12 
TRAVELS IN 
fuch unhallowed proceedings, prevail upon the king to forego 
this tefiimony of his great veneration. It is even faid, and 
believed, that they have urged the monarch of this country to 
throw off his vaflalage to the emperor of China, which, if it 
be true, cannot fail of producing a war that may either prove 
fatal to our trade at Canton, or be turned greatly to our ad- 
vantage ; for, if the Chinefe fhould difcover Europeans adling 
againfl; them, little felicitous as they really are with regard to 
foreign trade, they might be induced to fhut their ports againfl: 
us ; or, abhorring, as they do, French principles, and afraid lefl: 
they fliould get polTeffion of fome country, at no great'diftance 
from their empire, they might, perhaps, by proper management, 
be inclined to court the alliance and protection of England. 
It has been mentioned, indeed, but with what degree of 
truth I do not pretend to fay, that the Viceroy of Canton has 
lately hinted it would by no means be difagreeable to the Chi- 
nefe government to fee the Englifh in polTeflion of Macao, 
infl:ead of the Portuguefe, whom they do not confider as 
able to defend this fmall. neck of a large ifland againfl: any 
attack the French might be difpofed to make upon it. If 
the fad be fo, and the Court of Directors cannot but have long 
known it, it is prefumed that they have lofl: not a moment in 
negotiating with Portugal for this poffeffion, which is only a 
fmali peninfular promontory of no ufe nor benefit whatever to 
that kingdom, but of infinite import^ince to ours. The French 
know the value of our trade to China as well as we do, and 
will let flip no opportunity of embroiling us with the Chinefe, 
either by dired or indlred means, A Monfieur Perron, more 
I than 
