The Express.
London, England, 1857-02-07 00:00:00

THE EARL OP CLARENDON TO 070 I. BORIUNO.

Foreign Office, Dec. 10, 1856.

Bir,—l have received your despatches of the 13th end 15th
of October, reporting what had wired in regard to the
seizure by the Chinese authorities et Canton, of the crewel
the lorCha Arrow, Bailing under British colours.

I have consulted the few officer of the crown on this matters
and I have now to state to you, that I am of opinion that this
act of the Chinmo authorities constitutes an infraction of
Article IX. of the Supplementary Treaty.

The only possible defence open to them appears to be, that
the Arrow was not "an English merchant ship" within the
true intent and meaning of the Treaty ; but Article XVII.,
Ruh) I, in Supplementary Treaty, recognises and includes this
particular class of vessel; she had a British minter, British
colours, and papers, and even if her license bad born impair.
perly granted in August IBM, this was a matter of British
internal regulation, and to be dealt with by the British
authorities. This point is evidently an after-thought on the
put of the Chinese, and the only evidence of it is the un-
corroborated assertion of one of the crew whilst in custody.
No British torah& would be safe if her crew were liable to
seizure on each grounds.
I have f.O their to observe that there do not seem to have
born any such circumstances of urgency in this ease as would
afford any justification or excuse for the arldtary conduct of
the Chinese authorities, who were, probably, emboldened by
the absence of any of her Majesty's ships from Canton. The
Arrow was bound to Hong Kong, and if any of her crew
could be identified as having been guilty of piracy, or were
even suspected of it, there would have been no difficulty in
securing their apprehension and delivery, bad tho Chines.
authorities taken the course indicated by Article IX., viz.,
communicating with the British Cowed. Only two of her
crew were charred with piracy, viz., Le-ming-tae, and
Liang-kien-fuo, the third detained (Woo-a-jen) is apparently
only wanted ea a witness; and there was not the slightest
pretest for seizing the other nine, who were afterwards
r released.
k The accidental and temporary absence of the British mas-
ter on board a neighbouring vessel could not effect the guess
tion. The British lag is clearly proved (by the deposition
• of Kennedy and Leach) to have been hauled down by the
Chinese Mandarin crew, notwithstanding the denial of this
fact by the Imperial Commissioner ; but even if the flag bad
. not been actually flying at the moment, it is obvious that the
national character of the lorcha was well known to the
, authorities.

The expiration of the Arrow's sailing license on Septem-
ber 27, presioua to her seizure, does not appear to have been
known to the Chinese authorities ; and this, again, Is a mat-
ter of British regt,ation which would not justify seizure by
the Chinese.
The principle ntrelvcd in this case is most important, and
' the demands made by Mr. Consul Parkes appear to me to bo
very moderate under the circumstances. I consider that tho
re-delivery of the three men still detained, and a subsequent
formal demand for their extradition before they are given up
again, should be insisted on so a sine qua non. They mud
be considered as having been forcibly taken in breach d
Treaty, and without any justification or excuse, from on
board a British vessel, and illegally detained in custody by
the orders of the Imperial Commbrioner, with full know.
ledge of all the cirevmstanees and in defiance of a turmoil
demand by the British Consul.
I:nder all the circumstances of the core, I approve of the
intention to seine and hold one of the imperial junks as secu-
rity for the redress which the high commissioner has ban
called upon to afford in this case.
I have orb to add, that I conclude you will hare canted
a strict inquiry to be made into the circumstances connected
with the grant of the license to the lurcha in the yet
1854.-1 ant, &c., (Signed) CLXIILNDON.

TUE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY TO MR. lIAMMOEN
(Received January 3.)
Admiralty, January 3, 1857.
Sir,—l am commanded by my Lords Conuoissioncra of the
Admiralty to trims-wit to you copies of a letter from Rears
Admiral Sir Michael Seymour, and of such of its inclosuree
as base not been received at the Foreign-Aire, detailing the
operations at Canton: and in laying the same before the
Earl of Clarendon, 1 have to requevt that you will move hie
lonlship to inform my Lords what iu,tructions are to be teat
to the Admiral by the mail of the 10th instant.—l have, ftc.,,
(Signed) THOR. rHINSI.

Z. HOEWOND TO THE SECRETAILT TO THE ADEIRALTT.
(Faired.) Foreign-office, January 10, 1837.
I have laid before the Earl of Clawndon your letter of the
3rd instant, Metering Rear-Admiral Sir Michael Sennour's
report of the late operations in the Canton river, and re-
questing to be made acquainted with the instructions which
should be Bent to him on the subject ; and in reply I am to
request that you will acquaint the Loris Commissioners of
the Admiralty that Lord Clarendon is of opinion that the
admiral's conduct should be entirely approved, and more
especially the judgment, Prinness, and moderation with
which he has acted, and the respect which he has ahown foe
the lives and properties of the Chinese people.

THE EARL OP CLARENDON TO Flit J. TOITHINO.

(Extract.) Foreign-of flee, January 10, MO.
I have received your despatch of the 23rd of October WA,
with a report of the operations in the Canton river ; and I
have to acquaint you that her Majesty's government en-
tirely approve the course which has been adopted by Rea:-
Admiral Sir Michael Seymour and yourself; and I have to
instruct you Mee to convey to )Ir. Parlca a similar approval
of his conduct.

Count do Courcy, the French representative, expresses to
Sir John Bowring his "more] sac-ion" to the course takes
by the British authorities, and his recognition of the feet
that our common interests direct us towarils the revision of
our treaties with China.