Earlx Relations hctzvccn the United States and China. 6i 



dent merchants, five supercargoes, and five masters of ships to 

 conduct the case, and Cowpland placed himself under their 

 direction.^" Wilcocks, the American consul, felt that his authority 

 did not permit him either to try the case himself, or to deliver 

 the prisoner to the native authorities, and so confined himself to 

 cooperation with the committee. The latter met the hong" 

 merchants and after some discussion it was agreed to hold the 

 trial in the American factory with Morrison, the English mis- 

 sionary, as interpreter, 'and A\'ilcocks present to take notes. The 

 viceroy, however, wished the place changed to the "Emily," 

 and this was done. There next broke out a sharp discussion 

 over the form of the trial. The officials objected to Morrison 

 being present'*' and refused to give Wilcocks a seat. Both 

 finally were absent. On October 6th, the trial took place on board 

 the "Emily" in the presence of a Chinese magistrate and the 

 hong merchants. From the American standpoint it was mere 

 mockery. The magistrate came convinced of the Italian's guilt ; 

 he cut off the latter's attempt at explanation, refused to consider 

 any evidence but that which was against the prisoner, and finally 

 demanded that the prisoner be given up. This the Americans 

 refused to do, although they said that they would offer no 

 resistance if the authorities were to take him off by force. 

 Resistance, indeed, was useless, as all firearms had been taken 

 away and the ship surrounded by a throng of Chinese. The 

 magistrate, however, was unwilling to take the prisoner in this 

 way, and after some discussion withdrew. 



The day following the trial every pressure was brought to bear 

 to obtain Terranova's surrender. An embargo was laid on all 

 American trade. The "Emily's" linguist and fiador were 

 imprisoned, and threatened with death in case of armed resist- 

 ance by the Americans. The committee, however, refused to 

 give up the prisoner, although still promising to make no 



^' The facts of the Terranova case here given, unless otherwise stated, 

 are procured from the lengthy reports of the proceedings sent to the 

 Secretary of State by the Consul, Wilcocks, contained in Consular Letters, 

 Canton, I. 



" Execution of an American at Canton ; North American Review, 

 40:58:68. It says that the objection to Morrison was on the ground 

 that he was British, and the officials did not wish to get into trouble 

 with more than one nation. 



