correspondence-relating-to-china-1840 — Page 30

belonging to Chaouchow, in this province, were landed from the English vessel
Manly, having been saved from shipwreck, near the coast of Manila, about one
month since. The men of the English nation consider it an act of sacred duty
to assist the natives of the land in distress; and, since Elliot has been in the
country, several hundreds have been saved from shipwreck, and restored to their
fathers and the care of their families, by the kindness of the English people.
Is it a suitable return to deprive them of supplies of food, and to poison
the water which they are accustomed to drink ?
For the sake of peace, Elliot writes these words.
(Signed) CHARLES ELLIOT.




Inclosure 2 in No. 157.

Captain Elliot to the Officers at Kow Lune.

Kow Lune, September 4, 1839.
HERE are several thousands of men of the English nation deprived of
regular supplies of food ; and assuredly if this state of things subsists, there
will be frequent conflicts. And the Honourable Officers will be responsible for
the consequences.
These are the words of peace and justice.
(Signed) CHARLES ELLIOT.
 449


Inclosure 3 in No. 1 57.

Minute of Conversations held by Mr. Gutzlaff with some Mandarins at the
Anchorage of Kowlune.

September A, 1S39.
"WHEN coming alongside the first junk in a two-oared gig, the soldiers put
forth their boarding pikes ; on assuring them, however, that I was unarmed,
and had come alone, for peaceful purposes, they were ashamed of their untimely
show of resistance. After some desultory conversation, they told me that there
was no officer on board; the spokesman, however, though dressed in the
common garb of the people, appeared to me as a naval officer. He informed
me, that no public documents could be received and forwarded by the junks,
but if I had to communicate anything verbally, he should be too happy to listen
to my request. I then stated the reason of our coming, and showed him the
necessity of our procuring supplies of provisions, since it was impossible that
such a large fleet could subsist without them. He received the paper containing
an enumeration of our grievances, and read it very attentively, but said that he
was unable to act on his own responsibility and permit the people to come off,
but he was perfectly willing to report the matter to his superiors. I turned then -—
to the crew, and asked them, saying, " Suppose you were without food for any
length of time, and debarred from buying it, would you wait until the case was
transmitted to the higher authorities, or procure for yourself the same by every
means in your power ?" 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 repeated 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 repeatedly 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 Commissioner, who resides in the neighbourhood, and leave
obtained from the Plenipotentiary himself. Having handed in to them a paper
dictated by Captain Elliot, I most solemnly declared verbally, that all the mis
chief 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 consequences would naturally follow. At their request, I
wrote also a list of the articles wanted ; but was told that they could not be pro
cured: 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 manoeuvre to gain time for manning the fort, whither numbers
crowded. After the most pathetic appeal to their feelings, and having described
the disasters which certainly 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.
(Signed) CHARLES GUTZLAFF.
Joint Interpreter.


Inclosure 4 in No. 157.

Notice to the Chinese People regarding the peacefulness of our objects.

September 5, 1839.
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.
3 M
 450



Inclosure 5 in No. 157.

Capt. Elliot to the Imperial Commissioner and Governor of Canton.

Hong-kong, September 2, 1839.
IS it consistent with peace, or -with the dignity of the empire, to drive forth
from their houses, and to deprive of supplies of food, and of attendance, women
in the pains of child-birth, sick persons, and young children, upon the pretext
that Elliot does not deliver up a man to be killed, although he has solemnly and
repeatedly declared that he has strictly investigated according to the laws of his
country, and that he is unable to discover who the guilty man is; and although
it is most certain that the seamen of American ships were on shore, and engaged
in the riot which led to this disaster. Is it desired that Elliot should deliver
up any man indiscriminately, and involve the higher officers, as well as himself,
in the guilt of murdering an innocent man?
Again Elliot asks,— Is it consistent with peace, or with the dignity of the
empire, for the Hiyh Commissioner to encourage the natives of the land to act*
of the worst description of violence against the men of his nation ?
On the 16th day of the moon, native boats, which there is every reason to
believe had mandarins on board, (for Elliot is in possession of a cap left there,
such as is usually worn by native soldiers,) suddenly attacked a small English
passage- boat, off the south-west end of Lantao, plundered her of much valuable
property, caused six of the crew to lose their lives by drowning, attempted to
blow up the vessel, and cruelly wounded and disfigured an English gentleman,
by cutting off one of his ears, and stabbing him in thirty places.
At Hong-kong Elliot finds that the waten has been poisoned; and though
he knows the Commissioner never could have given an order so sure to draw
down upon his head the terrible wrath of Heaven, and of the Emperor, still it is
to be believed that the water would not have been poisoned, or the boat attacked,
unless the Commissioner had incited the natives to acts of violence against the
people of the English nation by untrue and inflammatory proclamations on the
walls of Macao.
Elliot, who is an humble foreign officer, has done far more in fulfilment of
of the just Imperial will, for the suppression of the traffic in opium, than the
High Commissioner, and is ready still farther to manifest his sincere earnestness
by separating the lawful from the lawless trade. But when he offered to do so,
the Commissioner refused to receive his sealed addresses in the manner agreed
upon between the Governor of these provinces and himself on the 25th of
April, 1837.
Thus the first interruption of the communication is attributable to the
Commissioner, and its continued interruption arises from Elliot's determination
to receive no papers whilst the walls of Macao are covered with unjust and
inflammatory proclamations against him and all the men of the nation, and
whilst his countrymen are deprived of their servants and supplies of food.
Let these things be adjusted, and Elliot is ready immediately to open
honourable and friendly communication with the officers, and use his sincerest
efforts to settle all things according to the principles of reason and justice, upon
the basis of effectually separating the lawful trade from the unlawful, and of
securing the faithful payment of the Imperial duties by the British ships.
(Signed) CHARLES ELLIOT.



No. 158.

Captain Elliot to Viscount Palmerston.

My' Lord, Ship Fort William, Hong Kong, September 8, 1839.
IN protection of British traders in China, (whose interests would be
seriously injured by enabling the American merchants to avail themselves of
their constrained absence from Canton to carry on the trade with Great Britain,
 451

by transshipment from American into British bottoms outside the port of Canton,
and other indirect means,) I humbly hope her Majesty's Government will take
«uch steps as may be necessary to prevent the entrance of cargoes of China
produce into the United Kingdom, if the manifests shall not be signed by me, till
Despatches shall be received from here, announcing the opening of the trade on
some such footing as will put it in the power of British merchants to carry on
British business.
Your Lordship will permit me to remind you that these persons are
abiding at Canton, at the formal sacrifice of most important principles
of policy, which Her Majesty's, their own, and all the Western Governments
hitherto firmly repudiated in the intercourse with China ; neither can there
be any doubt that the Trade would long since have been temporarily re
established on some safe and respectable footing if they had left Canton
with us, as they ought to have done. They were the more called upon to
pursue this course because it was entirely owing to my deeply responsible and
active interference in their behalf that the Americans were saved from an
exceedingly critical dilemma during our late imprisonment at Canton. In our
common difficulties I felt it my duty to act for them as beneficially as I possibly
could, not only because of the friendship between Her Majesty's and the American
Governments, but because I know that union amongst foreigners for all honour
able objects, is the best defence against the encroaching spirit of the Chinese
authorities. It was not till the Commissioner received a certificate under my
hand, that the declaration of the American Consul was faithful, that he ceased
his persecutions upon them; and I sedulously endeavoured to avert other
most perplexing consequences from falling upon them, to the considerable
aggravation of my own responsibilities and anxieties. Their submission to
the inadmissible pretensions of this Government and to the practical reduc
tion of the foreigners at Canton almost to the condition of the Dutch at Japan,
is excessively inconvenient to the interests of the Western Nations holding
intercourse with China.
I would respectfully suggest the expediency of a representation to the
American Government concerning proceedings, for which their citizens here
have never pretended to put forward any other excuse, than the perfectly un
founded and unbecoming declaration, that they have nothing to expect from the
protection of their own Government, and must therefore look to their immediate
interests at the sacrifice of all general considerations.
The critical struggle with the Chinese Government respecting the affair of
the 7th July, could never have assumed its present most serious aspect, if the
Americans had admitted the unquestionable truth of my representation,
that their citizens were engaged in the affray, that it was impossible to say
whether the offender was American or British, and that they never could consent
to the delivering up of a man to the Chinese Government in satisfaction of a
homicide brought home against no foreign individual. Adherence to this princi
ple is as necessary to them as to us, and their direct connexion with the riot of
the 7th July, cast upon them the duty of asserting it on this occasion.
I have, &c,
CHARLES ELLIOT,
Chief Superintendent.
P.S. I take this occasion to inclose a Memorial signed by all the British
firms, which has this day been submitted to me for transmission to your
Lordship.
CHARLES ELLIOT.



PUBLIC NOTICE.
Macao, July *29, 1839.
NOTICE is hereby given, That the Chief Superintendent has moved Her
Majesty's and the British Indian Governments, to forbid the entrance of Tea
and other Produce from this Country, imported in British Vessels entering the
Port of Canton, in violation of his lawful injunctions, to the serious injury of
measures taken for the general security of this Trade. And the Chief Superin
3 M 2
 452

tendent has farther to give Notice, that he has also moved Her Majesty's and
the British Indian Governments, to forbid the entrance of cargoes from this
Country (till the Port of Canton be declared safe for British Trade under his
hand and seal), except theirmanifests be duly signed in his presence.
By Order of the Chief Superintendent.
(Signed) EDWARD ELMSLIE,
Secretary and Treasurer to the Superintendents.


Inclosure in No. 1 58.

Memorial of British Merchants resident in China to Viscount Palmerston.

My Lord, Hong Kong Bay, September 7, 1839.
WE, the undersigned British Merchants, lately residing at Canton, several
of whom had the honour of addressing your Lordship on the 23rd of May
last, on the subject of the outrageous proceedings of the Chinese Govern
ment in March last, are once more compelled respectfully, but most earnestly,
to address your Lordship, in consequence of having been again subjected to
further acts of arbitrary violence from the same source.
On completion of the surrender of the Opium by Her Majesty's Superin
tendent to the Imperial Commissioner, on behalf of Her Majesty's Government,
(particulars of which have been laid before your Lordship,) your memorialists
retired from Canton to Macao, in obedience to the injunctions of Her Majesty's
Superintendent, in the hope of being allowed to remain peaceably in that
settlement, until otherwise arranged by the authority of Her Majesty's Go
vernment.
After a residence of three months in Macao, your memorialists have been
compelled suddenly to abandon that settlement, and seek refuge on board their
ships, in consequence of menacing preparations of the Imperial Commissioner,
and Edicts ordering the departure of British subjects, on pain of severe punish
ment ; at the same time holding us responsible with our lives for the surrender
of an individual to suffer death, in satisfaction of the alleged murder of a native
in an accidental affray with some British and American seamen, a few weeks
since, at the anchorage of Hong Kong.
Her Majesty's Superintendent has been unable, after a careful investigation
according to the forms of British law, to fix such charge of murder on any
British subject.
Without any charge whatever against your Memorialists, individually or
collectively, from the High Commissioner, in connexion with the ostensible
cause of our actual expulsion from Macao, we were first deprived of our servants
and supplies of food, and then compelled to abandon our dwellings, without
previous preparation, and in the possession of means barely adequate for the
removal of our books, papers, and articles of immediate use and necessity,
under circumstances involving much cruel privation to families and invalids.
The Governor of Macao was pleased to express his anxiety to afford all aid
in his power to the British community ; but His Excellency did not attempt to
conceal from your Memorialists the fact of his real inability to give them efficient
protection ; and they quitted that Settlement under a perfect conviction that
such a course was imperatively necessary for the general safety.
Your Memorialists further beg leave to call to your Lordship's serious
notice, a case of aggravated outrage, committed by some Chinese boats full of
armed men, and bearing the flags of Mandarins, upon a British-owned passage
boat, containing seven Lascars and an English Trader (then in the act of remo
ving with his personal effects from Macao to Hong Kong), whom they cruelly
mutilated ; and after murdering five of the Lascars, and robbing the vessel of
much valuable property, set on fire and then abandoned it ; an event, which
although your Memorialists cannot consider it to have been committed with the
knowledge of the Imperial Commissioner, yet they can entertain little doubt
that it is mainly attributable to the highly menacing character of some of his late
Edicts, and to his generally, violent bearing towards foreigners, and especially
the British : thus inducing the inferior officers to conceive that any acts of
brutal outrage might be perpetrated with impunity.
 453

In the former Memorial, an opinion was expressed, that after the violent
acts of the High Commissioner in March last, the return of British subjects to
Canton would be alike dangerous to themselves, to the property of their con
stituents, and derogatory to the honour of their country, until such time as the
power of the British Government might convince the Chinese authorities that
such outrages would not be endured.
And it was further stated that such powerful interference could alone
prevent the recurrence of similar or more violent proceedings. Your Memori
alists may respectfully refer your Lordship to the facts now detailed, in illustra
tion of the jus'.ice of that opinion.
It appears unnecessary to add, that the circumstance of the British being
outside the Port, instead of in Canton, has merely changed the scene, not the
nature, of the Commissioner's persecutions ; there being every reason to believe
that had we remained in Canton, the plan by which the Commissioner succeeded
in extorting property to the value of between two and three millions sterling,
would again have been resorted to, for the purpose of endeavouring to enforce
the surrender of an innocent man for capital punishment.
We have, &c,
Dent and Co. Macvicar and Co.
Bell and Co. Vaniellott.
D. M. Rustomjee and Co. Jardine, Matiieson and Co.
Fox, Rawson and Co. Bomanjee Maneckjee,
Lindsay and Co. Framjee Jamsetjee,
Dirom and Co. Cawasjee Shapoorjee Tabac,
Gribble, Hughes and Co. P. pro. Jamieson&How. Wm. Almace.
Robt. Wise, Holliday and Co. burjonjee sorabjee,
Eglinton Maitland, Hormajee Framjee,
W. & T. Gunnell and Co. CoWASJEE SaFOORJEE,
Turner and Co. burjonjee manockjee,
Cox and Anderson, Nessewanjee Bomanjee,
A. &D. Furdoonjeb, Pestonjee Cawasjee,
G. Hogg, Cawasjee Pallanjee.
 454



No. 159.

Captain EUiot to Viscount Pahnerston.—(Received February 1, 1840.)

Ship Fort William,
My Lord, Hong Kong, September 23, 1839.
ON tbe evening of the day that I closed my last despatch (8th instant,)
Mr. MacDonald, master of the British armed schooner Psyche, at present taken up
for the service of Her Majesty's Government, very imprudently left the harbour
•without orders, in a boat belonging to the ship Mi/ram Diram, taking with him
fifteen people to reconnoitre a passage in the immediate vicinity of this anchor
age, said to be occupied by a force of war junks.
The absence of the boat was unaccountably and culpably never reported to
Captain Smith or myself, and we neither of us knew she had left the fleet till the
evening of the next day (the 9th).
Casting attention upon the actual state of affairs, your Lordship will conceive
the intense anxiety this circumstance occasioned us. No time was lost in
despatching vessels in the direction in which the boat had proceeded, under the
command of the officers of the Volage, with an interpreter ; rewards were offered
to the natives for information, and every effort was made to ascertain her fate.
The search, however, was' attended with no other than a variety of reports,
leading to the conclusion that she had been cut off, and that the Europeans were
either killed, or taken up to the Bocca Tigris. This state of excessive disquie
tude and uncertainty harassed us till the evening of the 10th instant, and then
in the full persuasion that she had been cut off, I felt it became me to recom
mend the most urgent measure in my power, calculated to convince this Govern
ment that the further detention or injury of Her Majesty's subjects under such
circumstances was an act of war against Her Majesty.
I therefore addressed the accompanying letter to Captain Smith of the
Volage, and the Inclosures 4 and 5 are that officer's reply, and his notice of
blockade.
On the 13th we proceeded to Macao in Her Majesty's ship, personally to
communicate with the Governor concerning the situation of Her Majesty's sub
jects on board this fleet, and to proceed, if needful, to the Bocca Tigris. We had
scarcely left this harbour when we fell in with an English ship coming over from
Macao, communicating the unexpected and welcome information that Mr. Mac-
Donald and all his people were safe on board.
It appeared that a strong adverse tide had caught him in the narrow passage.
He proposed to explore, and having observed a considerable force in his rear, he
judged it prudent to push on through the other outlet, and fortunately succeeded
in making his way to Macao without molestation. There were no sails or pro
visions in the boat ; and the exhausted condition of the people accounts for the
length of a passage, that had left us without hope that he could have proceeded
to Macao.
I need hardly say, my Lord, that the measure of a blockade never could have
presented itself either to Captain Smith or myself, except under a conviction that
certain of Her Majesty's subjects were actually in the hands of the Government.
The other circumstances adverted to in the notice were indeed in a strong
degree justificatory of it, but it was occasioned entirely by the fact of Mr. Mac-
Donald's disappearance, and the information and belief that he and the other
Europeans had fallen into the hands of the Chinese authorities.
I am perfectly sensible your Lordship could never countenance measures of
such a nature upon the ground of any concluded event, but with the firm belief
that the lives of Her Majesty's subjects were at stake, I hope it will be thought
that I was justified in recommending the only strong measure of a public and
national character in our power. And certainly, looking at the general aspect of
circumstances, it can be no matter of surprise that I could not venture to pause
beyond the time that had already been spent in anxious search, fruitful of nothing
but alarming report. Perhaps I may remark here that it was intended to act
upon the Government by the suspension of all foreign trade ; without which it
 455

is plain to me that the peace of this province cannot be preserved, or the public
emergencies met.
In the altered state of circumstances of these people's safety, however,
Captain Smith concurred with me, that we were called upon to refrain from any
measures of an active nature, and with this impression, he issued the accom
panying notice.
I avail myself of this occasion to afford your Lordship the satisfactory infor
mation that the earnestness of my dispositions concerning the regular supply of
provisions, manifested by the affair at Kow Lune, has had the effect of relaxing
all rigour on that important point. The natives are no longer impeded in the
abundant supply of the ships, at little above the usual rates, and the notices
with respect to the poisoning of the water have been removed.
But, my Lord, that, and an event to be reported in another despatch, have,
I cannot doubt, mainly contributed to induce the sober train of reflection in the
mind of the Commissioner, which enables me to hold out to Her Majesty's
Government the hope, that we are upon the eve of some satisfactory temporary
solution of actual difficulties.
I have, &c,
(Signed) CHARLES ELLIOT,
Chief Superintendent.


Inclosure 1 in No. 159.

Captain Elliot to Captain H. Smith.

Ship Fort William,
Sir, Hong Kong, \Oth September, 1839.
THE inclosed is a translation of the Proclamation by their Excellencies
the Governor and the High Commissioner, concerning which we have heard so
many rumours during these last few days.
Under these manifestations of dark and undistinguishing violence against
all Her Majesty's subjects in this country upon the most unjustifiable pretexts,
and having regard to the unexplained attack upon the passage-boat Black Joke,
and the still more disastrous cutting off of the boat of the Miram Diram, I
consider it incumbent upon myself to request you will forthwith declare the Port
and River of Canton in a state of blockade.
Proposing, however, to disturb any actually commenced undertakings as
little as may be possible, with due regard to the need of impressing upon this
Government the gravity of the emergency, I would suggest that the notice of
blockade should allow unobstructed egress to all vessels actually within the port
of Canton, or entering within one week next after the date thereof.
The Inclosure No. 2 is a notice which it has seemed to me to be highly
necessary to promulgate at this crisis, in order to leave no room for the infer
ence that Her Majesty's officers, civil or military, are countenancing or protecting
lawless traffic on the coasts of this Empire.
I have the honour to be, &c
(Signed) CHARLES ELUOT.



Inclosure 2 in No. 159.

Proctamation calling on the people to arm themselves, to resist parties of English
landing on their Coasts.

LIN, High Imperial Commissioner, &c, and Tang, Governor of the Two
Kwang, &c A Proclamation, giving clear commands.
Whereas the English foreigners, in their overbearing pride and impracti
cability, have withstood the prohibitory enactments ; those depraved individuals,
who deal in opium, have continued to linger at Macao ; the empty store-ships
which have surrendered their opium, have thus long remained anchored in the
outer Seas ; and newly-arrived merchant vessels, neglecting to surrender what
 456

opium they have brought, have collected together at Hong-Kong and the neigh
bourhood, neither entering Whampao, nor yet sailing back again, whereby
occasion was given, in a drunken brawl, to cause the death of Lin Wie-hee, one
of the people of the Empire: and whereas we, the Commissioner and the
Governor, having reiteratedly issued commands to the Superintendent Elliot,
justly to investigate and take proceedings therein, he has still withstood us, has
not received our commands, and has sheltered and failed to deliver up the mur
derer, (acts of contumacy and of stiff-necked presumption, such as cannot be
surpassed). Therefore, we, the Commissioner and the Governor, have given
strict commands to the local officers, civil and military, at every point, by land
and by water, faithfully to intercept and wholly to cut off from the English all
supplies, that they may be made to fear and to pay the tribute of fealty.
We now find, that these English foreigners, though they have one and all
left Macao, have yet gone to reside on board the foreign ships at Hong-Kong ;
and it is to be apprehended, that, in the extremity of their embarrassment, some
may land at the outer villages and hamlets along the coast, forcibly to purchase
provisions, or plunder the inhabitants. Against chances of this nature, it is
most necessary to take all precautionary and preventive measures.
For this reason we make proclamation to all the gentry and elders, the
shopkeepers, and inhabitants of the outer villages and hamlets along the coast,
for their full information. Pay you all immediate obedience hereto ; assemble
yourselves together for consultation; purchase arms and weapons; join together
the stoutest of your villagers ; and thus be prepared to defend yourselves. If
any of the said Foreigners be found going on shore to cause trouble, all
and every of the people are permitted to fire upon them, to withstand and drive
them back, or to make prisoners of them. They assuredly will never be able,
few in number, to oppose the many. Even when they land to take water from
the springs, stop their progress, and let them not have it in their power to drink.
But so long as the said foreigners do not go on shore, you must not presume to
go in boats near to their vessel, causing in other ways disturbances that will
surely draw on you severe investigations.
Taoukwang, 19th year, 7th month, 23rd day (31st August, 1839).
(True Translation.)
(Signed) J. Robt. Morrison,
Chinese Secretary and Interpreter.



Inclosure 3 in No. 159.

GENERAL MEMORANDUM.

To Commanders of all British Vessels, and others Her Majesty's Subjects.

Ship Fort William,
Hong-Kong, September 11, 1839.
AMONGST the pretexts put forward by the Commissioner, for the vindi
cation of his measures of dark and undistinguishing violence against all Her
Majesty's subjects in China, men, women, and children, is the declaration that
some of them are actually engaged in the illicit traffic of opium at this anchorage.
The Chief Superintendent, on his part, considering it his duty to leave no just
room for the inference that Her Majesty's flag is flying here in the countenance
or protection of persons engaged in a trade declared to be lawless by the
Government of this country, (to the great aggravation of the risks of the ships
detained till the lawful trade can be conducted on a safe and honourable footing,)
has now to require all commanders of ships not having opium on board, to repair
to this vessel within the next 48 hours, and make oath to that effect.
And, moved by the pressing public considerations hereinbefore set forth,
the Chief Superintendent has to require that all British vessels engaged in the
traffic of opium, should immediately depart from this harbour and coast.
By order of the Chief Superintendent,
(Signed) EDWARD ELMSLIE,
Secretary and Treasurer to the Superintendents.
N.B. Copies of this memorandum may be had on board the ship Fort William.
 457




Inclosure 4 in No. 1 59.

Captain Smith to Captain Elliot.

Sir, Her Majesty's Ship Volage, Hong Kong, September 11, 1839.
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th
instant, inclosing (No. 1) the Proclamation of their Excellencies the Governor
and the High Commissioner, against the lives of Her Majesty's subjects.
Taking maturely into consideration this Proclamation, together with the
circumstance of the cutting off of the boat of the Myram IHrom, and the inse
curity of the shipping here, I most fully concur with you in seeing the necessity
for our self-preservation, to declare immediately the port and river of Canton
in a state of blockade, the notice of which I herewith transmit to you, and
request you will make it public " As this anchorage is assailable from so
many points, and as I observed to-day that more Junks have arrived in Cow-
loon Bay with a considerable number of armed men, I take the liberty of sug
gesting to you the propriety of causing the shipping here to be removed to the
anchorage below Chuenpee, as Her Majesty's vessels will then be able, not
only to maintain the blockade, but to give the British shipping the necessary
protection."
"With respect to Inclosure No. 2, I quite agree with you that at this crisis
it is highly necessary it should be fully understood. Her Majesty's Officers are
not in any way countenancing or protecting the illegal traffic of opium on the
coast of China.
I have the honour to be, &c,
(Signed) H. SMITH,
Captain.




Inclosure 5 in No. 159.

OFFICIAL PUBLIC NOTICE.

THE High Commissioner and the Governor of these Provinces having
publicly forbidden the regular supplies of food to Her Majesty's subjects;
having commanded the people to fire upon and seize them whenever they go on
shore to purchase provisions ; and certain of Her Majesty's subjects having been
actually cut off, Notice is hereby given that it is my intention at the requisition
of the Chief Superintendent of the trade of British subjects in China to establish
a blockade of the river and port of Canton : And Notice is hereby further given
that none other than vessels actually within the port, or foreign vessels entering
within six days from the date hereof will be allowed free egress till the blockade
be declared raised.
Notice of the blockading force will be hereafter promulgated.
Given under my hand on board Her Majesty's ship Volage, at anchor in
Hong Kong Bay, off the Port of Canton, this 1 1th day of September, 1839.
(Signed) H. SMITH,
Captain of Her Britannic Majesty's Ship Volage.




3 N
 458



Inclosure 6 in No. 159. i

OFFICIAL PUBLIC NOTICE.

THE Dafety of certain of Her Britannic Majesty's subjects, supposed to have
been cut off by the officers of the Chinese Government, having been ascer
tained, and negotiations being opened upon the basis of the withdrawal of the
proclamations against the lives and liberty of Her said Majesty's subjects,
It is hereby declared that, till further notice be given, (founded upon the
result of such negotiations,) the blockade notified by me on the 11th instant
will not be established, and vessels continuing to enter will be permitted to pass,
and unobstructed. . .
Given under my hand on board Her Majesty's ship Volag.e, at anchor
in Hong Kong Bay, off the port of Canton, this sixteenth day of September,
1839.
(Signed) H. SMITH,
Captain of Her Britannic Majesty's ship Volage.
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