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THE FRIEND OF CHINA AND HONGKONG GAZETTE.

ORIGINAL COELSPONDENCE.

SIR,

To the Editor of the FRIEND OF CHINA.

WHEN the British forces last year retired from the above Canton, it was the agreement previously, heights made, between H. B. M. commissioner Elliot and the Chinese high commissioner and provincial authorities, that the defenses on the river from Canton to the sea should not be rebuilt till after the settlement of the then existing difficulties. In the face of this engagement, Yihshan and his colleagues told their master that they would rebuild the whole, commencing at the city and working down the river. that, ere the British forces out side were fully aware And so prompt were they, of what was doing, it was not deemed worth while to interfere. The defenses went on accordingly and now they are many times stronger that they were for

merly

Το

SIR,

The Editor of the FRIEND OF CHINA,

the natives of China. We are all aware that

95

fur jackets on, throws them off one by one as the tem- perature increases, until the whole load is got rid of; and hence the sailor's proverb at Canton, that you may

Chinaman has

Two errors were made-one in allowing the Chinese mind trained to activity and working, capable Amperor be successful in his anti-opium efforts, this

river,

an opportunity to begin their defences on the contrary to the stipulation--the other in not instantly enjoying a greater portion of happiness and of causing their destruction when once discovered. Had being more useful to Society, than a mind trained these two errors been avoided, the river to Canton to inactivity, and left to perish for lack of know- would now be free and secure to the British and all ledge. The desire therefore of the Chinese for rais- other foreign merchants, and the residents in the foreigning themselves in the scale of human existence, factories would not be completely in the grasp of the Chinese authorities.

Will Yihshan and his fellows keep their promise? What is there to prevent its fullfilment ? -

1842, I find a very interesting account of the ex- for wool-spinning and of wool for machinery employ- In the Chinese Repository for the month of June always know what's o'clock by the number of jackets a amination of the Pupils attached to the Morrisonment, while the 4d per pound of expense to England on Australia has abundance of coal Education Society; and as a well wisher to all would be gained by the Colonial spinner, and this such Institutions, permit me to offer a few remarks make spinning for the China market more profitable which it is hoped may lead to the Establishment in Australia than England. As conrse wool would of a kindred Society in the first British settlement also be the greatest in demand for this purpose, the of China, HongkongTo any one who seriously Australians would be induced to breed, in a certain considers rapid strides which the European degree, far coarser floeces, averaging more than double world is it the present moment making towards the weight of the fine ones, and hence making up in which are daily susceptible in the arts and cinning in New Zealand has already, I see, been pro- knowledge in general, and the vast improvements quantity for inferiority in fineness. Flax steam-spin-

little has been the diffusion of knowledge among cies, it must be a matter of surprise, mmgled with jected, for the China market I presume. Here, then, deep regret, that, comparatively speaking, so very

are the benefits that may be anticipated. Until opium came so much in vogue in China, the greater portion of the tea cargoes had to be paid in bullion, should the

made to meet the orisis. Many ships bound from En- gland to China might consequently be induced to make trade must coase; and every exertion ought to be

a double voyage of it, as that of ships from England to Bombay and theuce to China is called, and thereby with a view to increase their prospects in life, and tralia, or partly for it and China; filling up the space increase their profits, taking a cargo wholly for Aus- of useful knowledge, should ever form their most of making speedy improvement in every branch gained by the Australian discharge with wool and New Zealand flax, woollen and flaxen yarn, and of undyed serious consideration; and I venture to hope, that, manufactures of these, to procure tea cargoes in China blished in this country, whereby such desirable sooner or letter, some Institution will be esta for England. All half-civilized nations have their fa- wants may be felt and secured. It is easy for us

vorite colour-blue the Affghan, and black the Chi- to place the light of science before them, and bybility and the penchant of the Affghans to dye accord. nese: the undyed strong cotton cloths of India being the cheering influence of its enlightened beams, ing their own taste; and the same would naturally in greatest demand in Affghanistan, from their dura. they can trace the road to knowledge and direct Possibly the information I have obtained may not be their course onward, until they reach that happy correct! but if it be and the rebuilding be allowed, the gaol which will conduct them to Religion, Virtue trade of Canton and those who conduct it, will be al-and Happiness. It behoves us.

therefore, as Brit- most as comfortably and as securely situated as they ish Philanthrophists in China, were when commissioner Lin arrived there in March glorious objects, by the establishment of either a to contribute to such school for the education of the lower classes of the Chinese Population, or a Public Library, founded upon good principles, with an intelligent head to superintend the management of its affairs, and in all respects, to look after the benefit and instruction of the people: unless we do the one or the other; unless we dispel that darkness which envelopes the mind in its uncultivated state, and it to that degree of perfection and happiness, search and labor, we may lo look for an entire reformation in the conduct of the natives of China, and for any change either in their sentiment, feel ings or religious opinions. The establishment of either a school or Library, in my humble opin ion, the only effectual mode of effecting a change in the conduct of the Chinese, and the best means, perhaps, of diffusing knowledge through every corner of this dark and tonighted country,

On authority not to be slighted, it is known that re cently their excellencies have received a dispatch from the emperor, requiring of them to rebuild the forts within three months, from the date of the Edict. They have formed their plan; materials, guns, &c., are being made ready, and, under cover of night, the work is to be commenced.

1839,

August, 29th, 1842.

To

Yours

VIATOR.

Amiens, per favour of the Editor of the

"FRIEND OF CHINA.”

exalt

hold good with China.

Ar the Opium sale held yesterday at the Ex- 860 Rupees the chest, the prime cost being under change, 4052 chests were sold at an avarage of

Rupees, or 350,0001. 300. The result of the sale was about 35 lakhs of The war in China was brought on by the confiscation of twenty thousand chests of Opium. It is a very extraordinary war in all respects. The value of the destroyed Õpium, for which we shall doubtless demand an indemni- ty, has been more than made up to the mercantile community by the profits they have subsequently made in consequence chiefly of the destruction of

DEAR call you Amicus, as the spirit which is the ultimate reward of all literary re-so large a stock. And the Company, during the

PERMIT I

which pervades throughout your letter in this day's FRIEND OF CHINA, fully garantees my doing so. I should have very cheerfully responded to your call to meet the wishes of my friends by causing publicity to be given to the memorial which our Service here has found it necessary to submit, through the prescribed channel, for the favorable consideration of the supreme Government; but in verity, I have it not I have not seen it-it is true I have joined chorus in the cry and will do all in my limited power to see ourselves righted. In the present instance all I had done was to sound the tocsin to my fellow laborers in the vineyard, at Head Quarters, and they readily adopted my sug gestion, viewing, as they did with myself, the justice

of our cause.

-

This is a subject of vast importance and not the less deserving of attention than the current events of the day for really, to a christian observer, the Chinese appear nothing more than a horde of bar barians, unprincipled in their rs, polluted in their morals, degraded in the ples, and per- therefore the The immense

verted in their minds. How painful Assuredly we shall ever be grateful to all well contemplation of such a subject wishers, (I take this oportunity to thank the Editor millions of the Chinese population buried in the of the FRIEND OF CHINA for his address in our be- gloom of darkness, superstition and error. half) and to His Excellency the Lieut. General not the sacred stream of some benevolen Commanding, our debt of gratitude is great-Gra-flow to rescue the country from this foul cious honors will reward his Excellency for uphold to dispel the mist of barbarum and ign ing the int

of a class whose only aim is to be

to elevate the peasantry wor

from vice and out of the covenant, but for the "head and front" tion to a moral practice and a holy co

our ience, we have no cause for alarm, as the enlightened Statesman who now holds the reins of the Government of India, has already developed 23rd August, 1842. the wise policy of his rule, that, neither cast, creed, and color,” nor the "covenanted garb" shall inter- fere in the justice of his Lordships adminstration.

of

You must be aware dear Amicus, (if you are an East Indian) that the British Parliament when des liberating on our petition, presented to both houses during the period that the present Head of the In- dian Government Control, must

resident of the

His Lordshi

tion.

Yours faithfully

A Friend to China.

ENGLISH GOODS FOR FOREIGN MARKUTS,

(From the

CHINA 18 30. of its so

for

able:

war, have made profits by the Opium manufactu- red for the Chinese, more than equal to the whole expence. The Chinese have in fact paid all the charges of the war by the Opium they have been smoking during the continuance of it.

"AFFGHANISTAN.

Friend of India.

Or the ulterior plans of Lord Ellenborough regard- ing Afghanistan, nothing has transpired since our last issue. We hear it loudly whispered in society, that the members of Council are not in possession either of the views of His Lordship or of the Ministry at home. but this we take to be quite apocryphal. It is not to be supposed, that bohuse the Governor General is at Allahabad, and the Council in Calcutta, there does not exist that free and unreserved interchange of senti- ments and views,

lewa, which has so happily marked almost Hastings and Francis set. every administration since b tled their differences by an appeal to the laws of hon Our. The general impression in society seems to be that the troops are positively to rotire without visiting. Cabul at the beginning of the cold weather and-we- Cannot but think, that this course of procedure, will pint even the Conservatives at home, and gener- ally displease the nation at large. The broad fact armies are actually in the field and in the and that the same expense for cattle must-be they retire without honour, or ad- recover it will probably be view. gest arguments for an advance take away all excuse for not doing so.

Friend of India,

verum have a

rent taste.-

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opening a wider Indians

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heavy, ins. Their

small tree. Japan, and their aromatio them. The ount of the man