Directory_and_Chronicle_1842 — Page 97

1842.

Last Ten Years, from 1832 to 1841.

79

the said barbarian merchants must certainly pay them gladly, and must continual. ly remain tranquil. But if, as is now reported, the Canton merchants have of late been in a feeble and deficient state, and have, in addition to the government duties, added also private duties, while fraudulent individuals have further taken advantage of this, to inake gain out of the custom-house duties, peeling off [from

barbarians] layer after layer; and have gone also to the extreme degree of the government merchants incurring debts to the barbarians, heaping thousands upon ten thousands, whereby are stirred up sanguinary quarrels: if the merchants, thus falsely, and under the name of tariff duties, extort, each according to his own wishes, going even to the extreme degree of incurring debts, amount upon amount, it is not matter of surprise if the said barbarian merchants, unable to bear their grasping, stir up disturbances. Thus, with regard to the affair this year of the English lord Napier and others, disobeying the national laws, and bringing forces into the inner river, the barbarians being naturally crafty and artful, and gain be- ing their only object, we have no assurance that it was not owing to the numerous extortions of the Canton merchants, that they, their minds being discontented, thereupon craftily thought to carry themselves with a high hand. If regulations be not plainly established, strictly prohibiting these things, how can the barbarous multitude be kept in subjection, and misdemeanors be eradicated?

“Let Lú and his colleagues, examine with sincerity and carnestness; and if of. fences of the above description exist let them immediately inflict severe punish- ments therefor; let there be not the least connivance or screening. Let them also, with their whole hearts, consult and deliberate, and report fully, and with fidelity, as to the measures they, on investigation, propose, for the secure establishment of regulations, so as to create confident hopes that the barbarians will be disposed to submit gladly, and that fraudulent merchants will not dare to indulge their desires of peeling and scraping them. Then will they (Lú and his colleagues) not have failed of accomplishing the duties of their offices. Make known this edict. Respect this."-Corresp. p. 77.

19th. On the eve of his departure from China, Mr. Davis ad- dressed the following to viscount Palmerston.

“After the lapse of considerably more than three months since the reöpening of the trade, consequent on lord Napier's retirement from Canton, I am tempted to take a brief review of the principal occurrences of this period, as the best ground of an opinion concerning the measures which his majesty's government may deem it fit to adopt relatively to China.

“I am aware that two courses of a very opposite nature, might have been taken by me, subsequent to lord Napier's deccase, in lieu of the one which, ac- cording to the best of my own judgment, and with the entire concurrence of the Board, I have pursued; and which, considering, that a season of unusual com- inercial activity, and an increased amount of tonnage is now drawing quietly to a close with the monsoon, I see no reason to regret. I might, in the first place, have tried the effect of a measure which has not been without its advocates, and which (under very peculiar and favorable circumstances) was successful in 1814, I mean the withdrawal of the ships from the river, and the stoppage of the trade on our part. I do not deny that this might have been productive of considerable embarrasement to the local government for the tume: but the ill-success of such a course m the year of 1849-3), when the Company's ships were detamed for