The Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu (Oahu), Hawaii) 1840-1841, 1841-07-31

'"''CO 10 HCieoy gwen mat all BRITISH ana
foreign merchant vessels are permitted to
repair to that point, and that they will be
allowed to proceed higher, as soon as II is
ascertaincd that the river is clear of all OBJ.
struc,ions. (Signed)
>. }. q. Bremen, Commander-in-
Chief.
This failure to conclude the treaty of
peace, this perfdy acith interruption of ne
gotiot'ons, can he rightly understood only
when viewed in connection with the whole
course of events since the arrival here of
IL. B Ms expedition last June. Its OBJ
Iects were to obtain redress and indemni-
ty tor the past, with securities and immu-
mites for the future. However; the in
structions to the plenpotentarics not hav-
ing been here published, their import can
only be con cctured from what has trans
pired. 1t should be carefully borne in
mind, as we proceed, that 10 make ,car on
the Chinese, formed professedly no part of
the objects Of the expedition, provided it's
ends could be secured by other means !;
consequently trial of pacific measures
must needs first be made.
The first question with the plenipoten-
tIarIes was (or appears to have been)
whether the forts at the Bogue should be
demolished or left standing, while they
with the naval and military force should
move northward. The feeling of the
British and foreign community here was
almost unanimous in favor of the frs!
measure they chose the latter, and wisely
at least SO we are inclined to think.
1t having been determined on-we pre-
sumo in accordance with Instructions from
the queens government at home-to take
immediate possession Of Chusan, an adj
vanced force under Commodore Bremen
moved forward for that purpose. The
plenipotentiaries, with the remainder of
the expedition, followed soon AFTER
When off the coast of Fuhkeen, one of
the vessels, bearing flag of truce, was
sent with despatch to the port Of Annoy.
The ship was fired on, and the commune
cation refused. As Chinese policy for
babe the reception of this despatch, it
would have been wise, perhaps, not to
have given opportunity for the committal
Of such an outrage.
AS to the right and expediency Of oc-
cupying Tinghae-which fell on the 5th
Of July, we have been in doubt. Indeed,
the occupation Of any insnar position has
always seemed to US Objectionable. There
may have been reasons for, and advan,a-
ges resulting from, taking Chusan, OF
which we are ignorant; but Judging from
what we know, it would have been better
to have rendezvoused at some small island
(of the size of Shachow in this vicinity.
This would have prevented the long de-
tenIion Of the expedition at Chusan, and
would have allowed the entire force to
have gone up-a part upon the Yangtsze
keang, and a part to the mouth of the
Pei ho, early in July; and at these two
positions-the nearest to the court that it
was possible for them to reach-the forces
shoul! have remained until all questions
at issue were settled. "Let us-a great
desideratnm says Mr. Warren, "pene-
trate to Picking, and learn what is the real
state Of things there; and let us cheerful
ly yield to what we shall find to be the
reasonable and just wishes Of the emPe.
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