Early Relations hctzvccn the United States and China. 117 



that the boat's crew had not hoisted the American flag, that it 

 had been released as soon as the error was discovered,** that no 

 mention had been made at the time of the death of Sherry, and 

 that it had been impossible to give protection while hostilities 

 were in progress. Kearney admitted the difficulty of finding 

 the ofifenders at that late hour and waived his claims for punish- 

 ment, but he demanded $7,800 for damages. This sum was 

 promptly paid by the hong merchants, who offered to give Miller 

 an additional $2,200 if he would acknowledge full satisfaction for 

 his injuries. Olyphant and Company, who were the chief suf- 

 ferers, were not entirely pleased with Kearney's arrangement. 

 They took the money, however, and Kearney used their accept- 

 ance of it to restrain them from further action. The affair, so 

 far as the claims for damages was concerned, was closed August 

 19th of that year, when Miller gave a receipt in full for his 

 injuries. 



This visit of the East India squadron under Commodore 

 Kearney was a remarkable illustration of the change which the 

 war had brought about in the attitude of Chinese officials towards 

 foreigners. The scjuadron had come to protect the interests of 

 American citizens and to obtain redress for any injuries they 

 had suffered. *■'' To do this more effectively the frigate "Con- 

 stellation" went up the river to W'hampoa, the first American 

 ship of war to invade these inner waters.*" This intrusion, which 

 four years before would not have been tolerated, met with only 

 the mildest protest, and communications were opened, not through 

 the hong merchants, as had always been the custom, but directly 

 with the governor. Moreover, a Chinese admiral visited the 

 "Constellation," a most unprecedented action, and inspected it 

 carefully.*' Several other officers later followed his example.*'* 

 Only one incident marred the visit. A boat's crew, while making 

 soundings preliminary to moving the frigate upstream, was 



" The correspondence is all in Sen. Doc, 139, 29 Cong., i Sess. 



■^'Kearney to Sec. of Navy, Apr. i, 1842. Sen. Doc; 139, 29 Cong., 

 I Sess. 



*" Chinese Rep., 11:329-325. 



^' Chinese Rep., 1 1 : 320-335. 



^* Kearney to Sec. of Navy, May 19. 1842. Sen. Doc. 139, i Sess., 

 29 Cong. 



