CHECK TO CHINESE INSOLENCE. 50o 



was passing on the river with her ensign flying, when, without liail or warning, she was fired 

 upon by one of the imperial fleet, the Sir H. Compton, and ordered alongside. The order was 

 perforce complied with. On reaching the Compton she was immediately boarded from that 

 vessel by a body of armed men, who forthwith hauled down the American ensign, dragged the 

 crew of the boat up the side of the ship, and made them fast by lashing their long Chinese 

 queues to the mainmast. Commander Kelly was informed of these facts by the American 

 consul at seven o'clock that evening, when, in a very few minutes. Lieutenant Guest had his 

 orders, and was under way for the Compton, in one of the ship's cutters, manned by eleven 

 men, armed, and accompanied by the owners of the pilot boat. His instructions were to release 

 the boat and crew, and demand of the captain by what authority he had dared thus to insult 

 the American flag. Lieutenant Guest, of course, interpreted his instructions to mean that, if 

 necessary, he should use force to release the boat and her crew. He was soon alongside of the 

 Compton, and, pursuant to orders, inquired first for her captain, to whom Commander Kelly 

 had addressed a note on the subject of the outrage. He was told that the captain was on board 

 the Agnes, another Chinese vessel of war ; he pulled to her, and was there told that he was on 

 shore. Lieutenant Guest did not suppose it to be his duty to seek for him any further, and was 

 soon back to the Compton. This vessel was anchored in the middle of the Chinese fleet, 

 mounted some ten or twelve guns, and had about forty men on her deck, renegades and scoun- 

 drels of all nations. On getting alongside, the lieutenant immediately ascended the vessel's 

 side, accompanied by the owners of the boat, ordering his eleven men to remain in the 

 cutter, and to come when he called them, but not before. On reaching the deck he asked for 

 the oflicer in command, when a Portuguese stepped forward and claimed that rank. Lieutenant 

 Guest then asked him how he dared to fire upon and make prisoners of men under the protec- 

 tion of the American flag, and demanded that they should be immediately released and their 

 boat given up. He replied that he did not do it, and that in the captain's absence he had no 

 autliority to release either men or boat. He then conferred with another official, (a China- 

 man,) and he confirmed his decision. Lieutenant Guest then called out to his men, " come on 

 board," and with wonderful alacrity and speed they were on the deck, each with cutlass in 

 hand, and in a moment had released the prisoners from their confinement to the mainmast. 

 About this time the crew of the Compton had assumed a menacing attitude, and Mr. Donaldson 

 called out to the lieutenant that some of the men on the jioop-deck were levelling their muskets 

 at the Araericans. Fortunately the Portuguese commanding officer was at that moment very 

 near Lieutenant Guest. Instantly drawing and cocking his pistol, the American officer levelled 

 it at the Portuguese, and told him that on tlie first shot fired he would blow out his brains. 

 On hearing this threat, he called loudly to his men on the poop to desist, and no further 

 obstacle was interposed to the taking away of either boat or men. One of the owners examined 

 the pilot boat before her removal, and reported to the lieutenant that his property was all safe, 

 and she was then taken with lier crew to a place of safetj^ within gun-shot of the Plymouth. 



The next morning (the 7th) Commander Kelly informed the Taoutae, or commander of the 

 imperial fleet, through our consul, that as the Compton had insulted the American flag, she 

 had an act of public atonement to render, which consisted in her hoisting our national colors 

 at her fore-royal masthead in open day, and saluting them with twenty-one guns ; and he made a 

 demand accordingly. The Taoutae seeming not disposed to make this act of reparation for 

 unprovoked insult. Commander Kelly, after the allowance to him of a reasonable time, got 

 under way and proceeded to the anchorage of the imperial fleet for the purpose of enforcing his 

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