The Sun.
London, England, 1835-02-02 00:00:00

/-tea
taiiyelly with
th es • pire,
.i pet,
your honourable country must a.s_
your honeurable country.
Now the refusal to receive the governmental orders is diso-
bedience to the laws of the Celestial Empire. We are official
merchants, and in all public affairs must entireiy and implicitly
obey and act up to the established laws. Since now your ho-
nourable officer will not act in obedience to the established
laws, we dare not hold commercial intercourse with the gentle-.
men of your honourable nation, and can only detail the circum-.
stances in a full report to the great officers, that they may put.
a stop to buying and selling.
- For this special purpose we write ; we pray you to return an
answer. This is what we have to impose on you. With com-
pliments, &c.
[The names of eleven Hong merchants are subscribed.]
His Lordship continued, that he had two propositions to
submit to the meeting—firstly, that the receipt of the Hong
merchants' letter should be acknowlodged by the British mer-.
chants ; 2dly, that a Chamber of Commerce should be este- ,
blished in Canton, with a Committee, some of whom were to
be Parsees, and a Secretary. His Lordship proceeded to
observe, that he had heard with great pain that a difference of ';
opinion and ill-feeling existed, having their source in what
was, by some, considered a delay on the part of the gentleman
who first received, on the 11th inst., the Viceroy's four letters
to the Hong merchants, in sending translations of those letters
round for general perusal. His Lordship explained that this
was not their fault. His Lordship then again referred to the
establishment of a Chamber of Commerce, in order that
the affairs and interests of British merchants might be put
into a course of regular management, and a proper channel of
communication be opened with himself and with the Hong
merchants on all points connected with those interests.
His Lordship glen observed, there remained a very painful
subject for him to notice, but, however painful, it was,
nevertheless, his duty to notice it. He had heard of it since
his arrival—and, he had heard of it before his arrival—
he had heard of it in England : his instructions alluded to it ;
even the benevolent heart of our gracious King had been
moved to notice it ; this was the dissensions and animosity
that existed in the British mercantile community of Cin-
ton: His Lordship observed he was. directed to exhort them
all to concord. 'Pere his Lotdship read a paragraph from
his instructions, requiring him "to watch over and protect
the interests of our subjects resident at, and resorting to, the
empire of China for the purposes of trade ; and by the exer-
tion of his utmost influence and authority, to adjust by, arbi-
tration or persuasion; allalisputes in which our- Tha s .
there engaged with one another." His Lordship- eelingly ' ''"'
lamented that such dissensions should exist, and the British
subjects in Canton not liVe in their own homes in respect
and quietness, ziad Onjoy and impi•Ove their present' anivan- '
tages. They were formerly, in somee degree, subject to the
East India Company ; but now they stood upon that indepen-
dent ground which had been the object of their cherished
hopes ; these hopes had been realized .: this independent.
ground had been attained, and the proper use of it now re-
mained with themselves. He begged for the sake of his Ma- '
jesty's good intentions towards them—for their own sakes—
and alSo for a slight feeling on behalf of himself and his present
position, that all disagreements should be arranged, and cordia-
lity be the feeling amongst the British merchants in ton,
as.their own interests would, undoubtedly, be best p . oted
by. union and good fellowship ; for himself, his Lordshl said,
Is
'he was ready, by night or day, to attend to all; :Other in
personal conference, or by written communication. " Gen-
tlemen," said his Lordship, '. his Majesty's ship will return
to her former anchorage." His Lordship then said lie had
conferred with Captain Chads, who had readily come into his
opinion, that the Andromache should proceed to sea, and
cruise for about a week, and then :;return to Chuen-pee ; and
Captain Chads had promised, in the event of falling in with
his Majesty's ship Imogene, he would communicate to Captain
Blackwood, his senior officer, the wishes of his Lordship. It
had been his Lordship's object, by the sailing of the Andro-
mache, to feel the pulse of the Chinese, and that object had
been attained. Their demands had become more manifest and
absolute. " The trade is already, or about 'to be stopped,"
his Lordship observed, " and of course
,you know what for ;
it is because I will not go down to Macao." He continued to
say the Chinese were alike ignorant of the return of the An-
dromache, and the arrival of the Imogene. He expected the
return of these two ships would operate on the Viceroy and
Hong merchants, and when the merchants formed themselves
into a Committee, they would exhibit a more imposing atti-
tude, and show the Chinese the advahtages welt not altoge-
ther on their side. If 'however, it was thougho%cessary, his
Majesty's ships should come up to WhaSispoa ; and if their
presence there was not a sufficient protection, they should an-
chor under the walls of the town ; his Lordship conceived the
local Government would speedily alter its proceedings ; that,
however, remained to be proved. It only rested for his Lord-
ship again to recommend the formation of a Chamber of Com-
merce, and he read a plan for its formation.
On his Lordship's leaving the chair,
A meeting of the British merchants of Canton was held,
Mr. Fox in the chair, when it was agreed that the letter from
the Hong merchants to the British merchants of Canton, in-
timating the possible stoppage of the trade, should be at mice
„k,sswledged, by informlng them that as it refers to official
matters ocer which they had no controul, they could not no-
tice it.
The following aliswer was accordingly sent :
" Gentlemen—We have received your letter of the lath in- '
stant, and as it contains official matter over which we have no
controul, the communication cannot be noticed beyond a mere
acknowledgment thereof." ( Signed)
We now lay before our readers translations of some chops
tri4-ts‘sa_Vieeroy and Hoppo to the Hong res•rehants, which
were sent by Pie-Uttar so-sYssa-.Beitiali merchants on Monday
last.

The first document, which we think unnecessary to publish
at length—and indeed, we have curtailed the whole, as con-
taining a great deal too much useless verbiage and repetition—
is a letter from the Hong merchants, dated on the. 11th
instant, in which they state that our "honourable officer" had
refused several times. to receive them, and receive the " Go-
vernment orders." Consequently, they had not been able to
return any report to the viceroy, who, they say, " for their not
being able to enjoin the ordei*.s, will inflict punishment which
it will be impossible for them to sustain." The following- is
the first documunt :
" Loo, Governor of Canton, to the Hong merchants.
"The Hee (or naval officer) of the Heangshan district,
with others, has reported, 'that .an English war vessel hav-
ing on board one barbarian eye, had anchored at Cabret a
point. On inquiry it was stated that he was to examine
and have superintendence of the said nation's merchant ves-
sels coming to Canton to trade,, B,:e.lhAs duty requires a re-
port is made.'
" According to this, I have examined avd find, that hi-
therto outside barbarians trading at Canton have only had
taepans (chief supercargoes) buying and selling pods. They
have been permitted to request permits, and the.n come to
Canton. But ordinarily that' have only had pern'ission to
reside at Macao. The English have traded at Canton up-
wards of a hundred years. And with regard to all Ihe re-
gulations, there has long been mutual tranquillity. The
said Hong merchants before reported, that this year Zile
English Company is dissolved. The barbarian eye who lus
now come .is of course for the superintendence and exaroi-,
nation of this business. But the barbarian eye is not com-
parable with the taepans. If he wish to come to Canton,.
it will be necessary to make first a clear report, requesting.
the Imperial will on the subject. As to the commercial
affairs, if there be circumstances absolutely requiring the es-
tablishment of other regulations, a petition of requests must
also be sent, after inquiry and deliberation on the part of
the Hong merchants through them, that a memorial may be
prepared, and obedience called for.
" Uniting these circumstances, this order is issued. When.
the order is received by the said merchants, let them imrvedi-
ately go in person to Macao, and ascertain clearly from fhe
barbarian eye for what he has come to Canton province. Let
them also inquire fully and minutely as to what other regula-
tions require to be now established, since this year the said.
nation's Company has been dissolved. Then let them report.
in answer, to afford evidence on which to make a plain and:
full memorial, for directions as to what conduct is to be ob-
served, and to what obedience is to be required.
" And let them authoritatively enjoin the established laws of
the Celestial Empire, that, with exception of the teapans and
other barbarian merchants trading at Canton, none can be per-
mitted to come to Canton, without a report having been made,
and the mandate received. The said barbarian eye, having to
examine concerning and superintend the affairs of commerce,
may reside at Macao. If he wishes to come to Canton, he:
must inform the said merchants, that they may previously peti-
tion me, the Governor, and I will by post conveyance send a.
memorial, and all must respectfully wait till the mandate of the,
great Emperor has been received. Then orders will be issued.
to require obedience. Oppose not ! A special order.
" Taoukwang, 14th year, 6th moon, 15th day."
(July 21, 1834.)
The Governor, in his second letter, after repeating part of
the first, and referring to the past days of tranquillity, and
ordering the merchants, linguists, and compradors to instruct
the " new-come barbarians in all things," proceeds to remark
that hitherto the foreigners coming to Canton have been per-
mitted to request and receive leave from the Hoppo ; and ho
then observes—
" On this occasion, the barbarian eye (that is, head man,
principal man), Lord Napier, has come to Canton, without
having at all resided at Macao, to wait for orders. Nor has
he requested or received a permit from the Superintendent of
Customs, but has hastily come up to Canton—a great infringe-
ment of the established laws. The Custom-house writers and
others, who presumed to admit him to enter, are sent with a
communication requiring their trial. But in tender considera-
tion for the said barbarian eye being a new-corner, and unac-
quainted with the statutes and laws of the Celestial Empire, I
will not strictly investigate. But it is not expedient that the
said barbarian eye should long remain at Canton provincial
city. It must be required, that, when the commercial busi-
ness regarding which lie has to inquire and hold jurisdiction is
finished, he immediately return to Macao. And hereafter,
without having requested and obtained a permit, he cannot be
permitted to come to Canton.
" The great ministers of the Celestial Empire are not per-
mitted to have private intercourse by letter with outside bar-
barians. If the said barbarian eye throws in private letters, I,
the Governor, will not at all receive or look at them.
" With regard to the barbarian factory of the Company
without the walls of the city, it is a place of temporary resi-
dence for barbarians coming to Canton to trade. They are
permitted only to eat, sleep, buy and sell in the factories.
They are not permitted to bring up wives and daughters ; nor
are they permitted to go out to ramble about. All these aro
points decided by fixed and certain laws and statutes, which
will not bear to be confusedly transgressed.
"To sum up—the nation has its laws; it is so every where.
Even England has its laws. How much more the Celestial
Empire 1 How flaming bright are its great laws and ordi-