Directory_and_Chronicle_1842 — Page 368

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Bovior at Public Occurrinets During the

Juty.

unted veable

porting, anal the iman • mga V and coupłamming of theg adherence to an arrogation af has excellency authority rather than of simple obedience to his commands With the essential pout in my hand I feit that at would be sunwoe to risk its complete accomplishment by difficulties upon what I am well aware are the mere tricks of wordy assumption, so characteristic of Chinese negociation, and which I can set to rights without hazard on some future and iore favorable occasion.

Neither did I object to receive the governor's assent to the principle, that all communications of importance must be forwarded through the officers, in an answer addressed to the senior hong-merchant; because I sincerely felt that his excellency had made as much of substantial concession for the present, as a functionary in his station could venture upon, without the express orders of his court. And after what had been gamed, I perceived how necessary it was to refrain from exciting the ready feeling, that to grant anything, is only to feed the spirit of demand.

"I hope, my lord, that this attainment of direct official communication be- tween the two countries will, on the whole, be satisfactory to her majesty's government. It is the first permanent intercourse of the kind which has ever existed between this ancient empire and the western world; and with the rule plainty admitted, and the countenance of her majesty's goverument, prudent and watchful officers will, I trust, find it less perplexing to improve and extend the manner, than it has been to establish it.

I have, &c. -Corresp. pp. 326-329.

•

(Signed)

"CHARLES ELLIOT."

Again, in a private shape," on the same day, captain Elliot wrote, expressing a hope that II. B. M. government would be pleased to determine whether he had a claim to such an expression of sup- port, as he might he permitted to publish to the queen's subjects in China. He at the same time informed his lordship that, till furnish- ed with further instructions, he should hold it to be his duty to resist to the last, the seizure and punishment of any British subject by the Chinese, be his crime what it might.

3d. Lin, governor of Húkwáng, was appointed by the emperor, to repair to Canton, in order to stop the traffic in opium.

7th. A public meeting of foreign residents was held in Canton, for the formation of a Seamen's Friend Association.

An edict was issued by the local magistrate, admonishing all Native houses smokers of opium, at once to abandon the vile habit.

we searched for the drug and the apparatus for smoking it. In con- sequence of these proceedings, the prople erected gates in the streets in order to enable them first to seach the person of the police-men before permitting them to begin their search.

8th. Captain Elliot wrote to his government regarding the evils of the co-hong-evils which thrive well in these times of disorder. The following is an extract