1812.
Last Ten Years, from 18932 7 1841.
469
was no disposition to protract hostile measures, would be salutary; indeed in every respect it seemed to ine to be our duty to confine her services to defense against attack, agreeably to the commander-in-chief's orders to himself, and dispatch to me. Concurring in this reasoning, he has returned this morning to his former anchorage at Hongkong, for the purpose of continuing our organization of defense against the attacks of the commissioner, so long threatened, but which I trust and believe the presence of her majesty's ship will avert. The only casualty I have to report on this occasion, is a flesh wound in the arm of captain Douglas, of the ship Cambridge, in a gallant attempt to carry one of the junks at the close of the day; and two of his boat's crew also wounded rather more severely. I am greatly indebted to this gentleman for his public spirit in purchasing, at his own charge, at Singapore, on his way up, twenty-two 18lb. guns (hearing of our desperate condition at Canton). And I have no doubt that the sight of this imposing vessel, manned with a strong crew of Europeans, las discouraged attempts upon this fleet for the last two months. I should hope that her majesty's government will be pleased to pay the expenses of this ship during the time he has performed these very valuable services in the absence of any ship of war, and reimburse him for the expense of the guns, and otherwise reward him as may seem right to your lordship. Meritorious public impulses and pecuniary risks of this description will not be lost upon the queen's government. And the ship is still performing the useful service of guarding one of the entrances into this harbor, against the fire rafts, and war-junks, with which we are menaced.
(Signed)
"CHARLES ELLIOT."
11th. Captain Smith, of the Volage, issued a public notice of his intention to establish a blockade of the river and port of Canton. This intention was not carried into effect.
12th. The Spanish ship Bilbaino was burnt by orders of the Chi- nese high commissioner. Indemnity for this loss, though early de- manded, was not obtained until after the British were in possession of the heights above Canton in June, 1841.
October 9th. Commissioner Lin declared, by proclamation, that as long as opium continued to come to China, he would continue to act against it.
Little did he know of the odds against which he had to contend. For this ignorance he was culpable, and adhering to it was the cause of his mismanagement, and the consequent degradation and punishment which have followed. The violent measures continued through the month, the English vessels, with the exception of the Thomas Coutts and Royal Saxon, refusing to enter the port, and the trade in opium reviving, especially on the east coast.
November 3d. A spirited action took place off Chuenpí, in which H. B. M. ships Volage and Hyacinth engaged and destroyed or dispersed a fleet of twenty-nine junks, under admiral Kwán. Vol. VIII., p. 378.
The Chinese continued their annoyance at Hongkong. On the
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