COMMODORE 



'S PROPOSITIONS ALL ACCEPTED. 279 



It will be observed that the new regent, Shang-Hiung-Hiun, was a great adept in tlie tem- 

 porizing policy of his government, and was ever ready with a thousand crooked arguments for 

 not giving a direct answer to a direct demand. 



The Commodore, however, was not to be balked of his purpose by any of the shams and 

 devices of Lew Chew policy, and went straight on to the end proposed, without allowing himself 

 to be diverted from a broad, honest course of fair dealing, into any of the bye-ways of the 

 oriental hide-and-go-seek diplomacy. As to resorting to force, which had been threatened at 

 the close of the conference with the regent, the necessity of vi<ilent measures was never seriously 

 contemplated by the Commodore, as it was rightly judged that a resolute attitude would answer 

 all the purpose of a blow. The Commodore, therefore, sent Commanders Adams and Buchanan, 

 accompanied by Dr. Williams, to the mayor of Napha. These gentlemen were instructed to 

 obtain categorical replies to all the demands made upon the regent the previous day. Simulta- 

 neously with this mission ashore, an incident occurred, which, however slight in itself, had 

 probably no small effect upon the timid hearts of the Lew Chewans. The Commodore had 

 dispatched his carpenter to look after the sedan chair which had been deposired in the temple at 

 Tumai, since its use on the previous occasion of the grand procession to the palace of Shui. 

 The people of Lew Chew watched, with considerable anxiety, the movements of the carpenter, 

 and their frightened imaginations already, no doubt, fancied the Commodore borne on in his car 

 of state, the aforesaid sedan chair, as a triumphant victor within the walls of their capitol. 



Whether this looking after the sedan chair was accidental or not, it happened in the very 

 nick of time, and probably hastened the decision of the Lew Chew authorities. The mayor of 

 Napha was very prompt in complying, to the extent of his authority, with the demands of the 

 Commodore, as urged in his behalf, by his representative Commander Adams, who returned to 

 the ship bearing the message that the regent would be immediately communicated with, and 

 that the Commodore might be assured that a definite answer would be given to his propositions 

 the next day. 



Accordingly, at about ten o'clock the following morning, the mayor came on board the 

 Susquehanna, with the information that all the Commodore's propositions had been acceded to, 

 and would be carried out as far as the people could be controlled. He tlien, in detail, stated the 

 various concessions to which the government had finally yielded. In regard to the coal depot, 

 he said that preparations had already been made for its construction, and that the government 

 had agreed ujjon the amount of rent, which was to be ten dollars }ier month. As for access to 

 the market, it having been stated that the difiiculty was with tlie common people, and particu- 

 larly the women, who were averse to entering into immediate commerce with strangers, a 

 compromise was proposed by the Commodore, and agreed to on the part of the mayor, which 

 was to the effect that a bazaar should be opened in the Kung-qua for the sale of the various 

 products of the country which the Americans might desire to purchase. 



The mayor jiroposed the subsequent Sunday for the opening of the bazaar, when he was told 

 that that was a day kept holy by Christians, when buying and selling were contrary to their 

 religion. It was then proposed, and acceded to, that as the squadron was not to sail until 

 Monday, at nine o'clock, that the market should be opened at six o'clock on the morning of 

 that day. 



Although the authorities had soon found that it was necessary to give a favorable answer to 

 the demands of the Commodore, and the mayor of Napha had come on board for the express 



