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indiscriminate seizure and destruction of all arms, Ammunition, stinkpots, &c. found on board all Chinese Vessels (the buccaneer craft excepted) found in this Harbour, or on the Chinese Coast. Such destruction of property, without regard to innocence and guilt, will be subjected to the same severe measures, - such a denial of the means of protection to the undoubtedly innocent Trader, - such a subversion of the elementary principles of equity and International Law, I do not recommend for adoption;
I recognize the dictum upon which this suggestion is founded, namely, that the Chinese are to be dealt with as "a barbarian power" and "the Chinese Government" to be treated as "barbarian in the fullest and strongest sense of the word". Such an opinion is at variance with all the instructions I have received from Her Majesty's Government – it is inconsistent with Treaty obligations, and has been specially repudiated by the Authorities at Home, in a case of Contract, when it was made the ground-work of an Official Opinion which on reference to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
I have had much pleasure...