884 



CHINA. 



the superintendent, though ho mi^'lit reside at Ma- 

 cao, was by no n -ent himself at Curiton. 

 In pursuance of this order, Hou-qua and Mou-qua, 

 deputed by the bong, proceeded to Macao, but be- 

 fore they could reach that place, lord Napier had 

 set out ; and, notwithstanding all their efforts to 

 overtake him, he arrived at Canton before them. 

 Next day, a letter from him to the viceroy was 

 presented at the city-gates, but was rejected on 

 account of its not being in the form of a petition. 

 The displeasure of the government was immedi- 

 ately manifested by the disappearance of all the 

 native servants in the employ of the British. 



A strong sensation was now created in the city, 

 and a report was made to the hoppo, that on the 

 18th of the present moon, about midnight, " a bar- 

 barian ship's boat had arrived at Canton, bringing 

 four English devils," who took up their abode in 

 the factory. This being connected with the ap- 

 pearance of a British man-of-war in the outer seas, 

 was represented as a clandestine stealing into Can- 

 ton. The governor issued an order, declaring the 

 impossibility, that in conformity to the laws of 

 China, this new eye or officer could continue in 

 that city : " Even England has it laws ; how 

 much more the celestial empire I How flaming 

 bright are its great laws and ordinances, more terri- 

 ble than the awful thunderbolt 1 Under this whole 

 bright heaven, none dares to disobey them. Un- 

 der its shelter are the four seas. Subject to its 

 soothing care are the ten thousand kingdoms." 

 Actuated, however, by feelings of clemency, and 

 allowing for the ignorance of national laws and 

 customs incident to a stranger, he ordains, that if 

 the latter, after having despatched the business on 

 which he came, shall immediately return to Macao, 

 and promise never to resort to Canton without 

 special permission, the past offence will be over- 

 looked. 



The hong merchants tried all the means in their 

 power to induce Lord Napier to give way; but his 

 lordship having been refused access to the imperial 

 officers, declined to communicate with the mer- 

 chants. The latter, frustrated in all their endea- 

 vours, resolved to secure the good-will of their 

 own government by proposing a suspension of the 

 trade. By taking this course they obviated the 

 suspicion of collusion, which probably induced the 

 government to lay upon them so heavy a load of 

 responsibility. In an elaborate mandate, issued by 

 governor Loo, their conduct is declared to be most 

 highly praiseworthy, " manifesting a profound 

 knowledge of the great principles of dignity." Yet 

 he does not proceed immediately to take the strong 

 step recommended. He pretends, indeed, that the 

 trade and the duties arising from it, "do not con- 

 cern the celestial empire, to the extent of a hair 

 or a feather's down." But knowing the divine 

 wish of his great master to cherish both those 

 within and those without, he was unwilling to in- 

 volve thousands of the latter in ruin for the dis- 

 obedience and obstinacy of one individual. He 

 therefore allowed a short interval, that the bar- 

 barian eye, said to be " a man of very solid and ex- 

 pansive mind, and placid speech," might have an 

 opportunity to reconsider his rash decision. 



At length, on the 2nd of September, the long- 

 threatened order for the entire suspension of the 

 trade was issued. Its effects were immediately 

 apparent. Fresh provisions could no longer be 

 procured, and lord Napier and his suite were 

 obliged to live on salt meat conveyed from the 



ships of war. Matters being thus brought to ex- 

 tremities, the resolution was taken to order up his 

 Majesty's ships, Andromache and Imogene, which 

 were anchored without the Bogue. The ship* 

 began to move on the 7th, and the forfs defending 

 the entrance of the river fired upon them. A con- 

 test ensued for an hour and three quarters, the 

 time occupied in the winding passage of the chan- 

 nel, and the ships then anchored, in consequence 

 of the state of the wind, until the Dth. On that 

 day they proceeded on their way, and a contest 

 again ensued with the forts on the shore, which, 

 of course, were unable to prevent the 

 the vessels, though they occasioned the death of 

 one man in each. On the llth another ord< 

 issued, in which the former demands of the Chi- 

 nese government were repeated, and the conduct of 

 lord Napier severely stigmatized. Yet it was still 

 intimated to him that, if he would repent of his 

 errors and even then obey the laws of the empire. 

 indulgence would be extended to him. It is un- 

 necessary for us to detail the occurrences of the 

 few days following, which rendered lord Napier's 

 position a very difficult one. His difficulties too 

 were increased by severe indisposition, caused hy 

 toil and anxiety. Under these circumstances, he 

 shrunk from the calamities which would ensue 

 from the continued suspension of intercourse, and 

 on the 14th he announced his determination to 

 yield, and to quit Canton. The ships of war, also, 

 on the demand of the native government, were or- 

 dered to move out to Linton. Two chop boats 

 were provided for lord Napier, in which he em- 

 barked on the 21st. They reached Heang-shang 

 on the 23d, where they were detained two days 

 amid a terrible beating of gongs and other noises, 

 which severely aggravated his lordship's illness. 

 They reached Macao on the 28tb, where lord Na- 

 pier expired on the llth October. A re-opening 

 of the trade took place on the 27th of December 

 following. 



The results of the first four years' experience of 

 the free trade to China have more than justified 

 the anticipations of those who expected the great- 

 est success from the abolition of the monopoly. 

 At an average of the three or four years preceding 

 the dissolution of the Company's charter, their 

 average annual imports of tea amounted to about 

 31,500,000 Ibs. a year; but in 1833-34, the last 

 year of the charter, the imports were only 29,592,310 

 Ibs. The year 1835, the first year of the free 

 trade, presents a very different result ; the imports 

 having amounted to 43,000,000 Ibs., exceeding by 

 above 10,000,000 Ibs., or 30 per cent., the Com- 

 pany's imports when largest ! We subjoin an ac- 

 count of the quantities of tea imported into the 

 united kingdom, the quantities retained for con- 

 sumption, and the nett revenue derived from the 

 same, in 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837, and 1838. 



The excess of the quantity retained for consump- 

 tion in 1836 was occasioned by the change in the 

 duties that year, which made it necessary to enter 

 all the heavy stock of bohea then in bond, in oirier 

 to escape the duty of 2s. Id. to which it would 

 otherwise have become liable. 



