242
Review of Publis Occurrences During the
MAY,
neck, and posted at the gate of Ilowqua's factory, where he was to remain for two days, then to be removed to Mowqua's gate, and so on to the gates of all the thirteen hongs.
10th. Regulations of the General Chamber of Commerce of Can- ton were adopted at a general meeting held this day.
20th. The governor of Canton sent up a memorial to the emperor regarding the appointment of captain Elliot to manage the mer- chants and seamen of his country,” and requesting permission for captain Elliot to reside at Canton.
"Since it was first permitted to the various nations of the foreigners, without the empire's pale, to have commercial intercourse with Canton, the English trade has always been the largest. Heretofore the direction of that nation's trade was in the hands of a company, by which, a chief, second, third and fourth supracargoes were appointed to reside in Canton. All the Company's foreign vessels successively reached China during the 7th and 8th months of every year; and having exchanged their commodities, left the port during the course of the 12th month, and of the 1st and 2d months of the following year. Having all left, the supracargoes forthwith requested passports to proceed to Macao, and reside there until the return of their foreign vessels in the 7th and 8th months, when they again requested passports to come to Cauton to transact their affairs. This is the way in which formerly, and for a long time past, these affairs were regulated.
"At a later period, the Company having been dissolved, no chief supracargo was scut; and another person was directed to take the control of affairs." Your inajesty's minister, Lú, then the governor, having represented this, received your majesty's commands, 'immediately to direct the hong-merchants, to desire the said private merchants to send a letter home to their country, calling for the renewed appointment of a chief supracargo who should come to Canton to direct commercial affairs, and thus should conform to the old enactments. Respect this.' In respectful obedience hereto, directions were given, as is on record.
"Now in the 11th month of the present year, I, your majesty's minister, have received from an English foreigner, Elliot, an address forwarded from Macao, to this effect:I have received dispatches from my government, specially ap pointing me to come to Canton, for the general control of the merchants and seainen of my nation. Under present circumstances, there being very many ships in the port, and the merchants and seamen at Canton and Whampoa being very numerous, and many of them little acquainted with the laws of the celestial em- pirc, I am apprehensive lest any difficulties should arise; and I intreat, therefore, pernission to proceed to Canton for the direction of affairs.'
Observing that this foreigner, in his address, calls himself an officer, which appears to be the designation of a barbarian headman, and not at all of a chief supracargo, and that he does not plainly state in his address, what rank he now holds from his own nation; whether the purpose of his coming is simply to apply himself to the control of the merchents and seamen, or whether he is also to
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This is an unofficial copy obtained through a private channel, and liable Therefore to mistake There seems to be a mistake here: it should probably be
and there was no por sorpe la fake the control of affair