The Sun.
London, England, 1839-09-24 00:00:00

TRADE WITH CHINA.

(From the Canton Free Press of May 11.)
We recorded in our last that an edict has been received
by which ships were allowed to lade, and in fact according
to which the trade was to be opened, and passage boats
were allowed to leave Canton carrying passengers, The
latter part of this edict was in so far complied with, that
several boats left on Monday morning for Macao with
passengers and letters ; but to guard against any of the
16 individuals at that time ordered not to leave, escaping,
the Kwangheep and a posse of other officers, followed by
the Hong merchants, were assembled at the embarking
place bearing the euphonious appellation of Jackass-point,
and every passenger about to embark was called upon by
name, and had to identify his claim to it by showing
his face. This ceremony, including the searching of
trunks, &c., occupied a great number of Mandarins about
four hours, when the boats were at last allowed to depart.
The boats' crews detained here during our imprisonment
left in them, they not being allowed to float their ships'
boats, high and dry in the square during the last six weeks.
A good many people, particularly such as were not per-
manent residents here, embraced this opportunity to leave
Canton, and we believe that, sailors included, the boats
took away from here between 40 and 50 individuals.
On the day before yesterday (Thursday evening) it
was known that an important edict fermi the -ismchae had
been received, and various were the rumours concerning
it in our community ; but this morning the following
translation became known :
" From the Kwangchow Foo to the Hong merchants,
communicating the order of the Commissioner, Gover-
nor, and Lieutenant-Governor regarding the punish-
ment of foreigners for dealing in opium.
" Choo, by epecial appointment Prefect of Kwangcbow
Foo, issues commands to the original Hong merchants,
and to the several senior and other Hong merchants for
their full information.
" He has now received from Lin, the high Imperial
Commissioner, &c., Tan, the Governor of the two Kwang,
and E. the Lieutenant-Governor of Kwangtung, the fol-
lowing orders :
" It appears that the English superintendent Elliot, the
American superintending officer Snow, and the Dutch
superintending officer, Van Basel, have presented addresses,
requesting that they all should return home at the head of
the people and the vessels of their several nations.
•• These addresses coming before us, the Commissioner
and the Governor, and being duly authenticated, we reply.
" China has, indeed, no need of commercial intercourse
with outer Barbarians. But because you have come from
far over the seas it cannot bear to push you utterly away;
you have enjoyed the overshadowing, the comprehensive,
and deep benevolence of the Great Emperor, who has
eiven sanction to the trade with Kwangtung—you who
nave come to the ten itory of the Celestial Empire, not
only eat of the herbage and trod the soil equally with the
people of the land, but have also, by your buying and sell-
ing, acquired very rich advantages. It is naturally your
duty to rest in your stations, observing the laws. But for
tens of years past you have, on the contrary, employed a
thing hurtful to men as means of gaining and possess-
ing yourselves of people's wealth.
" The Great Emperor, anxiously regardful of the ge.
geral well-being, has therefore declared his pleasure that
this should be severely prohibited. And if th laws be not
plainly declared how shall the future ingress be put a stop
to ? While now, all you superintendents and consuls
aforesaid are aware that the prohibitory enactment, t,f
tee Celestial Court may not be opposed. you are
,yet
anxious in regard to points of difficulty as relates to your
own countries, and request that at the head of the people
and vessels of your several countries, you may altogether
take your departure to return home.
"'Those of the foreigners whose names are prominent
as having been habitual sellers of opium, have already,
ere this, been ordered away. But besides Jardine and
others, e.bo have gone away back to their countries, there
yet remain many lingering behind. If, indeed, all leave
China for ever, there will of course no opium gain admit-
tance into the inner land, and this evil may be removed.
e After, then, the lull completion of the present deli-

veries, let it be even as requesied. It shall be left to you
entirely to return to your countries. You will not be
allowed t, make pretexts for procrastinating and delaying.
And after you have thus returned ycu will not be allowed
to come again. Let there be no turning backwards and
forwards, no inconstancy, whereby investigation and pro-
ceedings thereon will be involved.
" We proceed to issue these orders, commanding the
Prefect immediately to enjoin the orders on the original
Hong merchants, and on the several senior and other Hong
merchants, that they may plainly enjoin the same on the
stveral superintending officers aforesaid, that they, having
knowledge thereof, may offer no opposition.
This having been received by the Prefect, he proceeds
to issue these commands. When these reach the said
Hong merchants, let them immediately enjoin the same
painly on each of the said superintending officers, that they
may hive knowledge thereof, and offer no opposition. A
special command.
• litook(waog, 19th year, 3d month, 25th day,
(Bth May, 1839.)"
We believe thet owing to its importance, and the conse-
quent irregularity of its being transmitted to Captain
Elliot through the Hong merchants, that officer refused to
receive this document, which was at the same time trans.
mitted to the American Consul, and to the Chairman of
the Chamber of Commerce that was. From it, it will be
seen that any foreigners may leave Canton after the deli-
very of the 20,283 chests shall have been completed, but
that any one applying now for leave to go will not be al•
lowed to return. Those that under present circumstances
remain in Canton will be subject to the laws lately pro-
mulgated against the smugglers of opium, that is, to capi-
tal punishment. Under such conditions, and the facility
of accusation, where for condemnation rigid proofs may
not be required, most foreigners are now preparing to
leave, and their doing so will probably disabuse the Chi-
nese of their so often avowed belief that " without tea or
rhubarb the Barbarians cannot live."

The purport of this edict is, of course, of paramount
import.nice, but besides it, a good many annoyances of a
minor kind are being inflicted on the residents here. We
mentioned before that they were not allowed to go into the
back streets or the Hongs to transact their business, which,
to be done, must be intrustea alto7ether to the honour of
the Chinese; since this :morninv, it appears, previous
orders are to be executed, and workmen have been all day
busy preparing the foundation of a wall and railing to be
run up close to, and in a parallel line with the factories,
leaving their inhabitants for recreation the small space of
four paces only. Besides, no more than one inlet into the
suburbs of Canton is in future to be allowed us—all the
others are to be blocked up.
The guard of about 70 Cooll.ies in front of the factories,
which we mentioned as having• taken the place of about
three times the number in our last, still remains, and the
boats, though not so s)rnmeti,•ically arranged to the eye,
continue to guard the few landling places. Communication
with Whampoa has, however, become unrestricted, and
boats are daily coming and going.