is certain, however, that Captain Herbert took upon
himself the responsibility of all the operations against
Canton, which are shortly to be described ; for he ex
pressed himself in one of his despatches to the effect,
that he had “ found himself forced to make his arrange
ments without any instructions from his superior officer,
Sir Gordon Bremer ; but that he felt that he had no al
ternative but to resent with all promptitude the insult
7
offered to the flag of truce.” Arrangements were ac
cordingly made, without loss of time, for proceeding to
active operations.
408 WANT OF INTERPRETERS .
The want of interpreters was at this time very much
felt by Captain Herbert. He repeatedly applied for
some one to be sent up to him in that capacity ; and he
wrote to the Commodore, " that there was not a single
person in the advanced squadron who understood a word
of the language.” The difficulty of procuring supplies
was consequently very much increased, particularly as
the authorities at Canton had forbidden the people to
carry provisions to the squadron. The difficulty of ob
taining accurate information ofany kind was very great ;
but it had been already positively ascertained that the
authorities of Canton had prevented a single chest of
tea, or any other article of export, from leaving Canton ,
long before even the attack upon the Macao Fort ; and
it was also known that a considerable body of Tartar
troops had already reached the city. In short, all the
information which could be obtained fully confirmed the
impression conveyed by the insult to the flag of truce,
that the Chinese were making active preparations for
the resumption of hostilities, and that the sooner we had
recourse to active measures the better.
On the morning of the 17th, Captain Elliot and suite,
together with Captains Herbert, Bourchier, and other
2
officers, proceeded in the Nemesis towards the Macao
passage, or Broadway river, where she rejoined the ves
sels at anchor below the Macao Fort. It was a favourite
scheme of Captain Elliot, at this time, to endeavour to
command all the lines of water-communication to the
westward of Canton, so as to cut off the supplies from
the city, and stop the local trade.
The rivers or creeks, and their branches in this
PREPARATIONS. 409
neighbourhood, are extremely numerous. Some little
distance below the Macao Fort a considerable branch
turns off to the westward, and leads, at the dis
tance of several miles, up to Tatshan. About a mile
and a half within this passage another channel leads off
to the northward, in the direction of the Canton river,
which it enters a little above Shameen , on the opposite
side. This channel was narrow , and not navigable, ex
cept for boats. The Hyacinth had, on the previous day,
been pushed into the Tatshan passage, nearly as far as
the point where the smaller channel turns off to Canton,
but there she stuck, owing to the shoalness of the water.
The Nemesis, therefore, having in tow a division of
boats, was now moved up the Tatshan passage, and
shortly communicated with the Hyacinth, which was at
anchor there. She then turned up the northern branch ,
which was afterwards called the Fatee creek, in the
hope of being able to push up to the Canton river in
that direction , and so cut off all the Chinese boats which
might attempt to escape up the river. After proceed
ing some distance, the water was found too shallow and
the passage very narrow, and she was compelled to re
turn, having captured on her way a very handsome man
darin -boat. In the evening she rejoined the squadron in
the Macao passage, where the Commodore, Sir Gordon
Bremer, had just arrived in the Madagascar steamer,
which had been sent for him . The dispositions had
already been made by Captain Herbert, for the capture
of all the remaining defences in advance of Canton, on
the following day ; and Sir Gordon Bremer was there
fore unwilling to disturb the arrangements .
410 BRITISH FLOTILLA .
The 18th March, 1841 , will ever be remembered as
the great day upon which the city of Canton was first
humbled ; and the whole of the works which had been
erected for its defence, along its river front, were cap
tured by H. M. naval forces. The vessels engaged
were the
Modeste, Commander Eyres ;
Algerine, Lieutenant Mason ;
Starling, Lieutenant Kellett ;
Herald , Captain Nias (later in the day ) ;
Hebe and Louisa Tenders, Mr. Quin and Mr. Car
michael ;
together with the steamers
Nemesis, W. H. Hall, R.N .; and
Madagascar, Mr. Dicey.
A large flotilla of boats, from the squadron generally,
was placed under the command of Captain Bourchier,
assisted by Captain Bethune, and was formed in four
divisions, three of which were under the orders of Com
manders Barlow and Clarke and Lieutenant Coulson,
and the fourth commanded by Captain Belcher and
Captain Warren . The whole together must have
amounted to little less than forty in number. Upwards
of fifty naval officers took part in the operations of this
large flotilla alone ; the services of which were likely
to be of the greatest importance in capturing and
destroying the immense flotilla of Chinese boats, of all
forms and sizes, which had been pressed into the service
of the government for the defence of Canton.
WATER POPULATION OF CHINA . 411
Mention has already been made of the almost innu
merable boats which crowd most of the rivers of China,
and perhaps none more so than that of Canton, upon
which it is stated that there is a floating population,
permanently living on the water, of no less than forty
thousand souls. They are the small traders, hucksters,
fishermen, and public carriers of the country ; and
always appear an industrious and contented portion of
the people. Of course, the numerous body of smugglers
belong to this class.
It was said that one of the most influential smugglers,
whose avocations had long been winked at by the au
thorities, who were themselves participators in the gains,
had been suddenly arrested, and threatened with the
confiscation of all his property, and even death ; but
that a free pardon was offered to him if he would con
trive to collect together all the best boats, and furnish
the men with arms ; .putting them under the orders of
the mandarins, to co-operate for the defence of the city.
Accordingly, a vast number of these boats were seen at
>
a distance, drawn up in a curved line across the river,
at the mouth of the Macao passage.
Besides these it was known that some gun-boats, com
pletely formed after European models, and thoroughly
coppered, had been equipped by the government. Our
flotilla of men -of-war-boats were therefore to be em
ployed in pursuing and destroying this legion of the
enemy.
At half-past eleven the Nemesis commenced the at
tack upon the little battery, called by us the Birds
nest Fort, which she had engaged two days before.
412 THE BIRDSNEST FORT .
She opened her fire of guns and rockets with effect, and
the Chinese returned the fire with spirit for some time ;
but the Modeste and Madagascar joined in the attack ,
and it is not surprising that the fort was silenced in a
very short space of time. Some of the boats immedi
ately pushed off to make themselves masters of the
place, and the Chinese were chased out of it in great
confusion .
Another field -work, almost close to it, was also cap
tured at the same time. They were found to mount
upwards of thirty guns, which, together with the maga
zine, were destroyed.
In the mean time, the Starling and Algerine had con
trived to force a passage through the raft, and had
scarcely got to the other side, when a small sand-bag
battery and several war-junks opened their fire upon
them, very near the point of junction with the Can
ton river. The Hebe and Louisa took part in this
affair ; and the Nemesis came up as soon as the
lower forts had been silenced ; part of the flotilla
of boats, under Captain Bourchier, also arrived, and
the sand -battery was soon carried , while the war-junks
and the flotilla of Chinese armed boats already be
gan to disperse.
A strong fort, opposite the city, mounting twenty
guns, called the Rouge Fort, was next silenced, but was
not taken possession of immediately. Later in the day,
however, a boat from the Nemesis, under Lieutenant
Pedder, was sent to hoist our flag upon it ; and another
party from the Sulphur landed at nearly the same
time under Captain Belcher .
413
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ATTACK OF TIIE FORTS BEFORE CANTON .
7! CANTON
taken
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14 English
Factory
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OPERATIONS
BEFORE
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CANTON, Boats Rouge
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414 SCENE OF CONFUSION .
The large Chinese flotilla before described was pur
sued up the river by the Nemesis and the boats, and
were soon in a state of indescribable confusion, hurrying
away as fast as they could — some here, some there, yet
hardly knowing whither. As long as they were drawn
up in line, in a sort of crescent form , they looked some
what imposing, from their great number ; but, as soon
as the forts had fallen, and the sound of our guns came
nearer, and the shot fell fast about them, they broke up
>
their formation, and the confusion became extreme.
At this moment, the division of boats under Captain
Belcher and Captain Warren succeeded in getting
through the Fatee creek, and coming snddenly down
upon the Chinese boats, which were already so closely
pursued, and destroyed an immense number of them.
Some were driven ashore, some were sunk, and a few
escaped up the creeks in the rear of the town. If the
war-junks were unable to offer any resistance, it could
not be expected that these extraordinary boats and
inexperienced boatmen would show a better example.
The Nemesis, in the mean time, had opened her fire
upon the Shameen Fort, in the western suburbs of the
city ; and, under cover of her guns, Captain Bethune
put off from her ; and a division of boats, with Captains
Belcher and Warren at their head, also landed and
took the fort, after some resistance. It mounted ten
guns.
While these operations were going on in the upper
part of the river, the Madagascar had gone down and
taken up a position not far from the Dutch Folly, which
was a circular fort, in the middle of the river, directly
ELLIOT'S FLAG OF TRUCE. 415
opposite the city, mounting twenty - five guns. In front
of it a number of junks laden with stones had been
sunk . A small sand -battery of three guns, close to the
naval arsenal , which is on the south side of the river,
was at the same time carried by another division of
boats. Four of the new Chinese gun -boats were also
captured .
A little before one o'clock, about an hour after the
first shot of the day had been fired, and after all the
detached forts and batteries, except the so-called Dutch
Folly, had been taken , Captain Elliot came on board
the Nemesis, and desired that he might be conveyed to
the British factory, with a flag of truce hoisted, it being
clearly his intention to endeavour to treat at once, with
out further employment of force. However, scarcely
had she got down opposite the European factories, and
only within distant range of the Dutch Folly, when the
latter opened fire on her, in spite of the flag of truce.
Instantly it was hauled down, the fire was returned by
other vessels, and the result was that the fort was
soon silenced.
The Nemesis then proceeded some little way down
the river, towards the Dutch Folly, in company with
several boats of the squadron. This circular fort
was taken possession of by a party of marines and
seamen ; and, not far from it, four new gun - boats,
built according to European models, were boarded and
taken , their crews having abandoned them. The Chi
nese naval forces offered, in fact, little or no resistance
throughout the day ; and even their forts, which fired
with considerable spirit at a distance, were soon aban
416 CANTON AT OUR MERCY .
doned by their garrisons, when there was any certainty
of their coming to close quarters with our men.
At half-past one, Captain Elliot being still on board
the Nemesis, she was ordered to return close to the
factories, where Captain Hall landed, accompanied by
Mr. Morrison, and hastened at once to the British
Factory, both being equally eager to take possession
of it again. In a few moments the British flag was
displayed in triumph, with three cheers, which were
returned by the steamer and boats. At the same time,
Captain Belcher also hurried up towards the factory
with a party of men, and was trying to reeve the
hallyards at the flag -staff in front of the Factory, in
order to hoist the colours ; when , at that very moment,
they were wafted proudly from the window of the
Factory, by Captain Hall himself.
As all the defences had now been taken, and Canton
lay completely at our mercy, one would hardly have
expected that any further resistance would have been
made. But the Chinese have a fancy of their own for
renewing a combat in detached parties, long after all
possibility of doing good by it has ceased. On many
occasions during the war, they suffered severely and
justly for thus uselessly harassing our men after the day
was over, and when our troops were in possession of all
the enemy's positions .
On this occasion, as Captain Hall and his party were
returning to their boat, a body of soldiers rushed out
upon them, but were driven back to a narrow street
called Hog Lane, beyond the British factory, and were
even pursued for some distance up that narrow passage.
CLOSE QUARTERS . 417
Many of them were killed while retreating, although
they crouched down behind their large ratan shields
for shelter at each discharge. It was thought impru
dent to pursue them far, as in so narrow a space, with
>
low houses on one side, and aa dead wall on the other,
the retreat of the pursuers might have been cut off.
Captain Belcher and his party were also attacked at
the same time, and gallantly put the enemy to flight with
some loss, pursuing them as far as was prudent.
The Chinese showed no farther disposition to come to
close quarters, and our men returned to their boats
without further molestation . One man belonging to the
Nemesis was wounded during the affray.
Little now remained to be done but to take posses
sion of and destroy some of the boats and junks which
had been overlooked in the hurry of more important
matters.. Late in the evening, the Nemesis anchored in
company with the squadron, off the western suburbs of
the city, nearly a mile above the factory. The flags of
truce were still flying, and it must be admitted that
greater forbearance towards the Chinese, or more un
willingness to proceed to the infliction of suffering upon
the people or city of Canton, could not possibly have
been exhibited than on this memorable day of the first
capture of Canton. When all their defences had been
taken , their ships and boats destroyed , their troops dis
persed , and their city left totally unprotected, we not
only restrained the ardour which belongs to victory,
and held back our hands from plunder and destruction ,
and even our voice from demanding apology for the
past, or security for the future, but even the very flag
VOL . 1 , E E
418 CLEMENCY OF THE BRITISH .
of truce which they had so often insulted and spurned
was displayed to their eyes as an assurance of our for
bearance and good faith .
It must not be omitted to state that Commodore Sir
Gordon Bremer got up, towards the close of the action,
in the Hyacinth's gig, just in time to see the British
flag displayed from the Factory. The Herald also arrived
as a reinforcement, in the latter part of the day.
One officer and six or seven men wounded were the
only casualties on our side, throughout all the opera
tions of the 18th of March .
It was said that several desultory outbreaks of the mob
occurred during the evening of this day, which were
with some difficulty suppressed by the police. They
were in most instances the outbursts of the evil passions
of the demoralized mob of Canton, the worst of all the
subjects of China, attracted to the centre of foreign
commerce, by the hope of profit, or the opportunity of
exercising their bad ingenuity. In no part of China has
the feeling of hostility to the foreigner prevailed more
strongly against us than at Canton. In many other dis
tricts, the English force was even welcomed, or, at all
events, received without insult or violence.
It is worthy of remark that, during the whole of the
following day, the 19th, nothing of importance was done,
either as to the further progress of hostilities, or as to
the demanding any specified terms from the Chinese.
It is easy to guess what interpretation was put upon our
inactivity by the authorities and the people. The motive
on our part seems to have been principally one of pure
compassion, and an unwillingness to take the initiative
DELAY OF ELLIOT. 419
of proposing terms to the Chinese, which it was their
part, as the conquered, to solicit.
After the lapse of one entire day, Captain Elliot and
suite were carried down to the Factory in the Nemesis,
on the morning of the 20th, where they landed soon
after mid -day. There could be little doubt that some
thing important would now be settled . Captain Elliot
was bent upon getting the trade opened, and no less so
upon bringing about a cessation of hostilities. He was
not altogether wrong, perhaps, even in the slowness of
his proceedings, considering the extraordinary circum
stances in which he was placed ; but there were not a
few who looked upon it as unfortunate that so little was
really done, when there was every reason to expect so
much. He seems to have merely miscalculated the im
portance, or, perhaps, the exigency, of the political crisis
in which he found himself placed. He viewed the whole
matter almost exclusively as a commercial question,
appearing to forget, that where force has been once
used on both sides, the commercial becomes necessarily
merged for the moment in the political complications
which arise out of it.
The first public notification was by a circular dated
at the hall of the British Factory ; by which it was an
nounced that a suspension of hostilities had been agreed
upon between the Imperial Commissioner, Yang- Fang,
and Captain Elliot. It was further agreed that the trade
of the port of Canton should at once be opened. With
regard to the opium-trade, it was settled that no bond,
such as had formerly been demanded by Lin, should
now be required, but that the same liabilities should be
E E 2
420 SUSPENSION OF HOSTILITIES.
incurred by any British subject detected in the act 'of
introducing any unlawful goods, as would follow the
same offences in England.
Captain Elliot also distinctly intimated that, “ pend
ing the final settlement of affairs between the two
countries, the usual port charges and other dues should
>
continue to be paid as heretofore.”
All those, however, who had watched the course of
events, and had studied in the slightest degree the Chi
nese character, could only look upon this temporary
arrangement as the mere preliminary of the resumption
of hostilities, not of the settlement of peace. In itself,
this insignificant demand was almost equivalent to an
acknowledgment of failure. That it was so viewed by
Sir Gordon Bremer is evident, from the notice which he
issued on the next day, the 21st, dated at the Bogue,
in which he declared that all vessels proceeding to
Whampoa, under this agreement, must do so at the
risk of the possible (he might have said, as he must
really have thought, probable), resumption of hostili
ties .
On the side of the Chinese, a proclamation was issued
by Yang, as joint Commissioner (the other two had not
yet arrived ), to the effect that, “ as Elliot had repre
>
sented that all he wanted was peace and permission to
trade as formerly, and as all trade depended upon the
cherishing goodness of the Celestial Court, that there
fore it was right now to permit the English to trade as
well as other people, in order to show a compassionate
regard .” It was further added , that henceforth the
people were carefully to look to and well treat the
WITHDRAWAL OF THE FORCES. 421
merchant vessels at Whampoa, as well as the merchants
at Canton.
Such, then, were the slender grounds upon which it
was agreed that our force should be withdrawn from
before Canton, after all the treasure, and labour, and
some loss of life, which had been expended in bringing
it there .
422 SUSPENSION OF HOSTILITIES .
CHAPTER XX.
Suspension of hostilities — Rumours of preparations - Sir G. Bremer
leaves for Calcutta - Captain Elliot's assurances - Proclamation of the
Prefect — Captain Elliot's address to the people of Canton — New pass
ports issued— Captain Elliot's measures against the opium trade
Report of Keshen's punishment - Its severity - Accusations against
him—The Emperor threatens to put himself at the head of his army
-Arrival of troops at Canton- Projects for destroying our ships
Utility of iron steamers-Expedition to Amoy suspended — Troops
prepare to advance upon Canton, under Sir Hugh Gough — Captain
Elliot returns to the factory with Mrs. Elliot — Afraid to remain
Warnings to the merchants —Anxious moments - Treachery - Fo
reigners leave Canton— Ominous suspense —Night of the attack by
the Chinese.
The agreement for the suspension of hostilities, made
at Canton by Captain Elliot, on the 20th March, 1841 ,
was only entered into with one of the three newly
appointed Imperial Commissioners ; Yang -Fang being,
in fact, the only one who had then arrived. It might
be doubted whether he had power by himself to agree
to more than a temporary truce, which his colleagues,
upon their arrival, might choose to consider at an end
whenever they pleased . Lung -Wan, the principal Joint
Commissioner, and Yih-Shan, the Tartar-General asso
ciated with him, did not arrive until about three weeks
THE CHINESE COMMISSIONERS . 423
afterwards} ; when they brought with them a large body
of troops, imperfectly armed and little organized. The
news of what had already happened must have astonished
them beyond all conception ; and one can picture to
oneself the embarrassment which must have marked
the first conference of the three functionaries. Their
alarm must have now tempered even their natural
pride, and the dawning consciousness of weakness have
awakened their unwilling credulity. But they thought
to get the better of the demands of the barbarians by
astute diplomacy, or to put off their urgency until they
should have time for the completion of their secret pre
parations, by which they hoped to exterminate their
enemy. They little thought that scarcely a month
would elapse before the great provincial city would be
once more at the mercy of a hostile force, all the ex
tensive preparations they had made for defence annihi
lated, and all their chosen troops discomfited .
In the mean time, however, trade went on with great
activity, but much caution, at Canton . It was gene
rally believed, nevertheless, that the temporary calm
upon the surface would be of short duration ; and the
growing storm upon the horizon gave a warning to all
who were interested in passing events, to set their house
in order. Tea, the whole tea, and nothing but the tea,
was now the question on all sides. The merchants
thought of their traffic, and of the barter of cotton
against tea ; the Plenipotentiary thought of the reve
nue to be derived from the indispensable leaf ; while
the military and naval authorities thought much, but
said little, yet wondered more .
424 DOUBTS AND FEARS .
Rumours were abroad of extensive preparations being
actively in progress by the Chinese, somewhere or other
above Canton ; but the precise situation of them was
not discovered until the second attack was made upon
the city, in the month of May. It was said that nume
rous fire-rafts were being constructed, war-junks equip
ped, and troops collected ; and it was little doubted
that, as soon as the principal mercantile transactions
(which were as important to the Chinese as they were
to the foreigners) should be completed, a renewal of
hostilities would take place, probably ushered in by
some act of treachery on the part of the Chinese.
This impression became more and more prevalent to
wards the end of April and the beginning of May, and
put all the European residents into a high state of sus
pense and anxiety. It was satisfactory, however, to
know that, as the greater part of our ships of war were
at Whampoa, or in that neighbourhood, many of them
could be speedily brought up to Canton ; and, more
over, the Modeste, Algerine, Hyacinth, and Herald,
were still at anchor, much nearer the city. They had
only withdrawn to the Macao passage, at the distance
of a couple of miles from Canton, after the commence
ment of the truce.
The Nemesis, in the mean time, had gone down to
Macao, whither she conveyed Captain Elliot and his
suite, and took the opportunity of the temporary pause
to complete her necessary repairs. Sir Gordon Bremer,
at this time, thought it right to go up in person to Cal
cutta, to represent the state of affairs to the Governor
General, and to request reinforcements. He sailed on
CHINESE DIPLOMACY. 425
or about the 31st March, in the H. C. steamer, Queen ;
leaving Captain Sir Le Fleming Senhouse in command
of the naval forces during his absence.
For some time after the commencement of the truce,
the native inhabitants and traders of the city, some of
whom however had retired from it altogether, continued
to pursue their ordinary avocations with some appear
ance of returning confidence. A proclamation was
issued by the Governor, tending to allay any remaining
apprehensions they might have ; and similar pacific as
surances were addressed by the authorities, repeatedly,
both to the native and foreign residents, even till the
very day when their scarcely concealed projects of ven
geance were to be attempted.
On the 5th April, Captain Elliot again returned to
the Factory at Canton ; and, during his short residence
there, of ten or twelve days, the authorities and the new
Commissioners succeeded in so far blinding the Pleni
potentiary to all their hostile purposes, that he himself
publicly declared that he was perfectly satisfied with
all their “ assurances of good faith, and their disposition
to fulfil their engagements.” The day before he left
Canton again, namely, on the 16th April, he expressed
himself decidedly to the same purport, in a public pro
clamation, addressed however rather to the Chinese
people than to his own countrymen, but calculated like
wise to reassure the latter, should they be unable to
form any judgment for themselves. And he moreover
assured Sir Le Fleming Senhouse, that “ he entertained
no uneasiness of life and property at Canton .”
The skill of the Chinese, in the diplomatic art of
426 ELLIOT OUTWITTED .
using words to conceal the thoughts ,” was cleverly
exhibited on this occasion . “ The people,” they said ,
were alarmed , and afraid of returning to their ordi
nary avocations [ they did not say, because they knew
that preparations were being made on their side for a
rupture of the truce ; but they ingeniously added] be
cause of their dread that the English would soon renew
their hostile operations ; for that rumours were flying
about among the people, that warlike preparations were
about to be pushed on, without delay, against the city .”
The Kwang-chow -foo, or Prefect of the city, was there
fore directed to issue a proclamation, intended to re
assure the people, advising them to return actively to
their business ; and most obligingly telling them , with
a strong dash of Oriental imagery, that “ their families
>
were as his family, and their bodies as his body.”
This had the effect of pacifying the inhabitants to a
certain extent, and sufficed to lull Captain Elliot into a
degree of false security, which perhaps was in reality
much less felt by him than it appeared to be. On his
side, likewise, the Plenipotentiary thought proper to
issue the proclamation above alluded to, declaring that
he did so with the “ concurrence ” of the Chinese go
vernment. In this document Captain Elliot told the
people of Canton that “ all the reports they heard
were false and mischievous ; that the Commissioners had
acted with good faith and wisdom in opening the trade,
and gave him further assurances of their good inten
tions ; and that there would not be the least disturbance
of the peace at Canton, by the British forces, so long as
their Excellencies fulfilled their engagements.” That,
ELLIOT OUTWITTED . 427
moreover, “ the high officers of the English nation ma
nifestly cherished the people of Canton very much ;
and that, if misfortunes befel the city and the trade of
the province, the evil could not justly be attributable to
them ."
Having thus disburdened his own mind, and made
some effort to pacify the tender spirits of the timid at
Canton, he left the factory on the following day, and
returned to Macao ; not, however, without first urging
upon Sir Le Fleming Senhouse the propriety of re
moving our ships further off from the city. He re
quested that the vessels which were before Shameen
should be moved down to the Macao fort, in order to
show our peaceful disposition ; and he recommended
that proper respect should be manifested to the govern
ment, and that the officers in command should do all in
their power to uphold its character in the sight of the
people, “ compatible with the paramount necessity of
keeping awake a lively sense that renewed ill -faith
would be respouded to by an immediate blow ."
This had very little effect in rendering the foreign
community less apprehensive of a resumption of hosti
lities. Few believed that peace could long continue, or
that any satisfactory solution of the existing difficulties
could be arrived at without further resort to the 66 ultima
ratio ” of national disputants.
For a very brief space, appearances were favourable ;
but fresh troops soon began pouring into the town ; and
some of the natives have since admitted, that they even
knew that, in secret, fresh cannon were being cast, and
extensive preparations, of every description , urged on
428 THE OPIUM TRADE .
in the quietest possible manner, evidently with a view
>
to some sudden and unwarned explosion ; as when a
deep and treacherous mine is being formed under an
enemy's fortress, while he sleeps and revels in his
dreams, and, not until the train is laid , and the match
about to be applied, makes the discovery of his own
terrific danger, and the appalling ingenuity of his
enemy.
Immediately before leaving Canton, also, on the 17th
April, Captain Elliot seemed resolved to take some
steps against the continuance of the trade in opium
within the river. He applied to Sir Le Fleming Sen
house, to prevent any small vessels from passing into
the river within the Bogue, unless provided with a
passport signed by the plenipotentiary. These passes
were to be issued to those alone who could afford him
assurance, to his own satisfaction, that the boats or small
craft should only be employed in the conveyance of
passengers, letters, or supplies. They were to be ob
tained by foreigners through their own consuls, who
would apply to him for them. But he reserved to him
self the right of cancelling them whenever he should
see cause to determine that such a course should be
>
necessary in discharge of his engagements ;” and, more
over, every ship or vessel was to be forcibly expelled
from the river, if it were proved to his satisfaction that
she was engaged in “ dangerous pursuits,” calculated to
disturb the truce and interrupt the general trade.
This could, of course, only allude to the trade in
opium ; and the whole proceeding seems expressly to
have been arranged between Captain Elliot and the
ELLIOT OUTWITTED . 429
Chinese authorities, for he actually obtained from the
Kwang-chow-foo, or prefect, licenses, bearing his official
seal, which he could himself distribute to those vessels
to which he issued his passports ; and which were to
have the effect of exempting them from all visit or
examination by the Chinese officers, whether connected
with the customs or any other department.
One cannot help remarking that this measure , which,
however, was only partially carried into effect, gave an
immense advantage to the Chinese authorities, while,
on our side, we totally lost sight of the main question
at issue. The point gained by the Chinese was, that
they at once threw into the background every other
question but that of trade, and, above all, that of
trade in opium , which therefore they ingeniously tried
to make appear the “ fons et origo” of the whole dis
pute ; and, having got Elliot to lend assistance to them
in one point, it gave them the advantage of appearing
to justify themselves in the eyes of their countrymen,
and indeed in the opinion of foreigners at a distance,
and who were in ignorance of the real state of things,
for the greater part of their preposterous and violent
proceedings. On our part, it tended to put on one
side, as if of minor consideration , the “ demand for
reparation and redress for injuries inflicted,” as her
Majesty declared in her speech from the throne, “ upon
some of her subjects by the imperial officers, and for
the indignities offered to an agent of her crown ;" this
agent being no other than Captain Elliot himself ! It
put out of sight the indignities offered to Lord Napier,
and all who had been concerned in any way in the
430 ELLIOT OUTWITTED .
conduct of our communications with China since the
abolition of the exclusive privileges of the East India
Company. It overlooked the proper spirit of indig
nation, which could hardly fail to animate every man
who had been imprisoned, insulted, and starved into
concessions, which he could have otherwise had no right
or authority to yield.
That at this stage of the proceedings endless diffi
culties appeared to beset the questions at issue, may
very justly be urged. But we have at all times to con
sider the character of the people with whom a question
is at issue, in an almost equal degree with the question
itself. And it will scarcely be questioned that the
character of the Chinese, and especially of the officers
of their government, was at that time imperfectly un
derstood. In reality, the proceedings on both sides,
between the first conquest of Canton on the 18th of
March, and its second surrender under the agreement of
ransom upon the 26th of May (which remains yet to be
described) were evidently temporary expedients on both
sides : on that of the Chinese, to gain time for the
preparation of more efficient means of resistance, and
for relief from immediate “ pressure ;" on that of their
opponents for the completion of the commercial trans
actions of the season .
In truth, had the local authorities been ever so sincere
in their expressions of a desire for peace, the remem
brance of the fate of the unfortunate Keshen, for even
treating with the “rebellious foreigners,” might have
made them tremble for their lives. The degradation and
banishment of Lin were also fresh in their memory ; but
PUNISHMENT OF KESHEN . 431
the following sentence upon Keshen was sufficient to
terrify them into the most desperate efforts. It was
during this interval that they received the emperor's
edict, by which Keshen was declared to be guilty of
bribery, and unworthy to live ; his temple was to be
sealed up, and his whole family put in irons, and carried
with him to Pekin, where both he and they with him
were put to death on the very day of their arrival
-he by being “ cut asunder at the waist,” and they by
decapitation .
The charges preferred against this able and straight
forward man, by the Lieutenant Governor of Canton,
were of the true Chinese stamp -
namely, his having
held intercourse with Elliot on equal terms ; his having
employed traitorous people about him , particularly the
late prefect ; his having prevented the officers and garri
sons at the Bogue from doing wonders ; and, above all, >
his having put his seal to a document, by which a por
tion of the empire, namely, the island of Hong Kong,
was surrendered .
In proportion as Keshen was really in advance of his
own countrymen in his views of their actual political
relations with foreigners, so was he precisely a traitor,
and unfit to live. How blind are human prejudices !
By another edict, dated aa few days later than the fore
going, even his more distant relations, and “ those who
officially attended upon him, whether great or small,
or who in any way appertained to him, or were con
cerned in the arrangement of affairs with him, were to
be indiscriminately decapitated .” This terrible denun
ciation , in the exuberance of the emperor's wrath, was
432 RAGE OF THE EMPEROR.
enough to alarm the whole nation ; but, fortunately, it
was not carried into execution to the letter, and Keshen's
life was spared, though with the loss of every thing
that could make it tolerable.1
At the same time, even the three new Commissioners,
Yih-shan , Lung-wan, and Yang -fang, of whom the last
only was at Canton when the attack took place, were
all made to suffer for their ill fortune. They were de
prived of various honours previously conferred upon
them ; and it was even ordered, that every officer of
the province of Canton , whether in a high or a subordi
nate capacity, should be “ deprived of his official but
ton until they could make good their delinquencies by
efficiency of effort.” Even against the rebellious fo
reigners the Emperor uttered his bitterest imprecations,
and swore “ that the two powers should not stand to
gether.” He ordered all his patriotic troops to advance
again, and “ utterly exterminate the whole of them ;
otherwise,” says he, “ how shall I, the Emperor, be
able to answer to the gods, and cherish the hopes of
my people ? ” He further proclaimed , that he had
“ ordered his own younger brother to lead forth a
grand army, fifty thousand strong ; and, by journeying
> 9
day and night, to repair to Canton with all haste, to
exhibit the vengeance of his race.” He threatened
death to every man who should prove himself a coward ;
and vowed that “ peace should find no place in his
heart, nor assume any form in writing ;” and, with still
more desperate energy, he vowed that, if even his own
brother “ should become tardy in his duties, and listen
| At a later period he was partially restored to rank.
RESUMPTION OF HOSTILITIES . 433
to any pretensions to make peace, even I, the Emperor,”
said his Majesty, “ will place myself at the head of a
mighty force, and most uncompromisingly make an end
of the English.”
All these stern and alarming commands were received
in the great provincial city, during the interval of the
truce, between March and May ; and, however imbecile
and absurd they may appear to us, they were sufficiently
alarming to those to whom they were addressed. They
served to render every attempt at a peaceful settlement
of the difficulties at Canton impossible; and, though
they could neither excuse nor palliate the under-current
of treachery which crept stealthily below the smoother
surface of the truce, they were sufficient to justify in
the eyes of the local officers the adoption of any and
every measure which could further the great object of
their Emperor's commands.
It will hence appear evident, that there would be as
little likelihood of making any permanent settlement of
the points in dispute, after a second surrender of the
city of Canton , as there was after the first one ; and
that no effectual method of compulsion could be re
sorted to which did not bring the scene, both of hosti
lities and of negociation , nearer to the capital itself,
and make the voice of dictation ring more near and
louder in the Emperor's ear.
For some time after the commencement of the truce,
a guard of marines was stationed in the Factories ; but,
as soon as Captain Elliot's “ assurance proclamation ”"
was issued, they were withdrawn. Up to that time
there had been , as is usually the case, a division in the
VOL . I. FF
434 EMPEROR'S PROCLAMATIONS.
councils to a certain extent ; but now the “ war and
extermination ” party got completely the upper hand,
and their hopes of success were much encouraged by a
report which reached them , that the main body of our
force was about to proceed to the northward , to operate >
on the coast . This was , in fact, really intended , as will
be seen presently ; although it was subsequently defer
red , owing to reports of the preparations at Canton ,
and the expectation of a speedy outbreak .
The Emperor's proclamations to all the maritime dis
tricts continued to breathe a spirit of uncompromising
war ; and the Governor of the province of Chekeang
(under whom are the Chusan Islands) , the venerable
Elepoo, was severely reproved, for having permitted the
barbarians to retire from Chusan under Keshen's treaty ,
instead of having advanced to drive them out by force,
and to effect their destruction .
Thus, at the commencement of May, the speedy re
sumption of hostilities seemed inevitable ; and the re
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