp. 139, 140, 141, 142. On the 12th of June,. 1837, Lord Palmerston instructs Captain Elliot as follows : — " I have received your despatch of December 30, 1836, detailing the particulars of a communication into which yoiv had thought proper to enter with the authorities of the Chi- nese Government at Canton, through the Hong merchants ; and I have also received your despatch of January 12, 1837, in which you state the course which you intended to pursue until the arrival of further instructions from this department. " 1 have now to desire that, upon the receipt of this de- spatch, you will further inform the Hong merchants and the viceroy that His Majesty's Government cannot permit that you, an officer of His Majesty, should hold communications with an officer of the Emperor of China, through the inter- vention of private and irresponsible individuals. You will, therefore, request that any communications which tlie go- vernor may have to make to you in future, may be sent to you direct ; and that the governor will consent to receive directly from you any communications on pubhc affairs which the interests of the two governments may require you to make to him. You will also explain, tliat if in future your written communications should not be endorsed with the character which is usually adopted by subordinate officers in China when addressing representations to su- 32 perior Chinese authorities, this alteration will not arise from any want of respect on your part towards the go- vernor; but will simply be the result of the established usages of England, which do not admit that an officer com- missioned by the King of England should so address an officer commissioned by any other sovereign," — p. 149. Before this instruction reached Captain Elliot, he had gone a good w^ay in the execution of his own views ; in pur- suance of which, by yielding the question of direct commu- nication at first, he made good his residence at Canton, with the sanction of the Emperor; and, in a short time, carried the point of communicating sealed letters direct to the Viceroy, though not receiving them from the Viceroy. We shall anticipate some dates, in order to bring the corre- spondence on this question to a close, and clear it away from that which is to follow on the subject of opium, which so soon became all-important. The following extracts of despatches from Captain Elliot relate to the mode of inter- course : — " Macao, January 27, 1837. " In the transmission of our papers to the Governor, the Hong merchants, indeed, are already merely messengers, for they unquestionably convey the papers to his Excel- lency's hands, sealed up. But in the passage of papers from the Governor to us, in a sealed shape, or at least through a respectable officer of the Government, there remains a substantial point to be gained. " Your Lordship may rely upon my best efforts to ob- tain this concession; and I hope I shall be excused for repeating in this place, that the actual turn of circumstances appears to render it easier of accomplisibment than it has ever yet been. "This and all other advantages susceptible of quiet ac- quisition, seem to me to be less likely of accomplishment by direct applications for relaxation, than by placing our- selves unobtrusively in a situation which shall induce ap- proaches from the Chinese authorities. The moment may be at hand when it will be in my power to signify to his Excellency the Governor, at a great advantage, and in the most deferential terms, that I should be glad to interpose in 33 any particular task hp may desire to put upon me, but that it is a business of gfreat moment, and that I could not van- ture to do so except his Excellency s pleasure were either addressed directly to me in a sealed shape, or through some responsible officer of the Government." — p. 150. " Macao, April 1, 1837. " Before I proceed to Canton, I think it right to place your Lordship in possession of my own views upon the actual posture of circumstances connected with the public intercourse between His Majesty's Government and this empire. " The imperial edict which I have had the honour to transmit is certainly a very formal and unequivocal recog- nition of my character as a British officer, appointed by the Government of my country to manage its public concerns in these dominions. No attempt is made to evade the material distinction between my own position and that of the chief servant of the Company, or of any other foreign frmctionary hitherto permitted to reside here. The under- standing that I cannot engage in trade, and that my busi- ness is purely public, is plainly expressed. " Upon the side of His Majesty's Government then, my Lord, it appears to me that no condition is wanting to give to the representations of its agent here a complete formal character. They are the communications of a foreign officer recognised by the Emperor, addressed to the head of the Provincial Government, and they reach his Excellency's hands in a sealed shape. "As respects the communications of the Government intended for me, the state of the case is very different. They are not addressed to me at all : they speak of me, not to me. They are injunctions to persons with whom, in the admission of the F^niperor, I have no congeniality of pursuit, and who, therefore, in common sense, ought to have no public relations with me. " To the extent that the employment of the Hong mer- chant, as a channel for the conveyance of direct sealed com- munications to the Governor, commits me to receive by the same hand direct sealed communications from the Governor, the analogy, indeed, is a sound one, and I could offer no objection to practice founded upon it. But rhe use of the Hong merchant as a letter-bearer to the Governor, certainly carries with it no acquiescence in the doctrin*' that the Go- 34 vernor's orders addressed to that individual are binding upon me. " As it is at present, I am entitled to consider that the Governor's communications in respect to me reach me in the form of no more than highly credible information. And when no public inconvenience or grave personal responsi- bility is to be incurred by shaping my proceedings upon knowledge thus acquired, I hope your Lordship will be of opinion that I shall only manifest a proper respect to these authorities by conforming to their understood wishes, not- withstanding the indirectness of their signification. But as a constant principle, it appears to be clear that my obliga- tion of conformity to the pleasure of this Government or of any notice of it, are justly limited by the rule that it should be directly and formally signified to me. " It is not for me to dictate a mode of intercourse to the Chinese Government with an officer of a foreign nation — and indeed I have a strong impression that events will soon open their own eyes to the unsuitableness and inefficacy of the present course for their own purposes. "When his Excellency finds me incommunicable upon points on which he desires to communicate with me, (for to receive papers addressed to the Hong merchants, in my judgment, by no means commits me to acknowledge them in other papers addressed to the Governor,) I imaghie his Excellency will set about to seek what these obstacles are, and how they may be conveniently and quietly set aside. " His Excellency, it may be suggested in some such con- juncture, receives my communications in a sealed shape addressed directly to himself — a practice with which 1 am perfectly satisfied : and if he thinks fit to forward his own direct to me in the same wise, I could no longer presume to question the perfect formal sufficiency of such a manner of intercourse. "There were many subjects upon which his Excellency communicated with the Hong merchants that I could not venture publicly to notice, except his pleasure were signified to me in a direct form, or through a responsible officer of the empire of respectable rank specially deputed for the purpose of carrying on the public intercourse with me. Under present circumstances his Excellency's views only reached my knowledge as they did that of all foreign pri- vate individuals — that is to say, at second hand ; and, as an individual, they should always have my most respectful at- 35 tention. But as aii officer, my responsibility was serious, and I was precluded from dealing with them officially, imless I had a direct public warrant for my proceedings. " The Hong merchants are men unacquainted with public affairs and naturally swayed by their private interests, and therefore, with no culpable intentions, their liability to mis- takes and misconception is considerable. The consequences of such errors might be too fatal to permit me to waver from my just claim to be placed in direct possession of the wishes of this Government, whenever it was expected I should take public notice of them committing the public interests of my country. " The Emperor had already been graciously pleased to acknowledge my official character; and his Imperial Ma- jesty, in his wisdom, would also recognise the rea.sonableness of these objections and requests, founded upon my duty to my own Government, and upon an anxious desire to obviate the risk of very hazardous misunderstandings. "With this course of representation, put forward at a favourable opportunity and in the most deferential language, I see no reason to despair of carrying the required modifi- cation in the mode of conducting my official intercourse with the Provincial Government. " I will conclude this despatcli by observing, that, in ray own humble opinion, the actual manner of communication from us to the Chinese is sufficiently formal and complete for all our purposes. From them to us, and for their objects, it is defective. I can assure your Lordship that this is a condition of circumstances far loss inconvenient to his Ma- jesty's Government than to the provincial authorities. The defect, however, is of their own creation, and the remedy is in their own hands." — pp. 196, 197, 198. " Canton, 27th April, 1837. " The enclosed papers involve a formal declaration of considerable importance, which we have succeeded in draw- ing from the Governor since our arrival in Canton, on the i2th instant, viz., the clear right to forward our adilresses to His Excellency in a sealed shape, and without previous communication upon the subject of their contents to any persons whatever." — p. 198. d2 36 On the 2d November, 1837, Lord Palmerston replies to the above despatches : — " In your despatch of the 27th of April you detail the par- ticulars of various communications which you had had with the Viceroy of Canton, with a view to the assertion of your right to forward your communications direct to that officer in a sealed form, and to receive those of his Excellency in a similar form, addressed direct to yourself, and not to the Hong merchants. " Her Majesty's Government have learnt with satisfaction that you had succeeded in obtaining the admission of the first of these claims, which relates to the mode of sending in your own communications ; and I am to express to you the approbation of your Government of the course which you pursued on this occasion. " You will not fail, on every suitable opportunity, to con- tinue to press for the recognition, on the part of the Chinese authorities, of your right to receive, direct from the Vice- roy, sealed communications addressed to yourself without the intervention of Hong merchants." — p. 192. On the 29th November, 1837, Captain Elliot, having received, not of course the above despatch from Lord Palmerston, but that of 12th June, 1837, in which he was directed to insist on all the points in dispute as to mode of communication, reports the proceedings which he had adopted to persuade the Viceroy to concede these points ; and that, finding them ineffectual, he had announced to the Hong merchants his determination to strike the British flag and again retire to Macao. " They urged me to stay, and held out hopes of adjust- ment ; but I said 1 had fulfilled my instructions, and, looking around me, 1 saw enough of reason to anticipate serious difficulties, and to be glad to be out of Canton whilst I could neither communicate with the Governor nor learn his pleasure, and was thus deprived of all means of prevent- ing or remedying disaster. " They then hinted that the Governor did not seem to 37 consider there was any insuperable objection to yielding tlie point of direct official intercourse. But he desired them to say that he could not sanction any change in the super- scription of my addresses. " Direct written communications from the Governor to a person in my station, your Lordship may be assured, are impossible of attainment till Her Majesty's officers are here supported by the presence of force ; and then it is certainly probable that the point may pass without much difficulty. '* I hope your Lordship will consider that the good understanding wliich continues to subsist between the Governor and myself, notwithstanding the interrupted state of the communications, is a source of satisfaction. He de- sired the merchants to inform me that he entertained a respect for me, and that he had reported in that sense to the Emperor." — pp. 246, 247. Ou the 4th December, J 837, Captain Elliot writes the last of the despatches which are exclusively or chiefly occu- pied with the question concerning modes of intercourse. " In my mind, my Lord, the peaceful establishment of direct official intercourse is no longer of questionable or diffi- cult accomplishment. " Tlie principle that officers were not to reside in the Empire has been formally renounced by the Emperor him- self, and that was tlie main obstacle. The clearest ad- mission of my right to direct sealed communications with the Governor, upon the ground of my official character, has been conceded : an official mistake in an edict describing me to be a merchant has been publicly acknowledged and corrected : facilities (especially upon the plea that I was an officer, and involving a direct official intercourse with the Mandarin here) have been accorded : striking proofs of the disposition to devolve upon me, in my official capacity, the adjustment of all disputes, even between Chinese and my own countrymen, have been afforded. On one occasion the Provincial Government has already communicated with me in a direct official shape ; and upon my late departure from Canton, it was easy to perceive that the Governor was pre- pared to fall entirely into that course, u|)on the condition 38 that I should waive the proposed change in the super- scription of my addresses. " When to these circumstances be joined the considera- tion that the Provincial Government has now been accus- tomed to a measured mode of official address, which it is certain has been more agreeable to it than the less guarded toneof irresponsible individuals, I tliink I may say that it is probable the communications will be opened upon the re- quired footing before the replies to these despatches can arrive. " But, at all events I entertain a persuasion that a letter from your Lordship to the Cabinet at Pekin, written by Her Majesty's command, and sent to the mouth of the Pei- Ho in a ship-of-war, would at once draw from the Emperor an order for the concession of the point." — p. 249. The opium question now comes on, and the subject of modes of intercourse may be dismissed with the remark that, as affairs grew more and more critical, a compromise on the points of intercourse became necessary, and Captain Elliot assumed the responsibility of recurring to the use of the superscription, " Pin," and his conduct in so doing was not disapproved by Lord Palmerston, who directed him, however, in a despatch of June 13th, 1839, to " avail himself of any proper opportunity to press for the substitution of a less objectionable character." Direct communication, both to and fro, was obtained on important occasions ; and it would rather appear that even the Chinese authorities kept these matters less in view, as matters of war and peace and life and death came in question. It will have been observed by the notices in the previous correspondence that Captain Elliot had always considered the opium-trade to be full of danger.* He seems to have been a little, and only a little, shaken in this opinion by the unex- pected intelligence that the Emperor contemplated its legali- zation. The measures which were simultaneously taken for repressing it were considered, at the time, to be only intended * See ante his Despatch of 27th July, 1836. 39 to drive it within such limits as might admit of the legalising project being carried into effect ; for the documents which proved that project to be entertained at the court of Pekin were of undoubted authenticity. The following is an extract from the despatch dated 2nd February, 1 837, which conveyed these documents to Lord Palmerston : — " I have now the honour to transmit to your Lordship as remarkable a series of papers as has ever yet emanated from the Government of this country in respect to the foreign trade. They are arranged in the order in which they came into our hands. " Vague reports had reached the factories several months before the memorial of Heu-Naetse, No. 1, fell into our pos- session, to the effect that the Court was seriously contem- plating the legalization of the opium-trade. Little credit, however, was attached to these rumours. But I confess I was one amongst the very few persons who thought they were well founded ; and notwithstanding all the actual de- gree of rigorous prohibition, I am still of opinion that the legal admission of the opium may be looked for, "The first paper I ever saw which led me to reason that such a measure had been entertained at Pekin is a striking Memorial from the late Governor and Lieutenant-Governor of these Provinces to the Emperor. It is without date, but it came into the possession of the foreigners so remotely as the year 1832, " In this document there is a forecast of the scheme of le- galization ; and it is difficult to believe that the high officers of such a Government as this would have ventured to shadow it forth, even in far more obscure terms than these, if they had not been sensible that there was already a powerful party in favour of the measure. This hint drew down upon their Excellencies, indeed, the formal censure of His Impe- rial Majesty, but still the idea will present itself that the po- licy must have had its influential advocates, even at that distant date. ' We, your Ministers,' say the memorialists, * after humble consideration, are of opinion that opium having become prevalent in the country, vagabonds who smoke it to the injury of their lives and of their constitutions do so entirely from their own stupidity and refusal to be aroused, and are therefore unworthy of regret. But tlie loss of wealth and waste of treasure are exceedingly great, and 40 the evil suffered is not indeed light. If at this time it were suffered to be brought in and publicly used, with legal per- mission, as a medicine, this would prevent the foreigners from raising the price to an enormous height. Thus also might a silent impediment' (probably the encouragement of native growth may be here implied) ' be placed in the way of their avaricious plans and large profits.' " At this point the memorialists inquire with an abrupt- ness which might induce some impression that it was their purpose to recommend increased vigour in the prohibition system, — " ' Still, then, would not this be a sudden acquiescence in, and give unlimited licence to, the evil ?' " But this reflection, on the contrary, is the preface to a strong and faithful picture of the mischief and the hopeless- ness of all proceedings of that kind. The forts might be strengthened, additional forces stationed at the passes ; the traffic, they observe, would but remove to other places ; and what would be the effect of the renewed vigilance of the Go- vernment ? Only ' to open a way to piratical banditti to as- sume the appearance of Government runners, in order to stop and clandestinely search boats. In Canton province of late years/ continue the memorialists, 'the plunderers of trading- boats on the coasts and rivers, and the plunderers of travel- ling merchants on land, whn have, under the pretence of searching for opium, wantonly troubled others, and involved them in the present illegality, are more than can be told. And the quantities of opium dirt which civil and military officers have at various times been sent to burn and destroy are incalculable. Yet after all we do not know in what respect the illegality has been repi-essed.' " But, my Lord, vast as the mischief of this system must have grown to be — a system of most extensive law-breaking, carried on under the sanction of the Emperor and with the active connivance of the high officers of these provinces, — yet, in my opinion, it is not to motives arising from such grounds of consideration that the contemplated change must be ascribed. There is little reason to conclude that the recom- mendation of such a policy as this would ever have been allowed to be published, still less that the policy itself would be worked out, if there were no more m-gent incentives to its adoption than are to be found in the awakening spirit of public virtue upon the part of the Chinese Government. " The opium-trade only conmienced or subsisted, as its 41 present state of stagnatioti indisputably proves, by reason of the hearty concurrence of the chief authorities of these provinces, and indeed also of the Court. No portion of the trade to this country more regularly paid its entrance than this of the opium. The least attempt to evade the fees of the Mandarins was almost certain of detection and severe punishment, and a large share of these emolu- ments reached not merely the higher dignitaries of the Empire, but, in all probability, in no very indirect manner, the Imperial hand itself " The origin of the legalization scheme is to be ascribed, I believe, mainly, if not entirely, to the following causes : — " Istly. 'Jo the intense political disquietude of the Court at the extension of the trade on the north-east coasts. " 2ndly. To the increasing alarm which is felt at what is considered to be the irrecoverable disappearance of the real wealth of the country, that is to say, the silver in exchange for the opium. " The first cause has possibly operated with additional force since the events of 1834 at Canton; and the visits of the Missionaries to the coasts, in 1835 and 1836, with tracts in the Chinese language, have also unquestionably attracted the anxious attention of the Court. Their ap- pearance has naturally been connected with that of the opium-ships, although 1 believe, in most instances, un- foundedly. More than one Imperial Edict has been ])romulgated upon the subject of these tracts: not that there is any reason to believe the religious writings are of themselves very hostilely considered, but it is, no doubt, apprehended that they who bring tracts of one description may very well bring those of another and more dangerous. It will be no source of surprise to your Lordship that the Chinese Government should be wholly unequal to the con- ception of the motives which influence these pious men, and that their visits to the coasts should be ascribed to pur- poses calculated to excite extremely disquieting suspicions. The papers now transmitted furnish evidence of a strong difference of sentiment at Pekin upon the subject of the admission of the opium ; and it must be conceded that such a circumstance leads to a higher opinion of the integrity of exalted Ciiinese functionaries than is coiiimonly entertained. One or other of these ministers tnust, in all ])robability, be reporting in a sense which he knows is contrary to that of the Emperor. 42 " Considering, however, the probable moral condition of such a court as this, and having regard to the force of those impressions by which it seems to be actuated on this occa- sion, I cannot but think your Lordship will be of opinion that the counsels of those who advocate the more imme- diately politic expedient will prevail over adverse reason- ing, founded upon high principles and remote mischief. » * ♦ » * '* I ought not to omit to mention to your Lordship, how- ever, that it is confidently rumoured the Governor has sought permission from the Court to give the trial of a year to the effect of the present system of obstruction : but we hear, at the same time, that his Excellency is in some hope of being removed from the Government of these provinces. The last report, in my mind, rather strengthens the probability of the other. " It is conceivable that the Governor cannot desire to be the principal responsible agent in the safe working out of a great change of this description; and it certainly may be possible that his representations and requests for the delay of a year would dispose the party at Pekin adverse to the legalization, to make another earnest effort to defer the measure. But I cannot think that such a proposition would find favour with the Emperor, because it is plain that the present course is not susceptible of safe protraction. " In a few weeks the produce of the first opium sales of the year in Bengal must arrive here, and then, if the restric- tions continue, this trade will, in all probability, immedi- ately assume a different character. From a traffic pro- hibited in point of form, but essentially countenanced, and carried on entirely by natives in native boats, it will come to be a complete smuggling trade. The opium will be conveyed to parts of the coasts previously concerted in Canton, in British boats, and thence be run by the natives ; thus throwing our people into immediate contact with the inhabitants on shore, and certainly, in other respects, vastly enhancing the chances of serious disputes and collision with the Government officers. " It seems to be probable that this state of things would either hasten forward the legalization edict, or, in the event of any check to our boats, defer it to some indefinite period, and in other %vays very inconveniently alter the whole position of circumstances in this country. " Without troubling your Lordship, however, for the 43 present with any further speculations as to the turn tliat events may take, it is now my duty to state that at this moment, and for the last two months, the local Government has been pursuing a system of severe restriction with re- spect to this branch of the trade, which has been successful to a great extent. ^ • ♦ « « « " In the course of a few days I shall have the honour to transmit to your Lordship copies of letters I propose to address to the Right Honourable the Governor-General, and the Honourable the Rear-Admiral commanding in chief on this subject. " It seems likely that the visits of men-of-war at this crisis, for short periods, and at brief intervals, would have the effect either of relaxing the restrictive spirit of the Pro- vincial Government, or of hastening onwards the legalization measure." — pp. 153, 154, 155. The various memorials and reports to the Emperor from Chinese functionaries on both sides of the question which are enclosed in the above despatch, are of great length, and were of more importance when the decision of the Emperor was yet to be ascertained than now when it has been mani- fested in something more than words. Yet some passages of these documents are still too interesting not to be ex- tracted, partly as showing the motives and end of the policy of all parties at the court of Pekin, — always, whether one means or the other is advocated, whether by legalization or prohibition of the imports of opium, directed to pre- vent the "oozing out" of native silver in exchange for it, and to improve the revenues of the Emperor; — and partly as showing the views taken by Chinese statesmen of the impossibility of suppressing the trade, and the evils which attend it when forced by prohibition into illicit channels. These passages are the following : — Heu-Naetse to the Emperor in J'avour of the legaliza- tion. " At the present time, the prohibitions of Govern- ment being most strict against it, none dare openly to 44 exchange goods for it ; all secretly purchase it with moneys * * « " Formerly the barbarian merchants brought foreign money to China, which, being paid in exchange for goods, was a source of pecuniary advantage to the people of all the sea-board provinces. But latterly the barbarian merchants have clandestinely sold opium for money ; which has ren- dered it unnecessary for them to import foreign silver. Thus foreign money has been going out of the country, while none comes into it. * * * * " The existing state of the salt-trade in every province is abject in the extreme. How is this occasioned but by the unnoticed oozing out of silver? If the easily exhaustible stores of the central spring go to fill up the wide and fa- thomless gulf of the outer seas, gradually pouring them- selves out from day to day and from month to month, we shall shortly be reduced to a state of which I cannot bear to speak. " It is proposed entirely to cut off the foreign trade, and thus to remove the root, to dam up the source of the evil. The Celestial Dynasty would not, indeed, hesitate to relin- quish the few millions of duties arising therefrom. But all the nations of the West have had a general market open to their ships for upwards of a thousand years, while the dealers in opium are the English alone : it would be wrong, for the sake of cutting off the English trade, to cut off that of all the other nations. Besides, the hundreds of thousands of people living on the sea- coast depend wholly on trade for their livelihood, and how are they to be disposed of? More- over, the barbarian ships, being on the high seas, can repair to any island that may be selected as an entrepot, and the native sea-going vessels can meet them there ; it is then impossible to cut off the trade. Of late years, the foreign vessels have visited all the ports of jFuhkeen, Che- keang, Keangnan, Shantung, even to Teentsin and Mant- chouria, for the purpose of selling opium. And although at once expelled by the local autliorities, yet it is reported that the quantity sold by them was not small. Thus it appears that though the commerce of Canton should be cut off, yet it will not be possible to prevent the clandestine introduction of merchandise. » » * * " In the first year of Taoukwang, the Governor of 4') Kwangtung and Kwangse, V^ien Yuen, proceeded with all rigour of the law against. Ye Hanoshoo, head of the opium establishment then at Macao. The consequence was that foreigners, having noj one with whom to place their opium, p?*oceeded to Lintin to sell it. This place is within the pre- cincts of the Provincial Government, and has a free commu- nication by water on all sides. Here are constantly anchored seven or eight large ships, in which the opium is kept, and which are therefore called • receiving ships.' At Canton there are brokers of the drug, who are called ' melters.' These pay the price of the drug into the hands of the resi- dent foreigners, who give them orders for the delivery of the opium from the receiving ships. There are carrying boats plying up and down the river ; and these are vulgarly called 'fast crabs' and ' scrambling dragons.' They are well armed with guns and other weapons, and are manned with some scores of desperadoes who ply their oars as if they were wings to fly with. All the custom-houses and military posts which they pass are largely bribed. If they happen to encounter any of the armed cruising boats, they are so audacious as to resist, and slaughter and carnage ensue. « 4. . • • " There are also, both on the rivers and at sea, banditti who, with pretence of acting under the orders of the Govern- ment, and of being sent to search after and prevent the smuggling of opium, seek opportunities for plundering. When I was lately placed in the service of your Majesty, as acting judicial Commissioner at Canton, cases of this nature were very frequently reported. Out of these arose a still greater number of cases in which money was extorted for the ransom of plundered property. Thus a countless num- ber of innocent people were involved in suffering. All these wide-spread evils have arisen since the interdicts against opium were published." The imperial edict issued upon Heu-Naetse's memorial is as follows : — "HEU-NAETSE, Vice-President of the Sacrificial Court, has presented a memorial in regard to opium, repre- senting that the more severe the interdicts against it are made, so much the more widely do the evils arising from it 46 spread ; and thai of late years, the foreigners, not daring openly to give it in barter for other commodities, have been in the habit of selling it clandestinely for money, thus occa- sioning an annual loss to the country, which he estimates at above ten millions of taels. He therefore requests that a change be made in regard to it, permitting it again to be introduced and given in exchange for other commodities. Let Tang, Tingching, and his colleagues deliberate on the subject, and then report to us. Let a copy of the original memorial be made for their perusal, and sent with this edict to Tang, Tingching, and Ke Kung, who are to enjoin it also on Wan. Respect this." — p. 161. The Hong merchants are next called upon for an opinion, and they wish to devolve the responsibility of checking the trade on the officers of the cruising vessels or coast guard ; for they declare that, " should any vessel in the course of passage on the high seas happen to traffic with the receiving ships, it is beyond their power to prevent it." The Governor and Lieutenant-Governor come next, and they affirm that the penalties against selling opium are sufficiently severe, and yet altogether ineffective : — "This punishment has been gradually increased to trans- portation and death by strangling. The law is by no means deficient in severity. But the people are not so much influ- enced by the fear of the laws as by the desire of gain. Hence, from the time that the prohibition was passed, the crafty schemes and devices of evil men have daily multi- plied. On the one hand, receiving ships are anchored in the entrances from the outer seas : on the other hand, bro- kers, called melters, are everywhere established in the inner land. Then again * fast crabs ' and ' scrambling dragons ' — as the boats are called — are fitted out for clandestine commerce : and lastly, vagabonds, pretending authority to search, have under this pretext indulged their own unruly desires." — p. 163. They therefore approve the plan of legalization : — " If this plan be faithhiUy and vigorously carried into 47 effect, the tens of millions of precious money which now annually go out of the empire will be saved, the source of the stream will be purified, and the stream itself may be eventually stayed. The amount of duties being less onerous tlian what is now paid in bribes, transgressions of the revenue laws will cease of themselves; the present evil practices of transporting contraband goods by deceit and violence will be suppressed without effort ; the numberless quarrels and litigations now arising therefrom at Canton, together with the crimes of worthless vagrants, will be di- minished. Moreover, if the Government officers, the lite- rati, and the military, be still restrained by regulations, and not suffered to inhale the drug ; and if offenders among these classes be immediately dismissed from the public ser- vice, while those of the people who purchase the drug and smoke it are not at all interfered with, all will plainly see that those who indulge their depraved appetites are the victims of their own self-sacrificing folly, — ^persons who are incapable of ranking among the capped and belted men of distinction and learning. And if in this way shame be once aroused, strenuous exertion and self-improvement will be the result, — for the principles of reform are founded in shame and remorse." — p. 164. The political economy of these functionaries is not to be despised. *' No price should be fixed on the drug. It is a settled principle of commerce that when prices are very low, there is a tendency to rise ; and when high, a tendency to fall. Prices then depend on the supply that is procurable of any article, and the demand that exists for it in the* market ; they cannot be limited by enactments to any fixed rate. • Now, though the prohibition of opium be repealed, it will not be a possible thing to force men who buy at a high price to sell at a cheap one. ' — pp. 166, 167. But the^ passage which is the most remarkable is the following, which shows that it is the importation, and not the consumption, of opium by the Chinese, which is found fault with, though the evils attending the use of it are 48 from time to time noticed incidentally in most of these me- morials : — " To shut out the importation of it by foreigners, there is no better plan than to sanction the cultivation and prepa- ration of it in the empire. It would seem right, therefore, to relax in some measure the existing severe prohibitions, and to dispense with the close scrutiny now called for to hinder its cultivation." — p. 167. Next come the memorials of the Councillors who take the other side of the question ; and here we have the most distinct admissions that the laws against the trade have been allowed to fall into desuetude, and that it is the fault of the Chinese functionaries themselves that the trade is car- ried on, "The thing to be lamented," says Choo Tsun, "is insta- bility in maintaining the laws — the vigorous execution of them being often and suddenly exchanged for indolent laxity." * * * * " But none surely would contend that the law, because in such instances rendered inetfectual, should therefore be abro- gated ? The laws that forbid the people to do wrong may be likened to the dykes which prevent the overflowing of water. If any one then, urging that the dykes are very old, and therefore useless, should have them thrown down, what words could express the consequences of the impetuous rush and all-destroying overflow ? Yet the provincials, when dis- cussing the subject of opium, being perplexed and bewil- dered by it, think that a prohibition which does not utterly prohibit, is better than one which does not effectually prevent, the importation of the drug. Day and night I have medi- tated on this, andean in truth see no wisdom in the opinion." —p. 169. It is by this Councillor that we first find the injurious effects of opium upon the people put forward as the chief argument against the trade. But it is observable that the character of the motives is still political, not moral. To 49 enervate the people is to strike at the " foundations of the empire." He adverts to the ' History of Formosa:' — « " * The natives of this place were at the first sprightly and active, and being good soldiers, were always successful in battle. But the people called Hung-maou (Red-haired) came thither, and having manufactured opium, seduced some of the natives into the habit of smoking it ; from these the mania for it rapidly spread throughout the whole nation ; so that, in process of time, the natives became feeble and enervated, submitted to the foreign rule, and ultimately were completely subjugated.' Now the English are of the race of foreigners called Hung-maou. In introducing opium into this country their purpose has been to weaken and enfeeble the Central Empire. If not early aroused to a sense of our danger, we shall find ourselves, ere long, on the last step towards ruin." — pp. 170, 171. Heu-Kew follows on the same side, and he also lays the whole blame of the trade on the Chinese officers : — " How can it be otherwise than that the silver of China is lessened, and rendered insufficient, even daily ! But that it has gone to this length is altogether attributable to the conduct of the great officers of the above-named province in times past — to their sloth and remissness, their fearfulness and timidity, their anxiety to show themselves liberal and indulgent, — by which they have been led to neglect obedi- ence to the prohibitory enactments, and to fail in the strict enforcement of the precautionary regulations." — pp. 174, 175. In a subsequent part of his memorial there is the follow- ing remarkable passage : — " From times of old it has been a maxim, in reference to ruling barbarians, to deal closely with what is within, but to deal in general with that which is without, — first to govern one's self, and then only to govern others. We must, then, in the first place, establish strict regulations for the punish- ment of offi?nces ; and afterwards we may turn to the traitorous natives who sell the drug, the Hong merchants who arrange the transactions, the brokers who purchase wholesale, the boat-people who convey the drug, and the E 50 naval officers who receive bribes ; and having with the utmost strictness discovered and apprehended these offen- ders, we must inflict on them the severest punishments of the law. In this way the inhabitants of the inner land may be awed and purified. " The resident barbarians dwell separately in the foreign factories. In the Eho (Creek) factory is one named Jar- dine, and who is nick-named the Iron-headed old rat ; also one named Innes : in the Paoushun factory is one named Dent ; also one named Framjee, and one named Merwan- jee : in the Fungtae factory is one named Dadabhoy : in the Kwangyuen (American) factory is one named Gordon: in the Maying (Imperial) factory is one named Whiteman : in the Spanish factory is one named Turner : and besides these are, I apprehend, many others. The treatment of those within having been rendered severe, we may next turn to these resident foreigners, examine and apprehend them, and keep them in arrest ; then acquaint them with the esta- blished regulations, and compel them, within a limited period, to cause all the receiving ships anchored at Lintin to return to their country : — they should be required also to write a letter to the king of their country, telling him that opium is a poison which has pervaded the inner land, to the material injury of the people ; that the Celestial Empire has inflicted on all the traitorous natives who sold it the severest penalties ; that with regard to themselves, the resident foreigners, the government taking into consideration that they are barbarians and aliens, forbears to pass sentence of death on them ; but that if the opium receiving ships will desist from coming to China, they shall be indulgently released and permitted to continue their commercial inter- course as usual ; whereas, if they will again build receiving vessels, and bring them hither to entice the natives, the commercial intercourse granted them in teas, silks, &c , shall assuredly be altogether interdicted, and on the resident foreigners of the said nation the laws shall be executed capitally. If commands be issued of this plain and ener- getic character, in language strong, and in sense becoming, though their nature be the most abject — that of a dog or a sheep, yet, — having a care for their own lives, they will not fail to seek the gain and to flee the danger. " Some think this mode of proceeding too severe, and fear lest it should give rise to a contest on our i'rontiers. Again and again I have revolved this subject in my mind, and reconsidered how that, while in their own country no 51 opium is smoked, the barbarians yet seek to poison there- with the people of the Central flowery land ; and that while they bring to ns no foreig'n silver, they yet would take away our native coin ; and I have, therefore, regarded them as undeserving that a single careful or anxious thought should be entertained on their behalf. Of late, the foreign vessels have presumed to make their way into every place, and to cruise about in the inner seas. Is it likely that in this they have no evil design of spying out our real strength or weak- ness ? If now they be left thus to go on from step to step, and their conduct be wholly passed over, the wealth of the land must daily waste away and be diminished. And* if when our people are worn out, and our wealth rendered insufficient, any difficulty should then, even by the slightest chance, as one in ten thousand, turn up, how, I would ask, shall it be warded off? Rather than to be utterly over- thrown hereafter, it is better to exercise consideration and forethought now, while yet our possession of the right gives us such energy and strength, that those barbarians will not dare to slight and contemn our government ; nor (it may be hoped) have any longer the means of exercising their petty aits and devices." — p. 176. The imperial edict issued in reference to these memorials is as follows : — " The Councillor Choo Tsun has presented a memorial* requesting that the severity of the prohibitory enactments against opium may be increased. The Sub-Censor Heu- Kew also has laid before us a respectful representation of his views : and, in a supplementary statement, a recom- mendation to punish severely Chinese traitors. " Opium, coming from the distant regions of barbarians, has pervaded the country with its baneful influence, and has been made a subject of very severe prohibitory enact- ments. But, of late, there has been a diversity of opinion in regard to it, some requesting a change in the policy hitherto adopted, and others recommending the continuance of the severe prohibitions. It is highly important to con- sider the subject carefully in all its bearings, surveying at once the whole field of action, so that such measures may be adopted as shall continue for ever in force, free from all failure. " Let Tang and his colleagues anxiously and carefully ■ k2 52 consult together upon the recommendation to search for, and with utmost strictness, apprehend all those traitorous natives who sell the drug, the Hong merchants who arrange the transactions in it, the brokers who purchase it by whole- sale, the boatmen who are engaged in transporting it, and the naval militia who receive bribes; and having deter- mined on the steps to be taken in order to stop up the source of the evil, let them present a true and faithful report. Let them also carefully ascertain and report, whether the circumstances stated by Heu-Kew in his sup- plementary document, in reference to the foreigners from beyond the seas be true or not, whether such things as are mentioned therein have or have not taken place. Copies of the several documents are to be herewith sent to those officers for perusal ; and this edict is to be made known to Tang and Ke, who are to enjoin it also on Wan, the Super- intendent of Maritime Customs. Respect this." — p. 178. With this edict the series of Chinese documents closes ; and though the terms of the edict are such as to leave the responsibility with Tang and his colleagues, the next de- spatches from Captain Elliot show that the decision had been taken, and that measures were in progress for acting upon it with vigour. On the 7th of February, 1837, he sends home edicts of the Government of Canton, requiring the departure of cer- tain British merchants from China within a limited time ; and he encloses copies of despatches which he had sent to the Governor- General of India and the Admiral on that station, suggesting that a ship of war and one or two Com- pany's cruisers, should repair to the China Seas, with instruc- tions to afford countenance to the " general " British trade. He appears to use this word by way of guarding against any supposition that it was intended lo afford countenance to the trade in opium. And on the 21st of February, 1837, when transmitting to Lord Palmerston an imperial edict, by which he was led to suppose (erroneously) that the trade was about to be legalised, he still expresses without disguise his aversion to the traffic, in whatever way conducted : — 53 *'The fact that such an article should have grown to be by far the most important part of our import trade, is, of itself, a source of painful reflection ; and the wide-spread- ing public mischief which the manner of its pursuit has necessarily entailed, so ably and so faithfully represented in some of the papers I have had the honour to transmit to your Lordship, aggravates the discomfort of the whole subject. " The legalization measure would certainly be accom- panied by permission to grow and prepare the poppy for home consumption. And perhaps your Lordship may be led to think that a gradual check to our own growth and imports would be of salutary effect. " Gradual, no doubt, it is most desirable the diminution should be; for in the present posture of circumstances it must be conceded that any abrupt interruption of this traffic involves very nearly a complete interruption of the whole commerce with the country. " It cannot be good that the conduct of a great trade should be so dependent upon the steady continuance of a vast prohibited traffic in an article of vicious luxury, high in price, and liable to frequent and prodigious fluctua- tion. In a mere commercial point of view, therefore, I believe it is susceptible of proof, that the gradual diversion of British capital into other channels of employment than this, would be attended with advantageous consequences. " The effect upon the Indian finance of its sudden cessa- tion, could not fail to be extremely perplexing. But I have not been a careless observer since I have been in this coun- try ; and I hope your Lordship will let me say, that there are many cogent reasons for regretting the extent to which the Indian income is dependent upon such a source of revenue. " The proposed measures of the Chinese Government seem to me to furnish the best hope for our safe extrication from an unsound condition of things." — p. 190. It was thus to the legalization, and not the prohibition of the trade, that Captain Elliot looked for the means of extri- cating his country from the evil and disgrace attending it. On the 20th September, 1837, Lord Palmerston signifies to the Lords of the Admiralty the Queen's pleasure that 54 the following instructions should be issued to the Naval Commander in Chief in the East Indies : — " The trade between Great Britain and China being now by law thrown open to all Her Majesty's subjects, instead of being confined, as formerly, to the East India Company, the care of our commercial relations with the Chinese Em- pire has, in consequence, been transferred to the Crown; the East India Company's establishments at Canton and Macao have been witlidrawn; and a Queen's officer has been substituted, with the title of Superintendent and with the duties of a Consul. It is, therefore, desirable that one or more of the ships under your orders should, as frequently as possible, visit the China station, and should remain there as long as may be consistent with the demands of the ser- vice elsewhere within your command; and whenever a frigate can be spared for this service, a ship of that class would be preferable to a smaller one. " The purposes for which such ships would be stationed are : — First, to afford protection to British interests, and to give weight to any representations which Her Majesty's Superintendent may be under the necessity of making, in case any of Her Majesty's subjects should have just cause of complaint against the Chinese authorities ; and, secondly, to assist the Superintendent in maintaining order among the crews of the British merchantmen who frequent the port of Canton. "The officers commanding the ships of Her Majesty which may thus from time to time be sent to China, should be especially admonished to be very careful that the officers and men belonging to the ships under their command, do not in any way offend the prejudices of the Chinese people, nor violate the laws and customs of the Chinese empire ; and upon all such matters, as well as with respect to the places where such ships ought to lie, in order best to be able to perform the services for which they are sent, the officers in command should communicate frequently and confidentially with Her Majesty's Superintendent ; remem- bering always, however, that unless in a case of great emer- gency, when a demonstration or an actual employment of force may be urgently and absolutely necessary for the pro- tection of the lives and property of British subjects, Her Majesty's ships of war are studiously to respect the regu- lations of the Chinese Government as to the limits beyond 55 whicli foreign ships of war are not allowed to approach the city of Canton. '* But it is for many reasons expedient for the interests of Her Majesty's service, that you should yourself take as early an opportunity as may be convenient, to have a per- sonal communication with Her Majesty's Superintendent, who would meet you for that purpose at Macao, and your visit on that occasion should, if possible, be made in a line- of-battle ship. The interchange of information between yourself and the Superintendent, for which such personal communication would afford an opportunity, would, in many possible future contingencies, be highly advantageous to British interests in that quarter. " You will, however, constantly bear in mind, that while, on the one hand, it is useful that the Chinese should be aware of the nature and extent of Her Majesty's naval power, it is, on the other hand, most important that you should avoid any proceedings which might inspire the Chi- nese with an apprehension that this naval power is Ukely to be employed in unprovoked hostility against them." — p. 193. On the 26th June, 1837, Captain Elliot writes to the Naval Commander-in-Chief as follows : — " You may be assured, Sir, that I am sensible of the ex- treme impropriety of committing His Majesty's Government in any appearance of countenancing the illicit traffic on these Coasts ; and I shall carefully abstain from moving the com- mander of any ship of war who may be placed in communi- cation with me to take any step with that purpose, or which could possibly bear such a construction, " But in the critical posture of the opium question, and having regard to its intimate connexion with the safe con- duct of the whole commerce, I hope you will consider that I was justified in soliciting the presence of a man-of-war in these seas. I am sincerely impressed with a belief that such a circximstance will go far to prevent the occurrence of mischief, which would press in a very serious manner od all branches of this trade. — p. 21 1. On the 26th September, 1837, Captain Elliot reports certain proceedings which had taken place in consequence of a Chinese having been stabbed in an affray, in which two 56 Lascars belonging to an English boat were implicated. The Lascars were arrested. " I sent for the three official merchants to the hall, and demanded that the men should be given up before ten o'clock that night, upon my pledge that they should be fairly tried, according to the laws of my country (and in the presence of Mandarins), for any crime alleged against them. " Howqua replied with composure, that these persons were in the custody of the Mandarins, charged with a vio- lation of the laws of the empire, and pending the determin- ation of the safety of a Chinese who had been severely stabbed by one amongst them. If Englishmen went to France, he argued, they were amenable to the justice of that country; and then, taking this rather displeasing occasion to compliment me upon a presumed reasonableness of dis- position and love of justice, which, he said, had secured for me the respect of the Governor, he required me to show why the case should be different when Englishmen came to China. " I answered that I would venture to say my Government would admit all the force of this reasoning, as soon as it could be made at all applicable by the Emperor's gracious will to place my countrymen on the like footing in China, with respect to freedom of intercourse and the equal admi- nistration of the laws, as they stood in France, considered with relation to those points. " There was no pretension in England, he might assure himself, to dictate any change of policy to the Chinese : that was a high matter, which depended upon the Imperial wisdom and pleasure ; but it was not to be denied that the present state of things was attended with great inconve- niences, and one amongst them was, the utter impossibility to concede their right to try British subjects for a breach of Chinese laws, by Chinese officers, whilst those laws were only partially administered towards them, and whilst appeal to the higher Chinese tribunals is entirely shut out from them. " All that could be justly expected from my Government, under such circumstances, was to provide means for the fair trial of British offenders against Chinese life or property by British laws and British officers. — p. 23 L In the end Captain Elliot procured the Lascars to be 57 given up to him to be tried according to the forms of British Law, and the Chinese authorities appear to have formally recognised his claims on this head. On the ]8th November, 1837, Captain Elliot transmits a series of edicts against opium, requiring him to send away the receiving vessels from the outer anchorages. The last of them is dated the 29th September, 1837. " These receiving-ships have now remained for a very long time at anchor ; and though .two months have elapsed since the said Superintendent has received our commands, he has not yet sent them away to their country. We fear he is unfit to bear the designation of Superintendent If he can willingly subject himself to reproach on account of these receiving- vessels, how will he able to answer it to his King ? Or how to us, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor ? Let him, in the stillness of night, reflect hereon ; and if he do so, we think that he will be unable to find rest upon his bed."— p. 239. Captain Elliot took this opportunity of requiring to have a communication of what was desired, made to him by some of the High Functionaries directly, and when he had received it, he answered as follows : — " The Undersigned, &c. &c., has had the honour to re- ceive your Excellency's Edict, dated on the 25th September, conveyed directly to him under the seals of the Kwang- Chow-Foo and the Kwang-Heep, and he will immediately transmit it to his country by the rapid steam and overland communication from Bombay. " He has already signified to your Excellency with truth and plainness, that his commission extends only to the regu- lar trade with this Empire; and further, that the existence of any other than this trade has never yet been submitted to the knowledge of his own Gracious Sovereign. " He will only permit himself to add, on this occasion, that circumstances of the kind described by your Excellency cannot be heard of without teelings of concern and apprehen- sion : and he desires humbly to express an earnest hope that sure and safe means of remedying a hazardous state of things may be speedily devised." — p. 240. 58 Oil the day following the date of his last-cited despatch, (19th November, 1837), Captain Elliot resumes the subject with a fuller exposition of the changes which had taken place : — " The vigorous proceedings of the Provincial Government against the native smugglers at the outside anchorages in the immediate neighbourhood of this port, have had the effect of vastly increasing the traffic on the eastern coasts of this and the neighbouring provinces of Fuhkeen. " Till within the last few months that branch of the trade never afforded employment to more than two or three small vessels ; but at the date of this despatch, and for some months past, there have not been less than twenty sail of vessels on the east coasts ; and I am sorry to add that there is every reason to believe blood has been spilt in the interchange of shot which has ever and anon taken place between them and the Mandarin boats. " The most grave result of the vigilance upon the spot remains to be described. " The native boats have been burned and the native smugglers scattered ; and the consequence is, as it was fore- seen it would be, that a complete and very hazardous change has been worked in the whole manner of conducting the Canton portion of the trade. " The opium is now carried on (and a great part of it inwards to Whampoa) in European passage-boats belonging to British owners, slenderly manned with Lascar seamen, and furnished with a scanty armament, which may rather be said to provoke or to justify search, accompanied by violence, than to furnish the means of effectual defence. " I have no certain means of judging to what extent the shipping at Whampoa may be implicated in this new mode of carrying on the trade, but I am not without reason to believe that they are so, and possibly in an increasing degree. And as your Lordship is probably aware that the Hong merchant who secures each ship, and the captain and consignee, join in a bond that she has no opium on board, it is needless to dwell upon the very embarrassing consequences which would ensue if the existence of a dif- ferent state of facts should nevertheless be established. I am disposed to believe that the higher officers of the Provincial Government are perfectly sensible of the extensive smuggling of opium carried on in the^European passage-boats. 59 and from some motive, either of interest or policy, or probably of both, they oppose no immediate obstacle to such a con- dition of things. * * ♦ * » " Setting aside, however, the interference of the Manda- rins, it is not to be questioned that the passage of this valu- able article in small and insignificantly armed vessels, affords an intense temptation to piratical attack by the many despe- rate smugglers out of employment, and by the needy inha- bitants of the neighbouring islands. And another Ladrone war directed against Europeans as well as Chinese is a per- fectly probable event. " In fact, my Lord, looking around me, and weighing the whole body of circumstances as carefully as I can, it seems to nie that the moment has arrived for such active interposition upon the part of Her Majesty's Government, as can be pro- perly afforded ; and that it cannot be deferred without great hazard to the safety of the whole trade, and of the persons engaged in its pursuit. " The accompanying paper was originally intended as a memorandum of matter to be framed into a despatch to your Lordship ; but several considerations dispose me to hope I shall be excused for transmitting it in its present form. " That the main body of the inward trade (about three- fifths of the amount) should be carried on in so hazardous a manner to the safety of the whole commerce and intercourse with the empire, is a very disquieting subject of reflection ; but I have a strong conviction that it is an evil susceptible of early removal." — pp.241, 242. The memorandum accompanying tliis despatch, in which Captain Elliot submits and explains, at some length, a scheme for sending a special Commissioner from England to a point of the Chinese Coast whence he might communi- cate with the Court of Peking, did not lead to the adoption of any practical step by the Government, (at least down to the period which this correspondence covers,) and to avoid interruption of the narrative, we have placed it in the Appendix. On the 7th December, 1837, Captain Elliot reports the farther progress of the measures against the opium trade. The Emperor had been dissatisfied at the receiving-ships 60 not having been sent home, and issued an edict threatening the Governor, -who thereupon issued another threatening the Hong Merchants ; and also announcing that if they were not sent away within a month Captain Elliot should be ex- pelled from China, and the trade should be stopped. But the language of the edicts seemed to be somewhat am- biguous, and Captain Elliot's comment is as follows : — " The whole state of circumstances however connected with this opium question, is in a condition of such uncer- tainty that it is impossible to divine what is meant ; and indeed it is not difficult to conceive that the Government itself does not know what it means, but is, in point of fact, wandering without fixed purpose from project to project, or, it might more properly be said, from blunder to blunder. " In the midst of all this incoherent conduct, it seems to me to be highly necessary for the protection of British interests, that a small naval force should immediately be stationed somewhere in these seas. — p. 250. On the 15th June, 1838, Lord Palmerston addressed to Captain Elliot a despatch, in which, after approving the course adopted by Captain Elliot in pursuance of the in- structions given to him as to the mode of communication with the Viceroy, he conveys to him a distinct intimation, that if British merchants engage in the opium trade con- trary to Chinese law, they do it at their own peril, and are not to expect from their Government any protection from loss: — from " loss,'^ be it observed; for from injury and outrage and forfeiture of liberty or life, there could be no doubt that any Government deserving the name of British, or any British officer acting under such Government, always would protect them. Lord Palmerston's words are these : — " With respect to the smuggling trade in opium which forms the subject of your despatches of the 18th and 19th November and 7th December, 1837, I have to state, that Her Majesty's Government cannot interfere for the purpose 61 of enabling British subjects to violate the laws of the coun- try to which they trade. Any loss, therefore, wliich sucli persons may suffer in consequence of the more effectual execution of the Chinese laws on this subject, must be borne by the parties who have brought that loss on themselves by their own acts. " With respect to the plan* proposed by you in your despatch of the 19th November, for sending a Special Com- missioner to Tchusan to endeavour to effect some arrange- ment with the Chinese Government about the opium trade. Her Majesty's Government do not see their way in such a measure with sufficient clearness to justify them in adopting it at the present moment." — p. 258. The despatch of Captain Elliot's, which comes next in order though written antecedently to the above despatch from Lord Palmerston, is dated Macao, the 20th April, 1838, and is remarkable for the accurate and cautious foresight which it evinces. Here also an explanation may be found of the incoherency of the Viceroy's proceedings noticed in a previous despatch, — the inconsistency of his acts (which had his own profit in view) with his edicts (which the Em- peror compelled him to issue) : — " In the course of the last two months the number of English boats employed in the illicit traffic between Lintin and Canton has vastly increased, and the deliveries of opium have frequently been accompanied by conflict of fire-arms between those vessels and the Government preventive craft. *' It is plain that British subjects and property engaged in these pursuits are within the easy grasp of the pro- vincial authorities whenever it may suit their purposes, or they may be driven by the Court, to act with vigour. " In the edicts forwarded to your Lordship in my despatch, of November 18, 1837, the Governor had already charged me with countenancing the outside trade ; and in the event of disaster there can be no doubt he would im- mediately attempt to connect the growth of these last irregularities with my own departure from Canton. " With the purpose of being prepared for such devices I drew up the paper forming the inclosure of this despatch : and 1 directed Mr. Morrison, as soon as the Governor should * See Meinoraudtun at the end of the Appendix. 62 return from his official tour (which he did about a fortnight since), to show it to Howqua, and to tell him that these were my opinions on my present position with the Provincial Government ; that he was at liberty to exhibit them to the Governor if he thought fit, and indeed that I was only pre- vented from making them known to his Excellency in a formal manner by the interruption of the public commu- nications. " The paper was returned to me two days since by Mr. Morrison, with a message from Howqua, to the effect that the Governor had seen it, but could not accede to the arrangement suggested. " / was sensible that the present state of things at Canton could only subsist as long as the Governor could venture to appropriate a large share of the bribes, by which the system is upheld; and therefore I looked for no other result at his hands. " It was impossible to foresee how soon his position in that respect might be changed by the wavering policy of the Court, or by the pressure of those just charges of venality to which he is exposed : but looking around, I felt it became me to take every precaution, consistent with my situation, for shielding myself as Her Majesty's officer from any imputation that the actual proceedings at Canton had my countenance, or were produced by my movements. " Should any serious disaster ensue threatening the lives of Her Majesty's subjects engaged in these pursuits, (and in my own judgment this result is perfectly probable,) I shall not fail to found the strongest remonstrances against such extreme measures upon the Governor's rejection of these last proposals. " That circumstance would fully justify a representation to the Court that the irregularities leading to the mischief were the consequence of his Excellency s manifest and dis- gi'aceful corruption ; and that, therefore, he alone was re- sponsible for all those evils which might have been pre- vented if he had been honest enough to do his own duty, or to permit me to do mine. " Connected with this subject, it is necessary I should report to your Lordship a striking and painful event which has just taken place at Macao. " About a week since an unfortunate Chinese was exe- cuted immediately without the walls of this town by strangu- lation ; as the sentence inscribed over him bore, for traitorous intercourse with foreigners, and for smuggling opium and Syece silver. 63 " This is the first proceeding of this nature which has been taken by the Chinese Government in this part of the empire. " The place of execution (quite unusual), and indeed the terms of the sentence, plainly indicate that it was adopted mainly with a view to the intimidation, and for an example to the foreigners. " It is also stated (and probably with truth) that this execution, and the manner of it, were by the special com- mand of the Court. But be that as it may, with the prisons full of persons charged with similar offences, and with public executions for them, it is not to be supposed that the Provincial Government can venture much longer to permit the delivery of opium out of British armed boats, almost under the walls of the Governor h palace at Canton : neither is it likely that they will succeed in driving them out without bloodshed. Even putting all higher considerations out of view, I must remark that this last seems to me to be a very unfortunate turn for such a trade to have taken. That it is advantageous to the individuals immediately concerned in such a channel there can be no doubt, but it is at the same time a state of circumstances which must necessarily , sooner or later, force itself under the active treatment of the Chinese Government. And whenever that result does take place, it cannot fail to be extensively mischievous to the whole traffic. " I take the liberty to observe to your Lordship that I never advert to this subject without extreme reluctance ; but it is daily assuming so very serious an aspect, and connect- ing itself so intimately and so unfortunately with our regular trade and intercourse with this empire, that I feel it is my duty to keep Her Majesty's Government informed of the general course of events in relation to it." — p 299. The enclosure in this despatch is an overture to the Viceroy for the re-opening of the communications by a com- promise of the points in dispute, thereby enabling Captain Elliot to re-establish himself at Canton. On the 8th October, 1838, Captain Elliot reports some further progress towards an opium crisis. " I am concerned to report, that the trade is at this moment cast into a state of critical difficulty by a circum- 64 stance which, so far as it has reached my knowledge, I have now the honour to detail. It appears that the Governor has lately incurred the severe displeasure of the Court, upon the ground of a lax execution of the orders concerning the more effectual prevention of the traffic in opium. A re- markable increase of activity has ensued ; and on Monday last, the 3rd instant, a seizure of opium was made by the Custom-house officers at Canton, immediately in front of the foreign factory inhabited by Mr. James Innes. The two native Coolies who were landing the boxes were appre- hended, and are said to have confessed (I am very much afraid under the infliction of cruel punishment) that they were that gentleman's servants, that the opium was his, and that it had been brought from a ship at Whampoa. " It further seems that one of these Coolies declared that the name of the master of the ship was ' Ki-le-wun,' a sound which the examining Mandarins decided must signify the name of the master of the American ship, Thomas Perkins, whose name I am told is Cleveland. All the Hong mer- chants were summoned before the Governor on Tuesday the 4th, and have subsequently announced to the foreign mer- chants, in a written form, that his Excellency has issued orders for the departure from China both of Mr. Innes and the ship within three days. " The Hong merchant who secured the ship has already been sent down to this place, and is at this moment under- going the unmerited and degrading punishment of the cangue or wooden collar; wholly unmerited indeed, my Lord, even if this opium had come from on board the ship in question, for this unfortunate man could neither have known nor prevented its introduction ; but it is beyond a doubt that it did not come from her at all, and almost as certain that it did come from one of the numerous small craft now at anchor in this river. These severe and unjust proceedings have had their immediate origin, in fact, either in the confused pronunciation of the wretched Coolie, or as probably, in the fabrication of a name wrung from him by inquiry under torture. " In the first excitement of alarm and indignation after the Governor's excessively harsh treatment, (for there is reason to believe they were several hours on their knees before him wdth the instruments of punishment laid out to intimidate them,) the Hong merchants were goaded into a written menace to pull down their house, in which Mr. Innes lives, if he did not leave Canton within the period 66 specified by his Excellency. But the general body of the merchants, with becoming spirit, and at the same time in a calm and judicious manner, expressed their determination to resist such rash proceedings at all hazards. It must also be mentioned, to the great credit of these unhappy men, that a better spirit soon exercised its influence, and they have frankly recalled their hasty expressions. The trade has not yet been stopped by any written instrument under the Governor's hand, or at least which has yet been trans- mitted to the foreigners, but the Hong merchants have written to them to say that they have his Excellency's orders to discontinue all trade whatever till his injunctions are obeyed, and for the last three days there has been an entire cessation of business. I should observe that these tidings only met me at this anchorage, where I arrived yesterday morning for the adjustment of certain difficulties on board some of the merchant-ships now here. " December 9, 1838. " P. S. I learn this morning that the Governor has ex- tended the period for the departure of Mr. Innes and the American ship to ten days." — p. 323. The next is dated at Canton, the 13th December, 1838. ** My despatch of the 8th inst. will have prepared your Lordship for grave difficulties in Canton ; and it is now my duty to report an event which has just passed, to the im- minent hazard of the lives and property of the whole foreign community. Yesterday forenoon at about 1 1 o'clock, the foreigners were struck with astonishment by a sudden pre- paration in the square, in the immediate front of the factories, for the strangling of a criminal. It was at once determined to resist this unprecedented and intolerable out- rage : and the officer in charge of the small body of police on the spot was requested to take instant measures for con- veying this resolution to the higher authorities ; and in the mean time the foreigners themselves removed the tent and the other apparatus which had been prepared. This officer appears to have conducted himself with remarkable mo- deration, offering no resistance to these proceedings ; neither did the considerable crowd which had already assembled evince any unfriendly dispositions towards the F 66 foreigners, but, it would seem from general concurrence, rather the contrary. Between one and two o'clock in the afternoon however, when the crowd had become exceedingly dense but was still perfectly inoffensive and collected from motives of mere curiosity, some rash foreigners provoked the people by forcibly pushing in amongst them and assail- ing them with sticks. They returned this wanton attack with showers of stones and other violence, and in a few minutes the foreigners were driven in within the gates of their respective factories, which were immediately closed. But the fury of the crowd, consisting by this time, as I am credibly informed, of at least 6,000 people, was now intensely excited, and for some hours the aspect of circumstances is represented to have been very disquieting indeed. At about two o'olock intelligence was forwarded to me at Whampoa, which reached me at about four o'clock in the afternoon, and I repaired immediately to Canton. Before my de- parture, I issued a circular to the commanders and com- manding officers of British ships at that anchorage, direct- ing that in case it should become necessary to despatch a force to Canton, they should place themselves under the guidance of Captain Marquis, of the ship ' Reliance ;' and I requested that gentleman to attend to my further instruc- tions in that respect. On my own way up I was met by still more serious accounts, and I therefore thought it neces- sary to forward instructions to Captain Marquis to send the boats with all despatch. On my arrival in Canton, at about 6 P.M., I found that the soldiery had already dispersed the mob, and that the prisoner had been executed at one of the usual places appointed for that purpose. This wretched man seems to have suffered for the offence of selling opium ; and I am without any doubt that the intention, or rather the manifestation of an intention, to strangle him in this square, was with the purpose to fix upon the foreign community generally the seriousness of the Governor's determination with respect to the late affair reported in my despatch of December 8. " I sent for the Hong merchants immediately on my arrival in Canton, and desired them to announce it to the Governor, with the expression of my sincerest disposition to render my presence useful in the maintenance of peace, and the complete restoration of the tranquil course of events. They have not yet brought me his Excellency's answer ; and the departure of the ship by which this despatch is to proceed obliges me to conclude. 67 " Canton, December 14, 1838. " P.S. Everything is now in a state of tranquillity ; and I believe I may confidently assure your Lordship that the trade will be resumed in the course of a few days. " I hope that the measures which I find it necessary to take with that purpose, will not incur the disapprobation of Her Majesty's Government. They shall be reported by the next occasion." — pp. 324, 325. To this the following answer was returned by Lord Palmerston : — " Since my despatch of February 27th was written, your despatches of the 2nd and 13th December, 1838, have been received. " I reserve any observations or instructions I may have to send or make to you on the subject of your despatch of De- cember 13th, till I receive the further accounts which you announce your intention to send. " These accounts will probably contain all the informa- tion that may be requisite for enabling Her Majesty's Go- vernment to form an opinion upon the proceedings that have occurred at Canton, and which appear, by intelligence to the 31st of December, contained in the London newspapers of this morning, to have ended in a satisfactory manner ; but should you, however, not already have stated the point spe- cifically, I wish to be informed whether the foreigners to whom you allude in your despatch as having resisted the intention of the Chinese authorities to put a criminal to death in the immediate front of the factories, were British subjects only, or the subjects and citizens of other countries also. I also wish to know upon what alleged ground of right these persons considered themselves entitled to inter- fere with the arrangements made by the Chinese officers of justice for carrying into effect, in a Chinese town, the orders of their superior authorities." — p. 325. On the 3l8t December, 1838, and 2nd January, 1839, Captain Elliot reports a course of energetic proceedings on his part, by which he had cleared out the opium traffic from the river and port of Canton, (driven from whence, it would no doubt take refuge in the outer anchorages and the coasts) F 2 68 and accomplished the re-opening of the trade and the re- establishment of his communications with the Viceroy. After relating in what way he had disposed of the case of Mr. Innes, the Merchant who had been ordered away by the Viceroy for smuggling opium, he proceeds : — " In the further disposal of this part of the subject, I have now to inform your Lordship that Mr. Innes applied to the Provincial Government for a passport, and left this place for Macao, on the 16th ultimo, having previously forwarded a declaration to his Excellency, confessing that the opium was his ; that it came from his boat, and not from the American ship ; and absolving the two Coolies from all wilful partici- pation in the offence, upon the ground that they were ig- norant of the contents of the boxes. " The difficulty which remained to be removed before the trade could be opened, was the illicit traffic in opium, carried on in small craft within the river, a considerable number of which were stationary at Whampoa, receiving their supplies from time to time in other vessels of a similar description from the opium ships at Lintin or Hong Kong. " The senior Hong merchants, on the evening of my arri- val in Canton, (the 12th ultimo,) complained in bitter terms that they should be exposed to the cruel and ruinous conse- quences which were hourly arising out of the existence of this forced trade, not merely at Whampoa, but at the facto- ries themselves, of which they were the proprietors, and, therefore, under heavy responsibility to the Government. And they insisted that they would not carry on the lawful commerce, (having the Governor's sanction for their con- duct,) till effectual steps were taken for the suppression of this dangerous evil. " Mindful of the embarrassments which would ensue if his Excellency (perceiving that all hopes of interference upon my part were vain,) should effect this and far more inconvenient objects, by the immediate interruption of the ordinary man- ner of intercourse, and by the protracted stoppage of the trade, I felt that the moment had arrived for my own inter- position. *' I therefore desired the merchants to proceed directly to his Excellency, and announce my arrival in Canton ; addinjr that as no mere difficulties in points of form should deter me, in the actual emergency, from faithfully endeavouring to restore a state of peaceful trade and intercourse, so I looked 69 ac his Excellency's hands for reasonable countenance : and above all, for a just and dignified abstinence from measures of irritating pressure upon the general trade. " Carefully considering the critical posture of those mo- mentous interests confided to me, I resolved, as a prelimi- nary measure, upon an appeal to the whole community : not only with some hope that such a proceeding might have the effect of clearing the river of these boats, but because (if the case were otherwise) I felt it became me distinctly to fore- warn Her Majesty's subjects concerned in these practices, of the course which it was my determination to pursue. " On the 17th ultimo, therefore, I convened a general meeting of all the foreign residents at Canton, in this hall, and addressed them in the manner your Lordship will find reported in the accompanying note, taken at the moment by my Secretary. On the 1 8th, I promulgated the enclosed notice, and having ascertained that the smuggling boats were still at Whampoa on the 23rd, (some of them wearing British ensigns and pendants,) I addressed the accompany- ing note to his Excellency the Governor, ** His Excellency's reply forms Enclosure No. 10 ; and Enclosure No. 11 is my renew'ed request that this mode of direct oflRcial intercourse on affairs of importance should be declared to be general and not for the occasion. Enclosure No. 12 is the Governor's assent to this principle, signified, indeed, through the senior Hong merchant, but he was de- sired to place the original document, bearing his Excellency's seal, in my hands, in order that I might duly authenticate the fact to my Government. I was contented with this ac- knowledgment, and the flag was re-hoisted on the 30th ulti mo at 11 o'clock. On the 31st I was enabled to desire the senior merchant to report the departure of all the boats from Whampoa ; and he has this day announced to me the offi- cial commands of the Government To open the trade, w hich I have just signified to the community, in the accompanying circular. "The Enclosure No. 14 is a general notice to Her Ma- jesty's subjects, which I have also issued to-day, announcing the renewal of the public intercourse, and publishing those portions of my correspondence with the Governor wliich it concerned them to know. But I have not felt myself at liberty to pubUsh those parts which relate to the manner of my intercourse, upon the ground that it is the special attribute of Her Majesty's Go- vernment to dispose of that subject, and that it may be highly 70 inconvenient they should be generally promulgated without your Lordship's sanction. " Having now drawn the statement of these proceedings to a close, I may turn to a more particular explanation of the motives and the manner of my interposition. " It had been clear to me, my Lord, from the origin of this peculiar branch of the opium traffic, that it must grow to be more and more mischievous to every branch of the trade, and certainly to none more than to that of opium it- self. As the danger and the shame of its pursuit increased, it was obvious that it would fall by rapid degrees into the hands of more and more desperate men ; that it would stain the foreign character with constantly aggravating disgrace in the sight of the whole of the better portion of this people ; and lastly, that it would connect itself more and more inti- mately with our lawful commercial intercourse, to the great peril of vast public and private interests. " Till the other day, my Lord, I believe there was no part of the world where the foreigner felt his life and pro- perty more secure than here in Canton; but the grave events of the 12th ultimo have left behind a different im- pression. For a space of near two hours the foreign facto- ries were within the power of an immense and excited mob, the gate of one of them was absolutely battered in, and a pistol was fired out, probably without ball, or over the heads of the people, for at least it is certain that nobody fell. If the case had been otherwise. Her Majesty's Go- vernment and the British public would have had to learn that the trade and peaceful intercourse with this empire was indefinitely interrupted by a terrible scene of blood- shed and ruin. And all these desperate hazards have been incurred, my Lord, for the scrambling and, compara- tively considered, insignificant gains of a few reckless individuals, unquestionably founding their conduct upon the belief, that they were exempt from the operation of all law, British or Chinese. " I owe it to myself to say, that foreseeing the serious consequences which must arise from the further growth of this evil, I wrote more than a year and a half since to the General Chamber of Commerce, moving them to use their best efforts to put it down. It is also an act of similar justice to that body (and to the great majority of the foreign community settled here) to state, that this peculiar form of the traffic has been practised or countenanced by very few amongst them. But it was ejctending itself widely 71 amongst persons not forming part of the resident society, and in no long lapse of time, it must have brought to Canton the refuse of all the countries in our neighbour- hood. " Indeed, judging of the future from the past, I feel warranted in saying, that within the space of one year from this time, there would have been at least 300 armed and lawless men carrying on this business in the very heart of our regular commerce. And if the extent of the mis- chief hourly impending was in some sense susceptible of estimate, I must remark that no satisfactory course of remedy has ever yet presented itself to ray mind. But that Her Majesty's Government would have been driven into the necessity of very urgent, expensive, and hazardous mea- sures upon the most painful grounds, appeared to me to be a certain result of the protraction of this forced traf- fic within the river, and at the factories ; and with this conviction I resolved to use all lawful means in my power to draw it to a conclusion and to prevent its recur- rence. " I should observe in this place, that the remarkable vigour, not merely of the local, but of the general govern- ment, for some months back, furnished additional cause to apprehend some exceedingly serious dilemma. And, regarding the subject in every point of view, I could not but perceive that a person in my station should lose no time in taking such a position as would give weight to his representations in any moment of emergency. " I made up my mind to incur the responsibility of making my communications under the character " Pm," because I was sensible that it was vain to hope this Go- vernment would consent to give way upon such a point, so long as there was an absence of really pressing necessity ; and in that situation of affairs, I am as sure the change would pass without difficulty, and probably without com- ment. Indeed I felt I could shape my own proceedings on the present occasion in such a manner as would neces- sarily involve the principle that British officers should intercommunicate upon a footing of equality with native officers of the same ranks ; and more than that I am afraid it will be impossible to get from tliis Government without driving it to extremities upon matters of form. I would also respectfully press upon your Lordship the assurance that the idea of the character is that of respectful report, not of solicitation or petition ; and regard being had to 72 the lofty tone assumed by all Asiatic Powers ; to the parti- cular genius of this language and government; to its strangeness to foreign intercourse; and, above all, to the fact that it is the manner of address used by native officers, even of the third rank ; I cannot but hope that I shall be excused for determining not to continue the interruption of the public communications in a moment of crisis (with the trade actually stopped and with other serious evils impend- ing) upon such a ground as that. " The next point I have to notice in my own correspond- ence with the Governor, is the request that he would com- mand the officers who might be employed in the duty of dismissing these boats from the river, to accompany me to their ordinary place of anchorage. I advert to this sub- ject because it has been put prominently forward in the torrent of censure which has been poured upon me through the medium of the Canton newspapers. My Lord, I re- quested his Excellency to let the officers place themsfelves in communication with me, because I was not without reason to believe that some of the thoughtless people in those vessels might be contemplating the forcible opposition of the authority of this Government ; and I hoped that my presence in my own boat would prevent such dangerous absurdity. But assuming for a moment that they had been wild enough to do so, and life had been lost, it was my duty to take every care in my power that the persons of British subjects (be their crime what it might) did not fall into the hands of the Chinese Government ; and it was further incumbent upon me to protect the property of British subjects, guiltless of those illegal practices which had in- duced the stoppage of the trade, from inconvenience of any description. 1 was also mainly influenced in this respect by the desire to establish the general principle, that measures of an urgent nature affecting Her Majesty's subjects needed the admission of Her Majesty's officers." — pp. 326 — 328. Amongst the enclosures to this despatch, one of the most material is Captain Elliot's Address to the General Meeting of the Merchants of 17th December, 1838, from which the following extract is taken : "Seeking, however, for the immediate source of this critical interruption of the usual course of events, he felt bound to 73 say that he found it in the existence of an extensive traffic in opium, conducted in small boats upon the river. The present results of that traffic should be shortly stated and considered ; the actual interruption of the legal trade ; the seizure and imminent jeopardy of innocent men ; the daily exposure of every native connected with the foreigners to similar disastrous consequences ; the life and property of the whole foreign community at the mercy of an immense mob for the space of at least two hours ; the distressing degradation of the foreign character ; the painful fact that such courses exposed us more and more to the just indigna- tion of this Government and people, and diminished the sympathies of our own ; of its futurity it might be safely predicted that it would fall into the hands of the reckless, the refuse, and probably the convicted of all the countries in our neighbourhood. Attentively considering these and other points, Captain Elliot felt that it became him to ex- plain the course which it was his purpose to pursue, with the view to the re-establishment of a safer and more credit- able condition of circumstances. He should forthwith serve a notice upon the boats in the river, to the effect that if they were British owned, and were either actually or occasionally engaged in the traffic, they must proceed outside within three days and cease to return with any similar pursuits; that faihng their conformity with these injunctions, he should place himself in communication with the Provincial Govern- ment, and frankly and fully express the views of his own upon the necessary, and perfectly admissible treatment of so serious an evil. He could not, however, help indulging the hope that the general reprobation of the whole commu- nity would have the effect of relieving him from the per- formance of a duty on many accounts extremely painful to him. And Captain Elliot concluded by anxiously conjuring the community to lend him their hearty support and co-ope- ration on the present occasion. To the other foreigners present, he would use the freedom to observe, that he was the only agent in this country whose pursuits were unmixedly public; and so long as he was advocating the principles of truth and justice in our relations with this Government and people, he might take the liberty to say that he was, in some sense, the representative of their honourable countries as well as of his own." — p. 331. On this follows Captain Elliot's public notice of the 18th December, 1838 : 74 " I, Charles Elliot, Chief Superintendent of tlie Trade of British Subjects in China, moved by urgent considerations immediately afl'ecting the safety of the Uves and properties of all Her Majesty's subjects engaged in the trade at Canton, do hereby formally give notice and require, that all British owned schooners, cutters, and otherwise rigged small craft, either habitually or occasionally engaged in the illicit opium traffic within the Bocca Tigris, should proceed forth of the same within the space of three days from the date of these presents, and not return within the said Bocca Tigris, being engaged in the said illicit opium traffic. " And I, the said Chief Superintendent, do further give notice and warn all Her Majesty's subjects engaged in the aforesaid illicit opium traffic, within the Bocca Tigris, in such schooners, cutters, or otherwise rigged small craft, that if any native of the Chinese Empire shall come by his or her death, by any wound feloniously inflicted by any British subject or subjects, any such British subject or subjects, being duly convicted thereof, are liable to capital punish- ment, cis if the crime had been committed within the juris- diction of Her Majesty's Courts at Westminster. " And I, the said Chief Superintendent, do further give notice and warn all British subjects, being owners of such schooners, cutters, or otherwise rigged small craft, engaged in the said illicit opium traffic, within the Bocca Tigris, that Her Majesty's Government will in no way interpose if the Chinese Government shall think fit to seize and confiscate the same. " And I, the said Chief Superintendent, do further give notice and warn all British subjects employed in the said schooners, cutters, and otherwise rigged small craft engaged in the illicit traffic in opium within the Bocca Tigris, that the forcible resisting of the officers of the Chinese Govern- ment in the duty of searching and seizing, is a lawless act, and that they are liable to consequences and penalties in the same manner as if the aforesaid forcible resistance were opposed to the officers of their own, or any other Govern- ment, in their own or in any foreign country." — pp. 332,333. The next enclosure is the following communication from Captain Elliot to the Viceroy, dated 23d December, 1838. " The undersigned, &c., &c., deliberating on those serious risks to which the lives and properties of many innocent men, both natives and foreigners, are exposed, considers 75 that it is his duty respectfully and plainly to lay his thoughts before your Excellency. " Seeking for the immediate source of this dangerous state of things, he finds it in the existence of an extensive opium traffic, conducted in small craft, within the river. " From one condition of undisturbed lawlessness to another and still more hazardous, the course is sure and rapid, " Illegalities will be committed more frequently ; the difficulty of distinguishing between the right and wrong will daily become more difficult ; violent aftrays will be of constant recurrence; life, and probably the life of innocent men, will be sacrificed ; some general catastrophe will ensue ; and there will be employment, profit, and impunity for none but the reckless and the culpable. " The Government of the British nation will regard these evil practices with no feelings of leniency, but, on the con- trary, with severity and continual anxiety ; in proof of this, the undersigned has now to acquaint your Excellency that he has already, on the 18th day of this month, formally required all boats (owned by British subjects) engaged in tliis traffic, to leave the river within three days. " He cannot faithfully declare that these injunctions have been fulfilled ; and he has therefore now to request that your Excellency will signify your pleasure, through the honourable officers, the Kwang Chow Foo and Kwang Heep, so that all those concerned in these pursuits may know that he has received your Excellency's authority for this notice. " The undersigned is without doubt that the continuance of this traffic in the inner waters will involve the whole foreign community at Canton in some disastrous difficulty ; and his gracious Sovereign would not interpose for the pro- tection of their property, on the behalf of those British sub- jects who continue to practise these dangerous disorders, after your Excellency's public warning shall be authentic- ally made known to them through the officers of their own nation. " It is further to be desired that your Excellency would command the honourable officers who may be employed on this occasion, to proceed to the station of the boats with the undersigned, in order that the peaceful and well-disposed may not be involved in the same consequences as tlie per- verse. " He can assure your Excellency that he has not re- quested that the communications should be forwarded through the honourable officers from any vain or idle pre- 76 tensions on his own part, but only that he may be able to impress on his countrymen, in cases of emergency, that he is acting at your Excellency's requisition, that his represen- tations may be more effectual, and that his own government may see he has had proper authority, as well as urgent oc- casion, for his proceedings, " Neither does the undersigned desire to trouble your Ex- cellency upon trifling affairs. So soon as the intercourse is renewed, all such matters can be conducted between the official Hong merchants and himself, agreeably to your Excellency's further arrangements. " Influenced by motives of solicitude for the character of his country, and the general protection of the interests of a good trade, the undersigned feels it right to submit his own views to your Excellency at this moment ; and he has, therefore, used the character " Pin " in this address ; but he requests your Excellency to signify, through the honour- able officers, that it is a mode of address used by native officers, even of the second rank, so that it may be seen by the Government of his own country that he has acted upon admissible principles. " He can assure your Excellency that there is no dispo- sition to press inconvenient changes on the Government of the empire, but only such modifications as are needful for the conduct of authentic intercourse, so that peace and honourable trade may always subsist. " The undersigned, in conclusion, respectfully, but very earnestly, entreats your Excellency to pardon the two Coolies who were lately apprehended in the act of landing opium belonging to Mr. Innes. Clear as it is from the declaration of that gentleman, that these poor men were ignorant of the contents of the boxes, their present unhappy condition is a distressing reflection. *' Your Excellency's clemency on this occasion would be grateful to the Government of the British nation, and to the whole foreign community in China." — pp. 333, 334. In the last of these enclosures which we shall quote, and which is another public notice to Her Majesty's subjects, (dated 31st December, 1838,) there occurs the following strong denouncement of the traffic in, opium on his own part and on that of his Government. " After the most deliberate reconsideration of this course n of traffic, (which he heartily hopes has ceased for ever,) the Chief Superintendent will once more declare his own opi- nion, that in its general effects it was intensely mischievous to every branch of the trade ; that it was rapidly staining the British character with deep disgrace ; and, finally, that it exposed the vast public and private interests involved in the peaceful maintenance of our regular commercial inter- course with this empire, to imminent jeopardy. " Thus profoundly impressed, (and after the failure of his own public entreaties and injunctions,) the Chief Superin- tendent feels that he would have betrayed his duty to his gracious Sovereign and his country, if he had hesitated be- yond the period he had formally fixed, effectually to separate Her Majesty's Government from any direct or implied coun- tenance of this dangerous irregularity. Looking steadily at its effects on British interests and British character, he had further resolved to shrink from no responsibility in drawing it to a conclusion ; and he will as firmly use all lawful means in his power to prevent its recurrence. It is a source of great support to him, that the general body of the whole community settled at Canton strongly concur with him in the deprecation of this peculiar mischief; and he has not failed to afford Her Majesty's Government the satisfaction of knowing that such is the case. " He takes this occasion to republish that part of the Act of Parliament and the Orders in Council, upon which his instructions are founded. And whilst he would respectfully observe that it is out of his power to publish his instructions, it is at the same time his duty to promulgate (as he has always done, and always will,) whatever it may concern the interests of Her Majesty's subjects should be generally known. " In declaring therefore that Her Majesty's Government will give no countenance whatever to proceedings of the kind which he has now been noticing, he requests it may be plainly understood that he is conveying the unequivocal sentiments of his instructions. Events over which he had no control, have cast on this occasion a difficult task on the Chief Superintendent ; and devoting the most attentive con- sideration in his power to its suitable performance, he can only aver that he has meant to do no more than his duty, but certainly no less. " In the execution of such an office as his own, however, when decisions must almost always be taken in moments of crisis, surrounded by embarrassing circumstances, the possi- 78 bility that illegalities may be committed (with the sineerest intentions to avoid them) is not to be denied. It is only just therefore to remind Her Majesty's subjects that the 9th clause of the Act of Parliament has provided the man- ner of pursuing their legal remedy. His official responsi- bility can always be fixed upon him by representation to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, to whom it is the Chief Superintendent's duty to transmit all complaints or appeals against himself." This last paragraph seems to have reference to the cla- mours which were raised at Canton against the proceedings of this just and temperate, but determined man. That the opium-traders on the spot should revile him for denouncing and repressing their traffic, was what he had to expect ; and we see that he was prepared to brave, in this cause, all the responsibilities to which he might expose himself; for he considered the honour and character of the British name to be staked upon it. But little could he have thought that there would be found, in his own country, persons so unjust to an officer of that country serving it in a distant land, surrounded by dangers and difficulties, as to assail him, on grounds directly the reverse of those on which he was as- sailed by his adversaries at Canton ; — persons who, sitting by the fireside, and guessing at the facts, could be betrayed (let us hope through carelessness, and not with the evil heart of faction,) into reviling, as a promoter of the opium- trade, one who was devoting all his heart, and soul, and strength to the suppression of it. On the 2nd of January, 1839, Captain Elliot, finding probably that the traders in opium were likely to get the better of him sooner or later unless his hands were strengthened, wrote to Lord Palmerston as follows : — " On the occasion of transmitting these despatches, I venture to address your Lordship a few words in a private shape. I would, with great deference, take the liberty to observe, that when I assumed this office recent, imperial commands were in existence (specially pointed at the 79 British nation) to the effect that no foreign officers should reside in this empire. That chief obstacle has been re- moved ; and if what has since been accomplished seems for the present to carry no considerable change in point of form, it nevertheless involves a principle of great and com- prehensive importance, namely, a permanent and direct official intercourse between the two countries. I shall offer no further excuse for the moderate manner in which I have been content, in the present emergency, to accept this con- cession, because I am sure your Lordship will make every allowance for the difficulty of peacefully extracting any formal relaixation from this watchful government ; above all, relaxation upon the subject of constant official relations with foreign powers, which it has hitherto been the especial spirit of Chinese policy to avoid. " These observations, my Lord, may perhaps serve to excuse the respectful request I have now the honour to prefer. I humbly hope that Her Majesty's Government (taking into its consideration the novel, responsible, and undefined station I fill, and casting a thought upon the many embarrassing circumstances which have beset me) would be pleased to determine whether I have a claim to such an expression of support as I may be permitted to publish to the Queen's subjects in thb empire. " There is certainly a spirit in active force amongst British subjects in this country, which makes it necessary, for the safety of momentous concernments, that the officer on the spot should be known to stand without blame in the estimation of Her Majesty's Government ; and it is not less needful that he should be forthwith vested with defined and adequate powers for the reasonable control of men whose rash conduct cannot be left to the operation of Chinese laws without the utmost inconvenience and risk, and whose im- punity is alike injurious to British character and dangerous to British interests. " It is my deliberate conviction that the security of the China trade, and the maintenance of our peaceful inter- course with this empire, depend upon the early attention of Her Majesty's Government to this subject ; and I take this occasion to repeat, that the assent of the Chinese govern- ment to institutions of this kind is beyond all doubt ; indeed, your Lordship will perceive from the Governor's answer to my note of the 23rd ultimo, that he supposes they either actually are in existence, or, at all events, that they ought to be. 80 " It may be thought that it would be easy to place this point beyond dispute, by addressing his Excellency specially upon the subject ; but I take the liberty to observe that, in the absence of the necessary machinery, that course would be injudicious; for the Governor would immediately suspect that something more was intended than the mere permission to exercise functions which it will be diflScidt enough to make him understand need the sanction of any other Government than our own, " Your Lordship may be assured that the theory is, even when they demand a man in the case of a homicide, that we have already tried and convicted him according to the forms of our own laws. I hope it will not be thought in- trusive if I mention that I have recently had a conversation with Howqua upon this point, on which occasion I ex- plained, as carefully as I could, your Lordship's reasoning in the debate in the House of Commons on the China Courts Bill. He concurred in every word that was said, and particularly in the inexpediency of drawing the subject under the attention of this Government till all things were ready to go into operation. It was a source of the greatest surprise to him that the Bill had been mainly arrested in its progress by Sir George Staunton's objections ; and I found it hopeless to make him admit that he understood the objects of Sir George's amendment. He referred me, with earnestness, to the requests which had been made be- fore the Company's monopoly was abolished, to make pro- vision for the Government of Her Majesty's subjects ; and he desired to know what more was wanted, and how it was possible to preserve the peace, if all the English people who came to this country were to be left without control ? He further entreated me to remind * my nation's great ministers,' that this Government never interposed except in cases of extreme urgency, upon the principle that they were igno- rant of our laws and customs, and that it was unjust to sub- ject us to rules made for people of totally difterent habits, ' and brought up under a totally different discipline, I must confess, my Lord, that this reasoning appears to me to be marked by wisdom and great moderation ; and, at all events, convinced as 1 am that the necessity of control, either by British or Chinese law, is urgent, I would most respectfully submit these views to the attentive consideration of Her Majesty's Government, My own anxiety on this subject will be more explicable when I inform your Lordship, that till I am differently instructed I should hold it to be my 81 duty to resist to the last the seizure and punishment of a British subject by the Chinese law, be his crime what it might ; and crimes of the gravest character have lately been of every-day probability. " In fact, my Lord, if Her Majesty's officer is to be of any use for the purposes of just protection, — if the well- founded hope of improving things honourable and esta- bhshed is not to be sacrificed to the chances which may cast up by goading this Government into some sudden and vio- lent assertion of its own authority — there is certainly no time to be lost in providing for the defined and reasonable control of Her Majesty's subjects in China. " I could not have concealed these opinions without be- traying my duty to Her Majesty's Government and the British public."— pp. 339-40. On the 21st of January, 1839, Captain Elliot reports a tranquil state of things, but still connects his report, as usual, with a warning of evils to come : — " The departure of the ship ' William Janiine ' from these roads affords me a hurried opportunity to report the tranquil course of the trade since its re-opening on the 31st ultimo. " In the mean time, however, there has been no relaxa- tion of the vigour of the Government, directed not only against the introduction of the opium, but in a far more remarkable manner against the consumers. A correspond- ing degree of desperate adventure upon the part of the smugglers is only a necessary consequence ; and in this situation of things, serious accidents, and sudden and indefi- nite interruptions to the regular trade, must always be pro- bable events." — p. 342. Captain Elliot's next despatch contains the first intelli- gence of the expected arrival of the High Commissioner Lin, and of the apprehensions which were connected with it: — ** In the present sinister aspect of circumstances here. Her Majesty's Government will no doubt desire to receive frequent information from Canton ; and I avail myself of the opportunity of a fast ship, to report the uninterrupted G 82 course of the regular trade to this date, since its re -opening announced in ray despatch of the 31st December of last year. " The stagnation of the opium traffic at all points, how- ever, may be said to have been nearly complete for the last four months. And it is now my duty to signify to your Lordship the expected arrival of a very high officer from the Court, to hold equal rank with the Governor, and spe- cially charged, as I am this day informed by Hovvqua, with the general conduct of the measures lately determined upon at Peking for the suppression of the opium trade. " It must also be stated that the Emperor has recently been advised to command a total interruption of the foreign trade and intercourse till the introduction of opium shall be effectually stopped ; and an edict of great moment, evi- dently founded upon that policy, has just been issued to the foreign merchants, but not yet to myself. It shall be trans- mitted to your Lordship as soon as Mr. Morrison has trans- lated it ; but it is probable the communication will not be sent officially to me till the arrival of the High Commis- sioner from Peking, which may be expected in the course of a few weeks. " There seems, my Lord, no longer any room to doubt that the Court has firmly determined to suppress, or, more probably, most extensively to check, the opium trade. The immense, and it must be said, most unfortunate increase of the supply during the last four years, the rapid growth of the East coast trade, and the continued drain of the silver, have no doubt greatly alarmed the Government ; but the manner of the rash course of traffic within the river has probably contributed most of all to impress the urgent ne- cessity of arresting the growing audacity of the foreign smugglers, and preventing their associating themselves with the desperate and lawless of their own large cities. " In the excited temper of this extraordinary Govern- ment, it wovdd be unsafe indeed to speculate upon the par- ticular measures they may pursue : but at least I am sure that my own altered position, and the course I took last month with respect to the forced trade within the river, will give much weight to my remonstrances in any moment of emergency. " Replying to Howqua's suggestions to-day, that such proceedings must be looked for, 1 said I earnestly hoped not, because I was persuaded they would be regarded by my own Government to be unjust and hostile in the very 83 last degree. I added that I should be careful to clear my- self of all responsibility by signifying these convictions to the Provincial Government, in respectful, but most plain terms, directly that it adopted courses so certain, in my judgment, to tend to an interruption of the peace be- tween the two countries. He met this observation by say- ing that I had experience enough of the Chinese Gorern- ment to know that full time would be given before such extreme measures were adopted. I answered that the lapse of no interval of time could justify aggressions upon public and private interests embarked in this lawful trade, by rea- son of the acts of smugglers in a high degroe, encouraged by the chief authorities of these provinces. " He dwelt earnestly upon the manifold mischiefs of the trade, and particularly upon the alarming character of the late inside traffic, asking me what my Government would do under such circumstances ? I said, that no such state of things could obtain in England, and he must give me leave to remark three things concerning that part of the subject, — 1st. that it no longer subsisted ; 2nd. that it had been induced by the venality of the highest officers of this province ; 3rd. that it had been put down by the effect of my representations and proceedings, as soon as ever I was in a condition to take steps concerning it. " Whilst such a traffic existed, indeed, in the heart of our regular commerce, I had all along felt the Chinese Govern- ment had a just ground for harsh measures towards the lawful trade, upon the plea that there was no distinguishing between the right and the wrong. But I told Howqua that should never happen again so long as the Governor enabled me to perform my duty ; and it could not have happened at all, but for his Excellency's countenance. " I concluded by saying, that 1 had too much confidence in the justice and wisdom of his Government, to appre- hend such measures as he appeared to do, and too umch experience of the genius of my own, to doubt that their adoption would be the sure precursor of a rupture. "He anxiously entreated me to press, in my despatches to my Government, on the great and growing danger of this traffic to the lawful trade and peaceful intercourse; and he led me to luiderstand, that some strong official com- munication on the subject must be expected as soon as the High Commissioner arrived." — pp. 342, 3455, and 344. g2 84 ■ On the 13th June, 1839, Lord Palmerston writes in ac- knowledgment of the above despatches : "Your despatches to the 31st of December of last year, and to the 30th of January of this year, have been received and laid before Her Majesty's Government. " With reference to such of these despatches as detail the circumstances which led to an interruption of tlie trade for a short period in December last, and the steps which you took in consequence, with a view to the re-opening of the trade, and to the re-establishment of your official communica- tions with the Chinese authorities, I have to signify to you the entire approbation of Her Majesty's Government of your conduct on those matters. But I have at the same time to instruct you not to omit to avail yourself of any proper opportunity to press for the substitution of a less objectionable character than the character " Pin," on the superscription of the communications which you may have occasion to address to the Viceroy." — p. 142. On the 8th of February, 1839, Captain Elliot sends a iirther edict of the Governor of Canton, and states that the stagnation of the opium traffic still continued. On the 22nd of March, 1839, Captain Elliot sends home the first Proclamation of Lin, who had then arrived at Canton : " The enclosure has this moment reached me from Canton, and I have only time to transmit it by the ' Viscount Mel- bourne,' on the point of sailing. " It will be very satisfactory to your Lordship to know that Her Majesty's sloop " Lame " is here ; and Her Ma- jesty's Government may be assured that 1 will take the most prompt measures for meeting the unjust and menacing dispositions of the High Commissioner and the Provincial Authorities. "I have already forwarded a note to the Keun-Min-Foo and the Governor of Canton, desiring to know whether it is the purpose of the Chinese Government to make war on the ships and men of my country ; and I shall proceed to- morrow to the Bocca Tigris to demand some plain and definite explanation upon the whole subject. 85 " I have no doubt that a firm tone and attitude will check the rash spirit of the Provincial Authorities; but 1 should not omit to mention to your Lordship that I have, at the same lime, offered to use my best efforts for fulfilling the reasonable purposes of this Government, whenever they are authentically made known to me. The completion of the great portion of the trade of this year has relieved me of a very embarrassing addition to the diflSculties of my situation." The following are the principal portions of Lin's Procla- mation, which is addressed tp the foreigners of all nations, and dated 18th March, 1839 : "The prohibitions formerly enacted by the Celestial Court against opium were comparatively lax ; and it was yet possible to smuggle the drug into the various ports. Of this the Great Emperor having now heard, his wrath has been fearfully aroused, nor will it rest till the evil be utterly extirpated. Whoever among the people of this inner land deals in opium, or establishes houses for the smok- ing of it, shall be instantly visited with the extreme penalties of the laws ; and it is in contemplation to render capital also the crime of smoking of the drug. " Having come into the territory of the Celestial Court, you should pay obedience to its laws and statutes, equally with the natives of the land. ♦ * * * ♦ ♦ " Should I search closely into the offences of these foreigners in forcing for a number of years the sale of opium, they would be found already beyond the bounds of indul- gence. But reflecting that they are men from distant lands, and that they have not before been aware that the prohibition of opium is so severe, I cannot bear, in the present plain enforcement of the laws and restrictions, to cut them off without instructive monition. " I find that on board the warehousing vessels which you now have lying at anchor in the Lintiti and other offings, there are stored up several times ten thousand chests of opium, which it is your purpose and desire illicitly to dispose of by sale. You do not consider, however, the pre- sent severity of the measures in operation for seizure of it at the ports. Where will you again find any that will dare to give it escort ? And similar measures for the seizure of it arc in operation also in every province. Where else then 86 will you yet find opportunity of disposing of it ? At the present time, the dealings in opium arc brought entirely to a stand, and all men are convinced that it is a nauseous poison. Why will you be at the pains then of laying it up on board your foreign store-ships, and of keeping them long anchored on the face of the open sea — not only spending to no purpose your labour and your wealth, but exposed also to unforeseen dangers from storms or from fire? " I proceed to issue my commands. When these com- mands reach the said foreign merchants, let them with all haste pay obedience thereto ; let them deliver up to Govern- ment every particle of the opium on board their store-ships. Let it be ascertained by the Hong merchants, who are the parties so delivering it up, and what number of chests, as also what total quantity in catties and taels, is delivered up mider each name. Let these particulars be brought toge- ther in a clear tabidar form, and be presented to Government, in order that the opium may be all received in plain confor- mity thereto, that it may be burnt and destroyed, and that thus the evil may be entirely extirpated. There must not be the smallest atom concealed or withheld. " At the same time, let these foreigners give a bond, written jointly in the foreign and Chinese languages, making a declaration to this effect : — ' That their vessels, which shall hereafter resort hither, will never again dare to bring opium with them ; and that should any be brought, as soon as discovery shall be made of it, the goods shall be forfeited to Government, and the parties shall suffer the extreme penalties of the law ; and that such pmiishment will be willingly submitted to. " I have heard that you foreigners are used to attach great importance to the word ' good faith.' If then you will really do as J, the High Commissioner, have commanded, — will deliver up every particle of opium that is already here, and will stay altogether its future introduction, — as this will prove also, that you are capable of feeling contri- tion for your offences, and of entertaining a salutary dread of punishment, the past may yet be left unnoticed. I, the High Commissioner, will, in that case, in conjunction with the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor, address the throne, imploring the Great Emperor to vouchsafe extraordinary favour, and not alone to remit the punishment of your past errors, but also, as we will further request, to devise some mode of bestowing on you his imperial rewards, as an encou- ragement of the spirit of contrition and wholesome dread 87 thus manifested by you. After this, you will continue to enjoy the advantages of commercial intercourse ; and, as you will not lose the character of being " good foreigners," and will be enabled to acquire profits and gain wealth by an honest trade, will you not, indeed, stand in a most honour- able position ? " If, however, you obstinately adhere to your folly, and refuse to awake ; if you think to make up a tale covering over your illicit dealings, or to set up as a pretext, that the opium is brought by foreign seamen, and the foreign mer- chants have nothing to do with it; or to pretend craftily that you will carry it back to your countries, or will throw it into the sea ; or to take occasion to go to other provinces in search of a door of consumption ; or to stifle inquiry by delivering up only one or two-tenths of the whole quantity : in any of these cases, it will be evident that you retain a spirit of contumacy and disobedience, that you up- hold vice and will not reform. Then, although it is the maxim of the Celestial Court to treat with tenderness and great mildness men from afar, yet, as it cannot suffer them to indulge in scornful and contemptuous trifling with it, it will become requisite to comprehend you also in the severe course of punishment prescribed by the new law. " On this occasion, I, the High Commissioner, having come from the Capital, have personally received the sacred commands, that wherever a law exists it is to be fully en- forced. And as I have brought these full powers and pri- vileges, enabling me to perform whatever seems to me right, — powers with which those ordinarily given, for inquiring and acting in regard to other matters, are by no means com- parable, — so long as the opium traftic remains unextermi- nated, so long will I delay ray return. I swear that I will proceed with this matter from its beginning to its ending, and that not a thought of stopping half way shall for a mo- ment be indulged. " Furthermore, observing the present condition of the popular mind, I find so universal a spirit of indignation aroused, that, should you foreigners remain dead to a sense of contrition and atnendment, and continue to make gain your sole object, there will not only be arrayed against you the martial terrors and powerful energies of our naval and military forces ; it will be but necessary to call on the able- bodied of the people, [the militia, or posse comitatus,] and these alone will be more than adequate to the placing all your lives within my power. Besides, either by the tem- porary stoppage of your trade, or by the permanent closing 88 of the ports against you, what difficulty can there be in effectually cutting off your intercourse? ***** " As to those crafty foreigners, who, residing in the foreign factories, have been in the habit of dealing in opium, I, the High Commissioner, have early been provided with a list of them by name. At the same time, those good foreigners who have not sold opium, must also not fail to be distin- guished. Such of them as will point out their depraved fellow-foreigners will compel them to deliver up their opium, and will step forth among the foremost to give the required bonds, these shall be regarded as the good foreigners. And I, the High Commissioner, will at once, for their encourage- ment, reward them liberally. It rests with yourselves alone to choose, whether you will have weal or woe, honour or disgrace. I am now about to command the Hong merchants to proceed to your factories, to instruct and admonish you. A term of three days is prescribed for an address to be sent in reply to me. And, at the same, let your duly attested and faithful bonds be given, waiting for me in conjunction with the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor, to appoint a time for the opium to be delivered up. Do not indulge in idle expectations, or seek to postpone matters, deferring to repent until its lateness render it ineffectual." — pp. 350, 351, 352. Then follows an edict from Lin to the Hong merchants, bitterly reproaching them for conniving at the opium trade, inquiring whether " they are not indeed dreaming, and snoring in their dreams," and threatening death to one or two of the worst of them if the opium in the receiving-ships should not be delivered and the bond required from the foreigners given. The crisis now came rapidly on, and on the 30th March, 1839, Captain Elliot, by that time imprisoned along with all the British merchants in the factory at Canton, writes the following account of the events and motives which in- duced him to force his way to that post of difficulty. Those who, before these despatches were published, have askedjwhy Captain Elliot threw himself into the power of the Chinese bv 89 going to Canton, and did not rather hold himself aloof, where he could negotiate without restraint, will find themselves answered in a paragraph which we have marked by itahcs. The truth seems to have been that he had no power and nothintr to negotiate with except his own skill and courage, and with no other stake remaining, he had to make the most of these. " I have considered that I shall most perspicuously per- form my present duty to Her Majesty's Government, by confining this despatch to a narrative of events, accom- panied by the documents connected with them ; and indeed my imprisoned and harassed condition is not suited to a deliberately comprehensive exposition of the motives which have influenced some of the momentous proceedings in- volved in this report. " Being at Macao on the 28th of last month for the pur- pose of conferring with Captain Blake, of Her Majesty's sloop ' Larue,' then at anchor in those roads, I received intelligence to the effect that a native of China had been suddenly brought down into the square before the foreign factories on the 26th of the same month, accompanied by a considerable force of troops, and immediately put to death by strangulation. " Within two hours after I had received these tidings I embarked on board the cutter, and arrived here on the morning of the 2nd instant. " The series of papers from No. 1 to No. 8 will place your Lordship in possession of the steps taken in that respect. '*0n the lOth instant, leaving the trade still proceeding, but with a state of gloom subsisting in the minds of all men, both natives and foreigners, I returned to Macao, to which point, and the outside anchorages, appearances indicated that the first measures of the Commissioner would be di- rected. I was therefore anxious to have further consuhation with Captain Blake on the expediency of his protracted stay in these seas, till I could judge of the degree in which the High Commissioner's proceetlings would attect the ge- neral and important interests confided to me. •'Between his Excellency's arrival and the 20th instant, rumours of every description were abroad: but the general impression was that the Governor and the High Couimis- 90 siouer were to proceed tbrthwitli to Macao, or its near neighbourhood, and commence their operations from that situation. At Macao, within the barrier, tents were pitched, a considerable force was assembled, numbers of vessels and boats of war were collected, and I had myself observed, a few days before, under the forts at the Bocca Tigris, a dis- play of old native vessels preparing to serve the purposes of fire-ships, or at all events to leave that impression upon passing foreigners. "In this menacing posture of affairs outside, I had deter- mined to abide at Macao, so that my intercourse with Her Majesty's sloop might not be interrupted, and that I might concert with the commander measures of general protection, if any attack should be really directed against the lives or properties of Her Majesty's subjects. " Resolved, in any pressure of emergency actually threatening the continued peaceful intercourse with this empire, to incur most heavy personal responsibilities con- cerning the ships engaged in the illicit traffic, I had also determined to resist sudden aggression on British life and British property at all hazards and to all extremity, and I am well assured your Lordship will be of opinion that this was my capital duty as the Queen's officer. " On the 22nd instant, however, as your Lordship is al- ready aware, the news reached me that the storm had changed its direction, and impended over the whole foreign community at Canton in the most alarming form. " Forwarding an address to the Governor of Canton through the Keun-Min-Foo, and a transcript of the same to that officer, issuing two circulars to Her Majesty's sub- jects, and addressing a secret letter to Captain Blake, of Her Majesty's sloop * Lame,' I proceeded to make the at- tempt to reach these factories on the 23rd instant. " It had been my intention to proceed only to the Bocca Tigris, and carry on my communications from that point ; but further disquieting private intelligence reached me from Canton ; and the reflection of the natural unfitness of a commercial community to take any consentaneous course respecting the delicate and momentous question in hand, in this hour of extreme peril to all interests and indeed gene- rally to human life, carried me to the conviction that I must either reach these factories or some desperate calamity would ensue. "On Sunday the 24th instant I passed through the Bocca Tigris, and calling to me an inferior mandarin sta- 91 tioneJ there, explained to him my apprehension that if the communications were cut oft' between me and all the people of my nation at Macao and the other anchorages, they would believe that I and all the other foreigners were pri- soners, or alarmed by vague reports that our lives were in imminent peril, they would attempt a rescue, to the certain violation of the peace between the countries, and to the great increase of our own danger. This I desired him to explain to his admiral with my respects. " I reached Whampoa at 4 p.m. of the same day (the 24th), where I learnt, as I had anticipated, that the inter- course between that place and Canton had been entirely cut oft" for forty-eight hours. " Putting on my uniform directly, and placing myself in the gig of Her Majesty's sloop "Lame" which I had taken up with me, with the ensign and pendant hoisted, and my Chinese passport for the cutter in my hand, (declaratory of my public character and name,) I proceeded forthwith to the chief mandarin I could find in the reach. " 1 told that officer that it was my purpose to proceed to Canton ; and that apprehending forcible interruption, I had to warn him that ray boat was unarmed, that my purposes were peace and the protection of my countrymen, that I should offer no resistance, but that it was my resolution to reach these factories, or to sacrifice my life in the attempt. I therefore called upon him not to lose one moment in for- warding expresses to advertise the officers of the various stations not to fire upon me. . " Disregarding his earnest dissuasion I proceeded on immediately in the cutter to the nearest anchorage, about four miles from these factories. At that point I was again approached by several armed boats ; but pursuing a similar course of representation, I entered the gig and proceeded upwards with all possible celerity, pulling and sailing. At my nearer approach to the factories, armed boats pushed out from every side, but the admirable steadiness of the four people of the " Lame," and a commanding favourable breeze, enabled me to baffle the attempts to obstruct me ; and at about 6 p.m., I pushed into those stairs, to the grt^at relief of my distressed countrymen, many of whom had watched the latter part of my approach with feelings of the keenest solicitude. " The top-mast of the fla^-statf had been struck since the execution; but I immediately desired that the boat's ensign should be taken up and made fast to the lower mast-head ; <^2 for I well knew, my Lord, that there is a sense of support in the sight of that honoured flag, fly where it will, that none can feel but men who look upon it in some such dismal strait as ours. " The state of intense distress in which I found the whole foreign community, will be explicable to Her Majesty's Government, when I inform your Lordship that the actual pressing difficulty was the obstinate demand that Mr. L. Dent, one of our most respected merchants at Canton, should proceed into the city, and attend the High Commissioner's tribunal. "The accompanying notes, however, taken by the Secre- tary, Mr. Elmslie, will furnish a detailed accoimt of the pro- ceedings which immediately preceded my arrival in Canton. " My first step was to go to Mr, Dent's house with my countrymen ; taking him under my arm, I brought him to this hall, where by God's gracious mercy he still remains. Most anxious, however, to avoid all just imputation of impracticability, I immediately signified to the Hong mer- chants, for communication to the Government, my readiness to let Mr. Dent go into the city with me, and upon the distinct written stipulation, (sealed with the High Commis- sioner's signet,) that he was never to be removed for one moment out of my sight. '* I then assembled the whole foreign community in Canton, and reading to them my circulars issued at Macao, enjoined them all to be moderate, firm, and united. I had the satisfaction to dissolve the meetincr in a calmer state of mind than had subsisted for several days past. " The native servants were taken from us, and the supplies cut off' on the same night ; but it was declared by the merchants that the orders had been issued in the course of the morning, by reason of Mr. Dent's opposition to the High Commissioner's summons. " An arc of connected boats was formed, filled with armed men, the extremes of which touch the east and w est points of the bank of the river in the immediate front of the fac- tories, cutting off" a segment of the stream from the main body ; the square and the rear of the factories are occupied in considerable force ; and before the gate of this hall the whole body of the Hong merchants and a large guard are posted day and night, the latter with their swords constantly drawn. In short, so close an imprisonment of the foreigners is not recorded in the history of our previous intercourse with this empire. 93 "The series of papers from No. 13 to 26 is my corre- spondence with the Government since my arrival in Canton this day week, with the exception of No. 20, which is a most momentous circular to Her Majesty's subjects, re- qiiiring the surrender into my hands, for the service of Her Majesty's Government, of all the British opium actually on the coasts of China at that date. "The justification of this immense responsibility will need more full development than it would be desirable, or indeed practicable, to make in my present condition. 1 am without doubt, however, that the safety of a great mass of human life hung upon my determination. For if I had commenced with the denial of my controul over the subject, the High Commissioner would have seized that pretext for reverting to his measures of intimidation against individual merchants, obviously the original purpose, but which my sudden appearance had disturbed. If I had persevered in this course of representation, he would have forced the whole into submission by the protracted confinement of the per- sons he should cUtermine to seize ; and judging from the tenor of his proclamation and general conduct, 1 am fully warranted in saying, by the sacrifice of their lives. " The force(i and separate surrender of all this immensely valuable property by individual merchants, without security for indemnity and protection, must have led to some desperate commercial convulsion in India and England, which might have embarrassed the Queen's Government in an incalcu- lable degree. " In a few words, then, my Lord, I may say, that I plainly perceived the moment had arrived for placing the whole weight of the immense diflficulties to be encountered on the only foundation where it could safely rest ; namely, upon the wisdom, justice, and power of Her Majesty's Government. " I have written thus far, my Lord, at various snatches during a most anxious week, and it is my present purpose to continue this narration from this date, as circum.stances of moment present themselves. " Canton, Ajrril 2, 1839. " Between the 30th ultimo and the present date, the nego- tiations, your Lordship will observe, have been confined entirely to the mode of delivering the opium. 94 " His Excellency demands that the ships should come up so close to the Bogue as to place them almost under the guns of the fortresses ; and he insists that I shall forward the merchants' orders for delivery to the respective com- manders, to the officers of the Government, so that they may forthwith take them to the ships and receive the opium ; all of us remaining in our present imprisonment till the whole amount be delivered. " I need hardly observe to your Lordship that it is not my purpose to accept conditions of release which would place all the British shipping in China at the disposal of this Government, and completely expose the transactions of the merchants of my country. " But being anxious, for obvious and very urgent reasons, to fulfil my obligations with all practicable dispatch, your Lordship will perceive that I have submitted the single mode of effecting the object. " The only incidents of interest affecting our general situation since I last wrote, are the permission to purchase food, and the entrance, from time to time, of Coolies, under strict surveillance, to remove the foul linen. In other respects the blockade is increasing in closeness. Scraps of intelligence, however, have reached us, brought up by Chinese, in gigars, and in other adroit modes, from Whampoa, to the 31st ultimo, and from Macao to the 30th. All was tranquil at either point when these tidings left ; but the painful anxiety of our families and countrymen will be conceivable to Her Majesty's Government. " I should not omit to mention to your Lordship that the Commissioner yesterday caused his addresses to me to be publicly placarded, but not my replies. I am credibly in- formed that the publicity of his own papers has by no means had the desired effect of inciting the people of the country against me, but the contrary. " Her Majesty's Government will do me the honour to observe that I have studiously abstained from noticing the High Commissioner's insulting language, palpably put forward to provoke, me ; and that I have not considered my situation was a suitable one for answering his argument- ation. " This is the first time in our intercourse with this Empire that its Government has taken the unprovoked initiative in aggressive measures against British life, liberty, and pro- perty, and against the dignity of the British Crown. I say 95 unprovoked, advisedly, bec.iuse your Lordship will observe, in my address to the Keun-MinFoo, dated at Macao on the 22d idtinio, that I offered to adjust all things peacefully, by the fulfilment of the Emperor's will as soon as it was made known to me. " Her Majesty's Government may be assured that there shall be no pretext of imseemly violence or intemperance of tone on my part, to help the vindication of the actual policy. They have deprived us of our liberty, and our lives are in their hands; but our reason, and above all, our dutiful confidence in the Queen's gracious protection, will remain with us. " My own life has been passed in the public service, and 1 should be unpardonable indeed if 1 did not remember and steadily act upon the recollection, that the response to these proceedings is the high attribute of Her Majesty. " Canton, 1 p. m., April 3, 1839. " The High Commissioner has acceded to the arrangements proposed in my memorandum, No. 28 ; and Mr. Johnston leaves me at 4 p. m. this day, for Macao, by the inside passage, accompanied by the officers. The first eight enclosures of this despatch relate to the execution in front of the factories. The following have reference to the still more menacing measures which en- sued. Captain Elliot to the Governor of Canton. " Macao, March 22, 1839. " The Undersigned, &c. &c., seriously disturbed by the unusual assemblage of troops, ships of war, fire-vessels, and other menacing preparations, and, above all, by the unprecedented and unexplained measure of an execution before the factories at Canton, to the destruction of all con- fidence in the just and moderate dispositions of the provin- cial authorities, has now the honour to demand, in the name of the Sovereign of his nation, whether it is the pur- 96 pose of His Excellency the Governor to make war upon the men and ships of his nation in this empire ? " He claims immediate and calming assurances upon this subject; and he has at the same time to declare his readi- ness to meet the officers of the Provincial Government, and to use his sincere efforts to fulfil the pleasure of the great Emperor, as soon as it is made known to him. (Signed) Charles Elliot." Public Notices to Her Majesty's Subjects. Circular. '' Macao, March 22, 1839. " The Chief Superintendent of the trade of British sub- jects in China, having received information that Her Ma- jesty's subjects are detained against their will in Canton, and having other urgent reasons for the withdrawal of all confidence in the just and moderate dispositions of the Pro- vincial Government, has now to require that all the ships of Her Majesty's subjects at the outer anchorages should proceed forthwith to Hong Kong, and, hoisting their na- tional colours, be prepared to resist every act of aggression on the part of the Chinese Government. " In the absence of Captain Blake, of Her Majesty's sloop * Lame,' Captain Parry of the ' Hercules' will make the necessary dispositions for putting the ships in a pos- ture of defence ; and in the absence of Captain Parry, that duty will devolve on Captain Wallace of the * Mer- maid.' ''And the Chief Superintendent, in Her Majesty's name, requires all British subjects to whom these present? may come, to respect the authority of the persons herein charged Avith the duty of providing for the protection of British life and property." " Macao, March 23, 1839. " The considerations that have moved the Undersigned to give public notice to all Her Majesty's subjects, that he is without confidence in the justice and moderation of the Provincial Government, are — '"The dangerous, unprecedented, and unexplained cir- cxmistance of a public execution before the factories at Canton, to the imminent hazard of life and property, and 97 total disregard of the honour and dignity of his own, and the other western Governments, whose flags were recently flying in that square ; the unusual assemblage of troops, vessels of war, fire-ships, and other menacing preparations ; the communication, by the command of the Provincial Government, that in the present posture of affairs the foreigners were no longer to seek for passports to leave Canton (according to the genius of our own countries and the principles of reason, if not an act of declared war, at least its immediate and inevitable preliminary) ; and lastly, the threatening language of the High Commissioner and provincial authorities, of the most general application, and dark and violent character. " Holding it, therefore, impossible to maintain continued peaceful intercourse with safety, honour, or advantage, till definite and satisfactory explanations have passed in all these particulars, both as respects the past and the future, the undersigned has now to give further notice that he shall forthwith demand passports for all such of Her Majesty's subjects as may think fit to proceed outside within the space of ten days from the date that his application reaches the government ; such date hereafter to be made known. " And he has to counsel and enjoin all Her Majesty's subjects, in urgent terms, to make immediate preparations for moving their property on board the ships, * Reliance,' * Orwell,' and * George the Fourth,' or other British vessels at Whampoa, to be conveyed to Macao ; forwarding him, without delay, a sealed declaration, and a list of all actual claims against Chinese subjects, together with an estimate of all loss or damage to be suffered by reason of these pro- ceedings of the Chinese government. " And he has further to give notice, that the Portuguese government of this settlement has already pledged itself to afford Her Majesty's subjects resident here every protection in its power, so long as they shall be pursuing no course of traffic within the limits of the settlement at variance with the laws of this empire. And he has most especially to warn Her Majesty's subjects that such strong measures as it may be necessary to adopt on the part of Her Majesty's Government, without further notice than the present, cannot be prejudiced by their continued residence in Canton (be- yond the period now fixed), upon their own responsibility, or without further guarantees from the undersigned. " And he has further to give notice, that if the passports should be refused for more than three days from the date H 98 that his application shall reach the provincial government, he will be driven to the conclusion that it is their purpose to detain all Her Majesty's subjects as hostages, and to endeavour to intimidate them into unsuitable concessions and terms, by the restraint of their persons, or by violence upon their lives or property, or by the death of native mer- chants in immediate connexion with them, both by ties of friendship and of interest ; or by the like treatment of their native servants. " The undersigned, in conclusion, most respectfully sub- mits these observations to the attention of all the foreigners in China: and the respective governments [being] closely united, by a community of feeling and interests, not only in their own quarters of the globe, but most especially in this peculiar country, he feels that he is performing an act of duty in offering them every humble assistance in his power, on this and all similar occasions, when they may be of opinion that he can be useful to them." — pp. 362 — 364. The next enclosure is a letter from Captain Elliot to Captain Blake, dated on the day that he left Macao for Canton, (23d March, 1839,) and conveying the following request : — " If you shall not hear from me in some certain and assuring manner, within the space of six days from the date of this communication, I trust that you will proceed in Her Majesty's sloop under your command to the Bocca Tigris, and, failing such authentic accounts of the safety and free agency of all Her Majesty's subjects within those forts, from the Chinese admiral, as may be satisfactory to you, I must beg you will consider us to be prisoners, and adopt such immediate proceedings for our relief as may seem suitable to you." — p. 364. The following enclosure is a note of the proceedings which took place on the 23d March, before Captain Elliot's arrival at Canton, in consequence of Lin's demand to have Mr. Dent, a British merchant, delivered up to him. " This day at 10 a. m., the Hong merchants repaired to the house of Mr, Dent, Howqua Senior and Mandarin Mowqua appearing with iron chains round their necks, and 99 also with the further degradation of being deprived of their buttons of rank. Howqua's son. Mow qua, and Gowqua, were also degraded and cast into prison. The visit to Mr. Dent was by the express order of the High Com- missioner, to command Mr. Dent to go into the city imme- diately, that he might be confronted with his Excellency. The majority of the foreign community had already assem- bled at Mr. Dent's, and it was deemed most advisable that they should collect in a separate room from the Hong mer- chants, and that the following question should be put to them : — " Shall Mr. Dent comply with the commands of the Commissioner, or not ? " It was unanimously carried that Mr. Dent should not comply, unless under the written and sealed guarantee that he should be treated with respect, and also that he should be permitted to return home after the conference. This decision was conveyed to the Hong merchants. They said that Howqua and Mandaiin Mowqua would lose their heads if Mr. Dent did not comply with the commands from the Commissioner, and that they could not venture to apply for the required guarantee. After considerable delay, a depu- tation of foreigners, accompanied by linguists, proceeded to the Consoo House, to explain to the Kwang-Chow-Foo and other oflficers, the objections the community had to allowing Mr. Dent to comply with the commands in ques- tion. Upon these objections being made known, the Kwang- Chow-Foo requested an officer belonging to the High Com- missioner's suite, with the Namhoy, and an officer from the Hoppo's office, to repair and again deliver the commands to Mr. Dent, and to admonish him, in the presence of the foreigners, on the necessity of obeying. This summons, being now officially and directly made to Mr. Dent, it was thought advisable once more to solicit the opinion of the community, when the same unanimous feeling prevailed — that Mr. Dent should not go into the city, unless with a special sealed guarantee from the High Commissioner. This determination being repeated to these three officers, they declared and called heaven to witness that they would safely conduct and bring back Mr. Dent. The irresponsi- bility of these officers was taken into consideration, and the community still adhered to their determination. The officers were left in a room consulting together, and after a lapse of a few minutes, they expressed a wish to see Mr. Dent once more, when the officer belonging to the Commis- h2 100 sioner's suite spoke for a very considerable time, giving liis assurance in every way, and pledging his own word, for the safety of Mr. Dent's return. All these assurances were of no avail ; and after Mr. Dent had expressed his regret that a further time could not be allowed for the arrangement of so important a question as the one on hand, he withdrew from the presence of the officers. It was now most dis- tinctly affirmed by the officers, that they could not quit the house without they took Mr. Dent, and that they must use force to compel him to go. Waiting, however, for about half an hour, and finding Mr. Dent would not go, they wished to conduct a deputation of foreigners to the presence of the Kwang-Chow-Foo, at the Consoo House, that they might state to that officer upon what conditions Mr. Dent would comply with the commands. Many gentlemen ac- companied these officers, and distinctly stated to the Kwang-Chow-Foo what the whole foreign community required. All the officers at the Consoo House said that they could not obtain or even ask his Excellency for a guarantee, but they all expressed a request that Mr. Mor- rison should accompany them to the city : this request was instantly denied ; because Mr. Morrison had already been detained for about an hour against his will in the Consoo House, in the forenoon of this day, and was liberatea by the Deputy-Superintendent and the Secretary to the Super- intendents : and it was strongly suspected that he was to be kept as a hostage for Mr. Dent. '' Mr. Inglis proposed that three other gentlemen, with himself, should be allowed to accompany the Kwang-Chow- Foo into the city : this was instantly conceded, and Messrs. Inglis, Thom, Slade, and Fearon were to form the party : they were conducted through the back door of the Consoo House, entered the Chuk-lan gate, walked up the street, and took the first turning on the right, and soon passed the Viceroy's palace ; and after turning on the left, they drew up and were taken into the temple dedicated to the Queen of Heaven (teen hau koong). The Kwang-Chow-Foo had already arrived at this temple. He put these gentlemen in charge of the Hong merchants, and went to report to the High Commissioner : during his absence, these gentlemen were shown to a pretty part of the temple, and introduced to priests, who treated them kindly with sweetmeats, tea, &c. After great delay, the noise of gongs and shoutings, intima- ted the approach of the following officers : — Pooching-sze, or Financial Commissioner; Ancha-sze, or Judicial Com- 101 raissioner ; Yen Yun-sze, or Salt Commissioner ; and Leang taou, or Grain Commissioner. These officers took their re- spective seats in a line, but leaving the Kwang-Chow-Foo, and Wei Yune, or a deputed officer, to sit on a bench in another part of the hall, evidently, as if they were of too in- ferior degree to sit on a level with the former officers. All forms of etiquette, &c., being arranged, Mr. Thom was ushered by the head linguist into the presence of these offi- cers, and the following questions put to him direct : — ' What is your name ? What country do you belong to ? &c., &c. Why does Mr. Dent not come ?' " Mr. Thom said that all foreigners thought Mr. Dent would be detained, and therefore they would not allow him to come. • Detain him or not detain him, he is guilty of sliowing the greatest disrespect for not obeying the com- mands from the High Commissioner,' was the reply. Here Mr. Thom begged to say that Mr. Dent had not the most distant intention of showing any disrespect ; that this ques- tion was one of the utmost importance ; that Mr. Dent and his countrymen were all of opinion, and under the apprehen- sion that the High Commissioner wished to detain Mr. Dent until a certain quantity of opium be confiscated, as they had heard it reported the High Commissioner ima- gined Mr. Dent had 6,000 chests of opium. " The Ancha-sze replied that this is no report, but a cer- tainty ; that the High Commissioner's eyes are very sharp, and his ears very long ; that he knows Dent to be a great merchant, and a very large capitalist, and that he had re- sided in China many years ; that the High Commissioner held positive and explicit orders from the Emperor to put down the opium trade, and that he was possessed of powers quite unhmited and extraordinary, and that he wished to ad- monish Mr. Dent, and also to inquire into the nature of his business ; that Mr. Dent must be confronted with the High Commissioner; that if he did not consent, he should be dragged out of his house by force ; and, consequently, the High Commissioner would most assuredly kill him. One of the officers remarked that if Dent would willingly come and see the Commissioner the trade would be re-opened. " Similar questions to the above were put to the other gentlemen, but tlirough one of the linguists ; this mode of interpretation is always very confused, and causes so much misunderstanding, that the examinations are better omitted. " After a detention of about three hours, the whole party returned under the escort of an officer." — p. 365. UNTVE: 102 The next enclosures consist of the communications which passed between Captain Elliot and the Chinese authorities, after his arrival at Canton :— " Captain Elliot to the Governor of Canton. " Canton, March 25, 1839. " ELLIOT, &c., moved by urgent considerations affect- ing the safety of the lives and property of all the men of his nation and the maintenance of the peace between the two countries, respectfully claims passports for all the English ships and people at Canton, within the space of three days that this application reaches your Excellency's hands ; so that they may all be set at liberty, and depart outside in peace, with their property, within ten days after the pass- ports are issued. And Elliot further requests that your Excellency will be pleased to grant them boats for the removal of their persons and property, with guards to pro- tect them from the violence of the lower orders. And if Elliot shall not hear that the passports are granted within the space of three days from the date that this application reaches your Excellency's hands, he will be reluctantly driven to the conclusion that the men and ships of his coun- try are forcibly detained, and act accordingly. " Elliot cannot conceal from your Excellency his deep and sorrowful conviction, that the peace between the two countries is placed in imminent jeopardy by the late un- explained and alarming proceedings of this Government. " And in the name of the Sovereign of his nation, he declares himself free from the responsibility of all the con- sequences that may arise." — p. 367. " Captain Elliot to the Governor of Canton. " Canton, March 25, 1839. " ELLIOT, &c., sincerely anxious to fulfil the pleasure of the great Emperor, as far as it may be in his power, and as soon as it is authentically made known to him, respect- fully requests that your Excellency will be pleased to depute an officer to visit him this day, to the end that all matters may be peacefully adjusted. " And if Elliot is left at liberty to communicate with the men and ships of his nation at Whampoa, he will solemnly pledge himself that he will take care that they do not repair to the provincial city under the apprehension that he and all 103 the people of his nation are prisoners and without food, thus producing conflict and disturbance. " Elliot therefore moves your Excellency to let the native servants return to their occupations, to permit the supply of provisions, and to remove all the barriers from before the factories. By such means confidence and tranquillity will be restored in the minds of all men, both native and foreign. " Elliot has in all respects, since he filled the station of Superintendent, manifested his earnest desire to keep the peace and fulfil the pleasure of your Excellency ; and, as an officer of his country, he now asks for reasonable treat- ment for himself and all the men of his nation, and claims your Excellency's confidence in his peaceful dispositions on this occasion of perilous jeopardy. " It may sometimes happen, when Elliot addresses your Excellency concerning affairs, that unsuitable terms find place in his communications; and whenever that be the case, he entreats your Excellency to believe that the circum- stance is attributable to the want of perfect familiarity with the native language, and never to any intention to manifest disrespect to the high officers of this Government, which would expose him to the severe displeasure of his own sove- reign. " And he has now to request that your Excellency will be pleased to return him the address he submitted this morning." The replies to these from the Chinese officers complain that Captain Elliot takes no notice of the commands to deliver up the opium, or of the summons to Mr. Dent, and Lin at first gives his answer in a few words : — " I have now merely to lay on Elliot the responsibility of speedily and securely arranging these matters, the deli- very of the opium, and the giving of bonds in obedience to my former commands. " If he can take the opium on board the store ships, and at once deliver it up entirely, it will of course be the duty of me, the Commissioner, to give him encouragement and stimulus to exertion." — p. 370. But on the same day Lin answers at more length : — " The said Superintendent, Elliot, requests, I find, thai an officer may be deputed to enable him clearly and minutely 104 to state matters. These words seem somewhat reasonable. But how then is it that this day, from 7 till 5, when I had sent several times, Choo the Prefect of Kwang-Chow-Foo, Yu the Prefect expectant, Lew the Sub-Prefect of Fukank, Lew the magistrate of Nanhae, and Chang the magistrate of Pwanyu, who jointly repaired to the Consoo House of the Hong merchants, waiting for the said foreigner, in order to express to him commands ; and when the Territorial and Financial Commissioner, and the Judicial Commissioner, also both went to the new city, to await information : neverthe- less, the foreigners all remained in concealment, not one appearing ; and the said Superintendent Elliot also did not even to the last show himself? What kind of conduct is this? ♦ ♦ » * " But whereas, before Elliot came to Canton, I heard that all the foreigners verbally expressed their readiness to deliver up opium, and only failed to state the true amount; and even Dent, although (having the conviction that he had been long in the habit of dealing in opium) he ventured not at once to appear before the officers, yet neither did he ven- ture to abscond ; whereas, I say, this was before the case, no sooner had Elliot come to Canton, on the evening of the 24th, than he wished to lead off Dent to abscond, with the view of preventing the determination in regard to the delivery of the opium. Had not the precautionary measures been most strict and complete, almost had the hare escaped, the wolf run off. Elliot's conduct being thus exactly the same as that of an artful schemer, can he yet be regarded fit for the office of Superintendent? " And while confusedly presenting to your Excellency the Governor two addresses in one day, he makes not one word of reference to the inquiries now being made for the pre- vention of opium, or to the orders that have been given to deliver it up, just as though there was a causeless and vexa- tious detention. This only he has failed to consider, that had he really indeed been ready to command clearly all the foreigners to deliver up the opium in obedience to the com- mands given, should not I, the Commissioner, have then praised and encouraged him greatly? Or had he even abstained from giving such clear commands, yet if he had not proceeded to work upon and seduce the minds of all, to induce them to abscond, should I in that case have indeed taken the step of withdrawing the Compradores, and making inquiry regarding the vessel he came in ? At this time, the 105 offence of contumacious resistance and opposition is turned away from Dent, and fixed on Elliot. * « « • " Having received your communication as afore stated, it behoves me to request your Excellency the Governor to be so indulgent as once more to enjoin upon Elliot that it is needful he should come to have a fear of crime, and a purpose to repent and amend; that he should give clear commands to all the foreigners to obey the orders, requir- ing them to take the opium on board the store ships and speedily to deliver it up. Then not only the Compradores of individuals and of ships will be all restored as usual; but I, the Commissioner, with your Excellency the Governor, and the Lieutenant-Governor, will assuredly cease to go back into the past, and will lay our entreaties before the Great Emperor, that favours may be shown beyond the bounds of law. And thenceforward all the foreigners will conduct a legitimate trade, rejoicing in the exhaustless gains thereof." —pp. 371, 372. The day after he had received these documents (27th March, 1839), Captain Elliot made up his mind to surren- der the opium, and announced accordingly — " ELLIOT, &c. &c., has now had the honour to receive, for the first time, your Excellency's commands, bearing date the 26th day of March, issued by the pleasure of the Great Kmperor, to deliver over into the hands of honourable offi- cers to be appointed by your Excellency, all the opium in the hands of British subjects. " Elliot must faithfully and completely fulfil these com- mands ; and he has now respectfully to request that your Excellency will be pleased to indicate the point to which the ships of his nation, having opium on board, are to pro- ceed, so that the whole may be delivered up. " The faithful account of the same shall be transmitted as soon as it is ascertained." — p. 373. And on the said 27th of March he issued his circular to British merchants. " I, CHARLES ELLIOT, Chief Superintendent of the trade of British subjects in China, presently forcibly de- tained in Canton by the Provincial (lovenimeut, together with all the merchauts of my own and the other foreign 106 nations settled here, without supplies of food, deprived of our servants, and cut off* from all intercourse with our respective countries (notwithstanding my own official demand to be set at liberty, so that I might act without restraint), have now received the commands of the High Commissioner, issued directly to me under the seals of the honourable officers, to deliver over into his hands all the opium held by the people of my country. " Now I, the Chief Superintendent, thus constrained by paramount motives affecting the safety of the lives and liberty of all the foreigners here present in Canton, and by other very weighty causes, do hereby, in the name and on the behalf of Her Britannic Majesty's Government, enjoin and command all Her Majesty's subjects now present in Canton, forthwith to make a surrender to me, for the ser- vice of Her said Majesty's Government, to be delivered over to the Government of China, of all the opium belonging to them, or British opium under their control ; and to hold the British ships and vessels engaged in the trade of opium subject to my immediate direction, and to forward to me, without delay, a sealed list of all the British- owned opium in their respective possessions ; and I the said Chief Super- intendent do now, in the most full and unreserved manner, hold myself responsible, for and on the behalf of Her Bri- tannic Majesty's Government, to all and each of Her Ma- jesty's subjects surrendering the said British-owned opium into my hands to be delivered over to the Chinese Govern- ment; and I, the said Chief Superintendent, do further specially caution all Her Majesty's subjects here present in Canton, owners of, or charged with the management of opium the property of British subjects, that, failing the surrender of the said opium into my hands, at or before six o'clock this day, I, the said Chief Superintendent, hereby declare Her Majesty's Government wholly free of all man- ner of responsibility or liabihty in respect of the said British- owned opium. " And it is specially to be understood that the proof of British property and value of all British opium surrendered to me agreeably to this notice, shall be determined upon principles and in a manner hereafter to be defined by Her Majesty's Government." — p. 374. On the 28th of March Captain Ell' addressed the two following communications to Lin : — 107 " ELLIOT, respectfully referring to your Excellency's commands, has now the honour to signify that he holds himself strictly responsible to your Excellency, as the High Commissioner of the Great Emperor, faithfully, and with all practicable despatch, to deliver up, as may be appointed, 20,283 (twenty thousand two hundred and eight-three) chests of British-owned opium, which he yesterday required of the people of his country, in the name of his Sovereign. " But as it appears upon inquiry that considerable quan- tities of the said 20,283 chests are not at places within the immediate reach of this port, Elliot must request that your Excellency will be pleased to accept his solemn public pledge, that every chest shall be delivered up as it falls into his possession, until the whole amount of 20,283 chests shall be within the hands of your Excellency. And if Elliot dares to break that solemn public pledge in the least degree, he would most assuredly draw upon his own head the severest displeasure of his own Sovereign. " Elliot, however, is the officer of the English nation only, and your Excellency will therefore see that it is not in his power to require men of other foreign nations to deliver him their opium." — p. 373. " Canton, March 28, 1839. " ELLIOT, &c. &c., has the honour to signify to your Excellency, that if any of the ships of his nation, having opium, at the outside anchorages, alarmed by his deten- tion, and the severe proceedings of the Government, shall take advantage of the north wind to sail away, Elliot is still, according to the customs of his nation, most severely respon- sible till every chest of the 20,283 be delivered into the hands of the Government. He will be bringing disgrace upon his nation, and his Sovereign will punish him with the last degree of displeasure, if he breaks faith in the smallest degree. •' But, shut up as he is, he knows not where the ships are; and, not being able to send them orders to stay, it is his duty to state most clearly, that, if they are gone, he is still responsible to his Sovereign till the whole 20,283 chests be delivered up. •' Taking all these circumstances into consideration, Elliot trusts that your Excellency will be pleased to confide to his justice and truth the faithful delivery of the opium on board the outside ships, as it falls into his possession, in the man- ner which he may find practicable when he is set at liberty. 108 " By this expression, he means only that the native ser- vants should be restored to the people of his country ; that they should be permitted to purchase their supplies of food ; and that the intercourse between Canton, Macao, and the outer anchorages in the licensed passage boats, should be re-opened ; Elliot himself remaining in Canton till the whole be delivered. " With regard to opium at Canton and Whampoa, Elliot, and all the men of the foreign nations, have already taken most severe proceedings, as your Excellency will tind by reference to the late records, when it was faithfully reported that all was gone. " Elliot has now respectfully to announce to your Excel- lency, that whilst he, and all the men of his nation, continue prisoners, the disposal of these matters is not in his hands. For, according to the customs of his country, the orders of persons in confinement are of no avail : thus the ships will not obey his injunctions until it be known that he and all the people of his nation are set at liberty. (Signed) " CHARLES ELLIOT." pp. 375—78. To these Lin makes answer on the 29th March, 1839: — " Do you now simply command plainly all the foreigners with instant speed to prepare letters, and hand them in to Government, to enable it to give commands to all the store- ships to deliver up in orderly succession the opium. And as soon as this shall be delivered up, every thing shall with- out fail be restored to its ordinary condition. * * * * " In the present address, it is represented, that now, while the north wind is blowing, it is feared that vessels outside, having opium on board, may perhaps set sail and go away. Now I find that of late the storeships have all returned to Lint in, Macao Roads, and other anchorages, and there remained ; doubtless, because they have heard that commands have been issued requiring delivery of the opium, and therefore have not dared to sail far away. They are yet disposed to await and pay obedience ; while you would desire to stir them up and make them go. I would ask, seeing that you have taken on you the responsibility in this matter, how, if the store-ships should dare to sail away, you will be able to sustain the heavy criminality attaching to you ? " I'he address talks too of close restraint, as if it were imprisonment, which is still more laughable. I find that 109 from the 18th March, when tlie commands were given to all the foreigners to deliver up their opium, every thing remained as usual, until the 24th, when you came in a boat to Canton, and that night wished to take Dent and abscond with him. It was after this that cruisers were stationed to examine and observe all that went in and out. It was because you were void of truth and good faith that it became unavoidably necessary to take preventive steps. As to the compradores and others, they are in fact Chinese traitors, who would also suggest absconding and escape. How then could the withdrawal of them be omitted ? Yes- terday, too, when you had made a statement of the amount of opium, I at once conferred on you a reward consisting of sundry articles of food. Is this the manner in which pri- soners are ever treated ?" — p. 379. Some correspondence follows on the methods to be adopted for efifecting the delivery of the opium, in which Lin evinces doubts of Captain Elliot's good faith ; but the following communication seems to have re-assured him : — "The business being a troublesome one, which cannot be managed in a moment, he would then solicit his Excel- lency the Commissioner to be pleased to direct a certain amount to be at once surrendered to Government, as an evidence of his sincerity ; and then to command that affairs in the factories at Canton be restored to their ordinary con- dition ; when Mr. Johnston shall continue to deliver from time to time all the opium, to the full amount of 20,283 chests. " These are the words of truth and sincerity, and shall not be departed from. "If it be said that Elliot or Johnston would procrasti- nate and trifle with this matter, seeking to avoid delivering the full amount, it is repHed that such conduct would be in the last degree derogatory to the dignity of their Sovereign. And should those officers break faith in the smallest par- ticle, they may be punished with death, and their Sove- reign, severely indignant at their offence, would not regard their punishment." — p. 382. Lin's reply of the 2nd April, 1839, is as follows : — " I, the High Commissioner, having looked over the terms of this pledge, 6nd that they are such as emanate 110 from perfect sincerity. I will, then, in concert with the Governor of the two Kwang, depute civil and military officers, who, taking under their command Hong merchants and linguists, shall agree and fix upon a time, when they will take Johnston with them on board a chop-boat, and proceed outside the port, that he may direct the store-ships to repair to the anchorage of Lankeet, and deliver up the opium. There, in sections of two vessels at a time, they shall submit it to examination and surrender it. " In addition to this, having reference to the request that an amount should be named for prior delivery, as an evidence of sincerity, I have considered that the English opium on this occasion to be delivered up, amounting to 20,283 chests, cannot indeed be completely surrendered in one or two days, and I have therefore determined on the following terms : that when one-fourth part shall have been delivered, the compradores and servants shall immediately be restored ; when one-half shall have been delivered^ con- sideration being had thereto, the passage-boats shall be allowed to apply for passes, and upon examination to run to and fro ; when three-fourths shall have been delivered, the removal of the embargo and freedom of trade shall be at once granted; and when the whole shall have been surrendered, every thing shall return to its ordinary con- dition, and a request shall be laid before the throne that encouragement and reward may be conferred. " Should the said Superintendent, &c., be imable rightly to give commands to the store-ships, and should error and breach of faith so result, it is requisite, in view of such a case, to prescribe terms of warning. If there be any er- roneous delay for three days, the supply of fresh water shall be cut off; if for three days more there be like delay, the supplies of food shall be cut off; and if such delay continue still three days longer, the laws shall forthwith be maintained and enforced. There can be no indulgence shown. " For this purpose, I address my commands in a direct form, requiring implicit obedience. Oppose not special commands." — p. 383. And with this document we may close our extracts from the long series of enclosures to Captain Elliot's despatch of the 30th March, with its postscripts of the 1st and 2nd April ; observing, however, that our quotations of the Ill Chinese documents are merely extracts, the documents themselves being of considerable length. Captain Elliot's next despatch is dated Canton, 3r d April, 1839 :— " In my position, and with my thoughts intensely fixed upon the difficulties that have befallen this great trade, I may spare your Lordship the language of excuse for the following matter. " It is my first duty to express a plain conviction that no eiForts of Her Majesty's Government, either of negoti- ation purely, or of negotiation supported by arms, could recover, for trade to be carried on at Canton, such a degree of confidence as would restore its late important extent. All sense of security has been broken to pieces. " In fact, my Lord, the first truth deducible from the actual proceedings of this Government is strikingly mo- mentous ; namely, that a separation from the ships of our country, on the main land of China, is wholly unsafe. " The movement of a few hours has placed the lives, liberty, and property of the foreign community in China, with all the vast interests, commercial and financial, con- tingent upon our security, at the mercy of this Government. And if this fearful intelligence reaches England and India before the news of our liberation, and before that of the reassuring measures which I felt myself called upon to take, I am greatly afraid that the shock will be incalculably heavy, and most widely felt. Indeed, before I leave this part of the subject, I would presume to express the anxious hope, that Her Majesty's Government will see fit, as soon as these despatches come to hand, to make such a declara- tion concerning its general intentions as will have the eflfect of upholding confidence. " I am writing this despatch, my Lord, in a moment of anxiety, and I close it abruptly, to save the opportunity of Mr. Johnston, who is leaving us in our confinement, as your Lordship will observe by the narrative despatch, in a sudden manner. " This is our first intercourse, of a sure kind, with our countrymen and families outside for twelve days." — p. 384. On the 6th of April, 1839, Captain Elliot, still at Canton, proceeds with his narrative, adding to it the various reflec- tions on the whole subject which occur to him in his im- 112 prisonment. One striking passage in it, which we have marked by italics, would seem almost as if it had been written in the anticipation of the weaknesses into which superficial moralists would fall, vvhen Lin's proceedings should be viewed by them, with a light feeling as to the end, but in utter ignorance as to the means. " I resume my anxious task, taking up the narrative from the date of Mr. Johnston's departure to Macao on the 3rd instant. " The blockade has not relaxed, — indeed, judging from the increased rareness with which we receive information from below, the reverse is the case. " We are without further intelligence than I recorded in my last despatch. In other respects our situation is the same. " Yesterday afternoon Howqua and Mowqua visited me, and brought me the draft of a bond which they said had just been placed in their hands by an officer deputed by the High Commissioner. I returned it to them; but in the course of the afternoon they left a copy of the same paper with the General Chamber of Commerce. " Last evening, I received the accompanying official paper on the same subject, to which I made no reply; and this afternoon a direct address from the High Commissioner himself, enjoining the execution of this monstrous instru- ment. To-morrow being Sunday, no reply need be made, but on the next day I shall return the answer now' trans- mitted, and if we are ever free, the more practical and fit reply will be the withdrawal of all the Queen's subjects from the grasp of this Government. It has seemed to me, however, that the direct avowal of such a purpose at present would have the eflfect of increasing the great risks and dis- comfort of our situation. Trade with China at any point remote from the station of our ships, as I have already observed to your Lordship, is no longer a possible state of circumstances. " On reconsidering the public correspondence already transmitted, I find that the High Commissioner boldly fastens our actual condition of imprisonment on my inten- tion to make my escape, taking with me Mr. Dent. " The facts shall answer his Excellency. On the 19th ultimo all intercourse between Canton, Whampoa, and the outside anchorages was authoritatively stopped by the com- 113 niands of this Government, and not a single ship's boat has succeeded in getting from Canton to Whampoa since the 21st ultimo, or (excepting my own on the 24th, at the risk of my life) from Whampoa to Canton up to this date, 6th April. I did not leave Macao till the 23rd March. On the 24th I passed through the Bogue, and there I fell in with the British ship the Heroine, detained (notwith- standing the perfect formality of her pass) upon the express ground that " iiouseholders" might attempt to escape on board of her. " So much for the implication that all was open till I came in, with the intention to run out. Your Lordship will know that I came here to do my duty, which was to place myself, if possible, between the fearful proceedings of his Excellency and Her Majesty's subjects, and if I could not ward them off, at least to share them. " This rash man is hastening on in a career of violence which will re-act upon this empire in a terrible manner. " 1 am sensible, my Lord, that the whole body of reason- ing governing my proceedings throughout the momentous affairs cast upon me, will demand a separate and detailed exposition. But situated as I am, uncertain of the means of communication or opj)ortunitie3 of leisure which may be afforded to me, I feel assured your Lordship will pardon me for noting any reflections that may occur to me in this detached and occasional way. " Before the arrival of the High Commissioner, I had steadily considered the expediency of formally requiring all the British ships engaged in the opium trade to sail away from the coasts of China. But the objections to that measure were very strong, and the result has proved that 1 took a sound view in refraining from it. " In the first place, it was remembered that the late fre- quent changes of policy of the Government in relation to tliis trade, left it a matter of perfect doubt to the very day before the Commissioner's first edicts appeared, whether the avowed purposes were to be depended upon or not, or whether the object was merely the extensive check of the trade by subjecting it to heightened temporary incon- venience, and exacting some considerable fees for the price of its future relaxation. " Although I had certainly come to the conclusion, for some montlis since, that the determination of the Court to put down the trade was firmly adopted, I had neither then nor now formed such a judgment of its power effectually 1 114 to accomplish that object. And it behoved me to pause most gravely before I committed Her Majesty's Govern- ment to any direct concernment with this delicate subject, and immense mass of property, upon my personal opinions, or without the strongest public necessity immediately affecting the safety of the lives and general interests of Her Majesty's subjects. " It should be added, too, that my own opinions were con- tradicted, in a strong practical form, by the persons most deeply interested; for the increasing imports proved that there was no real and general apprehension of the measures which have been taken. " But an additional and pressing motive for caution in this respect arose from my conviction, that, be the traffic carried on how it might, the time had arrived when the merchants engaged in the trade at Canton must resolve to forego their connexion with it. And I was of opinion that the con- tinuance of the shipping on the spot might enable them all frankly to meet any reasonable advances on the part of the High Commissioner, with plain and respectful statements, setting forth their readiness to abandon the further pursuit of the trade entirely ; but soliciting time and reasonable opportunities, upon the ground of the long course of con- nivance it had enjoyed, and the great impulse it had so lately received by the public preparations of the Imperial Government to legalize it. " Up to a very late date, my Lord, no portion of the trade to China has so regularly paid its fees to the officers of this and the neighbouring provinces, high and low, as that of opium ; and, under all the circumstances of the case, I am warranted in describing the late measures to be those of public robbery, and of wanton violence on the Queen's offi- cers and subjects and all the foreign community in China. " In my despatch of March 30 last, I have already ac- knowledged to your Lordship, that looking to the pressure of extreme urgency, I had made up my mind to incur very heavy personal responsibilities for the sake of peace and the general trade, concerning these ships. Once more referring your Lordship to my note to the Governor, dated at Macao on the 23rd March, and a copy of which reached Keun-Min- Foo on the same day, by the avowal of the chief pilot whose duty it was to deliver it, I would ask, upon what admissible principle the Government could make a prisoner of me ? It was my fixed purpose, my Lord, when I left Macao, to afford every reasonable satisfaction concerning the imme- 115 diate withdrawal of this property, unquestionably drawn here by a long course of encouragement on the part of this Government; and either to cause the merchants of my country engaged in trade at Canton to make solemn pro- mises that they would abstain from connexion with the opium traffic in future, or myself, on the part of Her Ma- jesty's Government, to undertake that no reclamation should be made, if they were forthwith expelled. " I must confess that I had contemplated these gravest re- sponsibilities with intense uneasiness ; but for the sake of the considerations I have noticed, and mindful of the charac- ter of the trade, I should not have shrunk from them if I could have drawn from this Government reasonable securi- ties for the future and moderate explanations concerning the past. " But, my Lord, when I arrived at Whampoa on the 24th ultimo, and learnt that this intemperate man had absolutely begun to work out the dark threats involved in his edicts against the merchants of my country, I saw that there was no hope of accommodation by such means as I had con- sidered. His purposes were plain ; and it was my clear duty to let them reach me, and not the merchants acting principally for absent men, and therefore wholly incapable of taking consentaneous courses, or any other than those which would lead to separate and ruinous surrenders of all this immense mass of property. "The surrender of the property at the first public sum- mons was founded upon the clear perception that the de- mand without alternative of any kind, under the circum- stances of strictest and most unprovoked restraint, faithfully described in my public notice, (Enclosure No. 20, in my despatch of March 30) was an act of forcible spoliation of the very worst description, justly leaving to Her Majesty the right of full indemnity and future security. "The situation of this peculiar property has been en- tirely altered by the High Commissioner's proceedings; and his continuance of the state of restraint, insult, and dark intimidation, subsequently to the surrender, has cer- tainly classed the whole case amongst the most shameless violences which one nation has ever yet dared to perpetrate against another. " // I* not by measures of this kind that the Chinese Government can hope to put down a trade, which every friend to humanity must depfore ; great moral changes can never be effected by the violation of all the principUs I 2 116 ofjuntice and moderation. The wise course would have been to make the trade shameful, and wear it out by degrees in its present form. The course taken will change the manner of its pursuit at once, cast it into desperate hands, and, with this long line of unprotected coasts, abounding in safe anchorages, and covered with defenceless cities, I foresee a state of things terrible to reflect upon. " Perhaps, indeed, the chief mischief of the actual pro- ceedings is the evil feeling of revenge they will unquestion- ably produce in the minds of the class of men otherwise disposed to engage in the traffic for the mere love of gain ; they will seem to justify, in the consciences of such persons, every species of retaliation. Indeed I feel assured that the single mode of saving the coasts of the empire from a shocking character of warfare, both foreign and domestic, will be the very prompt and powerful interference of Her Majesty's Government for the just vindication of all wrongs, and the etfectual prevention of crime and wretchedness, by permanent settlement. " " Comprehensively considered, this measure has become of high obligation towards the Chinese Government, as well as to the public interests and character of the British nation. There can be neither safety nor honour for either Govern- ment till Her Majesty's flag flies on these coasts in a secure position." " Canton, April 11, 1839. " The interval between the date of my last notice and the present, has been mainly occupied by the High Commis- sioner's pertinacious adherence to the demand for the execu- tion of the bond, (Enclosure No. 1.) Tlie Enclosures Nos. 5 and 6, form the continued correspondence on that subject. " The American and Dutch Consuls have been similarly assailed, and have replied substaniinlly in the same sense. " Prisoners in his Excellency's hand, I have not consi- dered it expedient for the present to explain that, whilst Her Majesty's Government will offer no objection to the principle that the Emperor has the just right to make what laws seem good to him for the government of all persons in his dominions, there will remain, first, the right of remon- strance and its consequences to Her Majesty ; secondly, the free election of departure to Her Majesty's subjects ; and, thirdly, an inherent impossibility to the admissible execution of any legislation involving capital, and probably any other, punishment or liability, save expulsion, in 117 respect of Her Majesty's subjects who may remain in China, till the laws, in the language of His late Majesty's instructions, shall be administered towards them * in the same manner in which the same are, or shall be, adminis- tered towards the subjects of China.' " Denied all right of free intercourse, or appeal to tht higher tribunals of the empire, the state of circumstances contemplated in the instructions does not exist. " Being on this subject, I should not omit to mention to your Lordship, that most of the foreign merchants in Canton had already signed and transmitted to the High Commis- sioner, a voluntary pledge, couched in very extensive terms, to the effect that they woidd have no further connexion with the opium traffic. His Excellency, however, was not satisfied, and hence the bond. *' I trust that I shall be able to avert any recurrence to intimidatory proceedings against the merchants, concerning this monstrous instrument, presented at a moment and under circumstances which intensely aggravate the responsi- bility that the High Commissioner is casting upon his country and himself. His Excellency, however, left Canton for the Bocca Tigris yesterday evening, to be present at the delivery of the opium ; and I know not what effect my last address produced upon him. " But adverting to the demand I have made for time (which I have made principally to turn aside a return of proceedings against the merchants), I need hardly acquaint your Lordship that my first measure after we are set at liberty, will be to declare Her Majesty's Government irre- sponsible for the safety of British shipping or property which may enter this port subsequently to the date of my notice. And with the liberty and lives of Her Majesty's subjects in constant danger pending their continued stay within the grasp of this Government, I shall further enjoin them all, in urgent terms, to quit the place with Her Majesty's establish- ment. My own departure will be regulated by the fulfil- ment of my public engagements to this Government. " We hear of the arrival of the ships at the Lankeet, but the blockade continues very strict, and 1 am without letters from Mr. Johnston, since his departure on the 3rd instant. Your Lordship will judge of our separation from all inter- course with the ships and people of our countries, when I mention that I have not succeeded in getting one line from any person outside, since my imprisonment here on the 24th 118 ultimo. It is to the great honour of a community principally composed of merchants unaccustomed to confinement and anxiety of this distressing nature, that their confidence in the protection of Her Majesty's Government is their suffi- cient support." " Canton, April 13, 1839. " I permit myself to refer your Lordship to the memorials laid before the Emperor relating to the opium question, which were transmitted, in a printed form, in my despatch of February 12, 1837. Their attentive consideration will be needful for the treatment of the grave public difficulties form- ing the subject of these despatches. " The memorial of the Governor and Lieutenant-Go- vernor of the provinces (No. 4 of the series), in support of the legalization policy, was formally transmitted to the fo- reigners through the official organs of the Government, toge- ther with their own remarkable report (No. 3 of the series). The natural effect was an immediate and prodigious impulse to the trade ; and dismissing all claim for moderation aris- ing from the considerations of the laxness of the Court (to use careful terms), and the long connivance of the officers, the fact now noticed should of itself have secured to this property, upon every ground of justice and sound policy, totally different treatment than has now been hazarded. The utmost conceivable encouragement, direct and indirect, upon the one hand, and sudden yiolent spoliation on the other, are the characteristics of the Chinese measures con- cerning the opium subject. " The institution of intimidatory proceedings against the merchants, the continued forcible detention of all our per- sons, the menaced privation of fresh water, of food, and of the life of Her Majesty's officer, form the heavy account of responsibilities which this Government has now incurred. " I am not ignorant, ray Lord, that the sacredness of Bri- tish life, liberty, and property, from sudden and most unjusti- fiable aggression, is an active principle of that spirit of Go- vernment which has placed us where we stand amongst the nations. And whatever portion of the uttermost fraction of expense Her Majesty in her magnanimity may be pleased to restore, the requirement of the whole certainly seems to be of highest obligation. Such a course is necessary, not for the sake of the value surrendered or to be recovered by force, but for the effectual prevention of the like dark pro- ceedings. 119 " There is reason to believe that the author of the rational policy advocated in these papers, was the great minister Yuen Yuen, formerly governor of these provinces, a man of singular moderation and wisdom, and probably more versed in affairs of foreign trade and intercourse than any statesman in the empire. Heu-Nae-tse, who was an officer in this province during his administration, is supposed to have acted under his guidance, and Yuen Yuen's concurrent retirement, or nearly so, from the inner council, by the Emperor's permis- sion, with the late degradation of Heu-Nae-tse, is a circum- stance which favours these views. " The adverse character of reasoning in these reports is less remarkable in my judgment, on account of the special hos- tility to the legalization of opium than because of the general re-active and restrictive spirit concerning the whole subject of foreign intercourse. " This scheme of policy would necessarily acquire prodi- gious credit and force if the present proceedings were lightly treated. " But from all I have been able to observe of the charac- ter of this Court, it seems to be a just inference that iranie- diate and vigorous measures on the part of Her Majesty's Government will as suddenly and completely restore the wise and liberal party to the ascendant in the Emperor's Councils, as it was lately cast out. " At all events the time has arrived when Her Majesty's Government must consent to the rapid growth of relaxation, or restriction, concerning foreign intercourse ; the more sinister of which policies has prevailed for the moment, and is actually in harshest operation. * * * ♦ " It has sometimes occurred to me, that the uneasy temper of the Napaulese and Burmese Courts, particularly on the subject of the residence of political agents, is not entirely unconnected with Chinese suggestion ; neither can I dismiss from ray mind the surmise, that the increasing indisposition of the Chinese to tlie foreign trade by the sea shores, may find some explanation in the existence of an establishment at Peking, which I need not advert to particularly ; but whence the notion, that safer and more extensive commerce and intercourse might be carried on by the land frontier would arise more naturally, than any suggestions favorable to the British Government, or to the protection of British trade. 120 " Canton, April 17, 1839. "The correspondence (Enclosures Nos. 8 and 9) will in- form your Lordship that our close captivity still continues : the servants, however, are coming back gradually; and I collect from a letter of Mr. Johnston's, dated on the 15th instant, that about one-half of the opium surrendered will be delivered to the officers of the Chinese Government to- morrow eveninjj. " Canton, April 22, 1839. " Our confinement still continues, and the Enclosures Nos. 10, 11, and 12, will place your Lordship in possession of the pretexts which the High Commissioner has put forward in justification of this protracted outrage. " The interruption of my communications with Mr. Johnston at the Bocca Tigris, prevents me from knowing whether the one-half of the opium be actually surrendered. But I have no doubt that must be the case, and indeed his Excellency's last communication contains an avowal that he does not mean to keep his pledge in respect to the open- ing of the intercourse. " No circumstance shall disturb my determination to let him fill the measure of his responsibility. For I well know that remonstrance from a man in my present situation to a high Chinese officer, determined to be false and perfidious, can serve no other purpose than to furnish him with adroit turns in plausible palliation of his own conduct. " Appeals to reason or justice are out of the question ; complaint would be unbecoming; and he would only wring the language of warning or indignation to his own advantage. " The necessary reply to all this violation of truth and right is a blow, and that it consists neither with my power nor authority to inflict. But when I am in a convenient situation for placing the real bearings of circumstances under view, your Lordship may be assured the task shall be per- formed calmly and plainly. " Yesterday the Hong merchants brought me a direct address under the seals of the High Commissioner, the Governor, and Lieutenant-Governor, reiterating the demand for the bond. I tore it up at once, and desired them to tell their officers that they might take' my life as soon as they saw fit ; but that it was a vain thing to trouble themselves or me any further upon the subject of the bond. There 121 had been men, I reminded them, with naked swords before our doors, day and night, for more than four weeks, and as it was to be presumed they had orders to kill us if we at- tempted to escape (though there had been no previous formality of a bond of consent) , there could be no need for our bonds of consent to the killing of other people at some future period. It was competent for the Emperor of China to make what laws he saw good, incurring the risks of their execution, risks which it was not to be denied were very considerable, and about which they should hear more when I could find a suitable occasion to treat so grave a subject. " Turning now to other things, I would beg to turn your Lordship's particular attention to the expressions significant of some purpose of indemnity or remuneration, which are to be found throughout the Commissioner's papers; and upon this point it is most material to observe that the first pretensions concerning the burning of the opium have en- tirely disappeared from the later documents. " Indeed, my Lord, I have ascertained beyond all doubt, that the surrender of this mass of property (under the de- claration that it was taken away from Her Majesty's sub- jects in the name of Her Majesty,) has overturned the original schemes (of whatever nature they were) and that the High Commissioner has applied to the Court for orders concerning its disposal. In the mean time, he remains at the Bocca Tigris, superintending an elaborate examination, careful repackage, and classification of the opium into three sorts ; carefulness which does not accord reasonably with destructive intentions. In my judgment, the main body of this opium, in fact all that is saleable, will be turned to the most advantageous account ; and I confess I have a sus- picion that the present spoliatory measures will end in the legalization of the trade, upon the footing of a Government monopoly, with probably some provision for the cessation of imports for one year, and perhaps a limited and annually decreasing amount, after the expiration of that period. This train of events is agreeable to the suggestions of the most enlightened Chinese statesmen ; and the actual pos- session of at least one year's consumption will enable the Government to commence its operation on the favourable footing of making the native consumers pay such prices as will place the Government in a situation to reimburse the foreign claimant fully for his opium, and leave a handsome surplus to go to the Imperial Treasury, 122 " The actual price of opium in this city is certainly nothing under 1200 dollars a chest: 1 learn that late deliveries have been made outside at about 600 dollars a chest. Your Lordship will judge how easily the Chinese Government may form a sufficient fund to defray the charge of indemnity. " However, without prolonging this course of speculation, I may say that there is no doubt at all of the intention to pay something by some means. *' Let Her Majesty's Government then think fit to respond to these tidings with an immediate and strong declaration that it will exact complete indemnity for all manner of loss ; and I am well assured that such a communication alone will so hasten the purposes of the Chinese Government, and so extend the measure of remuneration (certainly already intended), that there will be nothing to seek for under that head by the time that force can reach these coasts. The demand of all others which the Chinese would least wish to meet at such a moment is one involving money payment. " I will not dismiss these remarks without taking the liberty to submit, in a brief form, the general impressions which are more and more forcibly fixing themselves upon me, as I attentively consider the whole subject of these despatches. " In the first place, it appears to me that the immense ex- tension of our peaceful trade and intercourse with this em- pire is as certain as any event dependent upon human agency can be said to be. " Secondly. — That this object can alone be attained by immediate vigorous measures, founded upon the most moderate ulterior purposes. "Thirdly. — That as a more just, necessary, or favourable conjuncture for action never presented itself, so, upon the other hand, it cannot be cast away, except at the certain and immediate sacrifice of honourable trade and intercourse with the empire, and the production of such a condition of frightful evil as Her Majesty's Government will not bear to consider. And, lastly, that every man's just indemnity may be surely recovered from this Government. " Canton, May 4, 1 839. " The monotony of our confinement till this date has been interrupted by nothing except harassing rumours con- cerning Macao, forming the subject of other despatches. " But to-day an official paper has reached me (Enclosure No. 13) which your Lordship will observe opens out the way to all but sixteen persons. 123 " I need not say that I shall not quit Canton till my pub- lic obligations are fulfilled, and never, except in the com- pany of those of my countrymen whose names are mentioned in this paper. " I have just issued the accompanying circular (Enclosure No. 14), and at a future moment, when the present pro- posed purposes of relaxation are in train, and the Chinese less liable to excitement, which might have the effect of abruptly closing the door again, I shall promulgate the enclosed notice (Enclosure No. 15.) " My last information from Mr. Johnston, dated on the 2nd instant, reports the deliveries to be 15,501 chests; and I hope the whole will be completed in about ten days. " The present event furnishes a suitable occasion for closing this part of my report." — pp. 385-391. The bond to be forced upon the foreigners, which is en- closed in this despatch, is rather wordy ; but the effect of it is in the following paragraphs : — " From the commencement of autumn in this present year, any merchant vessel coming to Kwangtung, that may be found to bring opium, shall be immediately and en- tirely confiscated, both vessel and cargo, to the use of Government ; no trade shall be allowed to it ; and the par- ties shall be left to suffer death at the hands of the Celestial Court ; such punishment they will readily submit to. " As regards such vessels as may arrive here in the two quarters of spring and summer, now current, they will have left their countries while yet ignorant of the existing inves- tigations and severe enforcement of prohibitions ; such of them as, in this state of ignorance, bring any opium, shall surrender it as they arrive, not daring in the smallest degree to conceal or secrete it. " They unite togetlier in this plain declaration, that this their full and earnest bond is true." — p. 392. This bond is followed by a communication from Lin direct to Captain Elliot, of the 6th April, 1839, in which, for the first time, he cajoles as well as bullies : — " Because you, the said Superintendent, have been able to require of all the delivery of their opium, therefore I, the 124 High Commissioner, look on you with high consideration. The taking of bonds now required is a thing easy in com- parison with the delivery of the opium. If you allow, then, dilatoriness and trifling, it will appear that you are, after all, commonplace, weak, and powerless; nor will I any longer regard you with high consideration. Be energetic ! Tremble hereat ! A special edict." — p. 393. Captain Elliot replied as follows, on the 8th April, 1839 : — " It has been a great satisfaction to Elliot to know that the merchants of his own and other foreiorn nations at Can- ton, have sincerely pledged themselves to your Excellency to discontinue a trade which the Emperor has strictly for- bidden ; and assuredly they will faithfully fulfil their obli- gations. For honour, though with poverty, is of far more value than shameful life and disgraceful profit : and their characters are gone for ever, if they violate their solemn pledges to this Government. " In the matter of the bonds, however, Elliot can con- scientiously declare, that it is not in his power, according to the laws of his country, to meet the pleasure of your Ex- cellency. " The opium is a thing in actual possession ; and, there- fore, it has not been impossible to PjUiot, assuming very heavy responsibilities, to require it in the name of his Sove- reign, and render it up to your Excellency on behalf of his Government. " But the bonds have relation to the future ; and would involve terrible responsibilities in any possible case of dis- obedience to the prohibitions. They would involve too, not alone parties themselves, but others also. Such bonds, then, it is impossible even for his honoured Sovereign to require ; and how much more must it be out of the power of Elliot himself to require them ! " Nay, were he so far to forget his duty as to require them of the people of his country, they themselves too well know the laws of their country to venture on giving bonds that would render them highly criminal. " All the papers that your Excellency sends to Elliot will, of course, be laid before his gracious Sovereign. Thus will your Excellency's words be fully known." — p. 394. Lin, in his reply of the same date (8th April, 1839), finds 125 this representation to be in a peculiar degree perverse and absurd. " Had you not come to this inner land, your country would, of course, hold its own laws over you : for the ordi- nances of the Celestial Empire are by no means enacted for you. But as you, being foreigners of outer countries, have now come as merchants to the Celestial Empire, and as the Celestial Empire has endued you with gains, how can it fail to inhibit your illegalities ? Even so, when the people ol other provinces come to Kwangtung, as soon as they commit any offence, they at once become amenable to punishment in Kwangtung. The same principle prevails whether as regards those of the empire, or those t'rom without it. " Supposing, to borrow an example, people of other coun- tries should go to your country, England, for conmiercial ends, and should disobey your country's laws and enact- ments, would your Sovereign bear with them ? How much less, then, shall the Celestial Court, whose voice and whose instructions diffuse good rule every where, and towards whose civilization the foreigners all turn. " Tlie nations lying beyond our frontier, which repair to this inner land, are very numerous; and which of them does not pay implicit obedience to our prohibitory enactments ? And shall it, indeed, specially impress them upon your one or two nations ! " You represent that your nation has its laws. These will serve only so long as you do not come to this inner land. But smce you will come to Kwangtung to trade, even your Sovereign then must command you to keep obe- diently the laws and statutes of the Celestial Empire. How can you bring the laws of your nation with you to the Celes- tial Empire? •' What you say, that even your Sovereign cannot require obedience of all you foreigners, is in a still higher degree perverse and absurd. You show herein an inward purpose to evade and excuse yourself from this matter; and you would even prevent the operation of your Sovereign's high behests. For such unfaithful language how will you be able to answer your Sovereign ? " Looking over some hundreds of words contained in your address, I find but one sentence to approve of; namely, that good faith is of more value than profit. These words are true. And my object in requiring these voluntary bonds to 126 be executed is, that I may have an earnest of this your good faith. " If all you foreigners have determined henceforward to repent of your past faults, and amend, — if you desire to carry on an honourable trade, and never more to bring opium, — in that case, though you bind yourselves by the declaration that they who deal in opium ought to die, yet, as this is spoken of such as sell, and not of those who do not sell it, what hurt can it do to you ? " But if you will not venture to give full and voluntary bonds, and speak, as in this address, of the possible case of future disobedience, it will be clearly seen that you wish to preserve to yourselves room for the introduction of opium, and that for this end you compose this crafty and sly speech. How, I would ask, will you manifest your good faith to men? " Be it said that the foreign slaves and seamen may, it is to be feared, smuggle it — it is requisite that the owners of the goods and masters of the ships should maintain a faith- ful restraint. If, amid the vast amount, there be a single petty illegality, of course the heaviness or lightness of the punishment must be regulated in such cases by the amount brought ; and the party concerned shall alone be punished. How can punishment be carelessly inflicted, without discri- mination being made ? or how, as represented in your ad- dress, can other parties be involved ? The officers of Kwang- tung, of every grade, have hitherto always treated you with an excess of indulgence, and never with excess of severity. How is your mind so void of clear perception ? — pp. 395, 396. On the 25th March, 1839, Captain Elliot answers Lin : — " The argument, that a person of any other nation, re- pairing to England for commercial purposes, must pay obedience to the English regulations and prohibitions, and that in like manner it is required of the English people who come to China to trade, that they observe implicitly the laws of the Celestial Empire, is niost luminous. " It is beyond dispute, then, that those who will come to Canton to trade, must act in obedience to the laws. But the new regulation regarding these bonds is incompatible with the laws of England. If, therefore, its observance be impe- ratively insisted upon, and these bonds be absolutely re- quired, there will remain no alternative but for the English men and vessels to depart. In this manner, while no resistance 127 is offered to the laws of the Celestial Empire, neither will there be any infraction of the regulations of England. And thus both will be preserved in tact. " Recollecting that his nation has carried on trade with China, under the benign rule of the great Emperor, for more than two centuries, Elliot humbly hopes that warning will be fairly given of the extreme severity of the prohibi- tions. His country's possessions are rather distant. Per- haps, then, the appointed term may be considerably ex- tended. If, from the opening of the trade, a terra of five months may be allowed for the people of the Indian posses- sions, and a term of ten months for the people of England herself, before this new rule shall pass into operation, then none will remain ignorant of the existence of such a law ; and if any come to Canton, they will of necessity pay obe- dience to it. As regards such vessels as may arrive, bring- ing opium within the five or the ten months, Elliot will be able to send them away again." — p. 397. On the 20th April, 1839, the bonds being still insisted on, Captain Elliot (still at Canton) writes to Lin and the Governor of Canton as follows : — " On the question of bonds, Elliot before plainly pointed out the impracticabilities attending it. And again, on the 10th of April, he represented that, as this new regulation was inconsistent with trie laws of England, should compliance be absolutely required, and the execution of bonds be deemed indispensable, there would be no alternative but for the men and vessels of his country to depart. " Elliot has been appointed by his Government for the special purpose of superintending the people of his country resorting hither for trade. But finding now that the high officers absolutely require compliance with new regulations and terms, which they have fixed for the trade of his country with China ; and these being such as it is impossible for him to consent to, he has therefore the honour to request that he may be enabled, at the head of the men and ships of his country, to take his departure and sail away. " Elliot still most faithfully pledges himself to deliver tip to the high officers all the opium which he lately took from the English people in Her Majesty's name" — p. 401. On the 4th May, 1839, Lin issues an order to Captain 128 Elliot, which, without taking any notice of the above re- quest, admits certain relaxations of the restraints put upon the communications between Canton and the outside waters, allows the re-opening of the holds for trade, and proceeds as follows : — " The said Superintendent, Elliot, although he himself represented that he should wait the completion of this matter before he should go down to Macao, yet now that the boats can run, he may be allowed to pass to and fro as usual, to enable him to call together with more celerity, and to give such orders and make such arrangements, as from time to time may be called for. "Those of the foreigners who have been long in the habit of dealing in opium, sixteen in number, as by the annexed list, must still be temporarily detained in the foreign fac- tories, waiting until the whole matter is entirely completed, when they will be permitted to leave." — pp. 401, 402. Captain Elliot, however, adhered to his declared purpose of remaining at Canton till the last British subject should have left it. In the meantime he prepared a public notice to British subjects, which occurs in this series of enclosures, though it was not issued till the day that he left Canton. The following is the principal part of this notice : — *' Acting on the behalf of Her Majesty's Government, in a momentous emergency, he has, in the first place, to sig- nify, that the demand he recently made to Her Majesty's subjects, for the surrender of British-owned opium under their control, had no special reference to the circumstances of that property : but (beyond the actual pressure of neces- sityj that demand was founded on the principle, that these violent, compulsory measures being utterly unjust jper se, and of general application for the forced surrender of any other property, or of human life, or for the constraint of any unsuitable terms or concessions, it became highly necessary to vest and leave the right of exacting etfectual security, and full indemnity for every loss, directly in the Queen. These outrages have already temporarily cast upon the British Crown immense public liabilities ; and it is incum- l'J9 bent upon him, at this moment of release, to fix the earliest period for removal from a situation of total insecurity ; and for the termination of all risk of similar responsibility on the part of Her Majesty's Government. " He is sensible, too, that he could not swerve from the purposes now to be declared, without extreme danger to vast public claims already pending, and to general and per- manent interests of highest moment. "Thus situated, then, and once more referring to his public notice, dated at Macao on the 23rd day of March last, he has again to give notice to and enjoin all Her Majesty's subjects to make preparation for quitting Canton before or at the same time with Her Majesty's establish- ment ; which departure will take place as soon as the Chief Superintendent has completed his public obligations to this Government. For the general convenience he will afford the best information in his power from time to time, concern- ing the probable period of that event, " And he has further to give notice, that British subjects, or others, thinking fit to make shipments of property on British account, on board of British or any other foreign shipping, actually in this river, will be pleased to re- gulate their proceedings, in these respects, upon the understanding that such shipments must be made at their personal risk and responsibility after the date of this notice. " And he again enjoins all Her Majesty's subjects in Canton, to prepare sealed declarations, and lists of all claims whatever against Chinese subjects, to be adjusted as nearly as may be to the period of their respective retirements from Canton before him, or at the same time with him. " And whilst it is specially to be understood that the proof of British property, and value of all such claims handed in to him before his departure, will be determined upon principles, and in a manner, hereafter, to be defined by Her Majesty's Government, he has to recommend, with a view to uniformity and general clearness, that claims for British property left behind should be drawn up as far as may be practicable on invoice cost. " And he has now to give notice to and enjoin all Her Majesty's subjects, either actually in China, or hereafter arriving, mercnants, supra-cargoes, commanders, command- ing oflScers of ships, seamen, or others having control over or serving on board of British ships or vessels bound to the Port of Canton, not to be requiring, aiding, or assisting in K 130 any way, in the bringing in to the said Port of Canton, any such British ships or vessels, to the great clanger of British life, liberty and property, and the prejudice of the interests and just claims of the Crown, till a declaration shall be published, under his hand and seal of office, to the effect that such bringing in of British shipping, or of British pro- perty in foreign shipping, is safe in the premises. " And the Chief Superintendent, making these solemn injunctions for the safety of British life, liberty, and pro- perty, and in the protection of the interests and just claims of the British Crown, reserves to Her Majesty's Govern- ment, in the most complete manner, the power to cancel and disregard all future claims whatever on the part of Her Majesty's subjects or others preferring such claims on account of British property, either left behind or to be brought in, if any such British subject or others preferring such claims, shall disregard these injunctions now put for- ward, respecting the keeping out of British shipping and property till the declaration aforesaid shall be duly pub- lished. "And he has once more to warn Her Majesty's subjects in anxious terms, that such sudden and strong measures as it may be found necessary to adopt on the part of com- petent authorities, for the honour and interests of the British Crown, cannot be prejudiced by their continued residence in Canton beyond the period of his own stay, upon their own responsibilities, and in spite of the solemn injunctions of Her Majesty's officer." On the 6th of May, 1839, Captain Elliot writes a de- spatch explaining the situation of the Portuguese settle- ment at Macao, now threatened by Lin ; to the Governor of which he had offered aid for putting it in a state of defence. He also encloses a despatch which he had written to the Governor-General of India, asking for such naval protec- tion as could be afforded from India. On the 18th and from thence to the 27th of May, Captain Elliot reports as follows : — " On the 11th instant I circulated the enclosed conclusive edict by the heads of this Government. " Since I closed my last despatch, amongst the events to 131 be reported, are orders for the expulsion of Mr. Dent, of four gentlemen connected with the firm of Jardine, Mathe- son, and Co., and of Heerjeebhoy Rustomjee. Also of Mr. Innes, which was the single case that formed the subject of direct correspondence with me. In the others, the communications were made to the parties themselves. " The accompanying papers will place your Lordship in possession of the particular circumstances of Mr. Innes's case.* " In my despatch of April 6, I observed that the memo- rials to the Emperor were generally marked by a very restrictive spirit, in regard to the whole question of foreign trade and intercourse. But when I made that remark, I certainly did not anticipate that such a policy was suddenly to be followed out to the extent which is actually the case. " The persons called outside merchants, {i. e. unlicensed) and the shopkeepers engaged in most extensive transac- tions with the foreigners, and to whom constant access is absolutely necessary, are to remove forthwith ; their houses are to be pulled down, and the streets they occupy, the only avenues leading inwards from the factories, are to be closed up or rather built over. I confess, however, notwith- standing the peremptoriness of the commands, that I have great difficulty in believing the Government will venture upon a measure so certain to goad to desperation an influ- ential class of people furnishing employment to at least 10,000 workmen. " A strong paling has been run round the square, no doubt with the purpose more easily and suddenly to shut the foreigners from access to the river side ; their pleasure-boats have been taken from them, and a variety of novel regu- lations, inconsistent with any possibility of carrying on trade at Canton, have been established. "A rough groimd-plan of the factories is transmitted, that your Lordship may be the better enabled to understand the actual purposes of isolation. " The measures of the Government are not confined to foreigners alone. The whole trade of the province is to be broken down under a new and rigorous system. " Every five householders are to joinin bonds of mutual security ; the like to be done in the case of every five owners of junks or boats ; the sails to be marked in certain indi- * It has not been thought necessary to abstract this corresponclcnce, the sum of which is, that Captain Klliot urged Mr. Innes to quit China, to which Mr. Innes demurred, k2 1S2 cated forms ; and a prodigious variety of other most miiuite and, in point of fact, inipracticable rules have been laid down. " I learn from the best sources of native information open to me, that a feeling of considerable excitement prevails throughout the city and the province : and when it is con- sidered that the people of this part of the empire have had so much more intercourse with foreigners than any other ; that the junks visit our own and the other settlements in the Straits; and that generally there has been far more of freedom and relaxation than at any other point ; your Lordship will probably be disposed to conclude that such a sudden wrench of system as is actually attempted, cannot fail to induce some early and serious state of difficulty. " A reflection arising from this view, is the expediency of accompanying any strong measures which may be taken by Her Majesty's Government, by a short manifesto in the Queen's name, to be translated here, declaratory of the strictest commands to all Her Majesty's officers and people scrupulously to respect the persons, property, and customs of the natives of this empire; and setting forth that the general objects of the expedition were to make known to the Emperor the falsehood, violence, and venality of the Mandarins, and to establish peace and honourable trade on a permanent footing. " Intelligence has reached Canton last week from Peking, announcing the appointment of the High Commissioner ro be Governor-General of the provinces of Kiangnan and Kiangse, which is considered the highest government in the empire. The Emperor's commands concerning the dis- posal of the opium are also hourly expected, and the reports of the intention to offer indemnity gain strength daily." "Canton, May 24, 1S39/ " The intelligence of the delivery of the whole opium, for which an official receipt has been duly handed to Mi-. John- ston by the Mandarins, reached me on the morning of the 21st; and the next day the Governor issued an edict re- quiring the remainder of the sixteen persons lately detained here to leave Canton, and to sign a promise (unencumbered, however, with any penal conditions), that they will not return to this empire, " The impossibility of carrying on trade at Canton, under present circumstances, is so plain, and there is so much I.?3 reason to fear that the Government would make the refusal to sign the paper a pretext for their continued forcible detention, that I recommended them to affix their signa- tures ; pledging myself, if affairs take a more favourable turn before the instructions of Her Majesty's Government can arrive, that their cases shall form the subject of special negotiation. " They have acceded to this view, and they will all leave the river at the same time with me. I shall not quit the Bocca Tigris till the last boat with any of these gentlemen on board has passed through." " Macao, May 27 , 1839. •♦ I have the honour to report my arrival at this place, with all the persons lately detained. I have also to signify to your Lordship, that a recent edict (not sent to me offi- cially) opens the port to the shipping actually outside ; but sets forth that the new regulations, under which they are to trade, shall be made known when they are at Whampoa. I need hardly observe that none have entered ; and as soon as I knew of this edict, I published an extract from my notice. Enclosure No. 15 in my despatch of December 6, enjoining the commanders of British ships not to come in. " 'Y\\e notice itself was published on the day before my departure from Canton, " Another circumstance to be announced to your Lord- ship, is the arrival of the extremely significant commands from Peking on the day before I left Canton, that the whole opium should be sent up to that capital. The expense of the transport will be at least a quarter of a million of dollars ; and your Lordship will probably not need the suggestion, that such a removal is irreconcilable with any purposes of destruction. " Macao is still menaced. But an official paper has this moment reached me from the Governor of Canton, which disposes me to hope that it may be in my power to put an end to the actual state of disquietude. It is in reply to my note of leave-taking, in which I mentioned that I was out of health, and should retire to this place. " His Excellency desires that I would endeavour to re- establish my health with rapidity, as there are many im- portant affairs to submit to me ; and during my residence at Macao he enjoins me to exhort all foreigners to give up their opium and to abstain from its introduction in future. 134 My reply that the Portuguese Government has already taken severe measures and that I can safely assert there is none here, is probably what is wanted. " Their general confidence in the word of Her Majesty's officer, and my recognised authority by the Emperor, affords them sufficient ground for founding a report upon my decla- rations. In the case of the difficulties with the American Consul, the Commissioner was not satisfied till he received a certificate from me that his assertions were accurate, and then all further importunity ceased. " I believe, too, my Lord, that there will be no insuper- able difficulty in arranging some mode of carrying on the trade from Macao. " In the last few days before my departure from Canton, I ascertained that the high provincial authorities were much alarmed at the proceedings of the Commissioner, and de- sired to accommodate matters at least upon some temporary footing. In the course of this week every British ship will have left the river, and most of Her Majesty's subjects." "Macao, May 29, 1839. "P.S. — ^The delay of a day has enabled me to transmit to your Lordship my note to the Governor of Canton on quitting that place, and his Excellency's reply, above adverted to. — pp. 409-11. The public notice enclosed in the above, expresses the substance of Lin's Edict : — "Public Notice to Her Majesty's Subjects. "Canton, May 11, 1839. " The Chief Superintendent yesterday received an Edict, of which the annexed is a copy, to the joint address of the Consuls of the King of Holland, of the United States, and himself. " By this law the ships and crews of all nations hence- forward arriving in China, are liable to the penalties, the first of confiscation, and the last of death, upon the deter- mination of this Government that they have introduced opium. " The danger of confiding to this Government the ad- ministration of any judicial process concerning foreigners 135 call scarcely be more strikingly manifested than in the list of names lately proscribed by the High Commissioner. " Evidence that has been good to satisfy his Excellency that these sixteen persons are principal parties concerned in introducing opium, and therefore to justify their detention as hostages, would of course be equally good for other con- victions of the like nature. "It maybe taken to be certain, however, that the list contains the names of persons who have never been engaged in such pursuits, or, let it be added, in any other contra- band practice. " In investigation upon such subjects, the Chinese authori- ties would probably be guiltless of any deliberate intention to commit acts of juridical spoliation and murder. But it is plain that in the present state of the intercourse, there would be excessive risk of such consequences ; and there- fore the present law is incompatible with safe or honourable continuance at Canton, if nothing else had happened to establish the same conclusion. " It places, in point of fact, the lives, liberty, and property of the whole foreign community here, at the mercy of any reckless foreigners outside, and more immediately at the disposal of the Hong merchants, linguists, compradores, and their retainers. " The Chief Superintendent by no means ascribes general wickedness to those parties; but their situation and liabilities make them very unsafe reporters ; and yet it is mainly upon their reports that the judgment of the Government will be taken. " It will be particularly observed, that persons remaining are understood by the Government to assent to the reason- ableness of the law. — pp. 411-12. (Signed) "Charles Elliot." On the 29th of May, 1839, Captain Elliot transmitij a memorial from the merchants to Lord Palmerston, of which the following passages exhibit one or two elements in the case not hitherto noticed : — " We may further state, that the peculiar character of the Opium Trade was distinctly recognised in the Report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons, in 1830j and that in the subsequent Report, in 1832, the Committee 136 express their opinion that, it does not seem advisable to abandon so important a source of revenue as the East India Company's monopoly of opium in Bengal.* " We conceive it will therefore be admitted that British subjects have carried on this trade with the sanction, im- plied, if not openly expressed, of their own Government ; and at the same time with an advantage to the revenue of British India, varying of late years from one to one and a half millions sterling." * * * * Sti "The High Commissioner finding, at the expiration of three days, the time within which he had ordered the whole of the opium to be delivered up, and the bonds to be given, that his orders had not been obeyed, sent the Hong mer- chants in chains to the foreign factories, threatening to put them to death before our doors, and at the same time com- menced other menacing preparations against the foreigners themselves. " At this stage of the business. Her Majesty's Chief Superintendent arrived in Canton. " We feel it our duty to express to your Lordship our deep sense of the public spirit which induced this officer, at no inconsiderable risk, to endeavour to rescue British life and property from a position of fearful jeopardy ; and we may assure your Lordship that but one feeling existed of the extreme peril of the whole community, when he suc- ceeded in forcing his way to Canton, and took charge of all responsibility in the negotiations with the Chinese Go- vernment." ***** " We beg further to state to your Lordship, that, inde- pendently of the opium now violently seized, there was at the same period British property of other kinds in Canton to the value of upwards of one million sterling, besides a large and valuable fleet of shipping lying at Whampoa, consigned to our care, but totally beyond our control; and although this property was not alleged to have incurred any penalty, the High Commissioner never attempted to dis- tinguish the participators in the one case from those in the other, but placed both under one common suspension, and the whole body of foreigners in arbitrary confinement." — pp. 418-420. On the 18th July, Captain Elliot writes as follows, from * For extracts from the reports of these Commitees, see Appendix. 137 Macao. It would appear that Lin had imagined that as soon as his prohibitions should be witlidrawn the trade would be renewed at Canton and Whampoa on his own terms; and the holding off on the British side had been an unexpected turning of the tables: — " The enclosed communication to the agents of two British merchant ships, (of which the seamen had bei-n most improperly allowed to go on shore at Hong-Kong, and thus became engaged in a riot, attended unhappily with loss of life,) will most conveniently place your Lordship in pos- session of the present posture of that affair. " The immediate departure of a ship for Bombay obliges me to be very brief on this occasion ; but I believe your Lordship may be assured that it has been in my power to avert any aggravation of the serious difficulties of our situ- ation, arrising out of this distressing event. " My despatches, at present in course of preparation and which will probably reach England as soon as the present one, will inform Her Majesty's Government fully upon the progress and state of general affairs at this place. At all events it may be satisfactory to your Lordship to know by this opportunity that everything remains quiet, and that the natives have not been molested in the supply of the ships with provisions. " The High Commissioner still remains at Canton ; and I learn, through a highly respectable native channel, that he dares not venture to leave the provinces till he can report to the Throne the peaceful resumption of the regular British trade. " His Excellency's perplexity too, is said to be in- creased by the impulse which it was natural to expect his late rash measures would give to this traffic, at other points of the coast than this. In several parts of Fokien they have already produced a formidable organization of the native smugglers, and the officers of the Government do not venture to disturb them. The high prices in China will soon bring on the immense stocks in India; and, indeed, whilst I am writing to your Lordshij), a most vigorous trade is carried on at places about 200 miles to the eastward of Canton. " I am more and more convinced, my Ix)rd, that the late crisis, and the just ground of interference affbrdetl to Her Majesty's Government, will enable it to interpose, under 138 the most favourable circumstances, for the establishment of regular and honourable trade on a firm basis, and, let me take the liberty to add, for the effectual check or regulation of a traffic, which by the present manner of its pursuit must every day become more dangerous to the peace of this ancient empire, and more discreditable to the character of the Christian nations under whose flags it is carried on. " But, my Lord, the difficulties in China are not con- fined to this matter of opium. The true and far more im- portant question to be solved is, whether there shall be honourable and extending trade with this empire? or whether the coasts shall be delivered over to a state of things which will pass rapidly from the worst character of forced trade to plain buccaneering ? "If the High Commissioner had accepted the sincere offers I made to him on the 24th March last, I am well assured that far more would have been done to diminish the imminent danger of such a state of things, than has resulted from his own impetuous and ill-considered proceedings." — p. 431. The enclosure gives an account of a riot on shore in Hong-Kong Bay, in which certain British seamen and others were implicated; and in which a Chinese, named Lie-wy-he, had been killed. On the 27th August, 1839, Captain Elliot reports further on the case of Lie-wy-he, which now rose into an affair of great importance. " The High Commissioner, obviously pressed by coun- ter reports from the discontented Mandarins of this province, and by very sinister communications from the Court re- specting his own proceedings, has availed himself of the homicide reported in my despatch of the 18th of July, as a pretext for attributing the interruption of British intercourse to that cause, and not to his own violent measures. " I proceeded, my Lord, to the very utmost verge of my powers (and probably exceeded them), with the hope to afford the Government all reasonable satisfaction, by setting in action the criminal jurisdiction, and placing six men on their trial on board this ship, on the 12th and 13th of August last. 139 " The Mandarins were invited to attend, but did not think fit to do so. It is wholly impossible to transmit the voluminous papers connected with the cases by this occa- sion ; but I may state generally for the information of Her Majestys Government, that a bill of indictment for murder against ' Thomas Tidder, boatswain of the Mangalore" was ignored by the grand jury, and that five men were found guilty upon an indictment for riot and assault ; two for the riot only were sentenced to three months' confine- ment upon hard labotir, in any of Her Majesty's gaols or houses of correction in England, with a penalty of 15/, each to Her Majesty, and three for riot and assault, to six months of the like imprisonment, and a penalty of 25/. each to Her Majesty. " These proceedings did not satisfy the Commissioner. He moved down to Heang-Shan, a place forty miles from Macao, with about 2000 troops ; insisted upon the delivery of a man, and upon the entrance within the river of all the British shipping (the real purpose in hand) and took away the servants from, and stopped the supplies of food to, the British subjects. At first these measures were confined to the British ; but it soon appeared that the Portuguese inhabitants of Macao were threatened with a stoppage of their own supplies if they continued to assist us. In this emergency, and after communication with the Governor (whose dispositions, indeed, are excellent, but whose means are nothing), I felt that I ought no longer to compromise the safety of the settlement by remaining there. " Jt was hoped by his Excellency, as well as myself and the general body of the merchants, that my own departure with the officers of the establishment might lead to relaxa- tion, and with that feeling I came over here on the 24th instant, Mrs. Elliot and her child having previously em- barked. A committee of management for the arrangement of the embarkation of her Majesty's subjects, however, (should such a step become necessary), was previously appointed at my suggestion, and I le(t a sufficient number of armed vessels and boats to bring them over to Hong Kong. By private letters from Mr. Astell, the chair- man of the Committee, and Mr. James Matheson, this moment received, your Lordship will perceive that events have hastened onwards with great rapidity, and that the Governor has declared his inability to afford Her Ma- jesty's subjects further protection. I am looking with ex- treme anxiety for their arrival, and in the meanwhile, I am 140 placing this fleet in the best attitude of defence of which cir- cumstances admit. " The absence of men-of-war will necessarily be a source of deep anxiety to Her Majesty's Government ; but happen what may, I take this occasion to express my conviction that the Comman(!er-in-Chief has used his best exertions to prevent such a state of things. But it is indeed greatly to be lamented that Commander Blake did not remain till he were relieved. " Your Lordship, however, may be assured that I will do everything in my power to prevent the calamity and in- tolerable disgrace of a surprise of this valuable fleet of near fifty sail of British ships by Mandarin junks or fire-rafts ; and for this purpose I have this day assumed the military as well as civil superintendence of the ships, and issued the necessary directions for their defence. In this moment of difficulty I may be permitted to congratulate Her Ma- jesty's Government that I have strictly adhered to the deter- mination of keeping the British shipping outside of the Bocca Tigris. English ships or men, my Lord^ can never again be safe within those limits till our whole intercourse with this empire be placed upon an entirely different footing. " I should inform your Lordship that since the walls of Macao have been covered with false and insulting procla- mations respecting myself, and the servants and supplies taken away, I have refused to receive any official papers from the Government. By this means I have been enabled to reject any direct application to myself for the delivery of the man." " Hong Kong, September, 1839. " The ship which carried this despatch has been driven back by stress of weather, a circumstance that enables me to report the arrival of Her Majesty's ship, ' Volage/ and of all her Majesty's subjects from Macao. The additional enclosures will inform your Lordship that their embarka- tion had been pressed upon them by the Governor of Ma- cao. The almost helpless condition of the place is no doubt his Excellency's excuse, and 1 repeat my conviction that his dispositions are sincerely honourable. " I also transmit to your Lordship copies of the several communications I have made to this Government concern- ing the homicide at this jjlace, and I may take this occa- sion briefly to declare my conviction that seamen of the 141 American shipping were to all intents and purposes as deeply engaged in the riot of 7th July as our own ; and I may add (so far as the evidence before me goes), in the melancholy and unfortunate event which arose out of it. The enclosures of this despatch, after describing the violent expulsion of all the Chinese from Macao and the circumstances of the murder of the crew of the " Black Joke" and the mutilation of Mr. Moss the English pas- senger, furnish an abstract of new edicts issued by Lin : — Fir^t Edict. " The gracious will of His Imperial Majesty having been declared in favour of all the violent measures suggested by the memorialist Hwang Tseotsze, it is therefore hereby pro- claimed by the Imperial Commissioner and the Governor : — " I. That any foreign vessel wherein, through error, opium shall be brought to this place, within the period of eighteen months from the date of this edict, shall be per- mitted, on the surrender of the same, to proceed to Whampoa and dispose of her other cargo. " 2. That every foreigner (no especial mention made of the English) who shall endeavour to introduce opium into the Empire, on discovery being made, shall, if he be the principal, be immediately decapitated ; if only an abettor, shall be instantly sentenced to strangulation. " 3. That every vessel is allowed to proceedi mmediately up to Whampoa in order to discharge her cargo. " 4. That such vessels as are not proceeding to Whampoa must return forthwith to their country, lest ulterior mea- sures be adopted against them. (In this, also, no especial mention is made of the English.) " 5. That if the murderer of the Chinese, Lin Weihee, be immediately delivered up, well and good ; but if not, all the foreigners shall be involved in the offence." Second Edict. " This Edict, issued by the local authorities, threatens with fearful punishment all boatmen that shall dare to fur- nish supplies to the outside shipping; and intimates to all who may venture to transgress, the certainty of being caught by some of the numerous cruisers." 142 Third Edict. " There is a third paper, which is intended to soothe the populace, and to give the people the assurance that what- ever may be the measures of the Government, the place shall be amply supplied with rice, and no difficulties shall be thrown in the way of its importation at the usual rates. This is already the third Edict of this kind. Some un- pleasant encounters have just, now taken place between the dealers in rice and the mob, and the local Mandarins, there- fore, fear the worst consequences. Still, however, the sol- diers at the various stations leading to Macao prevent boats loaded with provisions from proceeding to their destination. " The emigration of the most influential and respectable people continues ; and there are, at the present moment, again hundreds preparing to leave Macao. " A number of soldiers are stationed on the Lappa, where they daily exercise themselves in the art of shooting." — pp. 439, 440. The next enclosure is a communication from Captain Elliot to Lin, of the 13th July, 1839:— "Elliot, learning that the Honourable Officers have arrived here to make inquiries concerning the death of a native at Hong Kong, on the 7th instant, writes these par- ticulars. " As soon as it was reported to Elliot that disorder had taken place at Hong Kong, and that a native of the land had lost his life, either by accident or deliberate intention, he proceeded immediately to Hong Kong, where he arrived on the morning of the 10th instant. " Upon inquiry, it appeared that several seamen of the ships, American as well as English, had been permitted to go ashore, as it was said for the purpose of bathing and taking exercise on the beach. Concerning any English people who might have been engaged in the disorder, Elliot immediately took measures according to the customs of his country. He issued a notice among the English shipping, offering a reward of 200/. to any person who would discover the man by whom the native of the land might have been killed, whether accidentally or not, and a reward of 100/. to any person who would discover the leaders in the riot which had taken place. 143 " The investigations are still proceeding, neither shall they be lightly pursued ; and most assuredly, if it shall be brought to light that this unhappy man lost his life by an act of a British subject, and the offender be discovered, he shall immediately be placed on his trial according to the laws of his country. " The Government of the English nation would hold ElHot deeply guilty if he failed to prosecute this affair with tbe utmost severity. " Elliot should further make known to the Honourable officers, that the family of the deceased do not ascribe the death of this individual to wilfulness, but to accident. Be it accident or wilfulness, however, he is no longer here to take care of them, and therefore Elliot has considered that it became him to provide for their support." — p. 440. In Captain Elliot's next communication to Lin, dated 21st July, he alludes to insulting placards which had been posted upon the walls of Macao by the Chinese Authori- ties : — " For the ends of justice and in the performance of his duty to his own gracious Sovereign, Elliot must assuredly continue to use his sincerest efforts to discover whether the perpetrators of any crime, declared to be committed within this jurisdiction, are British subjects; and if it shall appear upon faithful investigation that such is the case, the offen- ders will be placed upon their trial according to the laws of their country. " But the present conduct of the Honourable Officers is as inexplicable, as their past proceedings are unjust and dangerous. At one moment they issue Public Notices, en- couraging the merchants and seamen of the English nation to disregard the lawful orders of their officer. At the next day they approach him with requisitions to settle important affairs. When the ships of his nation went to Hong Kong, Elliot strictly commanded the people of his nation always to treat the Honourable Officers ofthls empire with respect, and to prevent the sailors from occasioning disorder. Im- mediately afterwards follows the Proclamation of the Ho- nourable Officers, inciting the people of the English nation to disregard Elliot's injunctions. But if they were to be dis- regarded in one sense, how was it to be expected that they would be observed in another? Would it be possible to 144 maintain order and tranquillity, if Elliot and the other foreign Officers were to incite the natives of the land to give no heed to the commands of their own authorities, and assure the people of assistance, if they thought fit to break the laws of the empire ? Truly these proceedings of the Honourable Officers have been highly inconsistent with the principles of peace and reason, and Elliot considers that these and all other disorders are chiefly attributable to them. "■ Elliot will receive no papers from the Honourable Offi- cers till he is satisfied that there shall be no repetition of these inflammatory practices, and till the higher officers think fit to receive his own sealed addresses agreeably to custom." — p. 441. The papers next in order of these enclosures are the fol- lowing : — " Captain Elliot to the Keun-Min-Foo. " Macao, August 3, 1839. " Elliot, &c., &c„ begs to acquaint the Keun-Min-Foo, for the information of the higher officers at the Provincial City, that on Monday, the 12th day of the month, certain English seamen will be tried before him, according to the laws of the English nation, on board aBritish ship, at the anchorage at Hong-Kong, for participation in the riot, in which a native of the land, named Lin Wie hee, is declared to have lost his life, to the end that justice may be done upon those who are proved to be guilty, and that the innocent may be allowed to go free. And if the higher officers shall be pleased to command any of the Honourable Officers to be present at the trial, Elliot will take care that they are received with the respect due to their rank." '* Captain Elliott to the Keun-Min-Foo. "Macao, August 16, 1839. " Elliot has the honour to acquaint the Keun-Min-Foo, for the information of the high officers that he has strictly investigated, according to the forms of law of his country, concerning the death of a native of the land, at Hong 145 Kong, on the 7th July last. Not to the end that any man should be delivered up ; for by the plain orders of his gra- cious Sovereign that is impossible, but that justice may be done upon the guilty, even to the taking of life if there be a conviction of murder. " He now solemnly declares that he has not been able to discover the perpetrators of this deed." '* Captain Elliot to the Keun-Min-Foo. "Macao, August 21, 1839. " Elliot has to demand, in the name of the Sovereign of his nation, that proclamations should be forthwith issued, permitting the native servants in the employment of the English at Macao to return to their occupations and furnish the supplies. And Elliot has further to give notice that as at Hong Kong there are several thousands of seamen menaced with the privation of supplies of food, he cannot be responsible for the preservation of the peace, if the pre- sent condition of disquietude subsists. " According to the genius of the English nation, they will be considered by his government to be measures of insult and violence of the worst character. And the responsibility rests upon the Commissioner "The Great Emperor will not sanction proceedings of un-r distinguishing violence, arising entirely from a violation of his gracious will that all things should be adjusted agree- ably to the principles of justice and reason."-^pp. 441, 2. On the 3d of September, 1839, Her Majesty's ship " Vo- lage" having arrived from India, Captain Elliot offered the Portuguese governor at Macao all necessary assistance for the defence of the place, and requested that, under these circumstances. Her Majesty's subjects should be permitted to return to Macao ; but this the governor declined, alleging that he felt himself bound to maintain a strict neutrality. In the mean time Lin required that the Portuguese boats and people should be prevented from supplying the British fleet, having all the expelled British subjects on board, with food and water, threatening thai if found doing so by the Chinese armed vessels, they should be treated in the same manner as the Chinese would be. The fleet being thus L 146 straitened, the next despatch reports a colHsion in an attempt to obtain suppHes. The attack made on this occa- sion by Captain Elliot, appeared subsequently to have been as successful in the result as it was daring, for the fleet was from that moment sufficiently supplied. But Captain Elliot felt that for once he had lost his temper and acted impru- dently, and he frankly condemns his own proceedings. " I yesterday proceeded to Kow Lune, in the cutter ' Louisa,' distant about four miles from this anchorage, where there were three large men-of-war junks, whose pre- sence, I collected from the natives about us, prevented the regular supplies of food. I was accompanied by the * Pearl,' a small armed vessel, and Captain Smith, of the ' Volage,' was so good as to lend me the pinnace of his ship, and to go with me himself. But I can assure your Lord- ship, that though I am responsible for causing the first shot to be fired, I did not anticipate any conflict when we left, and went accompanied solely for purposes of sufficient defence against insult or attack. " The violent and vexatious measures heaped upon Her Majesty's officer and subjects will, I trust, serve to excuse those feelings of irritation which have betrayed me into a measure that I am sensible, under less trying circumstances, would be difficult indeed of vindication. But I proceed to state the circumstances as they took place, leaving their most favourable construction to your Lordship's unvarying kindness, and to that consideration for my harassing situa- tion which I am sure will be extended to me by Her Ma- jesty's Government. " Upon our arrival at the station of the junks, which I found anchored in a line a-head and close order, under rather a formidable and well-manned battery, I brought up abreast of them at about pistol-shot distance, and despatched Mr. Gutzlaff' in a small boat, with two men (perfectly un- armed), to the centre junk, taking her, from her size and superior eqxiipment, to be the vessel of the commanding mandarin. "He carried in his hand the papers marked No. 1 and No. 2, and the paper marked No. 3 are his notes of what took place. " After five or six hours of delay and irritating evasion, I sent a boat on shore to a distant part of the bay with money to purchase supplies, which the people succeeded in doing. 147" and were on the point of bringing away, when some man- darin runners approached, and obliged the natives to take back their provisions. " They returned to me with this intelligence, and, greatly provoked, I opened fire from the pinnace, the cutter, and the other vessel, upon the three junks. It was answered both from them and the battery, with a spirit not at all unexpected by me, for I have already had experience that the Chinese are much under-rated in that respect. After a fire of almost half-an-hour against this vastly superior force, we hauled off from the failure of our ammunition ; for I have already said, anticipating no serious results, we had not come in prepared for them. It was evident, however, that the junks had suffered considerably, and afler a delay of about three-quarters of an hour, they weighed and made sail from under the protection of the battery, with the obvious purpose of making their escape through an adjacent outlet. By this time we had made cartridges, and were in a state to renew the action, and, as Captain Smith had pro- ceeded out to bring in Her Majesty's ship, and wished the vessels to be prevented from escaping, I bore up and engaged them again, and succeeded in beating them back to their former position*. In this affair, as in the preceding, I was very gallantly supported by Mr. Reddie, the com- mander of the 'Pearl;' but the superior sailing of the cutter cast the task of sending back these three vessels upon that vessel ; and I can have no doubt that the impression that such a force was more than enough to cope with three of their war junks, will indispose the Commissioner to revert to his menaced measures of attack against this fleet. By this time the evening was closing in, and we returned to jom the ' Volage' and the boats from the fleet, then enter- ing the bay for our support. During the night I conferred with Captain Smith, and he acceded to my recommenda- tion not to proceed in the morning and destroy the three junks ; and, above all, not to land men for the purpose of attack upon the battery, a measure that would probably lead to the destruction of the neighbouring village, and great injury and irritation of the inhabitants. If her services had been required for our support Eigainst a state of actual attack, such considerations could not have prevailed; but it did not appear to me to be judicious, or, indeed, becoming, to recommend the employment of Her Majesty's ship in the * It appears from private' accounts that on this occasion a grape shot pasned through Captain Elliot'R hat. l2 -148 destruction of three junks, already most effectually checked by my own small vessel, with the assistance of another scarcely larger. There had been no act of aggression against Her Majesty's ship, and her active interference was unnecessary for the support of the honour of the flag. " The impression that this heavy force was not to be lightly used, and that there was no disposition to protract hostile measures, would be salutary ; indeed in every respect it seemed to me to be our duty to confine her ser- vices to defence against attack, agreeably to the Commander- in-Chief's orders to himself, and despatch to me. Concur- ring in this reasoning, he has returned this morning to his former anchorage at Hong-Kong, for the purpose of conti- nuing our organization of defence against the attacks of the Commissioner, so long threatened, but which I trust and believe the presence of Her Majesty's ship will avert. The only casualty I have to report on this occasion, is a flesh wound in the arm of Captain Douglas, of the ship ' Cam- bridge,' in a gallant attempt to carry one of the junks at the close of the day; and two of his boat's crew also wounded rather more severely. I am greatly indebted to this gentleman for his public spirit in purchasing, at his own charge, at Singapore, on his way up, twenty-two 181b. guns (hearing of our desperate condition at Canton). And I have no doubt that the sight of this imposing vessel, manned with a strong crew of Europeans, has discouraged attempts upon this fleet for the last two months. I should hope that Her Majesty's Government will be pleased to pay the expenses of this ship during the time he has performed these very valuable services in the absence of any ship of war, and reimburse him for the expense of the guns, and otherwise reward him as may seem right to your Lordship. Meritorious public impulses and pecuniary risks of this de- scription will not be lost upon the Queen's Government. And the ship is still performing the useful service of guard- ing one of the entrances into this harbour against the fire rafts and war junks with which we are menaced. " The Enclosure, No. 4, is a paper I have circulated on shore since the affair of yesterday. " I have, &c., (Signed) " Charles Elliot, " Chief Superintendent. " P.S. I take this occasion to inclose the copy of a re- monstrance I placed in the hands of the oflicial pilot, a few 149 days since (for transmission to the Keun-Min-Foo), when he brought me a proclamation from the Commissioner and Governor, which I declined to receive upon the grounds stated to your Lordship in other places." pp. 446, 447. The enclosures to this despatch are the following : " Notice to the Chinese People against Poisoning the Water. " Hong Kong, Sept. 2, 1839. " A Placard, said to be posted on shore at Hong Kong, to the following effect, has this day been exhibited to Elliot, the English Superintendent : — " ' Poison has been put into this water, which will destroy the bowels if it be drunk. Let none of our people take it to drink.' " He knows that the higher officers are incapable of is- suing such shameful papers, and that they are the work of low and designing men. " Elliot now exhorts all the good and peaceable natives of the neighbourhood not to lend themselves to such prac- tices, so sure to draw down the just wrath of the great Emperor, and to lead to conflict with the foreign men. " Here are several thousands of persons who have done no evil, but who, on the contrary, venerate the Emperor, and know that these troubles have arisen because his gracious commands have been violated, and because the truth is con- cealed from him. These men have arms in their hands, and is it reasonable to suppose they will suffer themselves to be starved to death and poisoned ? These are vain and foolish thoughts. " Elliot has strictly commanded all the men of his nation to treat the natives of the land with justice and kindness, and to pay faithfully for all that is supplied. So long as the provisions and water are furnished without difficulty, Elliot will be responsible for the preservation of the peace. If they are stopped, Elliot knows that there will be conflict, and the blame will fall upon the heads of those by whom these troubles have been incited. " If any injury be done to the unoffending natives by the men of the English nation, let them prefer tneir com])laint8 and they shall be redressed. 150 " Whilst the people are commanded to poison the water for the cruel destruction of the men of the English nation, these English foreigners are risking their own lives, and freely using their own means, to save and succour the people of the land. On the 30th day of last month, thirty Chinese, belonging to Chaouchow, in this province, were landed from the English vessel * Manly,' having been saved from ship- wreck near the coast of Manila, about one month since. The men of the English nation consider it an act of sacred duty to assist the natives of the land in distress ; and, since Elliot has been in the country, several hundreds have been saved from shipwreck, and restored to their fathers and the care of their families by the kindness of the English people. " Is it a suitable return to deprive them of supplies of food, and to poison the water which they are accustomed to drink ? " For the sake of peace Elliot writes these words." " Captain Elliot to the Officers at Kow Lune. " Kow Lune, September 4, 1839. " Here are several thousands of men of the English nation deprived of regular supplies of food ; and assuredly if this state of things subsists, there will be frequent conflicts. And the Honourable Officers will be responsible for the con- sequences. " These are the words of peace and justice.*' " Minute of Conversations held by Mr. Gutzlaff with some Mandarins at the Anchorage of Kow Lune. " September 4, 1839. *' When coming alongside the first junk in a two-oared gig, the soldiers put forth their boarding pikes ; on assur- ing them, however, that I was unarmed, and had come alone for peaceful purposes, they were ashamed of their untimely show of resistance. After some desultory conversation, they told me that there was no officer on board ; the spokesman, however, though dressed in the common garb of the people, appeared to me as a naval officer. He informed me that no public documents could be received and forwarded by the junks, but if I had to communicate anything verbally, he should be too happy to listen to my request. I then stated the reason of our coming, and showed him the necessity of our procuring supplies of provisions, since it was impossible that such a large fleet could subsist without them. He received the 151 paper containing an enumeration of our grievances, and read it very attentively, but said that he was unable to act on his own responsibility and permit the people to come off, but he was perfectly willing to report the matter to his superiors. I turned then to the crew, and asked them, saying, ' Sup- pose you were without food for any length of time, and de- barred from buying it, would you wait until the case was transmitted to the liigher authorities, or procure for yourself the same by every means in your power ? ' They all ex- claimed, ' Certainly nobody will like to starve, and neces- sity has no law.' They directed me, however, to the other junk, where a low naval officer was said to reside. There I repeated my former arguments, with nearly the same result, of convnicing them of the necessity of permitting the people to come off and sell provisions. " In this manner I went repeatedly backward and for- ward, repeating the tenour of our conversation to Captain Elliot. I also took two hundred dollars with me, assuring them that we could not leave the place until we had ob- tained supplies. The soldiers soon afterwards went off in a boat, to consult with the officer in the adjacent fort, and promised to tell us liis opinion. It then appeared that nothing could be done, unless the matter were duly reported to the deputy of the Commissioner, who resides in the neigh- bourhood, and leave obtained from the Plenipotentiary him- self. Having handed in to them a paper dictated by Cap- tain Elliot, I most solemnly declared verbally, that all the mischief arising from their not permitting the people to come off Xo our ships would recoil on themselves, and be- sought them not to carry things to extremities, as the most disastrous consequences would naturally follow. At their request, I wrote also a Ust of the articles wanted ; but was told that they could not be procured : something, however, would be made a present to us, to satisfy our immediate ne- cessities, for which, however, no payment could be received. This was a mere manoeuvre to gain time for manning the fort, whither numbers crowded. After the most pathetic appeal to their feelings, and having described the disasters which certainly would ensue from their obstinacy, I left them, and returned on board the cutter, — having thus re- peatedly besought them to prevent, by timely yielding, loss of life, and all the concomitant feelings of men made des- perate by hunger. (Signed) " Charles Gutzlaff, " Joint Interpreter'^ 152 " Notice to the Chinese People regarding the peace/ulness of our Objects. " September 5, 1839. " The men of the English nation desire nothing but peace ; but they cannot submit to be poisoned and starved. The Imperial cruizers they have no wish to molest or im- pede ; but they must not prevent the people from selling. To deprive men of food is the act only of the unfriendly and hostile." " Capt. Elliot to the Imperial Commissioner and Governor of Canton. " Hong Kong, September 2, 1839. " Is it consistent with peace, or with the dignity of the empire, to drive forth from their houses, and to deprive of supplies of food and of attendance, women in the pains of child-birth, sick persons, and young children, upon the pre- text that Elliot does not deliver up a man to be killed, although he has solemnly and repeatedly declared that he has strictly investigated, according to the laws of his country, and that he is unable to discover who the guilty man is, and although it is most certain that the seamen of American ships were on shore, and engaged in the riot which led to this disaster. Is it desired that Elliot should deliver up any man indiscriminately, and involve the higher officers, as well as himself, in the guilt of murdering an innocent man? " Again Elliot asks, — Is it consistent with peace, or with the dignity of the empire, for the High Commissioner to encourage the natives of the land to acts of the worst descrip- tion of violence against the men of his nation ? " On the 16th day of the moon, native boats (which there is every reason to believe had mandarins on board, for Elliot is in possession of a cap left ihere, such as is usually worn by native soldiers) suddenly attacked a small English passage- boat, off the south-west end of Lantao, plundered her of much valuable property, caused six of the crew to lose their lives by drowning, attempted to blow up the vessel, and cruelly wounded and disfigured an English gentleman, by cutting off one of his ears, and stabbing him in thirty places. " At Hong Kong, Elliot finds that the water has been poisoned ; and though he knows the Commissioner never could have given an order so sure to draw down upon his 153 head the terrible wrath of Heaven, and of the Emperor, still it is to be believed that the water would not have been poisoned, nor the boat attacked, unless the Commissioner had incited the natives to acts of violence against the people of the English nation, by untrue and inflammatory procla- mations on the walls of Macao. " Elliot, who is an humble foreign officer, has done far more in fulfilment of the just Imperial will, for the sup- pression of the traffic in opium, than the High Commis- sioner, and is ready still farther to manifest his sincere earnestness by separating the lawful from the lawless trade. But when he offered to do so, the Commissioner refused to receive his sealed addresses, in the manner agreed upon between the Governor of these provinces and himself on the 25th of April, 1837. " Thus the first interruption of the communication is attributable to the Commissioner ; and its continued inter- ruption arises from Elliot's determination to receive no papers whilst the walls of Macao are covered with unjust and inflammatory proclamations against him and. all the men of the nation, and whilst his countrymen are deprived of their servants and supplies of food. ** Let these things be adjusted, and Elliot is ready imme- diately to open honourable and friendly communication with the officers, and use his sincerest efforts to settle all things according to the principles of reason and justice, upon the basis of effectually separating the lawful trade from the unlawful, and of securing the faithful payment of the Im- perial duties by the British ships." The last enclosure of this despatch which we shall quote is a memorial from the British merchants, dated 7th Sep- tember, 1839, containing the following passage : — " It appears unnecessary to add, that the circumstance of the British being outside the port, instead of in Canton, has merely changed the scene, not the nature, of the Commis- sioner s persecutions ; there being every reason to believe that had we remained in Canton, the plan by which the Commissioner succeeded in extorting property to the value of between two and three millions sterling, would again have been resorted to, for the purpose of endeavouring to enforce the surrender of an innocent man for capital punish- ment." 154 The next despatch is the last in the volume of papers just laid before Parliament, and relates the loss of sixteen British subjects who were supposed to have fallen into the hands of the Chinese, the measure of blockading the port taken fo» their deliverance, the reappearance of the lost men, and the consequent withdrawal of the blockade. As these proceedings have brought upon Captain Elliot a charge of vacillation, we shall give these documents entire. We may venture to say to a reader who has followed us thus far, that a strong character was never brought out into a broader light than Captain Elliot's has been by the long series of his despatches ; and if there was vacillation in this matter of the blockade, it would be a singular inconsistency with all that had gone before. Our own opinion is, that Captain Elliot's only mistake in the matter (if, at a distance from the scene of action, and without the means of hearing what he might have to say in his defence, we may presume to judge him) was in making out a cumulative case for the blockade, instead of stating as the single and sufficient ground of it, that sixteen British subjects' lives were in danger, and that they must be rescued. By including other grounds along with this, he occasioned an appearance of vacillation, when, this ground being removed but not the others, he neverthe- less withdrew the blockade. No doubt the other grounds helped the case for the blockade, but they embarrassed the withdrawal. The despatch is dated Hong Kong, 23rd September, 1839 :— " On the evening of the day that I closed my last de- spatch (8th instant), Mr. M'Donald, master of the British armed schooner * Psyche,' at present taken up for the service of Her Majesty's Government, very imprudently left the harbour without orders, in a boat belonging to the ship ' Myram Diram,' taking with him fifteen people to recon- noitre a passage in the immediate vicinity of this anchorage, said to be occupied by a force of war-junks. " The absence of the boat was unaccountably and culpa- bly never reported to Captain Smith or myself, and we 155 neither of us knew she had left the fleet till the evening of the next day (the 9th.) " Casting attention upon the actual state of affairs, your Lordship will conceive the intense anxiety this circumstance occasioned us. No time was lost in despatching vessels in the direction in which the boat had proceeded, under the command of the officers of the * Volage,' with an interpreter ; rewards were offered to the natives for information, and every effort was made to ascertain her fate. " The search, however, was attended with no other than a variety of reports, leading to the conclusion that she had been cut off, and that the Europeans were either killed or taken up to the Bocca Tigris. This state of excessive dis- quietude and uncertainty harassed us till the evening of the lOth iustant, and then, in the full persuasion that she had been cut off, I felt it became me to recommend the most urgent measure in my power, calculated to convince this Government that the further detention or injury of Her Majesty's subjects under such circumstances was an act Okf war against Her Majesty. " I therefore addressed the accompanying letter to Cap- tain Smith, of the ' Volage,' and the Enclosures 4 and 5 are that officer's reply, and his notice of blockade. " On the 13th we proceeded to Macao in Her Majesty's ship, personally to communicate with the Governor concern- ing the situation of Her Majesty's subjects on board this fleet, and to proceed, if needful, to the Bocca Tigris. We had scarcely left this harbour when we fell in with.an English ship coming over from Macao, communicating the unex- pected and welcome information that Mr. M'Donald and all his people were safe on board. " It appeared that a strong adverse tide had caught him in the narrow passage he proposed to explore, and having observed a considerable force in his rear, he judged it pru- dent to push on through the other outlet, and fortunately succeeded in making his way to Macao without molestation. There were no sails or provisions in the boat ; and the ex- hausted condition of the people accounts for the length of a passage, that had left us without hope that he could have proceeded to Macao. " I need hardly say, my Lord, that the measure of a blockade never could have presented itself either to Captain Smith or myself, except under a conviction that certain of Her Majesty's subjects were actually in the hands of the Government. The other circumstances adverted to in the 156 notice were indeed in a strong degree justificatory of it, but it was occasioned entirely by the fact of Mr. M 'Donald's disappearance, and the information and belief that he and the other Europeans had fallen into the hands of the Chinese authorities. " I am perfectly sensible your Lordship could never countenance measures of such a nature upon the ground of any concluded event ; but, with the firm belief that the lives of Her Majesty's subjects were at stake, I hope it will be thought that I was justified in recommending the only strong measure of a public and national character in our power. And certainly, looking at the general aspect of cir- cumstances, it can be no matter of surprise that I could not venture to pause beyond the time that had already been spent in anxious search, fruitful of nothing but alarming re- port. Perhaps I may remark here, that it was intended to act upon the Government by the suspension of all foreign trade ; without which it is plain to me that the peace of this province cannot be preserved, or the public emergencies met. " In the altered state of circumstances of these people's safety, however. Captain Smith concurred with me that we were called upon to refrain from any measures of an active nature, and, with this impression, he issued the accompanying notice. " I avail myself of this occasion to afford your Lordship the satisfactory information that the earnestness of my dis- positions concerning the regular supply of provisions, mani- fested by the affair at Kow Lune, has had the effect of re- laxing all rigour on that important point. The natives are no longer impeded in the abundant supply of the ships, at little above the usual rates, and the notices with respect to the poisoning of the water have been removed. " But, my Lord, that, and an event to be reported in another despatch, have, I cannot doubt, mainly contributed to induce the sober train of reflection in the mind of the Commissioner, which enables me to hold out to Her Majesty's Government the hope that we are upon the eve of some satisfactory temporary solution of actual difficulties." " Captain Elliot to Captain H. Smith. " Ship ' Fort William,' Hong Kong, \Oth September, 1839. " The enclosed is a translation of the proclamation by 157 their Excellencies the Governor and the High Commissioner, concerning which we have heard so many rumours during these last few days. " Under these manifestations of dark and undistinguish- ing violence against all Her Majesty's subjects in this country upon the most unjustifiable pretexts, and having regard to the unexplained attack upon the passage-boat ' Black Joke,' and the still more disastrous cutting off of the boat of the ' Myram Diram,' I consider it incumbent upon myself to request you will forthwith declare the port and river of Canton in a state of blockade. " Proposing, however, to disturb any actually commenced undertakings as little as may be possible, with due regard to the need of impressing upon this Government the gravity of the emergency, I would suggest that the notice of blockade should allow unobstructed egress to all vessels actually within the port of Canton, or entering within one week next after the date thereof. " The Enclosure No. 2 is a notice which it has seemed to me to be highly necessary to promulgate at this crisis, in order to leave no room for the inference that Her Majesty's officers, civil or military, are countenancing or protecting lawless traffic on the coasts of this empire." *• Proclamation calling on the people to arm themselves to resist parties of English landing on their Coasts. " LiN, High Imperial Commissioner, &c., and Tang, Governor of the Two Kwang, &c. A Proclamation, giving clear commands. " Whereas the English foreigners, in their overbearing pride and impracticability, have withstood the prohibitory enactments; those depraved individuals, who deal in opium, have continued to linger at Macao ; the empty store-ships which have surrendered their opium, have thus long re- l anchored in the outer seas ; and newly-arrived mai ned anchored in the outer seas ; and newly- merchant vessels, neglecting to surrender what opium they have brought, have collected together at Hong-Kong and the neighbourhood, neither entering Whampoa, nor yet sailing back again, whereby occasion was given, in a drunken brawl, to cause the death of Lin Wie-hee, one of 158 the people of the empire ; and whereas we, the Commis- sioner and the Governor, having reiteratedly issued com- mands to the Superintendent Elliot, justly to investigate and take proceedings therein, he has still withstood us, has not received our commands, and has sheltered and failed to deliver up the murderer (acts of contumacy and of stiff- necked presumption, such as cannot be surpassed). There- fore we, the Commissioner and the Governor, have given strict commands to the local officers, civil and military, at every point, by land and by water, faithfully to intercept and wholly to cut off from the English all supplies, that they may be made to fear and to pay the tribute of fealty. " We now find that these English foreigners, though they have one and all left Macao, have yet gone to reside on board the foreign ships at Hong Kong ; and it is to be apprehended, that, in the extremity of their embarrassment, some may land at the outer villages and hamlets along the coast, forcibly to purchase provisions, or plunder the inha- bitants. Against chances of this nature, it is most neces- sary to take all precautionary and preventive measures. " For this reason we make proclamation to all the gentry and elders, the shopkeepers, and inhabitants of the outer villages and hamlets along the coast, for their full informa- tion. Pay you all immediate obedience hereto ; assemble yourselves together for consultation; purchase arms and weapons ; join together the stoutest of your villagers ; and thus be prepared to defend yourselves. If any of the said foreigners be found going on shore to cause trouble, all and every of the people are permitted to fire upon them, to withstand and drive them back, or to make prisoners of them. They assuredly will never be able, few in number, to oppose the many. Even when they land to take water from the springs, stop their progress, and let them not have it in their power to drink. But so long as the said foreign- ers do not go on shore, you must not presume to go in boats near to their vessels, causing in other ways disturbances that will surely draw on you severe investigations. " Taoukwang, 19th year, 7th month, 23rd day (31st August, 1839)." 159 " General Memorandum. " To Commanders of all British Vessels, and others Her Majesty's Subjects. " Ship ' Fort William,' Hong Kopg, September 11, 1839. " Amongst the pretexts put forward by the Commis- sioner, for the vindication of his measures of dark and un- distinguishing violence against all Her Majesty's subjects in China, men, women, and children, is the declaration that some of them are actually engaged in the illicit traffic of opium at this anchorage. The Chief Superintendent, on his part, considering it his duty to leave no just room for the inference that Her Majesty's flag is flying here in the countenance or protection of persons engaged in a trade declared to be lawless by the Government of this country, (to the great aggravation of the risk of the ships detained till the lawful trade can be conducted on a safe and honour- able footing,) has now to require all commanders of ships not having opium on board, to repair to this vessel within the next 48 hours, and make oath to that effect. " And, moved by the pressing public considerations hereinbefore set forth, the Chief Superintendent has to require that all British vessels engaged in the traffic of opium should immediately depart from this harbour and coast." " Captain Smith to Captain Elliot. " Her Majesty's Ship ' Volage,' " Sir, Hmg Krd to them all such advice, information, and assistance as it may be in your power to c^ive, with a view to the safe and successful con- duct of their commercial transactions ; and, to the utmost of your ability, to protect them in the peaceable prosecution of all lawful enterprises in which they may be enpraged in China ; and, by the exertion of your utmost influence and authority, to adjust by arbitration or persuasion all disputes in which any of our sub- jects may be there enga^jed with each other, or with the in- habitants of China, or with the subjects or citizens of any foreign state ; and to mediate between our said subjects and the officers "* of the Chinese (lovemment, in order to protect our subjects aforesaid from all unlawful exactions or hindrances in the prose- cution of their commercial undertakings, " 18, And it is our further pleasure, that, so often as it may be necessary for you, in conducting any such mediation as afore- said, to prefer any complaint or remonstrance to the officers of the Government of China, you do observe all possible modera- tion; and do cautiously abstain from all unnecessary use of menacing language ; or from making any appeal for protection to our military or naval forces, unless, in any extreme case, the most evident necessity shall require that any such menacing language should be holden, or that any such appeal should be made. And we do further command and require you, in the general discharge of your duties as such Superintondenls, to ab- stain from and avoid all such conduct, language, and demeanour as might needlessly excite jealousy or distrust amongst the in- habitants of China, or the officers of the Chinese Government; or as might unnecessarily irritate the feelings, or revolt the opinions or prejudices of the Chinese people or Government; and that you do study by all practicable methods to maintain a good and friendly understanding with the officers, both civil and military, and with the inhabitants of China, with whom you may be brought into intercourse or communication. 230 " 19. And we do require you constantly to bear in mind and to impress, as occasion may offer, upon our subjects resident in, or resorting to China, the duty of conforming to the laws and usages of the Chinese empire, so long as such laws shall be administered towards you and them with justice and good faith; and in the same manner in which the same are or shall be administered towards the subjects of China, or towards the subjects or citizens of other foreign nations resident in, or resorting to China. " 20. And we do further enjoin and require you to transmit to the Governor General of the territories under the Government of the East India Company in India, duplicate copies, for his information, of all despatches which may by you be addressed to our Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, with copies of all despatches which you tnay receive from our said Secretary of State. And if, on any occasion, you should see cause to ad- dress despatches directly to the said Governor-General, we do further direct you to communicate to our Secretary of State aforesaid full copies thereof, and of all despatches which you may receive from the Governor-General ; all which copies it is our pleasure that you do transmit, as aforesaid, by the first con- venient opportunity. " 21. And we do further declare our pleasure to be, that neither you, the said Superintendents, nor any person who may hereafter be a Superintendent under the said Commission, nor the Secretary to the said Commission for the time being, nor any other subordinate officer employed by you or by the Superintendents for the time being, in the discharge of the duties confided to you, shall engage in trade in China aforesaid ; or act as the factor, broker, or agent for any person or persons engaged in such trade, on pain of the forfeiture by you, or such Secretary or other officer as aforesaid, of the office so by you or him holden." Letter of further general instruction from Viscount Palmerston to Lord Napier. " My Lord, " Foreign Office, January 2^, 1834. " Your Lordship's instructions, under the royal sign manual. 231 contain all that is essentially necessary for your guidance, in the i>:eiieral conduct of the superintendence entrusted to your charge. But there still remain some particular points, upon which I am commanded by His Majesty to convey to you, for your informa- tion and guidance, the further instructions which you will find in this despatch, and in my others of the same date. " Your Lordship will announce your arrival at Canton by letter to the Viceroy. *• In addition to the duty of protecting and fostering the trade of His Majesty's subjects with the port of Canton, it will be one of your principal objects to ascertain whether it may not be prac- ticable to extend that trade to other parts of the Chinese domi- nions. And for this end you will omit no favourable opportunity of encouraging any disposition which you may discover in the Chinese authorities to enter into commercial relations with His Majesty's Government. It is obvious that, with a view to the attainment of this object, the establishment of direct communi- cations with the Imperial Court at Pekin would be desirable ; and you will accordingly direct your attention to discover the best means of preparing the way for such communications: bearing constantly in mind, however, that peculiar cautiop and circumspection will be indispensable on this point, lest you should awaken the fears or offend the prejudices of the Chinese Government, and thus put to hazard even the existing oppor- tunities of intercourse, by a precipitate attempt to extend them. In conformity with this caution, you will abstain from entering into any new relations or negotiations with the Chinese autho- rities, except under very urgent and unibreseen circumstances. But if any opportunity for such negotiations should appear to you to present itself, you will lose no time in reporting the circum- stance to His Majesty's Government, and in asking for instruc- tions : but, previously to the receipt of such instructions, you will adopt no proceedings but such as may ha\e a general ten- dency to convince the Chinese authorities of the sincere desire of the King to cultivate the most friendly relations with the Emperor of China, and to join with him in any measures likely to promote the happiness and prosperity of their respective sub- 232 jects. I have to add, that I do not at present foresee any case in which it could be advisable that you should leave Canton to visit Pekin, or any other parts of China, without having pre- viously obtained the approbation of His Majesty's Government. " Observing the same prudence and caution which I have incul- cated above, you will avail yourself of every opportunity which may present itself, for ascertaining whether it may not be pos- sible to establish commercial intercourse with Japan, and with any other of the neighbouring countries ; and you will report to this department, from time to time, the results of your observa- tion and inquiries. " It is understood that a survey of the Chinese coast is much required, and your attention should therefore be directed to this subject, with a view to ascertain the best means and the probable expense of such an undertaking; and you will have the goodness to transmit to me an early and full report of your opinion thereupon. But you will not take any steps for com- mencing such a survey until you receive an authority from hence to do so. Your aitention should also be directed to the inquiry, whether there be any, and what, places at which ships might find requisite protection in the event of hostilities in the China seas. Upon these points I recommend to your attentive con- sideration the enclosed observations of Captain Horsburgh, the correctness of which your Lordship will make it your duty to investigate. " Peculiar caution will be necessary on the part of the Super- intendents, with regard to such ships as may attempt to explore ihe coast of China for purposes of traffic. It is not desirable that you should encourage such adventures ; but you must never lose sight of the fact, that you have no authority to interfere with or to prevent them. " It is generally considered, that the Bocca Tigris, which is marked by a fort immediately above Anson's Bay, forms the limit of the port of Canton*; and as this appears to be the un- * By an instruction to Sir G. B. Robinson, dated May 28, 1836, the limits f the jurisdiction of the Superintendents were extended, so as to include Lintin and Macao. 233 derstanding of the Chinese authorities themselves, a nolificalion to that effect has been made to the merchants in this country. Your Lordship will accordingly conform to that understanding. '* The Master Attendant will have charge of all British ships and crews within the Bocca Tigris. " Your Lordship is aware that the Chinese authorities have invariably made a marked distinction between ships of war and merchantmen in regard to the privilege of intercourse. It is contrary to their regulations that ships of war should enter that part of the river which lies above the Bocca Fort ; and you will, therefore, lake care to apprize the commanders of British ships of war of the desire of His Majesty's Government that these regu- lations sh'uld be strictly observed ; and that no British ship of war should pass the Bocca Tigris, unless an extraordinary occasion should require it to do so. This prohibition extends, of course, to the frigate which is to convey your Lordship to your destina- tion ; and you will, moreover, understand that such frigate is not to remain in the Canton river. " With respect to questions of law, the Order in Council appears to give you ample instructions ; but I have to apprize your Lordship that, although it has been deemed advisable at once to constitute a court of justice, yet it is His Majesty's pleasure that you should not, unless in case of absolute necessity, commence any proceedings under such Order in Council until you have taken the whole subject into your most serious consideration. And you will, in the mean while fully report to me, for the informa- tion of His Majesty's Government, the result of your delibera- tions ui)on this most important branch of your duties. *' It may hardly be necessary for me to add, that, if you should be compelled to have recourse to the unpleasant duty of ordering the arrest of any British subject for irregularity of conduct, you will take care to issue for that purpose a formal warrant under your hand and 5^eal. " I have, Ac, (Signed) ** Palmerston." 234 APPENDIX No. V. MEMORANDUM by Captain Elliot^ suggesting a flan for communicating vnth the Court of Peking. ^^ Canton, November 19, 1837. " The official application of the Provincial Government, which forms the subject of Enclosure Feb. 20, in my despatch No. 6, seems to furnish a proper occasion for an approach to this Go- vernment by Her Majesty's Government. "The necessity for such interposition, it may be said, is not immediately obvious. That may be the case in England, and it would be an ungrateful task to throw it into a stronger light. But at all events, I shall simply say that it seems to me that the actual state of things cannot continue to be left to the turn of events, without seriously risking vast pubhc and private interests, or without such deeply-rooted injury to the national character in the estimation of this huge portion of mankind as it is painful indeed to reflect upon. " Be my impressions, however, in these respects, well founded or not, it has occurred to me that the suggestion of a mode of approach to this Government may not be a useless task at the present conjuncture, and with that feeling I submit the following proposition. " I would premise by suggesting that the Secretary of State should address a letter, without loss of time, to the Governor of these pro\inces, announcing that the official paper already adverted to had been received, and signifying Her Majesty's pleasure to despatch a Special Commissioner to China, to inquire in what degree the evils complained of were justly chargeable to Her Majesty's subjects, and to consider by what means it might be possible to establish all things upon a safe and satisfactory footing. ** I would observe, however, that it is desirable the place to which it is proposed to send the Commissioner should not be men- tioned in the Secretary of State's letter to the Governor of Canton. "This communication would, in my belief, have the immediate effect of tempering the policy of the Provincial Government upon 235 all points connected with the foreigners, and that of itself would be much to gain. " I have considered that the form of approach by a Sj^ecial Commissioner is the most convenient for several reasons. " In the first place, it is a description of appointment in fre- quent use by this Court. And as these Commissioners are under- stood to be persons who have particular business to perform, they are almost entirely exempted from the tedious ceremonial which must press so heavily upon the time of the higher officers of the provinces employed in their ordinary stations. " The difficulties, therefore, would be easily managed in respect to all points of form, which become so exceedingly perplexing in the case of ambassadors, whose main business the Chinese con- sider to be the performance of ceremony. But there is a still more urgent reason for the appointment of such a functionary rather than an ambassador. He might not only announce that this visit was one of business and not of ceremony, but signify that he must stay where he was till it was entirely completed. "No negotiations in China, it may be depended upon, will be so successful as those which are conducted either on board ships of war, or at all events at a place to which the ships could accompany the negotiators, and abide in perfect safety. When the Chinese perceive it is seriously intended that the ships should remain till all things were settled, they will speedily arrive at such reasonable results as shall lead to their departure. ** Whilst I am upon this subject, I would presume to say, that a six-and-forty gun frigate, and a sloop, or perhaps two, with a steam-boat from India, do not appear to form a larger escort than may very properly attend upon a Special Commissioner charged with an autograph letter from Her Majesty to the Em- peror, and with the arrangement of momentous public concerns. **The point to which I would submit this officer should be sent, is the Island of Tchusan. The anchorage has been well sur- veyed, and is perfectly safe ; it is in the near neighbourhood of ihe great city of Ningpo, and not very far from Nanking ; so that communication with officers of very high station would imme- diately be available. *' And if events should take an unfavourable turn, the peaceful 236 continuance of the expedition at that point till further instructions could be received from England would be easy; as well on account of the defensible nature of an insular position by a sea force, as of the capabilities of this island to support its own popu- lation and the force itself without aid from the main land. " It is to be apprehended, that if the ships were sent at first, or were subsequently to repair to any point on the continent, considerable numbers of troops would gradually be collected in the neighbourhood ; and if no other difficulty ensued, there would probably soon be great inconvenience about the purchase of sup- plies, which the people of the country would be prevented from selling. " But at Tchusan the ships would be felt to be securely situated in these respects ; and the disposition to adjust upon satisfactory terms would be proportionably greater. " I would remark upon this topic, that the Commissioner might have orders to remonstrate against, and, if need be, to prevent the introduction of reinforcements into the island wliilst he remained there, upon the ground that they might obstruct him in the peaceful performance of his duties ; and above all, that he could not answer for the constant preservation of a good under- standing between them and his own people : trifling disputes might lead to conflicts, conflicts to open war. Reasoning founded upon the maintenance of the public tranquillity is always very heedfully considered in China. " On arriving at the place of destination, 1 would submit that the chief native officer should be required to announce to the Governor of Ningpo the arrival of a Commissioner charged with an autograph letter from Her Majesty to the Emperor, and a letter from the Secretary of State to the Governor-General of the Provinces resident at Nanking, as well as to the Cabinet at Peking ; and to reqjiest that proper officers might immediately be deputed to receive these last communications. " It seems to be a trifling point to notice, but I believe it is of moment, that the Commissioner should be instructed neither to see nor to give nor to receive communications of any kind from persons deputed by the Governor of Ningpo, till he should have most carefully ascertained, through his interpreters, that they •237 were officers of at least the third rank, if civil; the second rank, if military. " The letters of the Secretary of State to the Governor-Ge- neral and the Cabinet at Peking, might signify, in general terms, the cause and objects of the mission, and request that their Excellencies would move the Emperor graciously to appoint Commissioners of the first rank to receive Her Majesty's letter ; and other special officers to confer with him on the business of his visit, in order that he might speedily complete it, and sail back to his country as soon as it were satisfactorily arranged. " In determining upon the propriety of moving to any other place to which he might be invited to proceed by the Emperor's command, I would say the Commissioner should be guided by the affirmative of two propositions. '• First. That the ships could accompany him and remain in perfect safety. " Secondly. That the place was nearer to the cotirt than Tchusan. " But my own very forcible impression is, that it would be the safest and most hopeful course, to instruct him not to quit Tchusan at all till all things were surely adjusted. " If the Emperor, when all matters were concluded, required him to proceed to the Court, I would say that the visit should be preceded by a convention, plainly defining the manner of his reception, and guaranteeing his safe and becoming return, at any moment he thought fit, to the station of the ships. " It is not probable that a visit to the Court will be invited, and in my judgment it had better be avoided, except it be very urgently pressed. "If the Commissioner were required to proceed to Canton and place himself in communication with the Governor there, it might be answered that he had no letters of credence to that functionary (a point the Chinese perfectly understand), and that his orders forbid him to communicate with him. '* If all intercourse at any other point than Canton were obstinately refused (and there it would be idle to go), I would •238 submit that the Commissioner should be instructed to declare, that he had orders to take post where he was till further directions could be received from England. " And that he should forthwith manifest an earnest deter- mination to secure himself in a safe attitude. " Whilst I am upon this point, I would say that the arrival of a transport or two at Tchusan from India, with supplies and stores for the ships, would probably produce the best effect in hastening the movements of the Chinese Court in a favourable sense. " When officers from Peking had arrived, and commu- nications were opened, I would propose that the Commissioner, after the verification of the grounds of complaint, should ex- plain how impossible it was Her Majesty's Government could take the steps which had been urged by the Chinese, and how futile they would have been if their enactment were practic- able. " More than one half of the opium imported in Cliiua, it might be shown, came from places not in the dominions of Her Majesty. And Her Majesty, therefore, had neither the right nor the power to forbid its importation in foreign bottoms. Again, it might be asked, with such a vast proportion of the opium foreign-grown, what means were there of preventing the whole of the British-grown opium being sent to places out of Her Majesty's dominions, and thence exported to China in foreign bottoms ? " From a person in my position, all reasoning of this descrip- tion would be out of place. It is my plain duty to adhere to the principle that this is a subject with which I have no concern. But the arguments of a Commissioner specially appointed to treat the matter would be attentively considered ; and I think those may be urged which would lead not only to the early legalisation of the trade, (a trade that is carried on under circum- stances which are very discreditable to us,) but to other impor- tant relaxations. " I believe it would be salutary to announce, that Her Majesty being without the power to prevent or to regulate this 239 trade, anxiously desired its legalisation ; so that all men who visited the Empire of China might be within the control of the laws. " The natural consequence of the present system, it might be said, was the corruption of all, high and low, and the infesting of the coasts with evil men, both foreign and native. '' It organised vast masses of people in the practice of law- breaking; and how soon they might pass from one state of law- lessness to another, no one could foresee. " The regular trade was no longer safe without special and powerful protection, for it was notrious that depredations of the most flagrant nature upon innocent men, attended with frequent loss of life, took place every week in the year, (by armed boats, having the Government authority,) upon the pretence of search- ing for opium. ** Another point remains to be particularly insisted upon. The Imperial Government had frequently menaced the entire extinction of the regular trade, on account of this illicit traffic, which it was plain Her Majesty had no means of preventing. Threats so urgent and so hostile furnished an irresistible reason for the constant presence of a protecting force. It was impossible to say how soon the life and property of innocent men might fall a sacrifice to the violence of the Government itself, if none were on the spot. " It might therefore be declared, in conclusion, that whilst things remained as they were, Her Majesty had no other resource than to leave a naval force on the coast, in order that peaceful subjects of Her dominions, carrying on a lawful trade, should not be hindered or injured in their pursuits. " Upon the whole, it seems to me that the time has fully arrived when Her Majesty's Government should justly explain its own position with respect to the prevention or regulation of this trade ; give its own counsels, or take its own alternative course. " Neither does it appear to be unsuitable, that the same occa- sion should be taken to attempt such further relaxations in point 240 of general intercourse and regular commercial facility, as may be deemed advisable. " In these last respects, I would say that the Commissioner should rather be instructed to gain all he can than be furnished with precise points of insistance. " The Chinese would probably refuse whatever is asked, merely because it is asked, and offer more than was expected, because the proposition came from their own side. " Every arrangement of this kind should undoubtedly be accompanied by tlie proposal of a reasonable scheme for the control and government of Her Majesty's subjects in their inter- course with each other, and with the people of this empire. (Signed) " Charles Elliot." London : Printed by W- Ci.owks and Sons, Stamford-struet. ip ^^ \^ THE LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Santa Barbara THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW. lOOM 11/86 Series 9482 ||lllllljllM|i,;j|,M,„|„| „,..,,.... ,,^ lil""lMll|lll||l||||| 3 1205 01209 1979 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY Vf!fffll!!if1l"rif'ft AA 000142 716