18.12.
August 3d.
Last Ten Years, from 18832 7% 1841
461
Arrangements having been made for the public trial of certain English seamen, concerned in the riot at Hongkong, capt. Elliot gave the following notice thereof to the Chinese authorities. The note is addressed to the sub-prefect of Macao.
· Elliot, &c., &c., begs to acquaint the kcunmin fú. for the information of the higher officers at the provincial city, that on Monday, the 12th day of the inonth, certain English seainen will be tried before him, according to the laws of the English nation, on board a British ship, at the anchorage at Hongkong, for parti. cipation in the riot, in which a native of the land, named Lin Weihí, is declared to have lost his life, to the end that justice may he done upon those who are prov. ed to be guilty, and that the innocent may be allowed to go frce. And if the higher officers shall be pleased to command any of the honorable officers to be present at the trial, Elliot will take care that they are received with the respect due to their rank.
CHARLES ELLIOT."
-Corresp. p. 441.
Signed
16th. Under this date the result of the trial was communicated to the sub-prefect, in the following note.
"Elliot has the honor to acquaint the keunmin fú, for the information of the high officers, that he has strictly investigated according to the forms of law of his country concerning the death of a native of the land, at Hongkong, on the 7th July last. Not to the end that any man should be delivered up, for, by the plain orders of his gracious sovereign, that is impossible, but that justice may be done upon the guilty, even to the taking of life, if there be a conviction of murder. He now solemnly declarcs that he has not been able to discover the perpetrators of this deed.
"CHARLES ELLIOT."
-Correap. pp. 441-442.
(Signed)
21st. The servants having been withdrawn from the British houses in Macao, and attempts made to cut off all supplies, the fol- lowing note was addressed to the sub-prefect.
"Elliot has to demand, in the name of the sovereign of his nation, that proclamations should be forthwith issued, permitting the native servants, in the employment of the English at Macao, to return to their occupations and furnish the supplies. And Elliot has further to give notice that, as at Hongkong, there are several thousands of seamen menaced with the privation of supplies of food, Le cannot be responsible for the preservation of the peace, if the present condition of disquietude subsists. According to the genius of the English nation, they will be considered by his government to be measures of insult and violence of the worst character. And the responsibility rests upon the commissioner,
The greal emperor will not sanction proceedings of undistinguishing violence, arising entirely from a violation of his gracious will, that all things should be adjusted agreeably to the principles of justice and reason. -Corresp. p. 442.
Those who were not in Macao during the days now under review, or in Canton while the foreigners were forcibly detained there in March and April, can scarcely conceive of the degree of excitemen