GENERAL 
anegociation bythe medium of Sir 
G. Staunton, who acted as repre- 
sentative of the Company; but 
this having proved unsuccessfui, 
Sir George, in November, left 
Canton, accompanied by all the 
British subjects, ships, and trea- 
sure, leaving with the local go- 
vernment a sealed letter to be for- 
warded to the court of Pekin.— 
This decisive proceeding alarmed 
the Viceroy, who, dreading the 
defalcation of the revenue, and 
the consequent displeasure of the 
Emperor, deputed the Hong mer- 
chants to follow Sir G. Staunton, 
and renew the conference. He 
was persuaded to return, and ne- 
gociations being recommenced, 
several important concessions were 
made by the Chinese. The king’s 
_ ships returned to Champee, those 
of the Company proceeded to 
Whampoa, and the usual amicable 
relations were resumed. 
Subsequent advices, however, 
convey the information that these 
_ appearances of conciliation were 
fallacious. A month had scarcely 
elapsed when an imperial edict 
was received at Canton, extremely 
hostile to the British both in its 
style and spirif. After renewing 
the complaints againstthe conduct 
of the English men of war, it pe- 
remptorily ordered the dismissal 
of the younger Hong merchants, 
and the consignment of the whole 
British trade to three or four per- 
sons. It expressed great displea- 
sure against Sir G. Staunton for his 
interference, and appeared to en- 
join his detention. It accused the 
English of being a litigious and 
ungrateful race, delighting in 
broils, and insensible of the bless- 
ing showered upon them. With 
the real or affected contempt of 
HISTORY: A+ Peer 
the commercial relation between 
the countries, it affirmed that in 
return for the valuable products 
exported from China, the English 
have introduced only articles of 
luxury, the effect of which has 
been to corrupt his Imperial Ma- 
jesty’s subjects. In conclusion, 
it informed the super-cargoes, that 
if they were discontented with the 
paternal protection of the Chinese 
government, the wisest thing they 
could dowould be, to withdraw 
themselves from it, Whether or 
not the supercargoes- would take 
this advice seemed at that time 
undetermined; but the state of 
affairs was, on the whole, so un- 
promising, that amercantile house 
in London was strongly advised to 
lay aside speculations to China 
for a twelvemonth to come. 
“In the mean time another em- 
bassy to the court of Pekin has 
been resolved upon by the British 
government at the head of which 
Lord Amherst has been placed, 
and great preparations are making 
to give it due splendor. Whe 
ther it will prove more beneficial 
than that of Lord Macartney, 
time must discover; there is how- 
ever too much reason to appre- 
hend that in the Oriental regions 
the English nation is regarded 
with more fear and suspicion than 
good-will; and probably the war 
in Nepaul, and the ‘revolution in 
Ceylon, if brought to the know- 
ledge of the Chinese government, 
will tend to augment the unfa- 
vourable impressions it has al- 
ready received. 
Reports have been made to the 
Court of Rome from the Roman 
Catholic Missionaries in China of 
a great progress of the Christian 
religion in that empire. M. de 
