Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-05-04


Lin weihe and that when found be should be imme-
diatey delivered up to the Chinese authorities for
punishment and declaring that until he could receive
instructions from his sovereign, previous to which
the space OF four months must intervene, the re-
quired bond could not be gwen, agreem for the
resumption Of trade was entered into, which was to
| the following effect
"MAcAo, October 10th, 1889.
cit has been agreed between their eilences the
high commsso and governor on the side, and
the chief superintendent. Of the trade OF British sub
jects on the other, that, under existing circum-
stances:
81 The British trade NAV DO carried on outside
the Bucca Tigris, without any necessity Of signing
the bond OF consent to Chinese legislation, Ito be
handed to Chinese oficers) upon the condition that
| the ships be subjected to examination
"2 That the place of resort shall be the anchorage
between Armughoy and Chumpee.
"3 Ii is fully unde rstood, that the vessels, while
discharging their cargoes outside the Bogue, shall
| pay the measurement charge in the same manner
| II they went up to Whampoa. The pilots charges
shall also be paid as usual The lingaist shall be
| paid IN like manner.
~ The vessels proceeding to Armughoys will
transport their cargoes by of chop boats, and
| will undergo search by the officers"
This agreement was hardly signed, before it was
impliedly cancelled by the entry of the Thomas
Coats, British merchant ship, into the river, aud
her subsequent arrival at WhamPoa, after having
voluntarily signed the required bond, which Captain
Elliott had informed the hi oh commits soner could not
be done until after the instruc of his sove .egn
had been received, and which statement had formed
the basis OF the agreement between them. Under
these circumstances, the high commissioners beev-
ing as he had every that he had been gross
ly deceived by the chief supe and having
ascertaned that the latter had under his protection
at Macao large quantity of opium recently arrived,
the delivery ct VIII ch had been refused,
and it being notorious that the interdicted traffic
carried along the whole coast by British vessels,
numberin at least twenty. and that the drug was
selling rem 1000 to 1000 dollars per chest special
WaS Su0d on tWe nj ri de-
handing the murderer OF Lin Weibe, and command
ing all British vessels to give the required bond,
from the coast within three days. under pain of being
punished in conformity with the laws Of China.
Captain Elliott Immediately issued a notice, re.
qrirng all English merchant ships at Macao to
weigh anchor and proceed to Tungkoo Bay; deter
mining upon wreakiag revenge upon the Chinese for
his fancied injuries, he went board the ship of war
Voltage, and With the armed ship Hyacinth in COM
Pany, proceeded to Chumpee, under pretence OF de-
hverng a chop to the commissioner. Upon arri
wing there, the officer commanding the Chinese war
junks was surprised and alarmed; and as the most
strict prohibitions existed against suffering British
vessels, and particularly armed ones, to enter
main there he ordered his fleet to approach for the
purpose OF ascertaining their sheet Captain Eli
OFT commanded them to keep oil; and GA their near
eraPproach, although without mantle sting the slight
est demonstration OF an attack upon him, he ordered
his ships to open their fire, which done with
suct deadly effect that in less than half hour five
ont OF twenty-seven junks were sunk, was
blown up and about FIVE hundred, and, as it is stated
in some reports nearly nine hundred of the Chinese
were killed, or rather murdered.
The only injury sustained by the English, in con-
sequence of the FIRE from the junks, by which the
Chinese endeavored to defend themselves and effect
retreat, was, according to the Bombay Courier Of
December "a, emily twelve pound shot in the mizen
mast of the Hyacinth, although some accounts state
that a few were killed and wounded.
Here, then, we have the bloody contamination Of
Captain Eot's offciul career. One act in this
great national drama is concluded, but we fear it is
not the last.
A wholesale murder of weak and almost unresist-
ing Chinese, has been perpetrated in their own wa
tiers, and within the exclusive Jurisdiction Of their
maratime laws, by the armed ships Of foreign pow
err, 18th whom peace ful relations had been IN intan
ed for a period Of two hundred years. 1t was com
mtted too, under the most unjustifiabe and agra
waiting circumstances, and at u place where British
ships Of had right to enter, and from whence
the whole commerce Of England had been lawfully
shut out And that Captain Elliot should have been
the first to commence the fire, does not strong
ly show his utter want OF provocaton TO this deed
Of boodshed, than that he was determined upon its
perpetration Before embarking upen his murder
Gus project the decree expelling him and the
sells of his nation from the waters Of China, had
been received, and he had taken the precaation to
have all British merchantmen removed beyond the
power Of The Chinese war junks, and then with an
avenue for safe retreat widely threwn open and with
nothing to embarrass his flight, he proceeded to the
deliberate preparation Of An act, which did not
deeply violate and outrage the dearest rights of
China and her subjects, than the universal law Of
nations, and Of heaven itself
And vet in the broad face Of the facts we have
enume rated, England dares to think OF restitution,
aud threatens to compel it at the lannon's mouth.
But what is the restitution she requires and upon
what ground is II demanded The answer is plain.
Her merchants are ciamorous for payment Of
the opium delivered to Captain Elliott, and her 60.
vernment cannot honorably refuse to accept his Of
fetal drafts in their favor particularly after openly
sanctoning the traffic; and determined not TO lose
what she Is powerful enough To wrest from weak
and oft.wronged China, the thunders Of war n be
opened.
oush the opium trade and probably will not hesitate
to enforce continuance at the point OF the sword
Its wogld cut off three millions e pounds
sterling from her revenue, which even now has been
deficient more than three millions Of pounds in meet
ing the exps ndture for the last two years
Already has a powerful armed fleet been espatch.
ed for the ceas China consisting OF three ships Of
the line number OF fgates, besides several smaller
vessels with ncarly fifteen thousand men board
and should they openly commence hostities against
the Chinese the rapid strides with which the power
Of Great Britain has advanced IN India furnishes the
history Of its termination in that empire; and the
exclusive ial privileges enjoyed by her sub
iects IN Bombay and Calcutta, show how soon the
ships of other nations would be shut out from the
port Of Canton.
The me rcbants Of this country are seriously af.
feced by tie great question here presented aud the
thrown around her interests in the eastern world
The government of the United States rs bound by
the most sacred obligations to the performances Of
this uty and cannot shrink from IT, without the
sacrifice of individual wealth. and the forfeiture Of
national honor and should Great Britain invade the
Chinese empire blockade its ports, and expel from
its waters the commerce Of other lasds, the whole
ealigh'ened and Christian world ought soemnly to
protest against IT, unwarrsnted act Of arbitrary
pow er, committed in violation Of the broao princi