72
Review of Public Occurrences During the
JAN.
sation with: hrs excellency, and it would have been but courteous in him to have placed me on a nimilar feeting
•
2dly. In reterence to the entry of the tips, it would have been but wise and politic had the authorities provided me with a 'copy' of such prohibition; as according to the governor's own showing I was quite ignorant of the laws of the celestial empire,'—and
3dly. As to the departure of the ships. One of them will be dispatchod immc. diately to the ad uiral in the East Indies bearing the governor's reply to this letter, and who will act accordingly; and the other will remain at Whampoa to convey myself und suite to Macao. And 4thly, as to the nature of my business here, I have already told him that I can only communicate on that subject by let ter or by person to the viceroy.
I hope this is plain enough for the comprehension of the Kwángchau fú.
Your
very obedient servant, No. 3.
Napier, &c.
Letter from the hong-merchants to the British merchants, desiring further in. onnation respecting the frigates, dated September 16th, 1831.
A respectful notification.-You, gentlemen, have to-day sent us a letter from your honorable officer to yourselves. Therein, it is said, "As to the departure of the ships, one of them will be dispatched immediately to the admiral in tho East Indics, bearing the governor's reply to this letter, and who will act accord. ingly." Why not send the ships of was out to the outer sea immediately, at tho same time giving information of the day and time of sailing, to enable us to report to the governor, that he may issue orders to all the military posts to let them pass? "The other will remain at Whampoa, to convey myself and suite to Macao." Why not first send this ship of war to soa outside the Bogue, and then have tho cutter up to take your honorable officer on board the ship, to roturn to Macao? At the end of the previous letter it was said, 'I request you to move the proper authorities to order the British cutter up from Whampoa, that I may carry the samo into effect. Do the words 'carry into effect' refer to the mode of acting mentioned in the hoppo's reply, on a former day, to Mr. Whiteman's petition, name- ly, that your honorable oflicer should first go to Macao. In our letter of the 13th (September 15th), it was required to examine for what cause the ships of war enter. ed the port and broke down the forts. On this point we have not received an We pray you to inform your honorable officer, and reply again to day,—
answer.
to enable us to report.
For this we write, &c., &c.
To Messrs. Jardine, Dent,
(Subscribed by the cleven hong-merchants.) Boyd, Whiteman, Framjce, and other gentlemen.
No. 4.
To W. S. Boyd, esq., secretary to the Chamber of Commerce.
Sir,-In further explanation, I beg to acquaint you that the ship for India will remain at Whampoa on account of the more near communication with this place, and will sail as soon as I receive the viceroy's reply; therefore his excellency had better give orders to allow her to go out as soon as possible. The other ship will remain at Whampoa to receive me from the entter, and will not move from thence The words 'carrying into effect' allud. on any account previous to my arrival.
ed to the hoppo's reply to the petition of Mr. Whiteman The frigate came up the river for the purpose of affording greater security to the persons and property of
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