THE HONGKONG GAZETTE. EXTRA.
·HONGKONG, 12TH AUGUST 1841...
During the night of the 9th of Aug., the H. Co.'s armed Steamer Sesostris arrived in Macao Roads, having on board their excellencies sir Henry Pottinger, Bart., c. B., Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary and Minister Extra- ordinary, and Rear-Admira! sir William Parker, K. C. B., commander-in-chief of H. M.'s naval forces in the. East Indies, with their personal staff, consisting of Major Malcolm, Secretary to the Special Mission, and Mr Woosnam, surgeon to the Plenipotentiary, B. Chimmo, esq., naval Secretary, and C. H. Tenuant, esq., flag-lieutenant.
NOTIFICATION.
The annexed Extract of a letter addressed on the 15th of May last, by Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of state for Foreign affairs to Sir Henry Pottinger, Baronet, and likewise a transcript of one of the Commissions therein re- ferred to, are published for the general information and guidance of Her Majesty's subjects in China.
By order, G. A. MALCOLM. Secretary to Her Majesty's Special Mission to China. Macao, August 10th, 1841.
EXTRACT.
FOREIGN OFFICE, May 15th, 1841. "The Queen having been graciously pleased to select you to be Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary on a special Mission to the Government of China, and also to act as Chief Superintendent of the Trade of Her Majesty's sub. jects with that country, I herewith transmit to in
you, your former character, a Full Power authorizing and em- powering you to negotiate and conclude with the Minister or Ministers vested with Similar Power and authority on the part of the Emperor of China, any Treaty or Agree. ment for the arrangement of the differences now subsisting between Great Britain and China: and also a Commission, under the Royal signet and sign Manual, constituting and appointing you Her Majesty's Chief Superintendent of Trade in China.
"These two Instruments invest you with all the Power and authority requisite for enabling you to discharge the duties which are confided to you."
(Signed)
PALMERSTON.
True Extract. G. AT MALCOLM, Secretary to Her Majesty's Special Mission to China.
L. S. VICTORIA R.
VICTORIA, by the Grace of God, Queen of the United. Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c., &c., &c.
.:.
To all and singular to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting! Whereas, by a certain Act of Parliament made and passed in the session of Parliament holden in the Third and Fourth years of the Reign of Our late Royal Predecessor King William the Fourth, intituled "An Act to regulate the Trade to China and India," it is amongst other things enacted, that it shall and may be lawful for Us, by any Commission or Commissions, Warrant or War- rants, under Our Royal Sign Manual, to appoint not ex- ceeding three of Our subjects to be Superintendents of the Trade of Our subjects to and from the Dominions of the Emperor of China, for the purpose of protecting and pro- moting such Trade, and by any such Commission or War. rant. as aforesaid, to settle such gradation and subordina. tion among the said Superintendents (one of whom shall be styled the Chief Superintendent), and to appoint such Officers to assist them in the execution of their duties, and to grant such salaries to such Superintendents and Officers, as We shall from time to time deem expedient. And Whereas, by a Commission or Warrant bearing date the Tenth day of December, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty-three, Our said late Royal Predecessor, King William the Fourth did, in the exercise of the powers conferred by the said Act of Parliament, appoint William- John, Lord Napier, William Henry Chicheley Plowden, Esquire, and John Francis Davis, Esquire, to be such Superintendents as aforesaid:—And Whereas, in ĉonse. quence of the death of the said William-John, Lord Napier, who by the said Commission or Warrant was appointed the Chief Superintendent, and of the resignation or remo- val of the other persons, who have from time to time been provisionally appointed to fill the office of Chief Superin. tendent, a vacancy has arisen in the said Office. Now Know ye, that We, reposing especial Trust and confidence in the Loyalty, Integrity, and Skill of Our Trusty and Well-beloved Sir Henry Pottinger, a Baronet of Our United Kingdom, and a Colonel in the Service of the East India Company, do by these Presents, in pursuance and exercise of the Authority in Us vested by the said Act of Parliament, appoint him the said Sir Henry Pottinger, Baronet, to be Chief Superintendent of the Trade of our Subjects to and from the Dominions of the Emperor China, for the purpose of protecting and promoting such Trade. And We do declare and direct, that the office of him the said Sir Hry Pottinger, baronet, as such Chief Superintendent aforesaid, shall be holden dur. ing the pleasure of Us, Our Heirs, and Successors :—And We do hereby strictly charge and require him, the said Sir Henry Pottinger, baronet, in the execution of this our bserve, all such Rules commission, to conform to
given to him for his Roy 18ten Manual, or in such from time to time be given to him in Us through one of Our Princi.
of
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Given at Our Court at Buckingham Palace, the Four. teenth day of May, in the year of Our Lord. One Thou
sand Eight Hundred and Forty-one, and in the Fourth year of Our Reign.
By Her Majesty's Command.
(Signed)
PALMERSTON.
Sir Henry Pottinger, Baronet, commission. True Copy.
G. A. MALCOLM.
Secretary to Her Majesty's Special Mission to China.
NOTIFICATION,
In taking charge of the offices of Her Majesty's sale Plenipotentiary, Minister Extraordinary, and Chief Su- perintendent of British trade in China, Sir Henry Pot- tinger deems it requisite and proper to publicly notify, that he enters on his important functions, with the most anxious desire to consult the wishes, and to promote the prosperity and well-being, as well as to provide for and secure the safety, of all Her Majesty's Subjects, and other Foreigners (so far as the concerns of the latter can be affected by his proceedings), at this moment residing in any part of the Dominions of the Emperor of China; and that he will be ready and happy, at all times and under all circumstances, to give his best attention to any ques tions that may be submitted to him. At the same time, it becomes his first duty to distinctly intimate, for gene- ral and individual information,, that it is his intention to devote his undivided energies and thoughts to the primary object of securing a speedy and satisfactory close of the War, and that he therefore can allow no consideration connected with mercantile pursuits, and other interests, to interfere with the strong measures which he may find it necessary to authorize and adopt, towards the Govern- ment and Subjects of China, with a view to compelling an honorable and lasting Peace.
Sir Henry Pottinger is conscious, that amongst the Persons to whom this Notification is addressed, there are few Individuals who are not as well qualified as himself, to form a correct estimate of the reliance to be placed ou the agreements and promises of the Provincial Govern- ment of Canton. He has intimated to that Government, that he is willing for the present to respect the existing Truce, but that the slightest infraction of its terms will lead to an instant renewal of active Hostilities in this Province; and it is accordingly to be borne in mind that such an event is not only highly probable, from the well understood perfidy and bad faith of the Provincial officers themselves, but also because they may be compelled, at any moment, by orders from the Imperial Cabinet, to set aside and disavow their own acts: With these views and sentiments, it only remains for Sir Henry Pottinger to warn Her Majesty's Subjects, and all other Foreigners, against putting themselves or their property in the power of the Chinese authorities, during the present anomalous and unsettled state of our relations with the Emperor; and to declare, that, if they do so, it must be clearly understood to be at their own risk and peril.
::
Sir Henry Pattinger avails himself of this opportunity to announce, that the arrangements which have been inade by his Predecessor; connected with the island of Hongkong, will remain in force until the pleasure of Her Majesty regarding that Island, and those arrangements, shall be received; and on this point, Sir Henry Pottinger further desires to call the attention of all concerned to the public Notice issued by Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary on the 10th of June last.
Dated at Macão on the 12th day of August, 1841.
(Signed)
HENRY POTTINGER, Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary.
LIST OF PROMOTIONS of officers employed in the Chi- nese Expedition-To be Captains, Edward Belcher, Patrick John Blake, William Warren, Harry Eyres. To be commanders, George Goldsmith, Henry Kellett, Ruridle Burgess Watson, John Hay, John Elliot Bingham, James Paterson Bower. To be heutenants, John Daly, John Hancock, C. B. Jeffreys, Rowland Edwards Arthur Vyner, G. C. Fowler, W. G. Lard. Royal Marines, Captain Samuel Burden Ellis recommended for Brevet rank of Major in the Army.
LIST OF H. B. M. SHIPS IN CHINA, 12th of August.
At Hongkong Blenheim, 72, Bearing the fag of Rear-Admiral sir W. Parker, K. c. x., commander-in-chiet. Captain Thomas Herbert.
Wellesley, 12, Beating the broad pendant of Commodore sir
J. Gordon Bremer, C. B., K. C. H.-Capt. T Maitland.
42, captain Thomas Bourchier.
Blonde Druid
44, captain H. Smith
Alligator, 28: acting captain 8. P. Pritchard, Hyacinth, 18, captain W Warren... Modeste, 18, captain H. Eyres. Cruizer 18 commander H. W. Giffard. Columbine, 18, commander TJ, Clarke.
HC Armed Reamer Nemesls, Master-commanding W.H.Hall, R. v. H. C. Armed Steamer Queen, Master commanding W. Warden. H. C. Armed Steamer Besostris, commander Ormsby, Young Hebe, schooner, C. H. V emple, R. N.
Pylader,
18, commander 1. V. Anton.
Starling, schooner, comu B. G. Armed steamer 1 HC Steamer zytalunt
96 capt
MoClaverty RN, commanding
iding 1. Bertham 1 E
aptain E. Belcher.