The Sun.
London, England, 1840-04-07 00:00:00

PUBLICATION S.

PRICE sd.

scry ces of Mr. Davis (an able and judicious man who had
had experience in office under the East India Company ;)
for he wished to return to his native country. They seem
not to have been desirous to retain those of Sir G. Robin-
son.(also experienced), who had removed the scat of the
Commission to the head quarters of the smugglers. Cap-
tain Elliot came next in succession ; he had not been more
than a year or two at Canton ; and if they were not ready
to adopt at once some suggestions of his, rther novel in
character and on important points, they were surely ju,ti-
ti 'd in withholding this extent of confidence at. that time.
His experience of China was short; their experience of
him was still shorter. They knew him to be a man of
character and ability ; any man on the spot was better than
a total stranger to the business; and he was,, therefore,
the beet man they could employ when it became 'leas-
s:,ry to withdraw Sir G. Robinson. But it certainly be-
hoved them to eye a little into his manner of conducting
atr..iirs before they gave him an unlimited confidence, Ac-
c it appears that he was rather checked in adopt-
ing novel courses at first; and that ne was very little
interfered with afterwards.
When the crisis came, interference was out of the ques-
ti•m ; he had to act for himself; on his own judgment he
assumed enormous responsibilities; and it is on him that
those responsibilities must rest, except in so far as his Go-
vetnment may see fit to assume them, by subsequent ap-
proval of what has been done.
As to the fault which has been found with him for placing
himself in the power of the Chinese by joining the impri-
soned merchants at Carlton, we have already adverted to
it, and we need say little more. It seems to have been
assumed that he might have negotiated better had he kept
himself at liberty. But in reality he had no means of ne-
gotiation, whether confined or free. The frigate did not
arrive till afterwards, and he had no advantage to offer nor
any force to employ. But had it been otherwise, with
what confidence or spirit could any British officer carry on
negotiations affecting the lives of two hundred British
merchants, whilst he was holding himself aloof from the

Winger which threatened him? It was only by sharing the
danger that any generous man could etiab'.o himself to
take an assured tone, and act with becoming determina-
tion. As the case turned out, determination could be of
ne avail, except to prevent the confusion and mischief
which might have resulted from leaving the matter to be
settled by two hundred separate negotiators—many of
them probably having separate interests, some being in
more danger, and some in less, some having much pro-
perty at stake, some little, and others none at all.
Having therefore forced his way to the factory and taken
the management of affairs, he made all conflicting opi-
nions heed to one clear and decisive course. It was plain
to him that either life or property must be sacrificed. It
night be many lives, or it might be few ; Mr, Dent
might have been tortured or put to death; and that of
self might have brought the rest of the merchants to
one mind. Or it might have been the pleasure of the
Commissioner, according to Chinese policy, to begin
with one or two miserable Ilong merchants; or the whole
of the prisoners might have been operated upon simulta-
neously by gradual starvation. In one way or another
Captain Elliot perceived that the property must be sur-
rendered at last; and be locked about for the comae by
which the least present mischief might be occasioned,
by which the British name and character might suffer the
least degradation, and by which the game which was
lost fur the moment might best be retrieved hereafter.
The course which he chose was that which should place
all the responsibility upon himself, and vest in his Go-
vernment the most perfect right to demand from the Go-
vernment of China reparation for every wrong, and indem-
nity for every loss.
The property in question was not justly forfeited, even
had the mode of enforcing the forfeiture been other
than the barbarous mode adopted. When it left Bengel,
the shippers conld not know what would be the final
result of the vacillation and division of opinion in
the Cabinet at Peking .as to the legalization of the
trade. Even when it arrived in the seas of hina,
t.e consignees might reasonably doubt wheth the
uecision to prohibit would be carried into e ect—
and it was not in the port of Canton. It was waiting the
turn of events in the anchorage at Lintin, or it might be,
for anything Lin knew to the contrary, waiting the mon-
soon to return to India, or go elsewhere. But even if it
had been justly forfeited, the way to seize contraband
goods is to go and take them, not to seize the consignees,
and force a surrender by keeping them without food and
water, and threatening them with death. If the goods
were ever so justly seizable, this mode of effecting the
seizule could not be submitted to by any country which
thought fit to protect its trade from violence or its flag
from insult. Even if the representative of our country and
some British subjects utterly unconcerned in the opium
trade, had not been included in the outrage, it would have
been impossible for any Government which had the charge
of British honour and interests, to do anything else than
demand reparation and restitution in such a case as this.
What, then, was the course taken by Captain Elliot ?
Seeing that the property must be surrendered, and also
that his government must be involved in measures (hosti-
lities, i f necessary) for obtaining redress, lie put the matter
into the best shape he could, not only for saving ttic parties
immediately in danger, but for giving his Government the
clearest and most ,authentic ground for a demand of redress
or a declaration of war. To use his own words (ante,
p. 128), the requisition which he made on British subjects
fit the surrender to him of 13ritish•owned opium, " was
funded tan the principle that these •iolent compulsory
measures being utterly unjust per .se, and of general appli-
cation for the forced surrender of any other property or of
human life, or for the constraint of any unsuitable terms
or concessions, it became highly necessary to vest and
leave the right of exacting effectual security, and full in-
demnity fcr every loss, directly in the Queen."
There is one other point concerning the management of
this affair and of all Captain Elliot's negotiations, which
we cannot consider as of secondary importance : aid
that is the scrupulous truthfulness and good faith which
went through all, whether be was at large or in durance;
the effect being in the end that his word was taken by this
sitTicious people as a sufficient attestation of every matter
of fact, unless when it served their purposes to pretend to
disbelieve it. British honour was never better vindicated
than by this conquest over Chinese suspiciousness.
We have now nearly performed our task ; for if Captain
Elliot was right in the decision which he adopted on the
niain emergency (taken with readiness and clearness, and
probably in a moment when infinite confusion prevailed
around him), our readers will hot suppose that there will
lie much difficulty in vindicatTug his subsequent proceed-
ings: indeed we have heard little that i' worth notice
alleged against them.
As to the affair at Kowloon, when be came into collision
with the three war-junks, in an attempt to obtain supplies
fur the fleet, lie insists that lie was wrong, and it may be
that the sea-captain got the better of the politician in that
instance. But, at all events, the sea-ceptain's part was
gallantly performed; and if the affair was an error, it was
a fortunate one, since the fleet was well supplied from that
' moment, and the waters were not poisoned any more.
The blockade has been objected to by some persons, who
seem to think that Captain Elliot made too much of an
effort for the rescue of sixteen British sailors. We have
touched upon this point as it occurred in the narrative,
(p. 154, ante), and we need scarcely recur to it. In his
notice of blockade, he put forward the ancillary grounds as
well as the principal, and when the principal ground no
longer existed (the sixteen lost men having cast up), he had
to withdraw the blockade, though the ancillary motives fur
it were still in force. And thus as the principal ground
as only one, and the ancillary were several, and people
generally reckon Ly number and not by weight, he came
to be accused of having adopted hastily a measure which
he could not abide by.
Lastly, Captain Elliot, when the despatches first arrived,
was reproached with a weak and impolitic humanity in
stopping at the destruction of four or five war-junks, when
he might have destroyed the whole Chinese fleet. It ap-
peared afterwards that it was not he, but Captain Smith,
who was responsible for this act of humanity ; and that the
orders which Captain Smith bad brought with him, were to
act purely on the defensive. He had done enough to defend
himself, and he forebore accordingly. But orders apart,
we bevy no doubt that Captain Smith and Captain Elliot
too, would have taken the course which was taken, not only
from the dictates of their feelings, but also with the thorough
approval of their judgment. When they were in danger
of being surrounded, they were to take care of themselves
end the shipping; when they were too closely menaced,
they were to strike a blow by way of warning off their as-
sailants. But it was not for them to go to war with China.
That was, as Captain Elliot has observed in ena of his
despatr.thes, " the high attribute of her Majesty. What
they had to do was to temporize and manage matters as
they could, till instructions and an armament should arrive.
That armament, commanded by an officer of high repu-
tation in the service, will shortly be with them, andh we
know not that the country car, desire more, than t at the
proceedings taken after its arrival should be marked, as we
proc
y will Iss with the same sagacity, in-
trepidity,ie 1
bancidiepvreudt-cewihich'' have hitherto characterized
the conduct of affairs

Tho Marquis of Granby and Lord John Manners
left the Burlington Hotel
yesterday morning for Belvoir Castle
where the Duke of Rutland will dispense his.hespitality to ;
select circle during the Croxton-park. Daces, w hich take place
on Wednesday and Thursday next. Covers will be laid in the
state dining-ro-im for forty persons of rank each day.
Lord Louvame, eldest son of the Earl and Coun-
tess of Beverley, proposes a cruise this summer, for which his
Lorthhip
has purchased Sir Hyde Parker's cutter yacht 'Tur-
q,~oisc, Sir Hyde having recently purchased a schooner of Mr.
Neil.
Mr. Sanderson, M.P., has been confined to his
residence in Belgrave-square for the last fortnight in conse-
quence of an accident.
A NCIENT PoNtEs.---A correspondent informs
ns that there are now in the possession of Mr. John Parish, of
ALddleton-moor Lodge, three aged ponies (which comprise his
whole stud), whose united ages amount to 85 years. They are
familiarly called by the quaint but significant names of Duke,
Jack, and Beauty. Duke and Beauty are each 29 years old,
and Jack 27. They may be seen every day in the pasturage
gamboling together, with a playfulness equal to their younger
days. They take their turns willingly in the employment of
their owner, answering obediently to their several names, .
or
and
are greatly noticed and esteemed by him. It is remarked
Duke, that his cognomen is derived from the united circum-
stances of honour and military glory. He was a great favou-
rite with the late Duke of York, and moreover,
illustrious Duke of Wellington at the glorious'ebroavfalseirofcl.lE'a-.
terloo. He afterwards came into the p
&Atli, and was transferred to Mr. Parish:dsehwssiiistohn life,ins t‘rvuhciteiho n to
s
s'm,ot him, but Mr. P. humanely begged
granted, on condition that the Diikbe.shoualnddbehkisinpdolyziytriesanteodw.
This has been faithfully complied with, .
and infirmities.—
' dung suit and service, equal to his age
Mil Paper.