Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-10-04
FOREIGN.

VIZ have had M vs. from Macao to The 18th April, BY
which we previously learnt OF The Imprisonment ni al!
the foreign mercantile residents al Canton. This ietitr
presents no new facts, but is int resting as giving more
complete ceiaila Of The comEler cial difficulties than have
yet appeared, and as she ing that this grand temperance
Increment is likely 10 be eifeciual and successful Al
the same tire, The history Of the trade, az narrated by
our correspondent, will prove that The English and Anne.
rIcaH NE ;Chants, who havp been SO largely engaged IN
il. are not liable 10 The impr'aiion of having been con.
cerne! in an Illicit and oDn:.aband rsffc, in de fsEcs Of
The provincial administration al Canton, ss has tten
elSrwherp charged upon them.
We have only farther 10 remark, by say of Infortna
ton TO those unatGuainlrd ~ith The Chinese lrace, that
foreign merchants are not allowed direct intercourse
with the naive traders, but that all mercantile inter
course is conducted through z few factors, appointed by
Government. called Hong merchants, who are directly
responsible 10 The administra ion for the conduct Of all
foreigners edmI,iPd TO the empire These foreigners
are on no account permitted To enter the city Of Canton,
but are confined 10 a space of about five and q hal! acre 3
in the suhgrhs ant upon he river, where their factories
are erected. Whampoa, The port of Canton, ~hese the
shipping are loaded by lighters. is about Twelve miles
below the city The island OF Llntln, OH which some
twelve store ships Of opium, mostly English, are station.
ed, is al the mouth Of The Canton river, and abou, sc
veEiy miles below The CITY:
Correspondence If he Courier d. Enquirer.
CANros, 81 a rI, 1850.
The opium trade has heretofore been carried on with
thu c0nnivance ofthe plceroy Of Canton, and other local
officers for many yeu-s, gradually increasing in import
ance, until liz yearly value 10 BRUSH merchants and 10
Tue E.iht InOl2 company, VINO gro" lnr GtUg, mas
amounted from fifteen 10 twenty millions Of dollars per
anBuIn. The Trade has been q regular system, carried
on wI'h greater facility than any other branch Of the
general trade Opium mas been 4 cash article, deliver
"a from The Store ships lying outside the limits oil The
Empire. aud its Introduction manogedfxc!usIvrly by the
Chinese. Remittances for This large amount ui property
have been nude in Teas. Balls on Lpntun and British
IrGIa, Bullion and Dollars Within ihree years The
Chinese Government has become alarmed at The moral
Effect produced upon their immense population, by the
use ii this drug. ard has taken measures 10 put an end
10 the trade, by destroying al! The Chinese boats engaged
in il. " he n this was done, The coa:lIag and liver trade
in small vessels x as substituted
Many eClcrs have tern issued by The authorities,
who threatened vengeance against all opium ships
with one hand, while with the other they held uut
invitations 10 engage in II, and The very boats Of the CO.
vsinrent bought tie drug within Twelve miles OF
Cation aud su'i Il. CnGtr these circumstances, il IS
not Surprising that the tate should go on successfully,
Until ihr final blnw came In The autumn OF lc3s, the
difficulties " this business had increased 10 a great de.
gree. Daring The last February, 1t was reported that an
lmppiial Commissioner. armed VITA The s. a. o. The En-
p'rt, aud Invested with extraordinary power, was on his
way 10 Canton, COR the express purpose Of eff c,iag the
snniliiluuon ct the opium Trade, and stopping tie export
Of bulhmn; upon the ground, that III. trade was demo
ralizirg the people and draining The country oil precious
m-,ais Upon this ,nfofnarion, all sales Of opium ceased,
and every one Connected with the trade was filled
with alarm, while The pilanrus NicerOy OF Canion, TO
screen has own guilt, and TO appear II aluUs 10 stop tie
trade. exrcuted many dealers IN cpIum Grd punished
others On he l2h December. he attempted 10 straDgle
o C:,iu=se in The square IN front of our factories The
~foreigner rs resisted this order, aud drove the executioners
away Thy were IN turn attacked by n NIB Of natives,
and themselves driven within their doors, there they
stood 4 sIrGe TT four hours. against Ten thousand iEiurI.
a'td demons. unul tie police from the city dispersed
hem. Just rs they 1rr- breaking into our houses The
Ficrror, r1asps rated at th.s interference. promised TO
carry out his 'hfeai and accordingly. on The 10th Febfu
ary. when most Of the res d' .its were over the river, or
aaay IN their boats, he cane out OF the city with ] guard
If two hundred armed men. and s%trangIrd an opium
dealer before our doors. II was all dome so hastily, that
no Interference could have prevented il.
AT last he commissioner. or 10 give him his Chinese
till. thr YuInchi. arrived. and quietly procured Inf0r.
nation for a week or ten days lie then caused The
trade 10 BE- stopped, the port 20 be shot. and the cnmmu
nicat.on between ourselves and our ships outside 10 be
cut ui. and temlnted a surrender OF the opium. or 4
pat Of 1t. The Hong merchants were accordingly Or
derrd To close the holds Of oar ships aud TO require Us 10
deliver up The opium under PAIN Of losing their heads
Tie British superntenta At OF ,rnte. Captain Elliot, Il.
y, was absent. a meeting OF thu Chamber Of Com
merce decided 10 give up TO the Hong merchants one
thuusnad clfss OF opium 10 save their lives The next
day they appeared in CHAINS and with The loss Of their
"!icIa. buttons, saying THIS would not do The iumchI
mus, have all The opium or they would be executed =
This y as refused, On the ground that it was The property
d! merchants IN india. whose agents only we WERE
We were willing 10 md all The ships away, but would
not deliver uo The opium.
Al his point Of The debate, ne were prohibited going
awny. but not strictly guarded. While we were dis
cussing Ills question. The Yulnchi demanded that Mr.
Dent, one Of he principal merchants here. and III" head
Of a house largely interested IN The opium trade, should
90 INTO he c!iy 10 BE- examined by him His country
men refuse To lct him 60, except under The safe conduct
in wiring Of the Iunchi This Tie provincial govern.
ment were afraid to ask for About 80 years since, a
Nj Flint went into The city. and was kept a prisoner
neaTly three Yeas, and We f-ared they wish,d 10 enirap
Dent, and keep hin as i hostage for the delivery OF The
opium
On Sunday, The 24,h March, the result Of our dehbe.
r2lions was. that firm resistance 10 the demands OF The
Yumchi wucit induce him 10 give way: though great
Inn and pysn FIRMS ui HE DrpydIeU Al iHs
date. al about >. Z VI q cry was raised that the bua's
OF lhr hyft he'ow were forcing their way up AIIhancs
were in mui;on-lhe Chinese armlng-Dreigners rum
n,rr tn the hall Of he East India Company. in from. OF
which Captain Elliott landed IN toll uniform, having
come from Macao 30 miles, in his cutter TIL within a
few miles of Canton, ghen he got into an cared boat
rih four men from tae siHrp OF war Larne, and got up
saf.. after n hot pursuit by Sc vsral Mandarin bon!s lie
immedia, ely read IN address 10 The residents, in which
H. aid he should dcmand oil their passports, and If ihey
were not granted within three day. he should consider
hinse > prisoner # war TIE whole sceae vas gel
laniiy carried through, ard could moi but la every enc
vih, ntac-issm In ten inmates aittr Elliott landed,
,hp square in ir"n, al our factories. and bordering the
river. VAS cleared oil all %II:ruders, and guarded by Sc
yeycral nuntred comics or pnriers IN the pay OF the Hong
rerrhan,s. who had pre- pared them 10 prevent Dent s
e.capa. Al the sare .:.Ie. a complete double llne Of
large boats were m"orsd upon the river, before the
sGrgrp. curap'eie!r cutting II al retreat ~ "a'eT-
Ia sho5t. II twenty minutes alter Elliot landed, We
were prisoners. strictly guarded, and AL our Chiness
servants we're taken away; and the only liberty that
remains 10 US is that Of going from one FACTORY TO the
other. The next day. 81 Tie opium ships, at the r'qut.
siuon of Elliot. we're surrendered 10 him, say 20 :c6
chests and twenty ships. he Declaring That 'u'i payment
w,,ld be made for he same w thc British Government.
The YnmcE1. wiihdrawing his demand for hr Drn',
t4nandsd this opium; amt EiInr, has agreed 20 give II
n, a. soon as our liberty s.a!l be frstnrtd since lie
18th March. We have remained N This state Of turarce
,Ile rorLIry and perlnrmIng other me mai "iTces our
selves. but furnished with provisions by The Hong MR.
chants. - hp haze erected srve-al hundred bamboo tents
far ihair men. and who themselves keep watch al The
dorr nj. Cast EIiat's iuus-. while Dent rematn unGfr
III. protection IL lie British flag AL British np'um in
American hands was also gwen mp 10 Elliot f- VIII,
o, cru:se. surrender It u der p-nrsi. ard g'!l expect MS
Government TO dsG1and pa. rent Of China al We point
of The bavcnet. The amuErt Of opium IN American
49, -. s.nnli IN nnrnn mann nllh the English. say