the Lien -hing and other streets—acts which it was as much to be assumed
would have roused the virtuous indignation of the inhabitants of the western
suburbs, as it was not to be assumed that they would have tacitly assented to
them , allowing the silkworm thus to eat (its way) : a report has been notwith
standing current in the street and on the highway, which goes the length of
asserting that the substantial and wealthy merchants of the western suburb, who
have so many years traded with the rebellious barbarian, some because they
have business establishments abroad, some because they have shares in foreign
vessels, are tenderly regarding their personal interests, while they ignore the
sentiment ofpatriotism ; that they have some time since made a secret compact
(with the barbarian) , that neither party shall molest the other ; and that this is
the reason why they are composedly looking on, as if nothing extraordinary were
taking place.
A tale like this, told in public places,* were doubtless not to be greatly trusted ;
but with such noise and frequency is it passing from man to man, that it has,
indeed, astounded those who hear it ; and it is but too probable that the
western snburb will , in the end, find to its sorrow that it is become the point on
which popular indignation has concentrated itself.
If duly mindful of their duty to their homes, of the abundant bounty in
which they have been steeped by dynasty after dynasty, they will pillow them on
their arms determined, and unite with us in our patriotic movement, let them,
sharing with us our animosity, and treating as foes those whom we hate, grasp
one and all the ear of the ox,t and join our confederacy.
Inclosure 11 in No. 2 .
Consul Parkes to Sir J. Bowring.
Sir, Canton, December 20 , 1856.
I SHOULD inform your Excellency that the United States' corvette
Levant,” left Canton yesterday morning, as was at first understood, to relieve
the “San Jacinto ” at Whampoa, but I hear to-day that the former vessel has
passed that anchorage, and the latter still remains there. The American Consul
has also left Canton , not having hoisted his flag since the night of the fire.
A close inspection which I have made of the ruins adjacent to the factories
shows that the fire has not been altogether limited to the latter, but has involved
in destruction about 400 or 500 Chinese shops.
A village near to French Island, just above theWhampoa anchorage, was taken
yesterday morning, by the force calling themselves rebels, which remain in that
vicinity in consequence of the refusal ofthe villagers to pay a demand previously
made for a ransom of 300 taels. They appear to receive no accession to their
strength, and fear to retire down the river lest they should be cut off by the
Mandarins.
With great labour thirty -two pieces of heavy artillery, found in store near
the site of the factories, have been destroyed by direction of his Excellency the
Naval Commander-in-chief, and sunk in the river. The entrenchment in the
gardenprogresses very favourably.
I have lately seen Howqua and several of the principal hong merchants, but
though professing regret for the destruction of the factories and condemnation of
the measure, they have nothing of note to communicate, and appear to consider
that the Imperial Commissioner is as firmly bent as before upon opposition .
I have, & c.
(Signed) HARRY S. PARKES .
* Lit., In the markets and by the wells.
+ In the time of the Fighting States — the Confucian era — when a league was to be formed an
ox was sacrificed to heaven, and his ear beingcut off by the senior of the contederacy, the blood from
it was drunk in wine by the members of the alliance.
C2
10
No. 3 .
Sir J. Bowring to the Earl of Clarendon .-- (Received February 16, 1857.)
My Lord, Hong Kong, December 27, 1856.
IN continuation ofmy despatch dated 17th - 23rd instant, I have to advise
your Lordship, that having received accounts of an attack by the Mandarin
fleet upon the steamer “- Thistle," and of the capture of the lorcha “ Anonyma,
which she was engaged in towing, I wrote to the Naval Commander- in -chief on
the 23rd and 24th instant. I have to-day received a despatch from Mr. Consul
Parkes, dated 23rd instant, on the same subject; and a reply from Sir Michael
Seymour, dated 25th instant. Having seen the manager of the post -boats, I have
reason to hope that the service will be resumed under the persuasion that the
passage will be kept free by the patrol of Her Majesty's steamers.
I have also received a despatch from Mr. Parkes, dated 24th instant, giving
an account of a visit to the rebel forces who have burnt the greater part of a
village in the neighbourhood of Blenheim Reach.
Another despatch dated 25th instant, reports the destruction of a number
of Mandarin junks on the stocks, in the Macao Passage, in the neighbourhood
of Canton.
Hong Kong, December 30.
I have no later official news from Canton. A report is pretty generally
circulated , and which has reached us from the north , that the Emperor has nomi
nated a Commissioner who is toproceed to Canton ,and that he is instructed to
come to terms with us . Our letters from Shanghae are as late as the 26th
instant, and there was then no reason to apprehend any interruption of trade or
disturbance of public tranquillity .
I have, &c.
(Signed) JOHN BOWRING.
P.S.—I have now received from the hands of Mr. Consul Parkes, who has
just arrived here from Canton , the despatches of which I have the honour to
inclose copies. They will give your Lordship the latest intelligence I possess.
J. B.
Inclosure 1 in No. 3.
Mr. Edger to Mr. Woodgate.
Sir, Hong Kong, December 23, 1856.
I BEG leave to inform you , for the information of his Excellency Her
Majesty's Plenipotentiary, that as the postal steamer “ Thistle ” was passing
Second Bar about half-past 11 o'clock last night on her way to this place, she
was attacked by two large fleets of mandarin junks, fronı which vessels a brisk
fire was kept up on the steamer and the lorcha “ Anonyma,”” which was in tow
of the steamer, for upwards of an half-an - hour.
The “ Thistle ” had one of her Chinese crew killed , and two wounded, one
mortally. Also one Chinese passenger killed, and another wounded.
The British lorcha “ Anonyma,” with a valuable cargo on board ,was in tow
of the steamer at the time of the occurrence : the crew of the lorcha got on
board of the “ Thistle ” to save their lives , and she was cast off and abandoned.
Notice was given of what had occurred to the officers of Her Majesty's
ship “ Nankin,” in order that steamers passing up the river in the night might
be warned.
I have, &c.
(Signed) J. F. EDGER.
11
Inclosure 2 in No. 3 .
Sir J. Bowring to Rear - Admiral Sir M. Seymour.
Sir, Hong Kong, December 23 , 1856 .
I HAVE the honour to forward to your Excellency copy of a letter from
Mr. Edger, reporting the attack by mandarin junks on a British steamer, the
“ Thistle .”
We have also had representations from the owners of goods per “ Anonyma,”
which was in tow of the “ Thistle,” and was abandoned by her.
Similar representations have been made to the Colonial authorities here,
but nothing more is needed than to call your Excellency's attention to the
necessity of clearing the river of these sources of molestation.
I have, & c .
( Signed) JOHN BOWRING .
Inclosure 3 in No. 3 .
Sir J. Bowring to Rear-Admiral Sir M. Seymour.
Sir, Hong Kong, December 24, 1856 .
IN continuation of my official communication of yesterday to your Excel
lency's address, I now have the honour to forward copy of a letter from
Mr. Mackenzie, informing me of the loss of merchandize stated to have been on
board the lorcha “ Anonyma,” which was cut off on the night of the 22nd
instant on her passage from Canton to Hong Kong, by a fleet of Chinese junks.
I have, & c .
(Signed) JOHN BOWRING .
Inclosure 4 in No. 3 .
Mr. Mackenzie to Sir J. Bowring.
Sir, Hong Kong, December 23, 1856.
I REGRET having to inform you that the British lorcha “ Anonyma ” on
her passage from Canton to this port, was cut off last night, between Second Bar
and the Bogue, by a fleet of Imperialist war junks. I had on board the lorcha at
the time 170 bales of merchandize, as undernoted, of the value of about 20,000
dollars, the whole of which I am afraid are totally lost .
These goods were brought from Canton with the sanction of the Admiral,
who lent boats, and rendered my agent there every assistance in his power in
their removal. As á farther precaution the lorcha was accompanied by a
steamer, and was actually in tow of the British steamer “ Thistle ” when the
attack took place.
As this affair has occurred in consequence of the operations now going on
between the British and Chinese authorities, I bring the circumstance to your
notice and trust you will do what you can to recover the property or its value.
I have, &c ,
(Signed) S. MACKENZIE .
Particulars of goods shipped from Canton , per lorcha “ Anonyma, ” on
account S. Mackenzie.
Bales .
Μ Η
Woollens (С PH) 6
Woollens 1
Cotton yarn ` T (SM) V 132
:
Cottons 31
:
.
Total Bales 170
:
:
12
Inclosure 5 in No. 3.
Consul Parkes to Sir J. Bowring.
Sir, Canton, December 23, 1856 .
THE “ Queen ” steamer, which left Canton last evening, returned at 4 A.M.
this morning to report that while passing in the night the Second Bar she was
attacked at about 11 o'clock by a fleet of mandarin junks, and obliged to put
back. From the nature of the report fears may be entertained for the safety or
the English steam post-boat “ Thistle,” which, the British lorcha “ Anonyma
in tow, had preceded the “ Queen ” about half-an-hour, and must have been
attacked by the same fleet, as the “ Queen ,” some time before she drew near to
>
the junks, could see that the “ Thistle ” was engaged by them, but owing to the
darkness of the night was unable to ascertain the result.
His Excellency the Naval Commander-in -chief has this morning dispatched
the “ Hornet ” and “ Barracouta ” to the spot, and though it is to be feared that
the fleet in question will have withdrawn before those vessels can arrive at the
scene of the attack, your Excellency will be glad to learn that it is the intention
of the Admiral so to dispose his vessels that, by having one of them constantly
patrolling the river, the passage may be kept safe for our private steamers, upon
which we are greatly dependent for our communications.
I have, & c.
(Signed) HARRY S. PARKES .
Inclosure 6 in No. 3.
Rear-Admiral Sir M. Seymour to Sir J. Bowring.
Sir, Niger ,” at Canton, December 25, 1856.
IN reply to your Excellency's letters of the 23rd and 24th instant,
relative to the attack on the steamer “ Thistle,” on the night of the
22nd instant, by mandarin junks, and the capture by them of the lorcha
Anonymna , ” which was in tow of the steamer, I have the honour to inform
your Excellency that no time was lost on the morning of the 23rd in dispatching
Her Majesty's steam -sloops “ Barracouta ” and “ Hornet” to the scene of action ;
but I regret to state without seeing any of the junks, which had doubtless
retired up the creeks from whence they came, whither the steamers could not
follow .
The “ Barracouta ” has since patrolled the river between the Second Bar
and the Macao Barrier, and I shall continue to keep the river patrolled as
constantly as possible by one or other of Her Majesty's ships.
I have, &c.
( Signed) M. SEYMOUR .
Inclosure 7 in No. 3.
Consul Parkes to Sir J. Bowring.
Sir, Canton , December 24, 1856 .
I SHOULD inform your Excellency that the Chinese calling themselves
rebels, who infest this river, attacked on the 21st the village in Blenheim Reach,
which formed the old haunt of Ho -a -luk's faction in 1854-55 , and burnt the
greater part of ,it. They then returned to their usual anchorage near First
Bar.
I passed through this force in a private steamer at the time they were thus
engaged, and was struck with its mean and contemptible appearance . It
numbered nine or ten fishing boats, ånd about seventeen Hong Kong harbour
boats. All appeared to me to be very poorly equipped. Many of themen wore
yellow turbans or patches of cloth of that colour on their heads. One of the
13
chiefs is said to have served Ho - a- luk as a boatman . They state that they are
expecting considerable reinforcements, and to-day I am told, by an observer, that
they have been joined by a number of other boats.
I have, &c .
(Signed ) HARRY S. PARKES .
Inclosure 8 in No. 3.
Consul Parkes to Sir J. Bowring.
Sir , Canton , December 25 , 1856 .
I HAVE the honour to report to your Excellency that I, yesterday, accom
panied Her Majesty's steam-tender “ Coromandel," and a division of boats, on an
expedition undertaken with the view of destroying a number of Imperial junks
known to be lying in a Government dockyard near the French Folly.
A short time ago I was able to point out to the Admiral four war-junks on
the stocks in the Macao Passage, and these, with the exception of one retained
as a gunboat, were destroyed by direction of his Excellency on the evening of
the 20th instant. The dockyard near the French Folly contained twice that
number, which were also on the stocks, and fired, like the former ones , without
difficulty. While the force was thus engaged, I learnt from a native found in
the dockyard, of there being other war- junks in the same neighbourhood
screened from observation . A search discovered to us one old and four new
ones, which we also destroyed ; the latter were launched and masted , and would
shortly have been armed and made ready for sea ; the former mounted seven
guns of small calibre.
During the remaining portion of the day all the accessible reaches of the river
between Canton and Whampoa were examined by the same force, but no other
boats or junks belonging to the Chinese Government could be discerned .
mention that, on the evening of the 23rd, and again this morning ,
I may
small boats containing powder have been sent down upon Her Majesty's ships.
One of them exploded , but without doing any injury.
I have, &c.
(Signed) HARRY S. PARKES.
Inclosure 9 in No. 3 .
Consul Parkes to Sir J. Bowring.
Sir, Canton, December 28, 1856 .
I HAVE the honour to inform your Excellency that, by the desire of his
Excellency Sir Michael Seymour, I accompanied a reconnoitering expedition,
consisting of Her Majesty's steam -tender “ Coromandel,” and boats, undertaken
yesterday for the purpose of examining several unfrequented branches of the
river, in one of which upwards of 100 junks, supposed to be war-boats, had been
observed. Though the whole day was occupied in the search , we returned
without meeting any of the junks we had gone in quest of, which are able at all
times to find easy and secure shelter in the numerous shallow creeks that are
inaccessible to our vessels .
In another direction , but at the close of the day, we sighted, at a con
siderable distance, eight boats, which I ascertained to be war-junks, but their
position at that time of the day effectually protected them from attack .
I have, &c.
(Signed) HARRY S. PARKES .
14
Inclosure 10 in No. 3.
Consul Parkes to Sir J. Bowring.
Sir, Canton , December 29, 1856 .
I HAVE the honour to inclose copy of a letter I addressed yesterday to
Mr. Vice -Consul Bird, desiring him to do all in his power to refute certain state
ments recently made by the rebels at Whampoa, that they have been taken into
our employ.
These outlaws, who are in far too small a force, and men of far too low an
order, to contend successfully with the Mandarins if the latter were not engrossed
with our affairs, wish , for very obvious reasons, to ally themselves to our interests.
They have, therefore, sought for opportunities of visiting our ships at Whampoa,
and have, on various occasions, volunteered information, of little value it may be
observed, relative to the movements of Imperial troops or boats. Their leader
has also had the effrontery to write to Sir Michael Seymour, employing a form
and style of letter betokening terms of equality, and proposing to cooperate with
our forces in their attacks on the Imperialists. The real object of the commu
nication , however, is to ascertain , under the guise of offers of service, whether
the Admiral would interfere to prevent the rebels attacking Bamboo Town and
Whampoa—two places which it is to our interest to protect, apart from the
consideration that, owing to the presence of our ships of war, they are wholly
deserted by their own authorities, and would become to their invaders an easy
and a valuable prey .
Sir Michael Seymour, however, has issued orders which will effectually
defeat these expectations. No communication between Her Majesty's ships and
the rebel fleet will henceforth be allowed ; the letters of the chief are to be returned
without reply, and he will be informed that Her Majesty's ships will not shield
or countenance piracy, by whomsoever committed .
The rebels have improved their position by taking, yesterday, Kwan-shan, a
village situated at a narrow pass in the river about four miles above the Whampoa
anchorage, and between that and Blenheim - leach Barrier.
I have, &c.
(Signed) HARRY S. PARKES.
Inclosure | 1 in No. 3 .
Consui Parkes to Vice - Consul Bird .
Sir , Canton , December 28 , 1856.
I HAVE to acknowledge the receipt, last evening, of two despatches
from you, the latter inclosing a letter from Mr. Blanchard, the United
States' Vice -Consul at your anchorage, informing you that the armed Chinese
boats commonly spoken of among foreigners as rebels , which have been lurking
near Whampoa during the past few weeks, engaged in the pillage and destruction
of villages in that vicinity, have now given out that they are in the employ of
the English , and that this is the only reply returned by them to Mr. Blanchard
upon his seekingfrom them explanation for an act of violence committed by
them on certain Chinese in his employ.
You will of course have learned, on the occasion of Whampoa becoming
the scene of insurrectionary ravages in the winter of 1854-55, that in the
opinion of Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, the British Government would never
countenance and still less connect itself with any such proceedings, and this
opinion should serve to guide you in the present instance. I quite approve,
however, of your having reported to me the circumstance brought to your
notice by Mr. Blanchard, as I have communicated it to Rear -Admiral Sir
Michael Seymour, and have been instructed by his Excellency to desire you to
take every opportunity of refuting the false and wholly unwarrantable assump
tion of the so -called “ rebels,” as to their being employed by the English.
I have, &c.
(Signed ) HARRY S. PARKES.
15
Inclosure 12 in No. 3.
Consul Parkes to Sir J. Bowring.
(Extract .) Canton, December 29 , 1856 .
MY interviews with Howqua and with Kingqua have been frequent during
the last few days. The capture of Mr. Cowper has furnished an assignable
reason for my constantly inviting them ; and on each occasion I have willingly
discussed with them the present position of affairs.
They are, undoubtedly, anxious—far more than they at first were— for a
speedy adjustment of the difficulties, but nothing that they told me showed that
this anxiety was shared by the Imperial Commissioner ; and I conclude, there
fore, that it proceeds solely from the deep concern they naturally feel at the
loss or ruin which a protraction of the struggle will bring upon themselves, their
families, and their city.
Their arguments differ, however, but little from those which they have
already so often and so vainly employed, and less by reasoning than by entreaty
they seek to persuade us to vary our demands for personal communication with
the authorities within the city , which they admit to be just, but which Yeh , on
account of antecedents, is as firmly determined as ever to refuse. Not, they
now state, from the opposition of the people, which has hitherto been urged as
the chief and unconquerable obstacle, and which Howqua now says exists only
among a portion of the gentry who are beneficially interested in our exclusion,
whu ivou upuu uuu vaprani anu 'uice , mus
wenn man uupuusah --- -farge Imieni
passengers, and, as I am informed, after setting the ship on fire, departed for
Canton with the heads of their victims.
a
I inclose copy of a letter I have just received from the agent of the steamer,
which I have immediately communicated to the Naval Commander-in -chief.
I have, &c.
(Signed) JOHN BOWRING.
Inclosure in No. 6.
Mr. Edger to Mr. Woodgate .
III vy WSUIT , UIT UTIUU wc tam tata TOI TITIS poi
He cares not to speculateupon the numbers we might eventually bring against
him, and, until these shall really appear, he will persist in forming his opinions
and regulating his movements by those he sees opposed to him.
Howqua admits, too, the danger with which Canton may be menaced by
rebels who may be expected to advance from three or four directions; or, rather,
he laments the injury and destruction they will inflict upon the towns in the
neighbourhood, to which many of the city families , owing to the fears we
occasion them , are fast retiring. The city itself, he believes, would always be
able tohold out against these assailants,defended, as it would be, by Manchoos
and militia taken from villages that proved themselves in the last insurrectionary
dangers to be violently inimical to the insurgents.
At the same time, Howqua acknowledges the militia to be a most ill
disciplined and ineffective force when opposed to our troops. They are engaged
at a nominal rate of pay of seven dollars per month , but fully one-half of this
allowance is appropriated by the gentry, who have the credit of embodying them .
Those gentry, who take a prominent part in marshalling the militia against
foreigners, are in few cases, Howqua alleges, men of property, or members of
the merchant class. They are generally connexions of the Government, without
information on foreign matters , and , being entrusted with the payment of the
braves they embody,and perhaps command, from funds supplied them from the
public treasury, they contrive to gain profit as well as reputation by their show
of patriotism . It is not an easy matter, however, for them to keep their men in
order when once assembled, and it would be almost impossible for different
bodies of them to act in concert with each other. Several very serious quarrels
have lately occurred among those now in Canton, and the people suffer greatly
from their insubordination and license.
D
16
No. 4 .
Sir J. Bowring to the Earl of Clarendon .— ( Received February 16, 1857.)
My Lord, Hong Kong, December 30, 1856 .
THE accompanying notification from the United States' Legation has
appeared this morning inthe “ Hong Kong Register ,” by which it appears that
the relations of the United States ' Commissioner with his Excellency Yeh are
in a most unsatisfactory state.
I have, &c.
(Signed ) JOHN BOWRING .
Inclosure in No. 4.
Notification .
Legation of the United States, Macao,
December 27, 1856.
To the Merchants and other Citizens of the United States.
HIS Excellency Peter Parker, Commissioner of the United States of America
to China, & c. , &c ., & c . , referring to the notice of the 9th instant , hereby makes
and a valuable prey.
Sir Michael Seymour, however, has issued orders which will effectually
defeat these expectations. No communication between Her Majesty's ships and
the rebel fleet will henceforth be allowed ; the letters of the chief are to be returned
without reply, and he will be informed that Her Majesty's ships will not shiel
or countenance piracy, by whomsoever committed .
The rebels have improved their position by taking, yesterday, Kwan -shan, a
village situated at a narrow pass in the river about four miles above the Whampoa
anchorage, and between that and Blenheim -reach Barrier.
I have, &c.
(Signed ) HARRY S. PARKES .
By order ,
( Signed ) S. WELLS WILLIAMS ,
Secretary of United States ' American Legation.
No. 5 .
Sir J. Bowring to the Earl of Clarendon .- (Received February 16, 1857.)
My Lord, Hong Kong , December 30, 1856 .
AFTER closing my letters I receive from Foo -chow a despatch dated 23rd
instant from Mr. Consul Medhurst, of which, it being calculated to remove much
anxiety as regards the other ports, I have the honour to forward a copy.
I have, &c.
(Signed) JOHN BOWRING .
Inclosure in No. 5 .
Consul Medhurst to Sir J. Bowring.
Sir, Foo- chou - foo, December 23, 1856
A REPORT having reached me that a gentleman had seen several large
junks with ammunition being landedhurriedly, and with every appearance of a
wish to escape observation, at the “ Rin -pae Pass,” I mentioned the matter to
Captain Barnard, who thereupon sent an officer to take a quiet look at all the
fortifications on both banks of the river. I am happy to say he noticed no
change, nor even a sign of any intended increase of force or armament. The
17
result of the officer's observation has, I believe, been reported for the informa
tion of his Excellency the Naval Commander -in -chief.
In connection with this I may remark that yesterday the newly arrived
Prefect, a native of Canton , volunteered a call on me, and behaved in a most
friendly and courteousmanner. In answer to an inquiry I made regarding the
news from Canton, he assured me it was the Viceroy's wish that our amicable
relations here should be in no way affected by the unfortunate state of affairs in
the south, and I cordially reciprocated the sentiment.
I have, &c.
(Signed) W. H. MEDHURST .
No. 6.
Sir J. Bowring to the Earl of Clarendon .— (Received March 1 , 1857.)
My Lord, Hong Kong, December 31 , 1856.
I AM sorry to have to report to your Lordship one of those acts of
treacherous surprise which have been too often successfully practised by the
Chinese, and which , indeed, cause us more anxiety and apprehension than any
open hostilties.
The postal steamer “ Thistle was yesterday on her way from Canton to
Hong Kong. She took in, it seems, a number of Imperialist soldiers in disguise,
who rose upon the captain and crew , murdered the captain, mate, engineers, and
passengers, and, as I am informed, after setting the ship on fire, departed for
Canton with the heads of their victims.
I inclose copy of a letter I have just received from the agent of the steamer,
which I have immediately communicated to the Naval Commander -in -chief.
I have, &c.
( Signed) JOHN BOWRING .
Inclosure in No. 6.
Mr. Edger to Mr. Woodgate.
Sir , Hong Kong, December 31 , 1856, 8 P.M.
I HAVE the honour of addressing you, for the information of his Excellency
Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, on a lamentable occurrence in the Canton river,
which has just come to my knowledge.
About noon yesterday, as the postal steamcr “ Thistle ” was on her passage
from Canton to this port, with a large number of Chinese passengers and a cargo
of considerable value, near Second Bar, some of the Chinese passengers, in
number said to be seventeen, who were Imperialist soldiers in disguise, and had
taken their passage for Hong Kong in the usual way, suddenly rose, killed an
English soldier who was a passenger, and at the same moment the captain was
cut down . The first engineer hearing a scuffle came out of the engine-room ,
when he was instantly put to death ; the second engineer was then also killed.
The mate took refuge in the after- cabin . The crew , consisting of four Manilla
men, a passenger, who was a Spaniard, and two others, in all eleven souls, were
murdered ,
The Imperialist soldiers then obliged the firemen to proceed with the vessel
under steam a considerable distance up an adjacent creek, where, after the heads
of the victims were cut off, the same were tied up and carried away,.
The Chinese passengers were then set free, and the steamer was destroyed
by fire, without any regard on the part of the captors for the valuable cargo she
contained .
I should have stated that the mate of the steamer defended himself for
some time, but was compelled by a stinkpot to jump overboard, and was
drowned .
I have, &c.
(Signed) J. F. EDGER, Receiver in Chancery,
D 2
18
No. 7.
Sir J. Bowring to the Earl of Clarendon .-- (Received March 1.)
My Lord, Hong Kong, January 3, 1857.
I HAVE the honour to forward to your Lordship copies of two communi
cations, dated the 30th ultimo and 2nd instant, from Mr. Chinese Secretary
Wade, with their inclosures, which are remarkable and characteristic exhibitions
of the animus which I am afraid too generally prevails among the people of the
province of Kwang -tung.
The declaration addressed to foreigners on the subject of the conflagration
of the factories does not venture to state that they were burnt down by the
English , but it probably intended to convey such an insinuation for the purpose
of being forwarded to Pekin.
I have, &c.
( Signed) JOHN BOWRING .
Inclosure 1 in No. 7.
Mr. Wade to Sir J. Bowring.
Sir , Chinese Secretary's Office, December 30, 1856.
A COPY of the placard of which the inclosed is a translation was
brought me to-day by Mr. Genaehr, a German missionary, who has long resided
in the immediate vicinity of the city at which it purports to have been published.
The close of it is really important.
Mr. Genaehr understands it to be the work of a Tsinsze , or graduate of the
doctorial degree, who has paid a visit to Canton, and is said to have returned with
full authority to promote hostility by every means in his power. The influence
of this man is such that Nam -ton, a turbulent market -town closely adjoining
the city of San-on , where the population were most unwilling to abandon aa trade
of great advantage, he succeeded in overbearing theiropposition to the interdict
against supplying Hong Kong with provisions. Mr. Genaehr had farther
intelligence that a Ken-jiu , or graduate of the Master's degree, was to bring to
Kowloon 2,000 braves, for some hostile purpose. I had myself heard of a
considerable reinforcement of the Kowloon garrison being in contemplation.
A gentleman in the habit of visiting the coast of San - on toll me to-day
that he had been informed by a Chinese, at whose house he had often rested,
and whom he had been questioning as to the practicabilty of an excursion at the
present moment, that the whole country was full of placards prohibiting the
sale of provisions to foreigners, and that a high reward (he said 10,000 dollars)
was pasted for the destruction of Victoria. It is with this project, I hear, that
ruinour connects the expected reinforcement of Kowloon.
The magistrate of the San -on district, Mr. Genaehr had heard, was
unwilling to call on residents at Hong Kong, officially, to return home, lest the
large intlux of people might produce disturbance ; the direction of it being
certain to be against the authorities if it were by a Government proclamation that
they had been compelled to leave their trade at Hong Kong. I have heard to
day, however, that several of the Chinese of Sai-heung, a town situated near
>
San -on city, and one of the chief supports of our market, have returned
home.
Mr. Genaehr seemed to think the people of San -on emboldened by the
belief that we had exhausted our efforts at Canton . I have little doubt that this
is the case, and that if the opinion be allowed to confirm itself that we are
powerless against the interdict now promulged, it will be enforced at all the
places specified in the inclosed placard, and our supply market will be seriously
jeopardised.
The great preventive against this and all other evils natural to our position,
would be, without doubt, the reduction -- I do not mean the destruction - of
this
Canton , as yet believed by the multitude to be impregnable. But short of th
measure, which the limit and character of our present resources forbid us to
regard as within our reach, it is certainly in our power to inflict such a blow on
19
the city of San-on , should we find it in earnest in its attempt on our supplies,
as would not only deter other towns from following its example almost with
equal inconvenience to us, but might be productive of salutaryeffect upon the
provincial capital itself.
I have, &c.
( Signed ) THOMAS WADE.
Inclosure 2 in No. 7 .
Notice.
NOTICE (purporting to be) issued by the whole district of Sin -gan (San -on )
peremptorily prohibiting the supply of provisions to the English barbarians.
Whereas the English outlaws, running riot in rebellion , bearing themselves
contumaciously and insolently to China, bad, during a series of years, committed
more crimes than hairs can be plucked from the head to number, our Govern
ment was pleased, when they treated for peace, to extend to them extraordinary
favour, to forgive them their past offences, and to allow them to trade at
Keun-tae-loo ( Victoria) and other parts of Hong Kong, a place in our district.
It behoved them , one would have thought, to live peaceably, to meditate on
and repent them of their faults ; but a heart of mischief lay within ; their
cupidity was insatiable. The English authorities, with the self-importance of
petty power, after seducing our well -ordered people to Hong Kong, lawlessly
tyrannised over them . With right reason they were unacquainted, language
they did not understand, for interpretation they were entirely dependent on one
or two Chinese traitors . If these were bribed, notorious pirates were acquitted ;
if they were not bribed, honest folk were unjustly subjected to oppressive
penalties. They befooled the English officials, on whom they looked as on
images of clay or wood. Thus, for some years past, have they been confounding
right with wrong, accusing the innocent and entrapping the good. In the case
of their severer punishments , transportation or death , the remains (of the
sufferer) return not home; in the case of the lighter, when he is locked up in
prison, or condemned to hard labour (lit. , to carry mud), death presently ensues.
The pernicious injuries that have been done to the people of our district are too
many to be counted, and more painful to record is the additional fact that they
are wrongfully whipped in the streets (of Hong Kong ); that persons behind
hand in sweeping clear the doors of their shops are continually cangued or put
in irons, and that authority vents itself in wanton abuse upon the small dealers
and packmen . Those who are late in lighting their lamps are arrested, and, to
crown all, the quarrelsome drunkard murders, and the murder is quashed ,
without hope of redress. Rape is committed and money extorted, and the
injured (must) be dumb and swallow their complaint. Besides all this, bad
characters are indulgently tolerated , resettors, and pirates. The rebels* make
the English authorities their great wall, and are regarded by the English
barbarians as their teeth and claws. Smuggling is a monopoly , and the vessels
employed in it commit lawless excesses. Then, the export hence (to Hong
Kong) is of food, and the .price of rice is yearly rising in consequence ; the
import thence is of opium, and the riches of the Inner Land are dwindling away.
Treacherous designs manifest themselves in a hundred forms, nor can words
express the harm that has been done us .
And now, in addition to all this, for the sake of the rebels they are
troubling the provincial city. They have attacked anddestroyed ten forts or
more : they have burned upwards of 10,000 shops. Rude as the boar, and
eager as the wolf, they have pushed their rebellion far.
The high authorities of our province, still liberal and indulgent towards
them, would not visit their offence upon them . Their brute nature, neverthe
less, waxing more and more ferocious and perverse, they ventured the length of
scaling the walls and entering the city, and killing our officers. They seized the
fort on the pearl of the river (Dutch Folly), theydestroyed the lives of a number
* “ Tsih fi” may mean any criminal ; the use of the word a little further on as rebels, inclines
me to believe that it means so here.
20
of people, and besides a raid to Fa-ti, to rifle the passenger-boats, they
have committed various atrocities in the villages all along the river, killing
the inhabitants, destroying their dwellings, carrying off property from their
houses, driving their domestic animals, and ravishing their women. They are
a poison to life ; their crimes have reached the highest point. There is not a
man in the province who does not desire to annihilate them before he eats his
morning meal. In the districts near Canton, the traitorous Chinese in the
interest of the enemy have been rigorously sought for and seized, and strict
prohibitions have been issued against providing them with food , that their
supplies may be cut off. Yet more is it our part in whose district Keun -tae-loo
is situated, and to whom in consequence the evil is nearer than to others, to keep
villains at this crisis, when the nations of all the seas must sympathize with us
in hate, from speculation on profit to be derived from the provisioning of these
wolves and foxes .
There was a meeting of the gentry and literati of the whole district on the
22nd of the 11th moon (19th December ), at the Ming-lun - T'ang, at which, in
token of their patriotism , unanimous feeling, and combination of strength, the
supply of provisions was strictly prohibited.
From the above date ( 19th December ), passsenger-boats that have been in
the habit of running from the different ports of the districts to Keun-tae-loo and
Hong Kong, will be allowed , up to the 10th of the 12th moon (5th January) , to
bring cargo in, but will not be allowed to take any away, and after the 11th
(6th January) no passenger-boat will be allowed to run. If any one, no matter
who he be, shall venture wilfully to contravene (this regulation ), authority is
given for the seizure of his property, one half of which shall go to the captor,
and the other to the public fund ;* and the parties so carrying supplies shall be
brought up to the Committee, and by them handed over to the authorities, to be
severely punished. No mercy whatever will be shown. And if any shall
attenipt to run boats by stealth, or to transport goods (to Hong Kong) for the
supply of the English barbarians - a proceeding even more detestable ( than the
foregoing — they shall certainly be tried and punished with the utmost severity
the moment they are taken .
As regards Chang-chow , Tae Gow -ping -chow, and Kow-loon , which places
are in the vicinity of Hong Kong , as passage-boats running between them and
Hong Kong will be trying all sorts of shifts, they must be similarly limited to
the importation of goods,and must not be allowedto export anything.
Natives of our district having shops at Keun-tae-loo are one and all to
cease from trade and return home within one month from the 22nd of the moon
(19th December), that they may escape contingent embarrassment ; if they do
>
not so return by the day specified , the gentry or elders of their localities will
denounce them to the Committee by name and surname as Chinese in the
interest of the enemy, to be apprehended in due time. Amongst our simple
youth are some who have been tricked by the devils into a profession of
Christianity, to the misleading of mankind, the delusion of the people, and the
great injury of morals . No time must be lost in burning their heterodox books
and driving out both teacher and disciples.
Any person who does not conform (to the above), will be immediately
brought before the authorities to be punished. The matter is one of the
common interest. Acts must follow words with certainty ; the English devils
must be starved, and the cause of the people's misery cut off before we rest.
December 24, 1856 .
Inclosure 3 in No. 7 .
Mr. Wade to Sir J. Bowring.
Sir, Chinese Secretary's Office, January 2, 1857.
I BEG to submit to your Excellency two papers, one a notice purporting
to be the complaint of the tradespeople whose houses were destroyed in the fire
which consumed the foreign factories last month, to all foreigners, English of
* The word used is board , or table, or magazine. We might render it Committee, in safety.
21
course excepted . It is, I have no doubt,the paper of which we had heard some
time ago, spoken of as Yeh’s protest against us for having fired the factories.
Mr. Pereira sent it to the Colonial Secretary as apaper which a Chinese
was posting at Macao.
The other is a paper to the same effect as the public declaration of the San
on people, which I laid before your Excellency on the 31st ultimo. This is
official, and is issued, as you will see, by Yeh's authority.
With reference to the San-on paper, Mr. Lobschied brought a Chinese here
this morning to state that some boats on their way hither with supplies from
Nam - ton , close to San -on, had been stopped.
As regards the Heang-shan proclamation, my servant, who has been many
years in my employ, received, yesterday, a summons from his family, who are
Heang -shan people, to return home. His uncle is an elder ; his cousin, the head
compradore of the club, formerly my servant, is also warned, and both return
home to -morrow .
I have , &c.
( Signed ) THOMAS WADE , Chinese Secretary.
Inclosure 4 in No. 7 .
Statement.
STATEMENT of the people of Thirteen Factory Street, Old China and New China
Street, Danish Hong, Old Clothes' Streets, and other streets, in all twelve,
outside the Tae-ping gate (addressed to foreigners not being English ).
The authors of the statement pray the attention of the gentlemen of
different* nations. We, tradespeople and others resident near the foreign
factories ( " yang low " ), have had peaceful intercourse with foreigners for two
centuries or more. We have had no feud with them . But on a late occasion ,
the English having commenced a quarrel, issued a statement to the effect that it
had no concern with us , on the faith of which we continued , without alarm,
trading as usual where we were. At the beginning of the 10th moon , however,
some of our shops in the vicinity of the Thirteen Factories were demolished by the
English soldiers. Words cannot depict our suffering when we (were obliged to)
move, and trade was undone. After their demolition , English soldiers were
stationed at the spot, and a guard maintained so strictly that even idle observers
could not approach, and for tradespeople it was, of course, equally difficult. On
the 17th of the 11th moon (14th December), however,at midnight, a great fire
broke out in the Thirteen Factories, and the Central Ward, just in the very place
where the English soldiers were on sentry. We humbly bethink us that the
English soldiers have always had the repute of being expert and daring firemen .
But whatever their ability in this way they were not able to put down the fire
in their own case, and when it had extended to our buildings and burned
1,000 and more, the fire-engines of the different streets came to the rescue, but
our people were kept back from assisting by the English soldiers, who fired
upon them and killed several , wounding twenty or more. It is sad that some
hundreds of thousands should have been caught in the stream of calamity and
deprived of a home, that the little subsistence of the widow and orphan should
be utterly destroyed in a -day. The same thing befel the people of the Yeu - lan
and Tsing-hae Streets before. Our woe is now doubled. How is our misery to be
borne ? To whom are we to complain ? Our only resource is to lay before you our
feelings, and we humbly hope that the Consuls and merchants of your honour
able nations will look into the matter that it may be redressed.
May you condescend to glance at our statement.
[ This is without doubt a paper of official origin . It has been some time
reported that Yeh had issued a sort of protest against the English for the
destruction of the factories, and this is in all probability the document.
(Signed) THOMAS WADE, Chinese Secretary .] .
* Addressed as ci honourable nations, " that is, your nat ' ons .
22
Inclosure 5 in No. 7 .
Proclamation.
KEW, Acting Chief Magistrate of Heang -shan district, makes proclamation.
I have had the honour to receive from his Excellency the Governor -General
the following instructions :
“ The English barbarians having attacked the city of Canton, a large force
has been (or is being) assembled for the defence (ofthe city) and the destruction
(of the enemy) ; and as commercial intercourse with them must be stopped,
orders are to be given to the people of the several districts of the prefecture, who
may be in trade at Hong Kong, or employed in barbarian buildings, or on board
barbarian ships, to return to their homes, and cease from trading with them. No
goods must be carried to Macao, lest they be taken to supply Hong Kong ; and all
vessels running between Macao, Tum -tsei, and Hong Kong, must be taken off
the berth . A beginning has been made in the districts of Tung-kwan and Sin
gan (San-on) , and similar prohibitions must be put in force in Heang-shan) at
once .”
I therefore give notice to the several public committees, and to the gentry
and elders, and it is further my duty to issue a public notice to the military and
people of all degrees belonging to my jurisdiction, to the effect that any of the
district who may be at Hong Kong, in business or employed in barbarian ships
or houses , must be at once written to by the seniors of their families to return
home within five days, and to cease from trading at Hong Kong. The boats
must give up running, and no goods must be taken to Macao , lest they be
carried on for the supply of Hong Kong and Tum -tsei. Those who do not
return or who continue to run boats, will , when seized, be dealt with under the
law affecting traitorous Chinese, and the responsibility of their crime will be laid
also on their fathers and elder brothers. No mercy whatever will be shown , &c.
Heenfung, 6th year, 11th moon , 28th day. (December 25 , 1856.)
Inclosure 6 in No. 7.
Mr. Wade to Sir J. Bowring.
Sir, Chinese Secretary's Office, January 2, 1857.
I HAVE the honour to inform your Excellency that I have just received a
copy of thedeclaration of the Heang-shan people upon the cessation of trade
with Hong Kong, and withdrawal of the people in our employ. It refers to the
instructions of the District Magistrate, published under authority of the Governor
General, of which I laid a translation before your Excellency this morning.
· It dwells less upon the crimes alleged against us than the San - on decla
ration, submitted to your Excellency on the 31st ultimo, but is more violent
in its denunciation of the Heang -shan people who do not attend to the
summonses . It is computed that 70 per cent. of the servants in Hong Kong are
Heang -shan men, and that a half of the wages paid by foreigners is spent in
that district.
I have, &c .
THOMAS WADE, Chinese Secretary.
P.S. - On re-perusing the paper, I perceive that at the end there is an
importantclause which had escaped my attention to this effect : - “ If any of
those employed in foreign buildings, or on board foreign ships, shall devise means
for the capture or decapitation of rebellious barbarians, they shall certainly be
handsomely rewarded .”
T. W.
23
No. 8 .
Sir J. Bowring to the Earl of Clarendon .— (Received March 1.)
My Lord, Hong Kong, January 13 , 1857.
>
I HAVE the honour to forward copy of a despatch from Mr. Consul Parkes,
dated yesterday, with an inclosure from Mr. Vice-Consul Bird, reporting another
act of barbarous assassination at Whampoa on the person of a Bavarian subject
left in charge of the floating residence of an American citizen .
I have, &c.
(Signed) JOHN BOWRING .
Inclosure 1 in No. 8 .
Consul Parkes to Sir J. Bowring.
Sir, Hong Kong, January 12 , 1857 .
I HAVE the honour to forward to your Excellency copy of a letter I have
received from Mr. Vice-Consul Bird, reporting another inhuman murder com
mitted by the Chinese, with the view of obtaining the reward for heads offered
by the Imperial Commissioner ; the victim being in this case a Bavarian, and
the outrage having been committed on board a chop , forming the floating
residence of Dr. Ryder, an American citizen .
I have, &c.
( Signed) HARRY S. PARKES,
Inclosure 2 in No. 8 .
Vice - Consul Bird to Consul Parkes.
Sir, Whampoa, January 8 , 1857 .
I HAVE to inform you , during last night, a Bavarian , in charge of the chop
of Dr. Ryder, an American, was murdered, and his head carried off. An
attempt had been made to burn the chop, the property of a Chinese which did
not succeed .
Mr. Gow was cautioned this forenoon by two Chinese to be very careful of
himself, as there are about 100 mandarin long low boats carrying a gun
on their bows, with from fifteen to forty men each, between Canton and
Whampoa.
The lieutenant in command of Her Majesty's ship “ Sybille ” urges me
strongly to obtain the removal of the “ Alligator ” to Hong Kong. He states
most of the crew on board the “ Sybille ” having been at Canton have been sent
down sick . He has very few effective men, and cannot spare a guard ; but
he invites me on board the .“ Sybille ” for safety.
I have, &c.
(Signed ) ALEX . BIRD.
No. 9.
Sir J. Bowring to the Earl of Clarendon.- (Received March 1.)
My Lord, Hong Kong, January 14, 1857 .
I HAVE great satisfaction in sending to your Lordship copy of a despatch
dated Foo - chow, 10th instant, from Mr. Consul Medhurst, giving satisfactory
assurances from the Viceroy that the troubles at Canton would not be allowed to
E
24
interfere with our friendly relations at Foochow ; and as Amoy is subject to the
same authority, I hope there is no ground for disquiet as regards the latter place.
I have, &c.
(Signed ) JOHN BOWRING .
Inclosure in No. 9.
Consul Medhurst to Sir J. Bowring.
Sir, Foo -chow - foo, January 10, 1857 .
I, YESTERDAY, returned the call of the Prefect, reported in my despatch
of the 23rd ultimo, and, I am happy to say, was received with marked
civility and hospitality. Alluding to the hostilities at Canton, he said he had the
Viceroy's express orders to assure me that it was his earnest desire to maintain
friendly relations with Her Majesty's officials and subjects in this port, notwith
standing the unhappy position of affairs in the south , and that as Viceroy of
Fuh-keen and Che-keang, he was , from his position, in no manner concerned
with the acts of the Canton Viceroy, and certainly did not wish to go out of
his way to interfere, and thereby involve himself and us in similar troubles.
This, the Prefect also told me, was the substance of a letter which the Viceroy
had just addressed to your Excellency in reply to yours, per “ Lady Mary
Wood,” and which I have already dispatched, per courier, to Amoy.
How far these assurances are to be depended on as a gurantee for our future
security here, I leave your Excellency to judge. They are, at any rate, gratifying
as indications of the present feeling of the authorities towards British subjects,