No. 64.
Sir G. B. Robinson to Viscount Palmerston.—(Received July 1, 1836.)
His Majesty's Cutter Louisa,
(Extract.) Lintin, February 27, 1838.
THE Trade is going on ; a friendly understanding subsists between our
mercantile community and the Chinese, ample for all commercial purposes, and a
mutual abstinence and forbearance from every source of discussion and conse
quent enmity, evinces, in my opinion, sound judgment aud discretion.
On the subject of attempting to communicate with the local authorities
through the medium of the Hong merchants, it is scarcely necessary for me to
comment. The very act of such intercourse with them will ever preclude the
possibility of our coming into more intimate contact with the Mandarins. But
it is no communication, inasmuch as they will ever decline to deliver even our
petitions, on all occasions relating to the extortions, exactions, oppressions, and
corruption of their own body, against whose power and monopoly we have princi
pally to exclaim, and for the annihilation of which our strongest efforts ought to
be exerted.
From a people so arrogant and barbarous, nothing is gained by undue humi
liation and self-abasement. They are generally disposed to respect us, in pro
portion as we respect ourselves. Under existing circumstances, the less we
have to do with the Chinese authorities, the more probable it is we shall avoid
difficulties and dangers, by which not only our present tranquillity may be
endangered, but our future arrangements affected.
No. 65.
Viscount Palmerston to Captain Elliot.
Sir, Foreign Office, July 22, 1836.
WITH reference to that part of your Minute of the 27th of December, 1835,
inclosed in Sir George Robinson's despatch of the 18th of February last, in
which, for the reasons therein stated, you advised' that the commander of the
steam-boat Jardine should be enjoined, on the King's authority, by no means to
proceed up the river to Canton, I think it necessary to recommend to you great
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122
caution in interfering in such a manner with the undertakings of British mer
chants. In the present state of our relations with China, it is especially incum
bent upon you, while you do all that lies in your power to avoid giving just
cause of offence to the Chinese authorities, to be at the same time very careful
not to assume a greater degree of authority over British subjects in China than
that which you in reality possess.
I am, &c,
(Signed) PALMERSTON.
(Minute referred to in the foregoing Despatch.)
Macao, December 27, 1 835.
I HEAR it very generally reported to-day that the steam-boat Jardine, now at
Lintin, is to proceed to Canton on Tuesday or Wednesday next. The disquietude of
the Provincial Government upon the subject of this vessel had already been mani
fested in an Edict, desiring that she should leave the country; and I am informed
a request to let her ply in the river as a passage-boat has just been negatived. In
the present state of circumstances, I feel it my duty to advise that a pubiic letter
should be forthwith addressed to the commander of the steam-boat, enjoining him,
under the King's authority, by no means to proceed up the river at present. I
would further recommend that a letter should be addressed to the consignees of
the vessel (covering a copy of the communication to the commander) to the effect
that such a step, at this period, appeared to the Commission to be extremely
imprudent, and it had therefore been determined to require that the intention
should be abandoned. The port of Canton i3 now full of shipping waiting for
cargoes to proceed to England ; and I confess the moment appears to me so pecu
liarly unfavourable for any experiment of this description, that I found the greatest
difficulty in crediting the report upon the subject ; it is repeated, however, in so
many quarters, that I feel compelled to believe it is well founded. If it be true
that any attempt has been made to secure the consent of the Foo Yuen, and that
his refusal has been signified, the risks of very serious difficulties are vastly
enhanced. We have been specially warned, and the Chinese officers well know the
advantage that particular circumstance will afford them for the vindication of any
measures which our scornful disregard of their authority may lead them to pursue.
If this steam-vessel goes up the river at this moment, I feel a persuasion that some
grave public inconvenience will ensue. That the persons on duly at the forts in
the Bogue will be fully justified in stopping her (by force, if needful) is plain; and
that any opposition upon the part of the vessel would be both utterly lawless and
futile is quite as clear. But it may happen that they will suffer her to pass the
forts with just so much of evidence to prove that it is a forced passage (by firing
a few shot wide of her) as will serve to justify proceedings of another complexion;
in this case, it is my strong opinion, that the Chinese will resort to some general
measure in assertion of their powers and independence as a Government, involving
the interruption of this trade, till some required concession shall be made. No
Government can afford, if I may so express it, to be reduced to utter contempt
in the sight of its own people by a handful of heedless foreigners ; the sacrifice,
in point of public estimation, is far too considerable.
I desire to record my own conviction that some most disagreeable public con
sequences will follow if the steam-boat proceeds up the river at this moment, in con
temptuous disregard of a recent refusal to let her pass. At a suitable period, and
with due caution, I am sure such a point might be easily and safely accomplished.
It is my deliberate opinion that the full weight of responsibility for any disaster or
mischief which arises out of this attempt at the present moment will devolve upon
this Commission, unless we can clearly show that we enjoined all British persons
having any authority over the vessel, or employed on board of her, to abstain
from taking any part in a proceeding calculated imminently to risk interests of
vast public and private importance, and in direct disobedience to His Majesty's
Instructions, issued agreeably to Act of Parliament, setting forth that it is the
duty of all his subjects to respect the laws and usages of this empire.
CHARLES ELLIOT,
Second Superintendent.
123
No. f&
Viscount Palmerston to Captain Elliot.
(Extract.) Foreign Office, July 22, 1836.
I HAVE to observe to you that it does not appear to His Majesty's
Government, that it would be expedient that you should attempt to re-open
communications with the Viceroy through the Hong merchants ; but, on the
contrary, it is dssirable that you should decline every proposition to revive
official communications through that channel, whatever may be the quarter
from whence such propositions may come.
It might be very suitable for the servants of the East India Company, '
themselves an Association of merchants, to communicate with the authorities of
China through the merchants of the Hong ; but the Superintendents are officers
of the King, and as such can properly communicate with none but officers
of the Chinese Government. This is a point upon which you should insist ;
and 1 have therefore to instruct you, if any attempt should be made by the
Hong merchants to enter into communication with you upon matters of public
business, to express your regret that you are not at liberty to receive any such
communications, except from the Viceroy direct, or through some responsible
officer of the Chinese Government.
I have to add, that His Majesty's Government do not deem it expedient
that you should give to your written communications with the Chinese*—,
Government, the name of " Petitions."
No. 67.
The Hon. W. Fox Strangways to Captain Elliot.
Sir, Foreign Office, September 14, 1836.
I AM directed by Viscount Palmerston to transmit to you, for the purpose
of being forwarded to the Portuguese Governor of Macao, the accompanying
letter, under flying seal, addressed to his Excellency by his Government, con
taining instructions as to the conduct he should pursue in all matters in which
the Superintendents of British Trade in China, may have occasion to address
themselves to his Excellency, on subjects relating to the discharge of their
official duties : these instructions are sent to his Excellency in consequence of
the representations of His Majesty's Government to that of Portugal, of the
circumstances stated in Sir G. Robinson's despatch of the 23rd of November,
1835.
I am, &c,
(Signed) W. FOX STRANGWAYS.
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124
Np. 68.
Sir G. B. Robinson to Viscount Palmerston.— {Received September 29, 1836.)
His Majesty's Cutter Louisa,
(Extract.) Lintin, March 1, 1836.
I HAVE the honour to inclose copy of a letter from Mr. Innes to my
individual address, the reply thereto, and of an open letter I, at the same time,
inclosed to our Interpreters.
Incloswe 1 in No. 68.
Mr. Innes to Sir G. B. Robinson.
Sir George, Macao, February 22, 1836.
I VERY respectfully submit to your recollection the following circum
stances.
I received an injury and lost property out of a ship called the Orwell,
Captain Dalrymple.
I did my duty to my constituents, in applying for its recovery to the late
deceased Governor of Canton, and failed in my object. I did put in motion a
vessel for reprisal against Chinese subjects ; moved by you, I abstained there
from, on your pledge to represent the matter, both here (at a proper time) and
home, for redress.
If you do not consider it to interfere •with that pledge, I mean to draw the
attention of the new Governor of Canton to this subject ; and if I have your
permission to do so, I hope you will allow Mr. Morrison or Mr. Gutzlaff to
translate into Chinese my Petition to the new Governor : and for this I
beg written -instructions, as asking favours of subordinate officers is
inconvenient.
I wish to put a curious fact before you ; Monteith and Co. who are the
chief losers, are skilful chymists and inventors of colours : and they have
recently arrived at a new colour : the goods robbed from me were of this new
colour. On a day in last January, I was called to be present at the opening of
some goods of mine, to have the duties fixed by the Hoppo ; and this took
place in the Hong, once the Honourable East-India Company's, now Messrs.
Daniell's, when I saw in possession of an attendant officer a cotton-handker
chief ; a whole hankerchief of which, besides the stolen goods, only I was
possessed in all China of a similar colour ; and mine were (being musters for
selling by) half handkerchiefs ; the officer had his master's books and papers
wrapped up in it. I instantly challenged it as stolen goods in presence of the
Coolies, Linguists, and all attendants : this is direct evidence of the possession
of the Hoppo or his servants.
It is my duty to mention to you that I have moved Messrs. Monteith and
Messrs. Deykins, at Glasgow and Birmingham, to induce their four members
in the Commons, to strengthen and support your judicious remonstrance at the
Foreign Office.
I wait your answer with anxiety.
I have, &c,
(Signed) JAMES INNES.
125
Inclosure 2 in No. 68.
Sir G. B. Robinson to Mr. Innes.
His Majesty's Cutter Louisa,
Sir, Lintin* February 24, 1836.
I HAVE to acknowledge the receipt of your letter under date 22nd
February, and lose no time in replying to it.
I consider it will not be any interference with the pledge you have given to
abstain from violent and dangerous measures for the recovery of your property,
if you address a moderate and becoming communication on the subject to the
new Governor of Canton; on the contrary, you have my full sanction and
approval of the measure, which I think judicious and prudent. To this end,
the services of one or both our interpreters are at your disposal, so long as the
documents you require them to translate or draw up for you, contain neither
threats or menaces which most assuredly you could never put in execution;
nor expressions and language calculated to excite feelings and impressions
hostile or prejudicial to the general welfare and interests of the King's subjects,
and, in my opinion, tending to the certain counteraction of your own object.
To prevent any delay, I furnish you with an open letter to those gentlemen, and
as you have placed the whole matter before me, and I have submitted every
document connected therewith, for the consideration of the Right Honourable
the Foreign Secretary, I conceive you will not hesitate to furnish me with the
faithful translations, both of your Petition to the new Governor and his reply
thereto; indeed it would be satisfactory if time would allow of my perusal of
your address previous to presentation. /
I conceive a judicious introduction of the fact you mention might have
some weight, and I would suggest that you also state distinctly, the business
has been submitted to the Superintendents of British Trade in China, and by
them transmitted to the high officer of His Majesty's Government, with whom
they have the honour to correspond.
I beg to point out, that Mr. Morrison is now privately residing in Canton,
solely for the purpose of aiding the foreign community in matters of this sort,
and should you wish to communicate personally with me on this or other
subjects, it will be in accordance at once with my duty and inclination to afford
you all the advice and assistance in my power.
I have, &cj
(Signed) G. B. ROBINSON.
Inclosure 3 in No. 68.
Sir G. B. Robinson to Mr. Morrison and Mr. Gutzlaff.
His Majesty's Cutter Louisa,
Gentlemen, Lintin, February 24, 1836.
MR. INNES having requested my sanction for your assisting him by the
exercise of your talents and acquirements in the Chinese language, I have to
request you will do so to the best of your power, under this positive restriction,
however, that on no account, nor on any occasion, you translate or draw up for
presentation to the local authorities, documents containing language or expres
sions of a threatening or menacing nature, or in any way calculated to prejudice
and endanger the safety and interests of His Majesty's subjects in this country.
With a perfect reliance on your judgment and discretion, I do not consider it
requisite to add further admonition, and sincerely hope the results of your
exertions will be successful.
I am, &c,
(Signed) G. B. ROBINSON.
126
No. C9.
Viscount Palmerston to Captain Elliot.
Sir, Foreign Office, November 8, 1836.
THE despatch of Sir George Robinson of the 20th of November, 1835,
relative to the case of Mr. Innes, together with the various Minutes and other
papers connected with it, which have been transmitted home by the Super
intendents, have received the most careful consideration of His Majesty's
Government and their legal advisers.
It appears from these papers, that Mr. Innes, a British merchant, resident
at Canton, had employed a pilot named Acha, to transfer some goods from the
ship Orwell, while passing up from Lintin to Canton, to another vessel at
Lintm bound for Manila ; that the pilot Acha, instead of proceeding with the
goods to the other vessel, was conveying them up the Canton river, when his
boat and the goods were seized by the Chinese Custom-house officers, near the
Bocca Tigris, for a breach of the Chinese revenue laws ; it being considered
that he was attempting to smuggle the merchandize within the entrance of the
Port of Canton; that Mr. Innes, conceiving himself to be wronged by the acts
of the pilot and of the Custom-house officers, had petitioned the Governor of
Canton for redress ; and that, upon experiencing delay in obtaining the resti
tution of his goods, he had notified to the Governor his determination to procure
redress for himself, by acts of reprisal against the Chinese Trade ; but that he
had consented to abstain from his meditated hostilities, upon receiving from the
Superintendents a pledge, that his case should be submitted to the consi
deration of His Majesty's Government ; and that the recovery of his property
should be made the subject of a demand on the Chinese Authorities, on the
first occasion of the Superintendents coming in formal contact with those
Authorities.
You have already been informed, by my despatch of June 6th, addressed
to Sir George Robinson, that the papers connected with this transaction were
under the consideration of the law officers of the Crown. The report which I have
now received from the law officers, fully confirms the opinion which I expressed
in that despatch, that the acts threatened by Mr. Innes, would, if carried into
effect, amount to piracy. I have therefore to instruct you to communicate to
Mr. Innes the opinion of His Majesty's legal advisers, with regard to the inten
tion which Mr. Innes had announced ; and to express the conviction of His
Majesty's Government, that he will abandon all intention of having recourse to
proceedings which high legal authorities have declared would amount to piracy.
You will further inform Mr. Innes, that if the contrary should unfortunately
happen, and if he should persist in carrying his former intentions into execu
tion, he will be abandoned by the British Government to the fate which such a
course will probably bring upon him ; and further, that the commander of any
of His Majesty's ships which may fall in with him, will be bound to act
towards him as the Naval Instructions require commanders of His Majesty's
ships of war to act towards pirates whom they may meet.
With respect to your representations to the Chinese Authorities, with a
view to obtain the restitution of Mr. Innes's property, you will conform your
self to the instructions contained in the latter part of my despatch to Sir George
Robinson.
I am, &c,
(Signed) PALMERSTON.
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137
No. 70.
Viscount Palmerston to Captain Elliot.
Sir, Foreign Office, November 8, 1836.
HIS Majesty's Government have not failed to take into their attentive
consideration, Sir George Robinson's despatch of the 1st of July, 1835,
relative to the claim preferred by Messrs. Turner and Co. of Canton, against Mr.
Arthur Saunders Keating, of the same place, for a balance of 300 dollars,
alleged to be due by him to the owners of a vessel called the Planter, on
account of the freight of a cargo of rice, consigned to Mr. Keating by a mer
cantile house at Batavia ; and which balance Mr. Keating refused to pay, on the
plea, that his rice, after having been landed and passed for sale to a Hong mer
chant at Canton, named Mowqua, had by him been made subject to the pay
ment of 300 dollars, which he claimed as insurer of the vessel, on account of
certain port charges and fees : the charter-party having stipulated that the
port charges should be borne by the ship. This case, with the Minutes of Pro
ceedings relating to it, has been submitted to the consideration of the law officers
of the Crown ; and it appears to His Majesty's Government, from the report of
those officers, that the question between Messrs. Turner and Co. and Mr. Keating,
is one merely of private right, and to the decision of which the ordinary tri
bunals of this country are fully competent. In fact, the only question to be
decided is, whether the ship Planter had earned her freight when the rice was
delivered into the go-down of Mowqua, the Hong merchant who secured the
ship.
The facts of the case are not clearly stated in the papers sent home by Sir
George Robinson ; but from the Minutes of Proceedings transmitted in his
despatch above-mentioned, it would appear, that the Hong merchant Mowqua
secured the ship at 900 dollars, and that this sum, which was due as
port charges, was the only sum lawfully demandable by the Chinese authorities;
that this sum was duly paid by the consignees of the ship to Mowqua, who
thereupon gave his chop or receipt for the same ; and that Mr. Keating might
have had the rice, or have disposed of it as he thought fit; but that by his
desire, and for his convenience, it was deposited by Mowqua, in his (Mowqua's)
go-down at Canton ; and that Mowqua illegally refused to let Mr. Keating
remove the rice without paying a further sum of 300 dollars. Such at least
appears to be the outline of the transaction as reported by the Superintendents ;
and supposing the facts to be so, it is clear that the rice was deposited by
Mowqua as Mr. Keating's agent, and that the owners of the ship had fully
performed their contract, and consequently were entitled to receive the whole of
the sum due for freight.
What I understand Mr. Keating to represent in his various letters entered
on your Minutes, is, that it is a fallacy to assert that the rice ever was in his
possession, or under his controul ; that Mowqua, as the securing Hong merchant,
had the ship and cargo in his power ; and that whatever contract Mowqua might
have made with Messrs. Turner and Co., as agents of the owners, he (Mowqua)
never would have parted with the cargo, without receiving the 300 dollars in
dispute :—that Mowqua held the rice as the security merchant, and would not
have permitted it to go out of the ship to any other place than his own go-down,
where he would retain a lien upon it for what he claimed.
It is impossible for His Majesty's Government, upon the documents before
them, and with their imperfect information as to the rights and duties of the
securing merchant, to pronounce any positive decision as to the real merits of
the case. But the fact stated by Messrs. Turner and Co., in their letter to
Messrs. Forbes, Dent, and Jardine, that the cargo of another ship, the Madras,
arriving at the same time, was delivered to the go-down of a different merchant
from the one who secured the ship, is strongly corroborative of the view of the
128
case taken by you and your colleagues. Indeed, the claim of Messrs. Turner
and Co. upon Mr, Keating, as stated in their first letter, was for two sums of
300 dollars each, one on account of the ship Planter, the other on account of
the ship Madras. The latter claim appears, in the course of the correspondence,
to have been dropped, the reason not being distinctly stated ; and on these
circumstances, so important in their bearing upon the merits of the other claim
which formed the immediate subject of the reference home, no remark is made
in the Chief Superintendent's despatch.
With regard to the step taken by the Superintendents, in consequence of
Mr. Kealing's continued refusal to pay the sums demanded of him, on account
of Messrs. Turner and Co. and, in another case, by Mr. Smith, amounting
together to £91 17s. 6d. sterling, I have to state to you, that, in advancing on
the public account, the amount of these demands upon Mr. Keating, with the
view of making him a debtor to the Crown, the Superintendents adopted a
course which they had no power whatever to take. Mr. Keating certainly is
not a debtor to the Crown in respect of this transaction. The case was a
private one—of an attempt at extortion on the part of the Hong merchant
Mowqua, who, in his character of agent, demanded from his principal a sum to
which he was not entitled ; and refused to give up to that principal the goods in
his custody, until his unjust demand was satisfied.
As, however, the payment was made by the Superintendents, in the
exercise of their discretion, with the view of preventing further discussions,
which, under the peculiar circumstances of their position, they considered might
have proved injurious to the British commercial interests in China, it is not my
intention to make them personally responsible for the advance, although their
decision was certainly a mistaken one. But it is my duty to caution you, in the
/ most express manner, against pursuing a similar course on any future occasion.
It is probable that Mr. Keating, when he finds that His Majesty's Government
incline to an opinion on the subject adverse to his own, may no longer object to-
repay the sum which was advanced for him by the Superintendents ; but, I
repeat, that His Majesty's Government cannot regard Mr. Keating as a Crown
debtor, in respect of the payment made by you and your colleagues on his
account.
His Majesty's Government do not consider, that this is a transaction which
would give any just ground of demand against the Chinese Government ; but,
as it appears that a demand was insisted upon by the securing merchant, which
the Chinese regulations do not warrant, and, consequently, that the merchant
was guilty of an act of extortion, admitted on all sides to be such, (the dispute
being only on whom the charge should fall,) you will avail yourself of any
suitable opportunity that may offer to call the attention of the Chinese authori
ties at Canton to the subject ; and to endeavour to prevail upon them to put a
stop to such acts of extortion, by causing their own regulations to be strictly
carried into effect.
I am, &c
(Signed) PALMERSTON.
No. 71.
Viscount Palmcrston to Captain Elliot.
think it right to state to you, that His Majesty's Government are fully aware
of the inconvenience arising both from the undefined state of the Jurisdiction
of the Superintendents in China, and from their want of power to enforce deci
sions to which they may come, on matters submitted to them by members of
the commercial body in China.
129
The general question as to the nature, extent, and powers of the future
establishment in China, is now under the consideration of His Majesty's
Government ; and I am in hopes that, at no distant period, some effectual
remedy may be provided for the inconvenience to which I have more particularly
adverted.
In the mean time, I have to recommend to you to confine your interference,
when called for, as much as possible to friendly suggestion and advice to the
parties concerned.
The assumption of powers which you have no means of enforcing, and the
issuing of injunctions which are set at nought with impunity, can only tend to
impair the authority and lower the dignity of His Majesty's Commission in the
eyes of those by whom it is of importance that it should be looked up to with
respect.
I am, &c,
(Signed) PALMERSTON.
No. 72.
Viscount Palmerston to Captain Elliot.
Sir, Foreign Office, November 8, 1836.
I HAVE observed that in your Minute of the 15th of October, 1835,
relative to the case of Mr. Innes, you express an opinion, that the power given
by the Act 26 Geo. III. c 57, sec 35, to the Supracargoes of the East India
Company, to arrest and send to England persons resident at Canton, may now
be lawfully exercised by the Superintendents of British Trade in China, by
virtue of the Order in Council of the 9th December, 1833, which transfers to
the Superintendents all the powers and authorities which were by law vested
in the Supracargoes, at the date of the termination of the exclusive rights of
the East India Company.
As a misconception on this point might give rise to much embarrassment,
both to His Majesty's Government and to the Superintendents personally, I
have to state to you for your guidance, that the clause of the Act of 26 George
III., upon which you rest your opinion, was repealed by the 146th clause of the
Act 33 George III. c 52 ; and further, that the only power exercised by the
Supracargoes, was that of removing unlicensed persons. But as no license
from His Majesty is now necessary to enable His Majesty's subjects to trade
with or reside in China, such power of expulsion has altogether ceased to exist
with respect to China.
I am, &c,
(Signed) PALMERSTON.
8
130
No. 73.
Viscount Palmerston to Captain Elliot.
Sir, Foreign Office, November 8, 1836.
I INSTRUCTED Sir George Robinson, in my despatch of the 28th of
May last, to communicate to the various individuals who held provisional
appointments under His Majesty's Commission, that those appointments
were still to be considered as only provisional and temporary, and subject to
such arrangements with regard to entire abolition, or to reduction of salary, as
His Majesty's Government might, upon further consideration, deem proper.
His Majesty's Government subsequently came to the resolution of abolish
ing the office and salary of Chief Superintendent, as notified in my despatch
to Sir George Robinson, of the 7th of June last ; and they have since then
resolved upon carrying into effect some further changes and reductions, which
I now proceed to state to you.
1st. It appears to His Majesty's Government desirable, in order to insure
unity of decision and singleness of responsibility, as well as to avoid those
differences of opinion between co-ordinate Authorities, which are necessarily
injurious to the public service and to the efficiency of the Commission, that
the office of the Third Superintendent should be abolished ; and that, in the
place of that officer, a Deputy Superintendent should be appointed, to act as
assistant to the Chief Superintendent, but under his orders and controul ; and
also to act provisionally for the Chief Superintendent, during his occasional
absence from his post. His Majesty's Government are glad to avail themselves
of the services of Mr. Johnston, at present Third Superintendent, for this new
office ; and you will notify the decision of His Majesty's Government to Mr.
Johnston, and will acquaint him that the salary, which for the present is
assigned to the office of Deputy Superintendent, is 1,500/. per annum. Mr.
Johnston's salary of 2,000/. per annum, as Third Superintendent, will cease on
the day on which you receive this despatch ; after which time he will receive
the salary of 1,500/. attached to his new office.
2nd. The salary of the Surgeon to the establishment is to be reduced from
1,5001. to 1,000/. per annum ; that of the Secretary and Treasurer from 1,500/.
to 800/. per annum ; and that of the Chinese Secretary and Interpreter from
1,300/. to 1,000/. per annum; the reduction to take effect in each case, from
the day on which you receive this despatch.
3rd. The office of Assistant Surgeon is to be altogether abolished. You
will notify this determination to Mr. Anderson, who now holds this appoint
ment ; and you will pay him his salary for three months after he shall have
received such notification.
It will, moreover, be distinctly understood that all the offices on the
establishment are held, subject to any final arrangements which His Majesty's
Government may hereafter deem it expedient to adopt.
4th. Contingent Expenses.—The sum of 5,000/. provided by His Majesty's
warrant of the 8th of January, 1834, for clerks and contingencies, included the
contemplated expense of boats and other incidental charges connected with the
collection of the duties originally proposed to be levied on British shipping
in Canton. The subsequent abrogation of these duties has necessarily occa
sioned a great reduction in the contingent expenditure of the establishment;
and His Majesty's Government are therefore of opinion, that a sum of 2,500/.
per annum will be amply sufficient to cover every needful expense under this
head; and you will be careful that the above amount shall, under no circum
stances, in future be exceeded.
But His Majesty's Government, in fixing the sum of 2,500/. per
annum, as that which they intend to propose to Parliament as the vote for
contingencies for the China Establishment during the ensuing year, con
fidently hope and expect that such sum will ultimately be found more than
sufficient for the actual and necessary expenditure on that account. They
131
are unwilling to run the risk of making an inadequate provision for expenses
to be incurred on so distant a station, and with regard to the nature and
necessity of which they have not yet had knowledge and experience enough to
enable them to form a final and correct judgment, but you will consider it your
duty to confine these contingent and incidental expences within the narrowest
limits consistent with the interests of His Majesty's service.
1 am, &c,
(Signed) PALMERSTON.
No. 74.
Sir G. B. Robinson to Viscount Pahnerston.—(Received November 17, 1836.)
His Majesty's Cutter Louisa,
My Lord, Lintin, April 18, 1836.
IT affords me great pleasure to intimate to your Lordship, that, after one
of the most active, and, I believe, successful seasons ever remembered in China,
there exists at the present period of relaxation the most perfect tranquillity and
quiet.
With the exception of two ships now loading for England, there is little to
notice in the river, and all my exertions are directed to preserve order and
correct some abuses in the numerous vessels at this anchorage or in Macao
Roads, for which purpose I resort, as most suitable, to either station, and trust
nothing will intervene to interrupt the present tranquil aspect of affairs. The
Chinese are not, in my opinion, disposed to interfere with the exercise of our
functions and powers outside the river, and, so long as we do not attempt to go
to Canton, will take no notice whatever of our proceedings. If I could perceive
a greater degree of harmony and unanimity amongst the British community, I
should confidently anticipate the gratification of addressing your Lordship on
the probable advantages to be derived from a change in the position of the
outside rendezvous for shipping, from the exposed and impracticable anchorage
at Lintin, during the southerly monsoon, to the safe and commodious basin or
harbour of Hong Kong, in preference to the late resort of outside ships, the
Cumsingmoon, where they are much more likely to become involved in affrays
with the natives, from various causes, which it would now be tedious and
needless to dwell upon. But I feel myself so unhappily situated, by the
divided and irritable state of the British society, that I apprehend all my
efforts might be vain, and perhaps produce evil instead of beneficial results.
There remains, therefore, no alternative but a continuance in my present
quiescent line of policy, until I am in possession of definite instructions from
your Lordship as to our future measures. I have only to observe, that I
persevere in my course, simply because all has proceeded well and successfully
during its operation ; and I consider, that, so long as that is the case, I am best
fulfilling the duties of my office.
I lisvc &c*
(Signed; ' GEORGE BEST ROBINSON.
S 2
132
No. 75.
Viscount Palmerston to Captain Elliot.
Sir, Foreign Office, December 6, 1 836.
I HAVE had under consideration Sir George Robinson's despatch of May
17, reporting the particulars of a gross outrage committed on two masters of
British vessels by a Portuguese officer at Macao, and for which the Superinten
dents had been unable to obtain any redress from the Governor of that settle
ment, and further stating that the Governor of Macao persisted in declining to
recognise the Superintendents in their public character, and had not even
returned an answer to their letters.
In my despatch of September 14th, I transmitted to you, for the purpose of
being delivered to the Governor of Macao, an instruction which the Portuguese
Government had addressed to his Excellency in consequence of the representation
made to them of a former transaction of a similar nature; and I trust that this
instruction will have had the effect of recalling the Governor to a proper sense
of the respect which is due to officers acting under His Majesty's Commission ;
and will have disposed him to take effectual measures for preventing the recur
rence of acts of violence towards British subjects.
His Majesty's Government have however deemed it expedient, as well in
consequence of these occurrences as with a view to the protection of British
Commerce in general, to address instructions to the Admiral commanding His
Majesty's ships in the East Indies, directing him to station a ship of war con
stantly in the China Seas, and to call the special attention of her commander to
the necessity of watching over the interests of British subjects at Macao.
I am, &c,
(Signed.) PALMERSTON.
(Instructions referred to in the foregoing despatch to Captain Elliot.)
John Backhouse, Esq. to Charles Wood, Esq.
Sir, Foreign Office, March 23, 1836.
I AM directed by Viscount Palmerston to transmit to you the
accompanying extracts from the file of proceedings of the Superintendents
of the Trade of British subjects in China,—the first relating to the plunder
by some Chinese pirates of the British vessel Troughton,—the second, to
the difficulty which the Superintendents experience, in the present state of
relations with China, in controuling the conduct of British seamen
resorting to the Canton River. In laying these Papers before the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty, I am to desire that you will state to
their Lordships, that it is Viscount Palmerston's opinion, with reference
both to the protection of British ships and property from plunder, and to
the necessity of sometimes enforcing subordination among the merchant
seamen, that a ship-of-war should be constantly employed on the Chinese
station ; and that the commander of such ship should be instructed to
communicate with the British authorities in China, and to act in concert
with them for the maintenance of British interests in that quarter of the
world.
I am, &c,
(Signed) J. BACKHOUSE.
133
No. 76.
Sir G. B. Robinson to Viscount Palmerston.— (Received December 26, 1836.)
My Lord, Macao, May 10, 1836.
WITH reference to ray despatch of February 5, paragraph 6, I have the
honour to inclose the cover or envelope of a document sent by the Hong
merchants to all the principal firms, agents, or residents, foreign and British,
in China. It was forwarded by the common Chinese post, or rather passage-
boat, and differs in no way from an ordinary Chinese letter.
I requested Mr. Gutzlaff to write the exact meaning of the characters
upon this cover, which is, in all respects, similar to those I have been in the
habit of receiving for many years past, from Chinese of various classes, on
private business, with the omission, perhaps, of some complimentary or lucky
phrase or sentence, which they often subjoin.
The word high dispatch is, I think, a misapprehension of the term, with
speed or haste ; but, if meant to infer, that the contents are of importance, is
generally used in the direction of all letters, even those of the lower classes.
In Mr. GutzlafFs note, he remarks, it is addressed individually to the
managers of barbarian nations. I believe, however, copies have been sent to
most of the foreign merchants in Canton, and even to masters of ships.
The Hong merchants, in their note, simply request their virtuous elder
brother to inform his countrymen of the contents ; and the whole document, in
my opinion, can only be considered as a circular to merchants and captains.
The Edict itself is merely one of the usual screens, under cover of which
the Mandarins themselves engage in the illicit trade, or, by the influence of
large bribes, connive at its existence and increase.
My object in addressing your Lordship on this subject, is simply to prove,
that I am not, by any means, in communication with the Hong merchants, nor
have I in any way deviated from that line of policy so well suited to maintain
our present position, which is all I aspire to do, until I have the honour to
receive positive and definite instructions.
I have, &c,
(Signed) GEORGE BEST ROBINSON.
Inclosure 1 in No. 76.
Mr. Gutzlaff to Sir G. B. Robinson.
Sir, Macao, April 26, 1836.
I HAVE the pleasure of transmitting to you the translation. It seems to
be a circular letter addressed individually to all the managers of the barbarian
nations. The name of the English does not even once occur.
I remain, &c,
(Signed) CHARLES GUTZLAFF.
134
Inclosure 2 in No. 76.
The Hong Merchants to Sir G. B. Robinson.
April 15, 1836.
THE Hong merchants repeat, in the inclosed note, the same orders, and
request their virtuous elder brother to make them known to all his countrymen
at Canton.
Inclosure 3 in No. 76.
Edict against Foreign Ships resorting to the North-East Coast of China.
LEW, the Che-heen of Nan-hae, hereby informs the Hong merchants, that
he received on the 4th instant a communication from the Kwang-Chow-Foo,
stating that he had received a paper, dated 26th of March, from the Provincial
Judge, who had received an official letter from the Provincial Treasurer
February 7th, transmitted to him by the Deputy Governor of Kwangtung and
Kwangse provinces, containing the following statement of the Lieutenant
Governor of Chekeang province, dated January 31st.
" There anchored a barbarian three-masted ship near the Tung-se-choo
[islands belonging to the Choo-san group,] with Mifata's barbarian craft,
which also proceeded to Cha-poo and Leih-keang [harbours of Che-keang
province]. They have never been forced to get under weigh, and are driven
away.
" I, the Lieutenant Governor, in conjunction with the Admiral, prepared on
the 23rd of the ninth month of the preceding year a respectful report to the
Emperor. Moreover, I forwarded a circular letter [to the Mandarins along
coast], to institute inquiries, escort, and drive them away [the ships]. I
thought it, moreover, my duty to request in this official notification, that the
Hong merchants might be strictly enjoined, to convey to the barbarian ships on
their arrival at Canton the most peremptory commands, in order to restrain
them from revisiting other provinces. And I hereby request an answer.
" A copy of this document reaching me, the Acting Governor [of Kwang
tung and Kwangse], I examined the records, and found that I had already
previous to this received an official document from the Governor General of
Fokeen and Che-keang, stating that inquiries had been made, and the ships
had been escorted and driven away, as is upon record. I, therefore stated in
my reply to the Lieutenant Governor of Che-keang, that the notification had
been duly entered upon the records, and that there was no need of an additional
document upon the subject.
" At the same time I requested the Hoppo, that he should immediately
order the Hong merchants to issue these commands, to the manager of the said
kingdom's barbarian merchants, that they might obey them. The Hong
merchants ought also to restrain those barbarian ships which have been sent
away from Che-keang, as soon as they arrive at Canton, and most severely
prohibited and restrict them from ever proceeding in future to other provinces,
and there sauntering about."
To enforce obedience to the orders, the Provincial Judge adds his
commands. Do not transgress ! They being received, the Hong merchants
were immediately enjoined to promulgate these commands, whilst the other
official injunctions are hereby forwarded, that they might act in strict
accordance to them.
135
" I, the Che-heen of Nan-hae, whilst receiving these official documents
ollowed the directions of the Kwang-Chow-Foo, and, accordingly, strictly
enjoin the Hong merchants, that they may promulgate these commands to the
manager of the said kingdom's barbarian merchants, that they may obey them.
As soon as the barbarian ships which have been sent away from Che-keang,
arrive at Canton, they ought to be severely prohibited and restricted from
ever proceeding to other provinces, and there sauntering about. Do not
transgress !"
I address jointly my commands to the said Hong merchants, that they
may immediately promulgate these orders to the manager of the said kingdom's
barbarian merchants for their obedience to them. As soon as the barbarian
ships which have been sent away from Che-keang, arrive at Canton, they
ought to be severely prohibited and restricted from ever proceeding to other
provinces, and there sauntering about. Do not transgress ! Use the utmost
dispatch. These are the orders.
No. 77.
Sir G. B. Robinson to Viscount Palmerston.—(Received March I, 1837.)
(Extract.) Macao, October 13, 1837.
NOTHING but decided measures will, at the present period, induce the
Local Chinese Government to admit or tolerate the resort to, or residence at
Canton of an officer of His Majesty's Government on a becoming footing (and
unless he be so placed, his presence must prove a source of evil instead of good),
as they have the sagacity to foresee the endless embarrassment certain to
emanate therefrom, but they will tacitly sanction, or perhaps avail themselves
of the full exercise of his functions and authority without the river, and I am
confident, appeal to him in any extreme case of difficulty or aggression on the
part of his countrymen, thereby at once yielding a point of contention which it
seems to me idle to urge.
No. 78.
Sir G. B. Robinson to Viscount Palmerston.— (Received April 18, 1837.)
His Majesty's Cutter Louisa,
(Extract.) Lintin, November 28, 1836.
IN the absence of any despatches conveying your Lordship's sentiments
and instructions relative to the quiescent course of policy in which I have
deemed it my duty to persevere, since I had the honour of succeeding to my
present appointment, and the system I last year adopted of residing on board
His Majesty's cutter at Lintin, or outside the Bocca Tigris, for the purpose of
attesting the manifests of British ships, granting port-clearances, and the general
advantage accruing to the commercial community in China, from the free and
uncontrolled exercise of those functions of a consular nature, as requisite and
essential for the maintenance of the public peace, or rather the discipline of the
shipping, as for the interests and welfare of His Majesty's subjects in this
country; I consider no other alternative is open to me, but a recurrence to that
arrangement which so fully answered all the anticipations I bad formed, and
to which no rational objection seems to have presented itself.
136
During the present season, therefore (unless, indeed, instructions of an
opposite nature should arrive), I propose to take up my station permanently at
that anchorage, as being best suited to the nature of the duties I have to
discharge, and least likely to excite any opposition or jealousy on the part of
the Chinese, who apparently sanction, or perhaps tacitly acquiesce in the resi
dence of a civil officer of the British Government, at a rendezvous they always
point out as' the most appropriate for His Majesty's ships of war in China.
No. 79.
Sir G. B. Robinson to Viscount Palmerston.— (Received May 3, 1837.)
My Lord, Macao, December 14, 1830.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of despatches from your
Lordship, per ship Neptune, announcing the abolition of the office of Chief
Superintendent of the Trade of British subjects in China, and directing me
to make over the Archives and other Documents of this Establishment, to
Captain Elliot, R.N.
The commander of the ship Eleanor, being actually in attendance at my
office, at the moment of their arrival, for the purpose of signing his manifests
and receiving a port-clearance, I have no time to add more, than that these
Instructions will be carried into effect this day, and that I shall further have the
honour of addressing your Lordship, by ships shortly about to sail for England.
I have, &c,
(Signed) GEORGE BEST ROBINSON.
No. 80.
Captain Elliot, Second Superintendent, to Viscount Palmerston.— (Received
June 6, 1836.)
(Extract.) Macao, January 25, 183G.
THE peaceful and conciliatory policy by which the King's Government appear
to me to desire to maintain and promote the commercial intercourse with this
empire, is not very generally approved amongst the fifty or sixty resident mer
chants at Canton ; and a determination to give it effect, so far as depends upon
me, is the least popular task I could have proposed to myself.
No. 81.
Captain Elliot to the Foreign Office.—(Received July 23, 1836.)
(Extract.) Macao, March 14, 1836.
IT had long seemed to me, that the arrival of the new Viceroy at Canton
would furnish us an occasion for the re-opening of our communications with the
provincial authorities, by the only channel which, I am well persuaded, will ever
open out to us at once, without a very hazardous and a very needless struggle.
137
Being at Canton, and conforming heartily to the spirit of our cautious and
conciliatory instructions, I see every day more reason to believe, that without
much address upon our parts, and in short, by the mere force of circumstances,
we should soon come to make ourselves so useful to the native authorities, as to
lead them (gradually and silently indeed, but surely) not only to admit, but to
court direct communication with us. In China, to keep things quiet is the
best evidence as well as the whole end of successful administration : as soon as
the Viceroy found out that we were sincere allies with them in that object, he
would sedulously cultivate our friendliness.
No. 82.
Captain Elliot to the Foreign Office.—{Received February 15, 1837.)
(Extract.) Macao, July 27, 1836.
I LEARN from Sir George Robinson, that he has officially trans
mitted the very remarkable Memorial to the Emperor upon the subject of
the legalization of the Opium, or I would have forwarded you a copy by
this occasion * You will observe, that the Memorial already bears the
Imperial command to examine and report, which, in their official system,
may be said to be a signification of assent. The formal and final orders
will probably be here in the course of a month or six weeks. This is a
great change indeed, but it would be a complete misconception of its
character to confound a change of means with any change in the prin
ciple of their policy. This as respects the foreigner, may be pretty
accurately described to be, first, the minimum amount of foreign social
intercourse, which shall be consistent with the active pursuit of trade,
according to their lights of the most advantageous mode of carrying on
trade ; and, decidedly, the most anxious avoidance of any such serious
difficulties with the foreigners on the spot as might furnish foreign powers
with a pretext for interference.
This stroke is aimed at the overthrow of the Lintin and outside trade,
and the limitation of our commercial sphere to Canton and the Hong
merchants. The extent to which it is successful, must depend mainly
upon the adherence to the moderate duties and charges proposed in the
Memorial. These would be about seven dollars per chest, and, under
present circumstances, the native smuggler cannot land a chest of Opium
at the nearest depot to Lintin under, at the very least, forty dollars.
Thus, then, you will perceive, that, if this charge is established and
faithfully adhered to, no premium can present itself to induce the native
to smuggle : and, indeed, it should be added, that as soon as the Opium
may be lawfully introduced at Whampoa, and at Whampoa alone, there is
no more reason to believe that the smuggler will be able to introduce it at
other points than Canton, than he has hitherto been able to introduce
any other articles which may come into Canton, but nowhere else.
Smuggling there may be at Canton as there is now of all sorts of merchan
dize to an immense extent, but there will be smuggling no where else than
at Canton ; that is, always supposing that the charges are kept at the
moderate rate now proposed, the probabilities of which I cannot judge cf.
It has been a confusion of terms to call the opium trade a smuggling
• It does not appear that Sir George Robinson over transmitted these documents to the
Foreign Office : the only allusion he makes to the subject of them is that contaiced in his despatch
of August 27, 1836.
T
138
trade ; it was a formally prohibited trade, but there was no part of the
trade of this country which had the more active support of the local
authorities. It commenced and has subsisted by means of the hearty
connivance of the Mandarins, and it could have done neither the one nor
the other without their constant countenance. In my mind, it is much less
the Lintin or the coast trade that have produced this striking measure than
the tea and the tract Missions to the coasts, of last year. These events
attracted the very anxious notice of the Court itself, and this scheme is the
result. The Lintin trade, as long- as it was quietly pursued, always had
the countenance of the high Mandarins of this province, and though they
were naturally unfriendly to its extension to the coast of the neighbouring