1841.
Affairs between the English and Chinese.
531
such acts; and the preceding allusions have been made with the hope of pre- venting the like occurrences in future. We could have adduced other in- stances; but these are enough. We have endeavored to place the subject in its true light, and here we leave it without further comment.
No. 1.
TANG SHUN, a graduated scholar, and others of the chief district, memorialize the provincial authorities, in relation to the loose and disorderly proceedings of the English barbarians. All our people cherish feelings of like enmity towards them, and unite in earnestly beseeching, that rigorous measures be adopted for their extermina- tion, in order to accord with the general state of feeling, and to tran- quilize the affairs of the maritime regions. Opinions respecting the advantageous and injurious state of things in these regions, the vil- Jage gentry unitedly lay before their superiors, and when the just origin of important affairs are by the people thus brought to the notice of the said superiors, they will not refuse at once to attend to their reasonings. Now the English barbarians have precipitated re- bellion, in order to effect their purposes, and this cannot be borne with upon any principle of reason; and our generals and troops hav- ing been wounded by them, is what really excites the indignation of both gods and men. They have brought their opium too, and for a long time have been poisoning and injuring our people; and still further, following the bent of their wolfish covetousness, they have forthwith taken forcible possession of our island (Hongkong).
Although formerly, in the time of the Ming dynasty, Macao was indeed loaned to the Portuguese barbarians, yet this was nothing more than receiving rent for houses which were just about sufficient for snails to live together in; and we have not yet heard that they have seized upon the land by deceiving the people, as hares are enticed into the cages which are constructed for them! But ye stupid and rebellious barbarians, publicly issue proclamations, and talk largely of attending to the litigations of the people, incoherently hoping for fees! You endeavor to conceal your injurious designs, but wickedness is made palpably manifest. Having formerly exhibited, as in a mirror, your iniquities at Tinghae, it therefore be comes necessary that Hongkong should be defended against such results in future. The population of the whole seaboard being register- ed in the census, and the people occupying their own homes, it will be found as difficult to eject them, as it was at Choogei.* If per-
• Choogai is a district near Cochinchina, from which one of the emperors of the Han dynasty attempted to expel all the inhabitants for their uncontrolable sedition, but could not effect his purpose. The writer is under the impression
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