Directory_and_Chronicle_1842 — Page 374

356

12th.

Review of Public Occurrences During the

JULY,

Whether any reply was ever received by captain Elliot to the following address of his to the governor, we do not know.

“The undersigned, &c., &c., being on the point of communicating with the government of his nation, and the high officers of the government of India, and the chief in command of the naval forces, and having his mind agitated by many doubts and fears, has once more to address your excellency upon the subject of his address of the 14th instant. It is his duty to lay before your excellency his strong conviction that the government of his nation will regard the unprecedent. ed execution of a criminal before the foreign dwelling-houses, to be an outrage upon the feelings and dignity of all the western governments whose flags were recently flying at Canton. And for the sake of that peace and goodwill which has subsisted for one hundred and several tens of years, the undersigned has again respectfully and anxiously to request that your excellency will be pleased to for. ward him a calming declaration through the honorable officers, in order that he may report to the high officers of his own nation, the needlessness of iminediate and direct appeals to the great emperor for protection. The cruizer of his nation is detained for your excellency's reply, and the undersigned having received the same, will immediately make the necessary statement, and she will then sail

away.

"Charles Elliot."

-Corresp., p. 362.

(Signed)

18th. Two edicts were issued by the commissioner-one to the hong-merchants, and the other to the foreigners: the latter requiring, every particle of the opium in the store-ships' to be delivered up to government, and bonds given that they will never again bring any more on penalty of death, and promising in case of compliance a remission of the past, and the continuance of commerce.

'The term

of three days was given for a reply. For these two edicts, see Chi- nese Repository, vol. VII., page 610 and sequel.

19ik. By an edict from the hoppo, addressed to the hong-mer- chants, all foreigners were forbidden to go to Macao.

One of the licensed passage-boats, the Snipe, was stopped at the Bogue on a charge of smuggling, and brought back to Canton. She was afterwards broken up.

21st. All communication with Whampoa was stopped, and troops assembled on the river and in the suburbs near the factories. The Chamber of Commerce assembled, and 1037 chests were tendered for surrender.

22d. Mr. L. Dent was invited to go to the city-gates to meet the commissioner. By circular from captain Elliot at Macao, all British shops were ordered to rendezvous at Hongkong, and put themselves

a posture of defense immediately.

Under this same date (the 22d), captam Elliot addressed the fol- lowing note to the governor of Canton, and sent a copy of the same

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