Reform in China. [MARCH, 



that if he dared to move, he would be blown out of the water by the first 

 battery that he passed. " Put that fellow in irons," was the only reply 

 to this disinterested adviser, and ironed on the quarter-deck accordingly, 

 he had the gratification of seeing a British ship of war get under weigh. 

 The first fort they came to, was the Bogue, on the starboard side, when 

 the Chinese, who had previously had the pleasure of hearing orders 

 given to prepare for action, next enjoyed the satisfaction of seeing it 

 completely silenced by one broadside. At his own very particular en- 

 treaty, he was then accommodated with a berth below j though profit- 

 ing by the previous example, Tiger Island and the remaining fortifica- 

 tions offered not the slightest obstruction, and were consequently not 

 fired at. 



On the receipt of this news in England, the honourable company's 

 directors were in no little consternation at the idea of what might be the 

 issue of these warlike proceedings, and it was with undisguised anxiety 

 that one of the court inquired of a gentleman who had been many years 

 resident in China, his opinion as to the probable result. The answer 

 was one, which not only most fully bears out our view of the subject, 

 but its entire accuracy, more than fourteen years additional experience 

 of Chinese policy, has since most thoroughly confirmed. " If Captain 

 Maxwell has fired a shot or two only, it may be a troublesome business, 

 but if he have given them a broadside, depend on it you will hear nothing 

 further on the subject." The complete correctness of this remark was 

 very speedily verified, for on the anchoring of the Alceste at Whampoa, 

 a deputation of the principal official dignitaries came on board, to con- 

 gratulate Captain Maxwell on his safe and happy arrival, and every des- 

 cription of stores was both immediately and liberally supplied ! 



One reason, amongst many others, given for this apparently unac- 

 countable and inconsistent conduct on the part of the warriors of the 

 celestial empire, was, that the ministers dared not inform the emperor 

 of what had happened, since he would most assuredly have rewarded 

 their undeceiving him as to the invincibility of his fortresses, by decapi- 

 tation, and they had wit enough to recollect, that 



" Though the hair grows again, yet the head never will." 



The batteries on the banks of the Tigris, are indeed, almost literally 

 worthless as places either of offence, or of defence, their guns being 

 fixed on carriages that will not traverse, and raised but a few inches 

 from the ground : whilst the forts themselves are so situated under the 

 hills behind them, that their garrisons might be pelted out with stones, 

 without the slightest difficulty ; and the crews of the tea ships might 

 land and capture every battery on the coast, without firing a musquet. 



Under these circumstances, it is indeed humiliating to be compelled 

 to own, that the British flag, which is respected in every other quarter 

 of the globe, is openly disgraced in China ; and that this arises solely 

 from so many former insults having been committed with impunity, is 

 notorious from the well known fact, that, of all foreigners visiting the 

 Chinese seas, the Lintin smugglers are perhaps the only parties who are 

 treated respectfully, which arises solely from the knowledge, that their 

 boats'-crews are almost always armed, and that every affront is at once 

 punished on the spot. One explanation of all this, may be their de- 

 plorable and utter ignorance : the " march of mind," having confessedly 

 made less progress in China, than in any other place that could be men- 



