Directory_and_Chronicle_1842 — Page 376

350

Review of Public Occurrences During the

JULY.

tion, and the community still adhered to their determination. The officers were left in a rooin consulting together, and after a lapse of a few minutes, they ex- pressed a wish to see Mr. Dent once more, when the officer belonging to the com- missioner's suite spoke for a very considerable time, giving his assurance in every way, and pledging his own word, for the safety of Mr. Dent's return. All these assurances were of no avail; and after Mr. Dent had expressed his regret that a further time could not be allowed for the arrangement of so important a question as the one on hand, he withdrew from the presence of the officers. It was now most distinctly affirmed by the officers, that they could not quit the house without they took Mr. Dent, and that they must use force to compel him to go. Waiting, however, for about half a hour, and finding Mr. Dent would not go, they wished to conduct a deputation of foreigners to the presence of the Kwángchau fú, at the consoo house, that they might state to that officer, upon what conditions Mr. Dent would comply with the commands. Many gentlemen accompanied these officers, and distinctly stated to the Kwángchau fú what the whole foreign community required. All the officers at the consoo house said that they could not obtain or even ask his excellency for a guaranty, but they all expressed a request that Mr. Morrison should accompany them to the city: this request was instantly denied : because Mr. Morrison had already been detained for about an hour against his will, in the consoo house, in the forenoon of this day, and was liberated by the deputy superintendent and the secretary to the superintendents. And it was strongly suspected that he was to be kept as a hostage for Mr. Dent.

"Mr. Inglis proposed that three other gentlemen, with himself, should be allow. ed to accompany the Kwángchau fú into the city: this was instantly conceded, and Messrs. Inglis, Thom, Slade, and Fearon were to form the party; they were conducted through the back door of the consoo house, entered the Chuklan gate, walked up the street, and took the first turning on the right, and soon passed the viceroy's palace; and after turning on the left, they drew up and were taken into the temple dedicated to the Queen of Heaven (tien hau kung). The Kwángchau fú had already arrived at this temple. He put these gentlemen in charge of the hong-merchants, and went to report to the high commissioner; during his absence, these gentlemen were shown to a very pretty part of the temple, and introduced to priests, who treated them kindly with sweetmeats, tca, &c.

After great delay, the noise of gongs and shouting, intimated the approach of the following officers-Puching sz', or financial commissioner; Anchá sz', or judicial commis. sioner; Yenyan sz', or salt commissioner; and Liángtau, or grain commissioner. These officers took their respective seats in a line, but leaving the Kwángchau fú, and weiyuen, or a deputed officer, to sit on a bench in another part of the hall, evidently as if they were of too inferior degree to sit on a level with the former officers. All forms of etiquette, &c., being arranged, Mr. Thom was ushered by the head linguist into the presence of these officers, and the following questions put to him direct. What is your name? What country do you belong to? &c., &c. Why does Mr. Dent not come?'

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“Mr. Thom said that all foreigners thought Mr. Dent would be detained, and therefore they would not allow him to come. Detain him or not detain him, he is guilty of showing the greatest disrespect for not obeying the commands from the high commissioner,—was the reply. Here Mr. Thom begged to say, that Mr. Dent had not the most distant intention of showing any disrespect; that this question was one of the utmost importance; that Mr. Dent and his countrymen were all