252
Review of Public Occurrences During the
MAY,
18th. A meeting of the foreign residents was held in Canton with a view to open a chapel for public worship. A committee was appointed to carry into effect the wishes of those convened. Can. Reg., May 30th.
24th. In a dispatch of this date to his government, captain Elliot wrote; thus "upon the whole, perhaps, your lordship may be led to think that there can be no advantage in wringing a change of prac- tice from the Chinese government regarding the mode of inter- course;" and therefore he hints that all "needless agitation of points of form" should be avoided. Corresp. p. 206.
June 1st. The governor of Canton gave permission to capt. Elliot to proceed to and from Canton in his European boat, without applying for a passport, he promising "not to fail to report the period of his arrival and departure." Corresp. p. 208.
5th. The managing partner in the Hingtái hong made a report of its concerns to the provincial government. Can. Reg., June 27th.
12th. Under this date, viscount Palmerston, in reply to captain Elliot's communications of December 30th, 1836, and January 12th, 1837, wrote thus:
"I have received your dispatch of December 30th, 1836, detailing the parti- culars of a communication into which you had thought proper to enter with the authorities of the Chinese government at Canton, through the hong-merchants; and I have also received your dispatch of January 12th, 1837, in which you state the course which you intended to pursue until the arrival of further instructions from this department. I have now to desire that, upon the receipt of this dispatch, you will forthwith inform the hong-merchants and the viceroy that his majesty's government cannot permit that you, an officer of his majesty, should hold com. munications with an officer of the emperor of China, through the intervention of private and irresponsible individuals. You will, therefore, request that any com- munications which the governor may have to make to you in future, may be sent to you direct; and that the governor will consent to receive directly from you any communications on public affairs which the interests of the two governments may require you to make to him. You will also explain, that if in future your written communications should not be endorsed with the character which is usually adopted by subordinate officers in China, when addressing representations to supe- rior Chinese authorities; this alteration will not arise from any want of respect on your part towards the governor; but will simply be the result of the established usages of England, which do not admit that an officer commissioned by the king of England should so address an officer commissioned by any other sovereign." -Corresp. p. 149.
19th. The commissioner of customs made a report to the governor regarding the European boats, running to and from Canton, which led to the larger ones being interdicted, and the smaller ones being required to go without decks. Vol. VI., p. 103.
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