The Chinese War: an account of all the operations of the British forces, ... to the treaty of Nanking ... With ... illustrations

Front matter

THE CHINESE WAR. " First, we went ten days' journey to see the city of Nanquin, a city well worth seeing. They say it has a million of people in it, which, however, I do not believe. It is regularly built, the streets all exactly straight, and cross one another in direct lines, which gives the figure of it great advantage. What are their buildings to the palaces and royal buildings of Europe? What their trade to the universal commerce of England, Holland, France, and Spain? What their cities to ours, for wealth, strength, gaiety of apparel, rich furniture, and infinite variety ? What are their ports supplied with,— a few junks and barques, to our navigation, our merchants' fleets, our large and powerful navies ? Our city of London has more trade than all their mighty empire. One English, or Dutch, or French man-of-war, of eighty guns, would fight with and destroy all the shipping of China.

But the greatness of their wealth, their trade, the power of their government, and strength of their armies, is surprising to us ; because, as I have said, considering them as a barbarous nation of Pagans, little better than savages, we did not expect such things among them ; and this, indeed, is the advantage with which all their greatness and power is represented to us ; otherwise it is in itself nothing at all. For, as I have said of their ships, so may be said of their armies and troops ; all the forces of their empire, though they were to bring two mil] ions of men into the field together, would be able to do nothing but ruin the country and starve themselves. If they were to besiege a strong town in Flanders, or fight a disciplined army, one line of German cuirassiers, or French cavalry, would overthrow all the horse of China j a million of their foot could not stand before one embattled body of our infantry, posted so as not to be surrounded, though they were not above a thousand in number j nay, I do not boast if I say that thirty thousand German or English foot, and three thousand French horse, would fairly beat all the forces of China.

And so of our fortified towns, and of the art of our engineers in assaulting and defending towns : there is not a fortified town in China could hold out one month against the batteries and attacks of a European army ; and, at the same time, all the armies of China could never take such a town as Dunkirk, provided it was not starved, no, not in a ten years' siege. They have fire-arms, it is true, but they are awkward, clumsy, and uncertain in going off; they have powder, but it is of no strength ; they have neither discipline in the field, exercise to their arms, skill to attack, nor temper to retreat ; and therefore, I must confess, it seemed strange to me, when I came home, and heard our people say such fine things of the power, riches, glory, magnificence, and trade of the Chinese, because I saw and knew that they were a contemptible herd, or crowd of ignorant, sordid slaves, subjected to a government qualified only to rule such a people." — De Foe, written about the year 1720.

Chapter I

Retrospective summary — Select committee of supercargoes — Chinese prejudices respected — Change upon the appointment of a representative of the British Government — History of the introduction of opium — Mr. Innes — Attempt to execute a trader in opium — Captain Elliot's notice — Chinese edicts — Public entry of Commissioner Lin — Alarming situation of the merchants — Surrender of the opium p. I

Chapter II

Destruction of the opium — Affray between English sailors and the Chinese — Death of Lin Weihe — Persecution of the English by Lin — Outrage perpetrated upon the crew of the Black Joke — Arrival of the Volage — Blockade of Canton threatened — Successful attack upon some war junks — The Bilbaino — Portuguese edict — Arrival of the Hyacinth — Attack and defeat of the junks ... 19 b CONTENTS.

Chapter III

Desperate proceedings of Lin — The emperor doubts the veracity of his dispatches — Unpopularity of the opium question in England — Assembling of the expedition — Death of Sir Frederick Maitland — Sir Gordon Bremer assumes the command 32

Chapter IV

Sailing of the expedition — Arrival off the Ladrones — Proceeds northwards — Chusan — Conference — Preparations for attack — First gun fired — Landing of the troops — The suburbs of Ting-hae occupied — Samshoo — False alarm — Accident to the Melville — Settlement of the government of the island — Refusal of the authorities to convey a letter to the emperor — Bombardment of Amoy — Sickness of the troops .......... 39

Chapter V

The Yellow Sea — Astonishment of the Chinese at the sight of a steam-boat — Keeshen — His artful diplomacy — Sends a, present to the admiral — Expeditions of inquiry — A hostile demonstration — Keeshen's proposal — Further delay — Chinese report — Artifice 55

Chapter VI

A truce concluded — An immense funereal pile — Wreck of the Melville : imprisonment and barbarous treatment of the survivors — Refusal to allow the sick to land at Manilla — Survey of Yang-tse-Kiang — Frequent skirmishes with the Chinese — Survey of the Archipelago . . CONTENTS. IX

Chapter VII

Successful attack on a Chinese position — Attack on the Rev. Mr. Staunton — Critical situation of the British at Macao — Preparations for conflict — Successful attack on the Chinese works — Chinese proclamation — Blockade of Amoy — Establishment of an hospital at Ting-hae ... 76

Chapter VIII

Departure from Chusan — Outrage on the British flag — Release of the Rev. Mr. Staunton — Letter to Admiral Elliot from the British merchants in Macao — The admiral's reply — Resignation of Admiral Elliot — Succeeded by Commodore Sir Gordon Bremer — Commissioner Lin superseded — The Nemesis steamer — Arrival of forces, 86

Chapter IX

Chinese preparations for defence — Attack of Chuenpee — Great destruction of the Chinese — Small loss of the British — Bombardment of Tycocktow — Utility of small iron vessels — Anunghoy battery — Proposition for peace — An armistice 94

Chapter X

Captain Elliot's policy — Conditions of the treaty — Proclamations — The British flag hoisted on Hong-Kong — Evacuation of Chusan — Conferences with Keeshen — Warlike preparations 103

Chapter XI

Renewal of hostilities — Assembling of the fleets Passage of the Canton river — North and South Wangtung — Bom- X CONTENTS. bardment — Naval arrangements — Flight of the Chinese — Treachery of the mandarins — Conflagration — Admiral Kwan — The Bogue forts demolished — A ship blown up —Sir Hugh Gough 110

Chapter XII

The destruction of the enemy's works — Suspension of hostilities — Passage of the Broadway — First sight of a steam-vessel — Prisoners from Ningpo — Quitting Chusan — Imperial edict — Keeshen disgraced — Murder of Captain Stead — Indignation of the British — New rumours of war — The crisis 122

Chapter XIII

Preparations for fortifying Canton — The Blenheim up the Macao passage — Fire-rafts — The Shaming battery — The Nemesis in peril — Plunder of the factories — Landing the troops — The Queen's birthday — Forts at Tsinghac — Engagement — Mode of attack — Consternation at Canton — Proposals for peace — The British and Chinese forces — Result of the negotiation — Payment of the ransom 134

Chapter XIV

Large assemblage of Chinese villagers — A severe conflict — Bravery of the sepoys — Perilous situation — A rescue — Return to quarters — New hostile demonstrations — Submission to the authority of the mandarins — Death of Sir Le F. Senhouse — His funeral 151

Chapter XV

Recall of Captain Elliot — Government of Hong-Kong — ■ Claims of the Canton merchants — Sickness at Hong- CONTENTS. XI Kong — Typhoons— Arrival of Sir Henry Pottinger and Sir William Parker — The royal commission — Caution to the merchants — Port dues — Refusal of an interview with a mandarin — Appointments in Hong-Kong . . . 161

Chapter XVI

Voyage to Amoy — Storming the batteries — The British in possession of the city — Ko-lang-soo — Departure for Chusan — Chinese defences — Landing of the British — Ensign Duall — The fort taken — Great loss of the Chinese — Soldiers and artisans — Chin-hae — Appearance of the heights— The citadel 173

Chapter XVII

Landing at Chin-hae — Cannonade of the citadel — Great slaughter of the Chinese troops — Prisoners deprived of their tails — Troops quartered in Chin-hae — Advance to Ningpo — Occupation of the city — Captives of the brig Kite — Search for treasure — Sale of grain — Employment of the troops — New cantonment — Rev. Mr. Gutzlaff, 188

Chapter XVIII

Sir Henry Pottinger's notification — Navigation of the Canton river — Infraction of the armistice — Smuggling — The Nerbudda transport — Springing a leak — Bold conduct of a gunner — The ship abandoned — Barbarity of the Chinese — Protracted warfare 198

Chapter XIX

Friendly disposition of the inhabitants of Ningpo — Severity of the winter — British garrisons — Cruelty of native CONTENTS. pirates — Fearful retribution — Undisciplined recruits — Town of Victoria — Construction of dams in Canton river — Traffic with the Chinese— A ship burned— The crew made prisoners, and ransomed 209

Chapter XX

State of repose— Practice of kidnapping — Phlegethon steamer in danger — Expected attack — Warning given — Approach of the Chinese — Their gallant attack — Enter the city — Defeat and flight— A sortie — Terrible slaughter — Pursuit of the Chinese— Description of the Maou-tses — Abortive attempt to surprise Chin-hae 224

Chapter XXI

Chinese preparing for a movement on Ningpo — Operations of the British against Tai-sham — Attempt of the Chinese to burn shipping — Disappearance of the enemy — Disembarkation of the troops — Chinese encampment — Dispositions for an attack — Defeat of the Chinese — Their forces — A wounded mandarin — Chinese weapons — Chang-ki Pass — Troops return to their quarters 248

Chapter XXII

Attack on Chapoo— Chinese gunners — Chapoo a Tartar garrison — the British enter the city — Heroic conduct of the Tartars — They take possession of a joss-house — Dangerous position of the British— Death of Colonel Tomlinson — The joss-house set on fire — Tartar indifference to life —Survivors set at liberty CONTENTS. XIII

Chapter XXIII

Road to Hang-chow-foo reconnoitred — Re-embarkation of the troops — Bay of Hang-chow — Harbour of Chapoo — Extent of the town — The " Tartar city " — Miserable spectacle — Self-destruction of the Tartars — Change of the scene — Loss of the British — The fleet make sail — Anchor off "Woosung 282

Chapter XXIV

Entrance of the river Yang-tse-Kiang — Island of Tsung-ming — Town of Shang-hae-heen — Woosung River — Fortifications on the banks — Cannonade — Batteries taken possession of — Military machines found at Woosung . . 292

Chapter XXV

Arrival of reinforcements — March on Shang-hae — Novel sight — British artillery drawn by Chinese labourers — Navigation of the Woosung river — Batteries cannonaded — The city of Shang-hae — Its advantageous position — Its ramparts and military establishments — Picturesque edifices — British troops in quarters 299

Chapter XXVI

Chinese pawnbrokers — Dragoons form couches of wearing apparel — Medley costume — Destruction of furniture and books — Disposal of " pledges " — Ludicrous scenes — Spoliation by the mob — Discovery of a store of ice — Extremes of heat and cold — Apricot tree — Appropriation . CONTENTS.

Chapter XXVII

Evacuation of Shang-hae— Mustering the troops— Division of the land force — Fleet under weigh — Pagoda Hill — Battery at Leshan — Battery Reach — Town of Chin-keang-foo — Probable consequences to the empire of the suppression of the navigation of the Yang-tse-Kiang — Golden Island — Appearance of the country — Exaggeration of travellers 327

Chapter XXVIII

Relative situation of the contendingforces — Neglect of the Chinese government — Expected descent upon Peking — Defence of Teentsin — Fire-rafts — Disembarkation of the land force effected — Beautiful prospect from the heights of Chin-keang-foo — Silver Island — Two Chinese camps — Orders given for an attack 342

Chapter XXIX

Operations carried on against Chin-keang-foo — Advance of a brigade under Lord Saltoun — The enemy in sight — Engagement commenced — Rapid flight of the Chinese — Movements of the second and third brigades — Firing on the city — An escalade — Desperate conflict with the Tartar troops — Their abandonment of the works of the town, 356

Chapter XXX

The gates of Chin-keang-foo — An explosion — Fortunate escape of the British — The city entered by the third brigade — A detachment on the banks of the grand canal CONTENTS. XV — Determination to blow open the gates — Refusal of the enemy to surrender — Effects of heat — The garrison of Chin-keang-foo — Devotion to their country — Desperate encounters with the British 377

Chapter XXXI

Scene of desolation at Chin-keang-foo — Burying the dead — Tartar children massacred by their parents — Attachment of an old servant — Punishment of soldiers for treachery — Preparations previous to the arrival of the British — Difficulty of obtaining supplies — Tartar ignorance of military science — Heroic conduct of their general — His self-immolation 394

Chapter XXXII

Cessation of hostilities within the city of Chin-keang-foo — Fertile country in its vicinity — A net-work of canals — Intercourse prevented between the banks of the Yang-tse- Kiang — Object of the campaign accomplished — Intercepted dispatches — Consternation at the overthrow of the Tartar troops 407

Chapter XXXIII

Preparations made for an advance upon Nanking — Disposition of the force in Chin-keang-foo — Precautions taken to prevent surprises — Re-embarkation of two brigades — Air poisoned by dead bodies — Native plundering of the city — Rough usage of the Chinese lower orders — Extensive conflagration — Night attacks — Amount of treasure found, CONTENTS. XVI

Chapter XXXIV

Message from Eleepoo to Sir Henry Pottinger — His reply- Deputation from Kwa-chow, to treat for ransom — Arrival of the fleet at Nanking — The porcelain tower — The walls of the city — Luxuriant vegetation — Envoys from Eleepoo — Preparations for commencing hostilities — Taiping gate — Troops quartered in Makur-keow — Rustic curiosity — First appearance of horse artillery in China — Another visit from a mandarin — Firmness of the plenipotentiary — General orders 424

Chapter XXXV

Preliminaries of a treaty agreed upon — Chinese commissioners visit the plenipotentiary — The visit returned — Chinese repast — Effects of a military band — Meeting appointed to discuss the articles of the treaty — Appearance of the interior of the city — The treaty of Nanking signed — Its leading features 442

Chapter XXXVI

Excursions in the environs of Nanking — Country residences of the Chinese — Their skill in carving — Silk merchants at Makur-Keow — Magnificent Chinese tomb — Antique remains — " Hall of Ancestors" — Deficiency of furniture — Grotesque scene — Monumental emblems — Want of an interpreter — Evidences of former magnificence . 453

Chapter XXXVII

Pic-nic shooting parties — The " Hall of Ancestors" a half-way house — Tartar suspicion — Ramparts of Nanking — Crowded River — Chinese band of music — Life in China CONTENTS. XVII — Ludicrous sights at the approach of the British — The Porcelain Tower — Its architectural character and mode of construction — View from its summit — Chinese charac ter — Visitors' specimens of the pagoda — General orders respecting its desecration — Return to the camp . 464

Chapter Xxxviii

Moschetoes — Sufferings of the 98th regiment — " The Emperor's Preserve" — Desolation of Chin-keang-foo — Curious Chinese monuments — A cast-iron pagoda — Highly embellished volumes — Chusan harbours — Roman-catholic missionaries — The fleet proceeds to Hong-Kong — New port opened 485

Chapter XXXIX

Captives of the Nerbudda and the Anne — Massacre at Formosa — Proclamation issued by Sir Henry Pottinger — He demands satisfaction — Extraordinary narrative of a Swede — His escape from death — Indignant feelings of the British — The emperor's edict — Communication made to the plenipotentiary — His dignified reply 496

Chapter XL

Improved appearance of Hong-Kong — Riot at Canton — British factory destroyed — Some of the rioters shot — Popular excitement against the British — Visit of Sir Hugh Gough — Erection of public buildings at Hong-Kong — Lord Saltoun left in command of the forces in China — Final departure 512 Postscript ILLUSTRATIONS. DRAWN ON WOOD BY E. T. WIGAN. Hong-Kong Frontispiece The Factories at Canton p. 10 Macao 18 Entrance to Chusan Bay 44 View of Joss-house-hill from Chusan Harbour ... 48 Kee-to Point 50 Encampment at Toong-koo 64 The Great Wall over the hills 66 Chusan Bay 68 Cage, with Mrs. Noble 71 Barrier wall, Macao 80 The Bogue Forts 119 Heights of Canton 144 Sepoys in the Paddy-field 156 Tomb of Sir Le F. Senhouse 160 Storming of Amoy 177 Fort built by the English at Chusan 179 Heights of Chusan 181 Chin-hae, mouth of the Ning-po river ILLUSTRATIONS.

XIX PACK Close of the Engagement at Chin-hae 191 Repulse at Ning-po 240 Heights of Segaon 257 Engagement at the Joss-house, near Chapoo .... 279 Woosung 295 Shang-hae-hecn 304 Sale of plunder at Shang-hae 319 Chin-keang-foo, and Golden Island 338 Position of the Chinese forces near Chin-keang-foo . . 359 Escalade of Chin-keang-foo 369 The guard-house on the walls of Chin-keang-foo . . . 374 Tartar Bowman 376 Blowing open the Gates of Chin-keang-foo .... 387 Rally of the Tartars at Chin-keang-foo 392 Tartar Spearmen 400 Northern branch of the Grand Canal opening into the Yang-tse-Kiang 410 The Fleet passing Golden Island 426 Taiping Gate, Nanking 434 Chinese Swordsman 445 Chinese Spearman 447 Nanking, from the south-east 452 Monument near Nanking, supposed to be the Tomb of the Mings 459 Tunnel through the Tomb of the Mings 463 Porcelain Tower, Nanking 479 Monuments near Chin-keang-foo 490 Chinese Tomb at Chusan 495 Sacred Temples of Poo-too 518 Tomb-stone and open grave XX ILLUSTRATIONS.

DRAWN ON STONE BY HULLMANDEL. PAGE Sketch of Amoy and Kolang-soo 175 Sketch of the theatre of War 208 Sketch of the operations against Tsekee 266 Sketch of the operations against Chapoo 273 Sketch of the operations against Chin-Keang-foo . . . 423 Relative positions of Chin-Keang-foo and Nanking . .

Chapter I

Retrospective summary — Select committee of supercargoes — Chinese prejudices respected — Change upon the appointment of a representative of the British Government — History of the introduction of opium — Mr. Innes — Attempt to execute a trader in opium — Captain Elliot's notice — Chinese edicts — Public entry of Commissioner Lin- Alarming situation of the merchants — Surrender of the opium. In a work of the description here attempted, it would be vain to endeavour to condense within the limits of the small space which could be devoted to it, anything like a detailed account of the various events (extending over a period of several years) which combined to produce, by an imperceptible but sure progression, that crisis in our political relations with the empire of China which rendered inevitable the war whose events form the subject of the following pages.

Of those among whom the work is likely to find readers, there can be but few who have not been interested with details so im portant, sufficiently to induce them to follow it

Introduction

. throughout their course the more remarkable occurrences which have distinguished a contest, the important advantages of whose result have tended to obscure the record of the unhappy events in which it originated ; and to the small minority to whom the consideration of the original bearing and position of the question may be in a great measure new, it would be scarcely practicable to convey an adequate idea of its true nature, without referring to a period of such distant date, as might involve dissertation ill suited to the unpretending character of a work intended simply to supply a continuous and connected narrative, by which the accounts of events, furnished at the various periods of their occurrence, may be rendered coherent and intelligible. Hence it will only be necessary to recapitulate succinctly the most remarkable events that occurred in the latter part of the year 1838, and during 1839— events which led immediately to the formation of the first arma ment directed by the British Government against the shores of China, the author's remarks being restricted to such a brief retrospective summary as may suffice to connect the details of the war with the train of causes by which it was produced.

THE OLD SYSTEM OF TRADE. Our relations with the empire, during the continuance of the chartered privileges of the East India Company, were generally preserved upon a tolerably comfortable footing by the prudent and wary conduct of the " Select Com mittee of Supercargoes," established at Canton by the East India Company, who scrupulously guarded against any infraction of the laws and regulations, however arbitrary, of the Chinese authorities ; but disputes and difficulties did some times arise, notwithstanding all the precautions taken, and occasional stoppages of the trade ensued, rendering it necessary to call in the assistance of the commanders of any British men-of-war cruising in the China seas. The great confidence, however, reposed by the Hong merchants * and the agents of the East India Company in each other, as well as the great importance of the trade to both parties, made these differences generally easy of accommodation.

The English were strictly prohibited from entering within the city walls, and were per mitted to reside only in factories (Hongs) on * Hong merchants, or Co-Hong, being Chinese merchants, licensed by government, through whom alone the English were allowed to trade. B CHINESE PREJUDICES RESPECTED. the bank of the river. During the lengthened period of British intercourse, all their prejudices had been studiously respected, and the Chinese had been left to their own belief that we did in reality pay them homage, and sue with humility for such intercourse as they would permit us to hold with them. The mercantile profession is not in high estimation among the Chinese, and hence it is not to be wondered at that the sub dued tone which we had maintained towards them should have brought them to regard us in the light of an inferior people.

The change from the East India Company's submissive style to the assertion of certain rights in commerce, made by the representative of the British Go vernment, was therefore a matter not easily to be understood by the nation whose pride, the offspring of ignorance and despotic government, had been fostered for so long a period. The balance of trade was, for some time, on the side of the Chinese, who received it in dollars from the East India Company ; but by degrees the introduction of British manufactures, metals, cotton from India, and lastly opium, to a very considerable extent, turned the tide in our favour, and then the dollars and Sycee silver (the

INTRODUCTION.

OF OPIUM. 5 produce of their own country) began to ooze out in formidable quantities. The attention of the Imperial Cabinet being called to this national evil, orders were given to stop entirely the trade in opium, as that with which the empire could most safely and easily dispense. The importa tion of this article, about half a century ago, was inconsiderable, extending to not more than 1000 chests, but it had reached the immense quantity of 40,000 chests ; and as the people of all the southern portion of the empire were known to be all, more or less, addicted to the use of the drug, in smoking chiefly, it was an evil of gigantic magnitude. It was first introduced into China as a medical drug, under a fixed duty, and though hindrances were op posed from time to time by the Chinese authorities, the trade continued to thrive until 1820, when a jjroclamation was issued against it.

It having by this time become exceedingly profit able to the British mercantile' community, very fast sailing vessels (clippers) having been built expressly for its transport from India, and a very large capital being engaged in it, every effort was used to prevent its stoppage, and an anchorage for the opium vessels was resorted BRIBERY. to, at a greater distance from the immediate power of the mandarins. Here the vessels were visited regularly and openly by Chi nese boats, who bought in, paid for, and car ried away, the opium ; and the commanders of the Chinese war-junks, who occasionally made mock demonstrations against the vessels at the anchorages, managed to establish with the ship masters a regular system of bribery, under which several dollars per chest were reserved for and paid over to them.

Thus the nominally proscribed traffic continued to flourish, Chinese of all ranks taking an active part in it ; and the export of specie continuing to increase, the anxious attention of the imperial cabinet was directed to its suppression. Among the great councillors of the state, there were some who recommended the legalization of a trade in the article by barter against merchandize only ; but the advocates of total prohibition prevailed, and towards the end of the year 1837, proclamations were issued, directing the foreign ships to leave the coast, and the foreign merchants to repair from Canton to Macao. Delays were, however, permitted by the governor of Canton, who was himself well known to be extensively FIRST SEIZURE OF OPIUM. 7 interested in the opium trade ; but the position of the British community was very critical, and the restrictions on their entire trade very irksome, throughout the year 1838.

A man darin of high reputation, as an able adminis trator of public affairs, named Lin, had been empowered by an imperial commission to act as governor of the Kwang-tung (Canton) and adjacent provinces, and to adopt such coercive measures as would, it was believed, (upon his assurance,) lead to the effectual suppression of the opium trade. The first overt act was on the 3rd December, 1838, when some opium was seized by the police, upon the persons of some Chinese labourers, (coolies,) who were carrying it from the water-side to the factories, on account of Mr. Innes, a merchant there. The coolies were imprisoned, and the Hong merchants, instigated by the authorities, at once suspended the entire British trade, with a threat that it should not be restored until Mr. Innes, the offending party, had quitted Canton, an alternative which that gentleman was, on the 15th December, con strained to adopt.

The trade, however, con tinued interrupted until the 1st of the succeed- A FRACAS. ing month, and in the meantime much popular indignation was excited against the foreign residents in the factories, by the determination with which they resisted an insulting attempt of the city authorities to execute, in the open square, before the factories, a Chinese trader, who had been convicted of the offence of selling opium. This attempt was frustrated, but a riot ensued ; the foreigners were hemmed in by the mob for many hours, and a detachment of Chinese troops was at length sent to quell the disturbance. The chief superintendent of British trade in China, Captain Elliot, who had succeeded the late lamented Lord Napier in that capacity, had struck the British flag, and removed from Canton some time before, in consequence of a difficulty in the manner and style of his com munications with the governor of the province, the latter refusing to receive such as the superintendent had been directed by his government to make ; and as soon as he was informed of the state of affairs at Canton, he came up with a flotilla of armed boats, furnished by the mer chant-vessels then lying at Whampoa.

On the following day, Captain Elliot assembled the RESUMPTION OF TRADE. 9 foreign residents, and having explained to them the view which he took of the position of affairs, he issued a notice, directing that all British owned vessels engaged in the forbidden traffic should drop down the river, beyond the Bogue, before the expiration of three days, from the date of the said notice. On the 1st January, 1839, the trade was once more resumed, and on the 3rd an edict of the Emperor was made public, appointing Lin to proceed to Canton, for the express purpose of stopping for ever the traffic in opium, which had become so obnoxious to the imperial cabinet. Proclamations and edicts shortly followed, from the governor of Canton, exhorting the people to forsake the evil practice which had so enslaved their minds, and dictating terms for bonds, to be in future executed by the merchants regarding vessels arriving from beyond the Bogue, to guard against the entrance of opium craft into the Chinese waters, from which the governor demanded that all ships, of whatever class, engaged in any way in the transport of the article, should be at once removed — a suspension of all trade being, as usual, the penalty of non-compliance.

The appointment of a special APPROACH OF LIN. commissioner by the emperor, for the purpose of investigating affairs connected with the opium traffic, and of the foreign trade in general, was announced in one of these documents, dated 23rd January, 1839, in which the near approach of Lin was alluded to as "a tender and earnest warning," to deter the foreigners from perse vering in the illegal practices which had aroused the indignation of his celestial Majesty, under penalty of the stoppage for ever of their trade with the great empire — a calamity which, by depriving them of the tea and rhubarb of the central flowery land, must, in the opinion of the governor Tang, remove from them the main support and comfort of their lives. Shortly after the publication of this edict, incidents indicative of the approaching storm became frequent ; the passage of boats on the river was impeded, the tone assumed in the city became insolent and offensive, and the back doors in the factories were blocked up by order of the Governor, under pretence of their affording facilities for smuggling the forbidden drug into the houses of the suburbs.