Directory_and_Chronicle_1842 — Page 485

ISAR

Last Few Years from 1832 in İsil

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authorities, or procure for yourself the same by every means in your prower !

They all exclaimed. Certainly nobody will like to starve, and necessity has no law. They directed me, however, to the other junk, where a low naval officer was said to reside. There I repented my former arguments, with nearly the same result, of convincing them of the necessity of permitting the people to come off and sell provisions.

“In this manner I went repcatedly backward and forward, repeating the tenor of our conversation to Captain Elliot. I also took two hundred dollars with me, assuring them that we could not leave the place until we had obtained supplies. The soldiers soon afterwards went off in a boat, to consult with the officer in the adjacent fort, and promised to tell us his opinion. It then appeared that nothing could be done, unless the matter were duly reported to the deputy of the com- missioner, who resides in the neighborhood, and leave obtained from the plenipotentiary himself. Having handed in to them a paper dictated by captain Elliot, I solemnly declared verbally, that all the mischief arising from their not permitting the people to come off to our ships would recoil on themselves, and besought them not to carry things to extremities, as the most disastrous conse. quences would naturally follow. At their request, I wrote also a list of the articles wanted; but was told that they could not be procured: something. however, would be made a present to us, to satisfy our immediate necessities, for which, however, no payment could be received. This was a mere manœuvre to gain time for manning the fort, whither numbers crowded. After the most pathetic appeal to their feelings, and having described the disasters which certain - ly would ensue from their obstinacy, I left them, and returned on board the cutter,—having thus repeatedly besought them to prevent, by timely yielding, loss of life, and all the concomitant feelings of men made desperate by hunger. -Corresp. p. 449.

"CHARLES Gutzlaff.”

(Signed)

5th. Regarding the peacefulness of British subjects the following notice was addressed to the Chinese people by Captain Elliot.

"The men of the English nation desire nothing but peace; but they cannot submit to be poisoned and starved. The imperial cruizers they have no wish to molest or impede; but they must not prevent the people from selling. To deprive men of food is the act only of the unfriendly and hostile.”

Under the same date captain Elliot at Hongkong wrote the follow. ing letter to viscount Palmerston.

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My lord.-I yesterday proceeded to Kaulung, in the cutter Louisa, distant about four miles from this anchorage, where there were three large war-junks, whose presence, I collected from the natives about us, prevented the regular supplies of fond. I was accompanied by the Pearl, a small armed vessel, and captain Smith of the Volage was so good as to lend me the pinnace of his ship, and to go with me himself. But I can assure your lordship, that though I anı responsible for causing the first shot to be fired, I did not anticipate any conflict when we left, and went accompanied solely for purposes of sufficient defense against insult or attack. The violent and vexatious measures heaped upon her, majesty's officer and subjects will, I trust, serve to excuse those feelings of irritation which have betrayed me into a measure that I am sensible, under less trying circumstances, would be difficult indeed of vindication. But I proceed to state the ciremmstances