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Review of Public Occurrences During the
FEB.
missioner of customs at Canton, though made by only a subordinate officer of the East India Company. Whatever may be the line of proceeding finally adopted by his majesty's government, I have already stated my conviction that, during the progress of the commercial transactions of individuals, and awaiting the ar- rival of further instructions from England, this commission has no other course to pursue, than that of absolute silence; unless, in the probable event, very soon to be determined, of such spontaneous advances being made by the Chinese govern- ment, as might admit of the re-commencement of negotiations. That such an event is not probable, I should surmise, from the circumstances of edicts having been issued by the local authorities (though as yet I have not obtained copies), confirming the first prohibition against the residence of the king's commission at Canton; and the Company's agents here have thereupon been requested by the hong-merchants not to sub-let any portion of their factory to the superintendents, during the continuation of their lease. It is, moreover, desired that a commercial agent, called by the Chinese a trepan, should be sent to Canton, and not a king's officer."—Corresp. p. 44.
November 1st. The following supreme mandate was received from Peking by the governor of Canton.
"The English barbarians have an open market in the Inner Land, but there has hitherto been no interchange of official communications; it is, however, absolutely requisite, that there should be a person professing general control, to have the special direction of affairs. Let the said governor immediately order the hong- merchants to command the said separate merchants, that they send a letter back to their country, calling for the appointment of another person as taepan to come for the control and direction of commercial affairs, in accordance with the old regulations. Respect this.”—Corresp. p. 56.
3d. The governor received an imperial mandate, forbidding all traffic in opium; this mandate was published by the governor in form of a proclamation.
6th. The governor issued an edict for the purpose of carrying the foregoing imperial mandate (received on the 1st) into effect.
10th. The superintendents of British trade issued the following public notice to the British subjects in China.
"The superintendents have during the last few weeks devoted their serious con- sideration to the state in which past occurrences bave placed his majesty's com- mission in China, and think it due to the British community to afford to them the following succinct statement of their views on the subject.
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‘Any determination in regard to the future, which it may seem fit to his majesty in his wisdom to adopt, the superintendents will not presume to antici- pate. It has been their duty humbly to submit a full detail of all the events which have transpired since the arrival of the commission in China, and this they have faithfully performed. It is proper to add, that in accordance with instruc- tions under the royal Sign Manual, a transcript of the same report has been forwarded in duplicate to his excellency the right honorable the governor-general of India.
‘Adverting then to the situation in which his majesty's servants have been placed by the denial of the Canton government to acknowledge their public cha-