136] 
mediate departure of the Doris. 
A subsequent act of the Com- 
mander of that ship aggravated 
the displeasure of the Chinese go- 
vernment. A vessel belonging to 
Calcutta was captured by an Ame- 
rican privateer, which was pro- 
ceeding with her ‘to Whampoa, 
when, perceiving the Doris, she 
took refuge in the harbour. The 
governor of that settlement, in 
conformity with an existing treaty, 
ordered the prize to quit the Por- 
tuguese limits, and sent a guard 
for her protection till she was be- 
yond them. A boat from the 
Doris immediately afterwards 
boarded her, and found in her 
three British subjects. This was 
construed by the Chinese Viceroy 
as the capture of a neutral in Ma- 
cao roads, and he issued a strict 
_prohibition against supplying the 
king’s ships with provision. To 
his demand for the removal of 
these ships, the committee remon- 
strated that it would be endanger- 
ing many valuable Indiamen and 
private traders hourly arriving in 
the river, which, if deprived of 
their: protectors, would certainly 
fall a prey to the numerous Ame- 
rican privateers on the station; 
and it was further said, that it 
was manifestly unjust to admit 
without question American priva- 
teers with their prizes, andexclude 
British ships of war. The Doris, 
in the meantime, whilst convey- 
ing two English vessels up the 
Bocca of the Tigris, and protect- 
ing them from four Americans 
lying there, was fired at by the 
Chinese ships of war. Capt. Obrien 
returned one gun without shot, 
and boarding a Chinese ship, de- 
manded an explanation of the in- 
sult. This circumstance was re= 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1815. 
ported to the government in a 
manner unfavourable to the Bri- 
tish captain; and though proper 
representations on the subject 
were transmitted to Canton, they 
were returned unopened. About 
the middle of September, the Vice- 
roy issued an order forbidding all 
Chinese subjects to enter into the 
sérvice of the British resident in the 
factory. The committeethereupon 
stated, that for more than a cen- 
tury the servants employed in the 
factory were chiefly Chinese, and 
that the houses of the factory were 
not capable of containing thenum- 
ber of Europeans requisite for the 
necessary duties. These, and 
other representations, were made 
in the Chinese language, which 
were returned by the Viceroy un- 
opened, with the declaration that 
he would receive addresses from 
the English only in their own 
language ; the obvious reason for 
which was, that by the medium of 
false translations he might trans- 
mit to Pekin garbled accounts of 
their contents. After various other 
indications of ill-will to the Eng- 
lish, all intercourse was prohibit- 
ed between the Company’s ships 
at Whampoa and the king’s ships 
at Champee, boats passing up and 
down the river were stopped, and 
several English vessels provided 
with port-clearances were fired at. 
The committee at length, finding 
that no justice could be expected 
from the Viceroy, who appeared 
to be entirely gained over to the 
American interest, resolved upon 
appealing to the imperial court ; 
and in the beginning of October 
issued orders for all British sub- 
jects to quit Canton within four 
days. -The order was suspended 
forthe purpose oftrying the effectof 
