Last Ten Years, from 1832 i 1×11
263
November 4th. The first annual report of the general cominittcc of the Canton Chamber of Commerce, was approved at a general meeting. Vol. VI., p. 327.
17th. Under this date captain Elliot replied to the edict of the 25th of September, promising "to transmit it to his country by the rapid steam and overland communication." And then adds:
"He has already signified to your excellency with truth and plamness, that his commission extends only to the regular trade with this empire; and further, that the existence of any other than this trade has never yet been subinitted to the knowledge of his own gracious sovercign. He will only permit himself to add, on this occasion, that circumstances of the kind described by your excellency, cannot be heard of without feelings of concern and apprehension: and he desires humbly to express an carnest hope that sure and safe means of remedying a hazardous state of things, may be speedily devised.
Corresp. p. 240.
(Signed)
"CHARLES ELLIOT."
19th. The following communication affords no very favorable pic- ture of the then existing "state of circumstances." It was, under this date addressed from captain Elliot to viscount Palinerston.
14
My lord,-I now beg leave to resume the subject of my dispatch of yester- day's date. In the early part of this year, the project of immediately legalizing the traffic in opium was, without doubt, favorably entertained at the court; and, situated as we are, it is impossible to detect the particular management by which the postponement of the measure may have been achieved. We have now arriv ed, however, at a stage in the passage of circumstances when it appears to be necessary, that the subject should once more be drawn under your lordship's se- rious attention. The vigorous proceedings of the provincial government against the native smugglers at the outside anchorages in the immediate neighborbood of this port, have had the effect of vastly increasing the traffic on the castern coasts of the neighboring province of Fukien. Till within the last few months that branch of the trade never afforded employinent to more than two or three small vessels; but, at the date of this dispatch, and for some months past, there have not been less than twenty sail of vessels on the cast coast; and I am sorry to add, that there is every reason to believe blood has been spilt in the interchange of shot which has ever and anon taken place between them and the mandarin boats.
The most grave result of the vigilance upon the spot remains to be described'. 'The native boats have been burned, and the native smugglers scattered; and the consequence is, as it was foreseen it would be, that a complete and very hazardous change has been worked in the whole manner of conducting the Canton portion of the trade. The opium is now carried on (and a great part of it inwards to Whampoa in European passage.boats belonging to British owners, slenderly manned with Lascar seamen, and furnished with a scanty armament, which may rather be said to provoke or to justify search, accompanied by violence, than to furnish the means of effectual defense. I have no certain means of judging fo what extent the shipping at Whampoa may be implicated in this new mode of carrying on the trade, but I am no. without reason to believe, that they are so. and possibly a an mereasing degre that the hung in rehant who se, ures
And as your lordshup is probably aware ach simpe and the capłan ri najsigers
<
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.