Directory_and_Chronicle_1885 — Page 361

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WHAMPOA-CANTON,

The importance of Whampoa is now a thing of the past, and there are seldom more than one or two small foreign sailing vessels in port. The place will always, however, possess some interest for foreigners, since the earliest recollections of foreign commercial intercourse with China are associated with it, all foreign ships being in old times compelled to anchor at Whampoa.

British Consulate.

Vice-Coneul-H. F. Flance

Constable J. II. Jones

DIRECTORY.

Imperial Maritime Customs. Assistant Tide Surveyor-1). Conklin Tidewater-R. von der Leithen

Watchers-A. R. Agassiz, F. Williams,

F. J. Heiderich, W. Helfer

IMPERIAL TORPEDO DEPARTMENT J. A. Betts, C.E., Assoc. M.I.C.E., su-

perintendent

CANTON.

Canton is situated on the Chu-kiang, or Pearl River, in latitude 28 deg. 7 min. 10 sec. N., and longitude 113 deg. 14 min. 30 sec. E., and is the capital of the province of Kwangtung. It is sometimes called the City of Rams and the City of Genii, both of which names are derived from ancient legends. One of the first cities in the Chinese Empire, it is also the seat of government for the province, and is the residence of the Viceroy of "The Two Kwang" (Kwangtung and Kwangsi). The Governor of Kwangtung and the Tartar General ar likewise resident here, besides a number of other government officials of more or less distinction including the Haikwau, or Superintendent of Customs, a post always held by a Manchu,

Canton, owing to its favoured situation, became at an early date the port to which the traffic of European countries was attracted. The Portuguese found their way thither in 1516, but it is recorded that their conduct in those days was not calculated to impress the Chinese favourably. The Arab navigators had, however, been making regular voyages between Canton and the ports of Western Asia 28 early as the tenth century. The Dutch appeared on the sceño about a hundred years later than the Portuguese, and these in their turn were supplanted by the English, The latter, towards the close of the seventeenth century, founded the very profitable trade which was conducted for nearly one hundred and fifty years by the Agents of the East India Company, who established a Factory there in 1684, which was after- wards celebrated throughout the world. From 1684 the export of tea to England in- creased rapidly. The Company's monopoly te minated in 1834. In 1839, Great Britain was led to a declaration of war with China in consequence of the oppression to which foreigners were subjected by the native authorities, and Canton was menaced with capture in 1841. A pecuniary ransom was, I a er weived in lieu of the ocenation. of the city, and hostilities were for the time being-unded. The lesson, unfortunately, was without effect, and the arrogance of the Gli escontinued unabated. The British campaign in Central China ensued, and the res. It was the signature of the Treaty of Nanking (August 29th, 1812), by which what was called the Co-Hong monopoly at Canton was abolished and four additional ports thrown open to foreign trade. Never- theless, the provisions of the Treaty continued to be ignored in the City of Kams, and foreigners were still denied admittance within its walls. The result of protracted annoyances and insulta was that in October, 1856, Sir Michael Seymour, with the fleet, again opened hos lities, and some two months later a mob in retaliation pillaged and burned all the foreign residences. In December, 1857, Sir Charles Straubenzee, in command of an expedition which had been specially despatched from England, attacked the city, and it was taken on the 29th of that month. The Freuch also sent out an expedition, and the city was occupied by the Allied Forces until October, 1861, a period of nearly four years.

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