The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-02 00:00:00

Half a dozen sharp prows are edged in contact the enrichment of Macao, but in nothing benefit
with the companion leader or thereabouts ; you de- the Chinese Government. Macao would simply
scend, and a moment's indecision is enough to cost become what Hong Kong now is, and the contra-
you
n. ducking, if not your life. Nothing but a de- hand trade with China, piracy, and Coolie kidnap-
ping would each and all take only new proportions
termined spring into one can save you, happy if a
treacherous syren, with a grasp of iron, does not and gileater developments under the most perfect
seek. to turn you into that which lies to the right or impunity that a willing Government could extend.
to the left, or some laggard with a desperate thrust The one oily remedy lies obviously in an im-
does not send your own selected boat six yards proved custom-
linuSe administration in China, and
away, without exactly filling up the vacant space to this they are at :.ftst turning their attention by
' over which you see yourself suspended. These perils the organisation of a cOtoplete and uniform system
safely passed, you.have then time to look what has for all the ports under foreign inspectors, tide-
become of your " boy"—a corruption of the Indian waiters, &c., in the hope that these will supply- the
call for a servant—and, more important still, your vigour, honesty, and intelligence they find it so
bag and trunk. Most probably you have the sates- difficult to secure among their own people. A short
faction of seeing him with one foot still on the lad- time will show with what success. But in that
der, your boxes passing into another boat, and your direction lies their only hope of remedy for a great
bag nowhere. As, however, the same scene of utter and increasing evil. Under the present order Macao
confusion and despair takes place at least ten times has repaired her tattered vestments, sole legacy of
every day, and travellers do reach the shore, while a hundred years of poverty, and Hong Kong has
boy and trunks turn up in safety, you resign your- made the wealth of many in less than 20 years.
self to Providence, take the rudder and guide your- Under a different and a better regime for China
self to port, where the best of hospitality or the both colonies will have to content themselves with
worst of hotel accommodation awaits you, with a more legitimate gains, and it may be smaller re-
third chance of a room in the club-house—not so venues and lessened importance. But even though
good as the first, nor quite so bad as the second. Macao should have to fall back upon lentils and
MAY 17. soup maigre six days in the week, as of yore, it is
The sun is up, and, through heavy banks of well that the Chinese should succeed in their pre-
cloud and mist, is struggling hard to light up the sent efforts at reorganisation.
bay, the opposite shores of which are still shrouded In getting its legitimate dues from foreign trade,
in an impenetrable veil. Ships of many nations, which it only now receives in their integrity at
and junks of every size and description are shaking Shanghai under foreign inspection, the Chinese
out their sails to take their chance of drying before Government will obtain a direct and increasing
another drenching rain comes down. But, fair interest in its development and prosperity, be-
weather or foul, this Bay of Hongkong, one of the sides the means of a better Government, and
finest in the world, is always picturesque—land- a lesson they much need—namely, that to secure
locked with bold rocks and swelling hills, and full good and honest service States as well as in-
of life and movement from the shipping which dividuals must give fair remuneration and
crowds its waters. The daybreak gun wakens up adequate salaries, And, though last, not least,
all early risers; the loud .screaming whistles or the foreign merchant will find his trade can be
scarce less discordant bells of tie:: river steamers carried on with honesty, on principles of fairness to
soon after begin the business of the day, and keep all, without any painful effort or sacrifice on his
up an incessant alarm from seven in the morning part.
to eight or nine o'clock, and again from four in the But the sun is rising higher, the rain clouds are
afternoon, on their return from Canton or Macao. riven, and now I see a gallant fleet, with the British
The snorting and puffing of gunboats diversify the ensign at the mizen, stretching across the bay.
sounds, While from the shore and the streets a busy Music comes floating on the breeze from the United
hum of cries and sounds untranslateable tell the States' ship Powhattan. H.M.S. Fury is getting
drowsy Stranger that a city in the tropics has up her steam, with 300 marines on board, for the
leaped into life and activity before the sun attains north. The Assistance is to follow with more.
his scorching power. If he turns out for an early Seven gunboats have been despatched, and others
morning Walk, and bends his steps upward to the are on their way. Soon the rest of a goodly fleet,
higher ground, he will find the convolvulus spread. with Admiral Hope and our first Minister at Pekin
ing its beautiful flowers for the fresh breath of Mr. Bruce, will take their departure for the Peiho.
dawn—cieepers of wild luxuriance disputing each H.M.S. Samson leaves to-day with our first Con-
wall and :bank; and looking seaward, a whole sue- sul-General in Japan on board, and all his consular
cession of bays lie at his feet, stretching away into staff. Mr. Alcock is the bearer of the ratified treaty
the distance. Market boats laden with provisions which he is to exchange at Yeddo. The American
from the main land, with their richly coloured sails Minister, Mr. Ward, just arrived on board the U.S.
of matting and many picturesque forms, are crowd- ship Powhattan, is also northward bound. The
ing into the harbour. Square-rigged ships are press- French Minister, M. de Bourboulon, is speedily to
ing all sail to gain the long-desired anchorage, while follow; and soon the second or rather the third and
others are unmooring to proceed to the several ports last act of the national drama will commence, the
for their outward cargo. Men-of-war, trading junks, scene of which all men hope will be laid ix Pekin,
merchant craft from every country, all are here to and the end whereof we trust may be peace, if not
give testimony to the activity and importance of the real cordiality and good will. Not there am I bound,
trade which in some way or other finds in Hongkong however, but to Japan, of which I shall have much
a connecting link. Craft in numbers from the ad- to tell you both new and interesting. And, as Da-
joining Oast, each differing in shape and colour, ac- nish and Prussian missions are already in prepara-
cording to the port; the great bulky Shantung junk; tion—the squadron of Prussia to he commanded, I
the Shanghai, with its gaudy colours and mystic eagle hear, by Prince Adalbert ; while English, French,
on the stern but little differing ; the long craft of and American Ministers and squadrons, once free
Ningpo, and so on, down to Hainan ; and even from the Peiho, all purpose a visit to the Japanese
Siam and Singapore, all have their representatives. ports—Yeddo bids fair to be the great rendezvous
A Chinese sailor will distinguish where they come and watering place of the season for the "far East"
in strange contrast with its close seclusion for fully
from by, differences of shape and rigging, paint and
decorations, without difficulty, and if he be honest 200 years.
may also tell you where stout-built junks are lying ENTRANCE OF THE YANG-TSE-KIANG, MAY 22.
undisturbed with a pirate crew, and nearly fitted The incidents of a voyage up the coast from-
out with fresh supplies of guns and powder. Only Hongkong to Japan in these days of steam are few.
Ido not recommend you to trust him too implicitly, The escape from the sultry heat of Canton and
for he may be one of the pirate crew himself, and Hongkong to the fresh cool breezes of the higher
will send you on a wrong scent, to the damage of latitudes and open sea is the most noteworthy and
some honest trader whom he wishes to ruin, or delightful of incidents. To feel a desire for a blan-
simply to damage you, and prevent the Hong- ket and to lose the sleep-disturbing hum of the
Kong authorities pursuing his fellows on informa- mosquito trumpets make as near an approach to
tien given, by letting you into a few deplorable happiness as I can venture to anticipate for many
mistakes,. of which, doubtless, Mr. Anstey has al- weeks or months to come. And so, like a philosopher,
ready said his say in London, as in Hong Kong. 1 enjoy them accordingly, grateful for the good the
With a large harbour full of junks from every sea- gods have sent. We are just entering the wide
port and island between Shantung and Singapore, mouth of this leviathan of rivers, and to-morrow
Siam, Java, and the Philippines, with 60,000 Chi- may look to see Shanghai much increased and
nese and Macaonese on shore, it is not easy for the changed since last I saw it, each year adding to its
authorities to put their hands upon all the rogues trade and wealth. But you shall hear how it looks
or. pirate craft that take shelter beneath the sure and what it promises after my arrival.
protection of the British flag, were they the best SHANGHAI, MAY 24.
and most honest that ever wielded colonial power. The Queen's birthday ushered in by a wet and
This barren rock they have made their home, build- stormy morning. In vain the numerous ships of
ing a large Chinese town, which spreads along the war are dressed in their gly-est colours ; everything
western shore and skirts the bay, creeping upward looks drooping, wet, and miserable. I wandered
on the hillside, along the face of the ravine. Nest through the foreign settlement yesterday evening
on nest of houses attract the eye, until they dispute before the rain set in, and after Calcutta there is
the higher levels with the merchant princes of the nothing more wonderful east of the Cape than the
colony, sufficiently attesting the untiring industry, rapid growth of the whole place, and the vast trade
perseverance, aye, and enterprise too, of these plod- to which it owes its rise. Fifteen years ago corn and
ding celestials, when in pursuit of gain. Not 20 rice and cotton fields covered the groun now en-
years have passed over our heads since England tirely occupied for a mile square with foreign man-
first took possessien of this pirate haunt, and all sions and packhouses, by a Chinese settlement in the
its properties of unlimited granite and bare hills ; rear, their occupants having sought peace and secu-
and now it is the great centre of a Chinese coasting rity where the flags of western Powers, the chief of
trade, to feed which numberless ships come laden these the British, give no vain promise of both.
with produce from India, Siam, and Manilla ; Some 16,000, mmy of the better and wealthier
from Batavia and Singapore, with the collected classes of Chinese merchants, have thus located
tribute of the Malayan Archipelago ; from Eng- themselves of their own free choice, built wide streets
land, New York, and San Francisco; even New end extensive bazaars, pay toad and police rates,
Zealand and Australia are contributor of and conform to all the municipal regulations of
the required supplies. Not only . this, tit foreigngrowth with scrupulous fidelity. The Chinese
has become the central postal and financial station are certainly among the most easily governed of any
whence all the directing wires of the great Euro- in the world, given two conditions only—honesty
pean and American trade with China receive of purpose and strength in the governing power.
their impulse, and are pulled by heads of houses Under such conditions the latter is hardly ever called
located in the. colony, determiningthe ultimate des- into active exercise. It is enough that it should be
tination of all the ships and cargoes that enter or known to exist. The city itself has but partially re-
leave the China Seas. What is the secret of this covered its devastation by the horde of soi disant
sudden and enormous growth in population and in insurgents, but unquestionable spoliators and ban-
trading importance of this barren rock? This is ditti, which gained possession in 1853, and held it
among the first thoughts of a stranger. Hong against an Imperial army until the beginning of
Kong itself, he sees at a glance, produces nothing 1855. A word from the Treaty Powers might have
but granite boulders and the thinnest scrub. The averted such a great calamity, and saved from ruin
City of Victoria, with its Cathedral, episcopal a population of 100,000 industrious and peace-
palace, Government house, its Supreme Court, and loving people. But a want of unanimity among the
all its palatial merchants' houses, are just on the three representatives of England, America, and
spot of earth where no one would have thought of France allowed the opportunity to be lost. Let us
placing them. The great Victoria Peak towers hope that, warned by past experience, no more
acrosq the whole line of the city, and effectually Consular ports will be allowed to become a prey to
shuts out every breath of air during six months of the miserable vampires sucking the life's blood out
a most oppressive summer, when every one gasps' of flourishing towns in which we have large com-
for want of that needful aliment of life, whence mercial and treaty guaranteed interests ! It requires
some go home sick every year with spleens much but a distinct announcement that these seaport
larger than their fortunes, and not a few leave their cities shall not be pillaged to deter the predatory
bones to be laid beneath six feet of Chinese earth. rabble from ever venturing to make the at-
The neighbouring mainland has good and commo- tempt. A-greater service 'it has never been in the
dious seaports, far nearer to the producing markets power of Western States to render to an Eastern
and the purchasers of foreign goods, and apparently people at so small a Cost, or one which more com-
in every respect better fitted for trade. But it is mends itself in the interests of humanity and a
an open secret, and may be told in very few words sound policy. It need involve no espousal of either
—though some facts are not acceptable to all par- Imperialist or insurgent cause—no abandonment of
ties. Security to life and property is the first and a policy of neutrality in an internecine war; but
broadest foundation of such prosperity; a magni- simply a prohibition issued to those who recognise
ficent bay of easy access, the second condition ; and no law or treaties that at the Consular ports, were
the absence of all Customs, with proximity to we have large vested interests and treaty rights, no
Chinese ports, where these exist in more or less one by wanton spoliation without influence on the
oppressive form, furnish a full solution of the pro- issue of a civil war shall be allowed to destroy them,
blem. Given a barren rock in the near vicinity of and with them the lives and property of thousands
a wealthy empire, with a base and corrupt Admi- of peaceable inhabitants, with whom we have daily
nistration, how shall the trade of the mainland be relations of amity and commerce. The populations
made to overflow to the islet ? - To it an enterpri- of these ports will learn to look upon us as their
sing and industrial population can bring their pro- best friends, and a sure defence against wrong they
duce from the whole seaboard on advantageous are otherwise unable to resist. The insurgent rab-
terms of export with their own people, as not ble themselves will regard us with all the more re-
declared for foreign market ; and from it spect for our determined bearing, and the Imperial
run cargoes of return goods, with like exemption Government will at least be gratefnl for exertions
from import duties. Hong Kong is to China what by which the Custom-house revenues, becoming
Gibraltar is to Spain—a great smuggling emporium. every day of greater importance, are preserved from
It offers some little premium of facilities to pirates the grasp of the spoiler, giving the Emperor and
also, and to those engaged in the trade, and taking his counsellors a direct interest in the preservation
up their residence, the protection and security their of foreign commerce and the relations of goodwill
own land cannot afford. Thus it happens that Hong connected with its maintenance.
Kong, though in a subsidiary sense promoting But I must not dwell too long on these considera-
foreign trade with China (in the only sense in which tions of general policy, even were the importance of
this -was understood by the contracting Powers), the subject more fully appreciated at home. Here
really owes its wondrous growth and prosperity to they very naturally suggestthemselves, with the still
a vast contraband trade with the whole seaboard evident traces ofthe ruthless and wanton destruction
of China, conducted chiefly by the Chinese them- wrought by a handful of horse-boys and rabble
selves. Here they can bring their opium, long coolies. Wide spaces lie between the foreign settle-
cloths, yarns, and woollens, free of all duty, with went and the city walls, which previously were
all the chances of laying them down at the points covered with Chinese streets, giving sheltertoalarge
of consumption for a small bribe. Hero they can industrial population. Within the walls permanent
sell their rhubarb, sugars, camphor, and sundry loss and devastation are everywhere apparent.
other produce, and at Macao their tea, at a better Thousands of houses were levelled, and tens of
price than at the consular ports, for the same reason thousands of their inhabitants tortured to death,
that they succeed in escaping duty on their transit. beheaded, or cast out houseless and penniless to
For this state of things, of which the Chinese perish, but it would be hard to find a single human
authorities well may and do complain, we are not being who reaped any tangible or permanent bene-
wholly to blame ; nor is it with us, or in eer power fit. Even the ruffian leader, Chin-a-lin, who alone
altogether, to devise a. remedy. As a great depot of ali his-followers made his escape at the-capture
for our British and Indian produce, where ample of the city, by the help of a foreign merchant, was
security exists, it would be impossible and suicidal prowling about Hongkong the other day, trying in
to make it other than a free port. To attempt any vain, through more foreign agency, to get posses-
supervision of the Chinese crafts without the levy sion of a plot of ground in Shanghai where lav
of duties, or to allow the Chinese officials to do so buried in gold and silver of his plunder, wrung
—as contemplated in the supplementary treaty of from the tears and agony of tortured victims, a lac
1843, but never acted upon—would be equally de- of dollars. And all this ruin and misery, I repeat,
structive of any development of trade. Whether we may be averted in future by a word spoken in Wile,
should not be prepared to sacrifice all that is not with the authority of the Treaty Powers. Let the
legitimate and consistent with treaties is aquestion decrepid Government and its insurgent subjects
which it could answer little purpose to discuss fight their battles elsewhere ; the empire is wide
here, for very certainly there will never be a Colo- enough. And we do these Eastern races mischief
nial Minister at home, or a Coldhial Government enough, more or less voluntarily or consciously, by
here, that willattempt the thoroughgoino- measures the dissemination of Western vices, if by no other
necessary to carry out the princi 1 Th° first
-
wonld doubtless be to depopulate the island of its tunities like this offer for conferring the Messing of
Chinese population,
drive away all the Chinese coast- peace and security on a number of large popula-
ing trade, and empty the pockets of our merchants tions to a great degree identified with us.
of large gains poured into them from
good Chinese Tomorrow Tmorrow or next day we shall leave Shanghai,
which is not in exact accord with faith or bound for Nagasaki. It will not be among the least
treaties. And were there any chance of a Colonial curious or important of the incidental results at-
Secretary of State or Governor being willing g to taching to the enlarged traffic and intercourse ra-
face the outcry and clamour such an attempt in the pidly developing between this port and Japan that
mildest form would inevitably raise, there is yet chiefly by and through the Chinese ports (the
another consideration very fatal to such a scheme. more nearly assimilated wants and tastes of the
L The sacrifice of interests at Hong Kong would be two races mainly aiding, in combination with the