June 19. The town of Shang-hae taken. July 5. A proclamation in the Chinese language, issued by Sir Henry Pottinger, explanatory of the complaints and demands of Great Britain. July 6. The British fleet advanced up the river, the interim having been occupied in sounding and surveying. July 18. Communication with the great canal cut off, and all its openings into the river closed. The whole armament anchored near the "Golden Isle " on the 20th. July 21. City of Chin-keang taken after a gallant defence; the Tartar general and many of the garrison committed suicide. August 4. The advanced ships reached Nankin. August 9. The whole fleet being arrived, the disembarkation of the troops began this day. August 12. Ke-ying arrived at Nankin with full powers to treat of peace; this was the first overt act indicative of a real desire to treat, on the part of the Chinese; sundry offers had been made for some months, but, as the parties were never prepared to act upon their proposals, the object seemed to be rather that of delaying the expedition than of negociating a treaty. The wish was now real, and several meetings were held by officers of the two powers, in which preliminaries were arranged. A genuine statement of facts was sent to the emperor, the demands of the British made known to him, and permission granted to the commissioners to conclude a treaty in accordance with them. August 20. The first interview between the plenipotentiaries on board the "Cornwallis;' a visit of ceremony only. August 24. The visit returned on shore by Sir Henry Pottinger, Sir Hugh Gough, and Sir William Parker. August 26. The high plenipotentiaries held a meeting on shore for the purpose of consulting on the terms of the treaty. August 29. Treaty of peace signed before Nankin, on board the 'Coruwallis,' by Sir Henry Pottinger on the part of Great Britain, and by Ke-ying, Elepoo, and Neu-Kien on the part of the Emperor of China. The most important provisions of the treaty, as stated by Sir Henry Pottinger, are as follows: 1. Lasting peace and friendship between the two empires. 2. China to pay 21,000,000 dollars in the course of the present and three succeeding years. 3. The ports of Canton, Amoy, Foo-choo-foo, Ning-po, and Shang-hae to be thrown open to British merchants; consular officers to be appointed to reside at them; and regular and just tariffs of import and export, as well as inland transit duties, to be established and published. 4. The island of Hong Kong to be ceded in perpetuity to her Britannic majesty, her heirs and successors. 5. All subjects of her Britannic Majesty, whether natives of Europe or India, who may be confined in any part of the Chinese empire, to be unconditionally released. 6. An Act of full and entire amnesty to be published by the emperor, under his imperial sign manual and seal, to all Chinese subjects, on account of their having held service under the British government, or its officers. 7. Correspondence to be conducted on terms of perfect equality between the officers of both governments. 8. On the emperor's assent being received to this treaty, and the payment of the first 6,000,000 dollars, her Britannic Majesty's forces to retire from Nankin and the Grand Canal, and the military posts at Chin-hae to be also withdrawn; but the islands of Chusan and Ku-lang-su are to be held until the money payments and the arrangements for opening the ports be completed. We propose giving a chronological statement of affairs from that period until the conclusion of the war which resulted from this false position: the facts are principally taken from the Chinese Repository," published at Macao. 66 1831. August 27. Lord Wm. Bentinck wrote a letter to the Governor of Canton, complaining of the conduct of the Chinese authorities, and requesting an investigation into the circumstances of the alleged insults offered to the British Factory. 1832. Jan. 7. Governor of Canton issued an edict to the Hong merchants, explaining the destruction of the quay, denying the insult to the king's picture, and refusing to give any direct reply to the Governor-General's letter; at the same time giving directions to communicate this edict to the English. Feb. 9. An edict issued condemning the introduction of opium, and threatening to stop the foreign trade if it is persisted in. 1834. April 22. The exclusive rights of the East India Company in China ceased. April 25. The first vessels in the free trade, laden with tea, set sail for England. July 15. Lord Napier arrived at Macao, as chief superintendent of British commerce in China. July 17. J. F. Davis, Esq., and Sir G. B. Robinson, accepted the offices of second and third superintendents, the name of the former being in the commission. July 25. The Superintendents arrive at Canton. July 26. Lord Napier addressed a letter to the Governor, notifying his appointment as superintendent, and requesting an interview. This letter, not being superscribed as a petition, was, after many efforts on the part of the British, rejected; all the Chinese authorities refusing even to touch it. August 18. An edict was issued, ordering Lord Napier to return to Macao, and threatening the usual alternative of stopping the trade. Sept. 2. British trade stopped, and all intercourse with British subjects prohibited. Sept. 5. Two British ships of war entered the Canton river, after silencing the batteries. Sept. 12. Overtures made by the Chinese to accommodate matters. Sept. 19. At a conference between the Hong merchants acting on the part of the Government, and some of the British gentlemen, an agreement was entered into that Lord Napier should leave Canton, and the trade be resumed. Sept. 21. British vessels ordered to leave the river. Lord Napier left Canton in a boat provided by the Chinese authorities. Sept. 26. Arrival at Macao of Lord Napier; his illness much increased by the studied delays and annoyances of the Chinese. Oct. 11. Lord Napier died. Succeeded by Mr. Davis; Captain Elliot, secretary. Nov. 7. An imperial mandate forbids all traffic in opium. 1835. Jan. 21. Part of the crew of the ship Argyle, which had anchored on the coast of China in consequence of sea damage, seized by the local authorities and detained. Feb. 4. Capt. Elliot, now third superintendent, proceeding to Canton with the intention of demanding the restoration of the crew of the Argyle, was grossly assaulted by the authorities there, and forcibly removed. Feb. 18. The crew of the Argyle restored. Feb. 23. Several chests of opium which had been seized from the smugglers publicly burnt at Canton. During the remainder of this year and the whole of the year following, the British trade continued without interruption, the Chinese and British authorities rigidly abstaining from any communication with each other. 1836. Jan. 29. The chief superintendent, Sir G. B. Robinson, in a dispatch to the British Government, suggested the establishment of the commission in a vessel near the British shipping, free from all restraints of the Chinese authorities. June 7. Sir G. B. Robinson recalled from home, and Capt. Elliot appointed chief of the commission in China. This order was received at Canton and carried into effect on the 14th of December following. Nov. 28. A general chamber of commerce established at Canton. Dec. 14. Capt. Elliot addressed a communication to the Governor, requesting to be allowed to reside at Canton. Dec. 22. The Governor of Canton, without replying, sent a deputation to Macao to inquire into the truth of Capt. Elliot's statement, and the nature of his appointment, directing that he may be closely watched and not allowed to leave Macao. Dec. 28. The Hong merchants accompanying the deputation to Macao visited Capt. Elliot, who explained to them his situation, and returned a note to the Governor expressing his satisfaction, and his willingness to remain at Macao, until he should receive further communications. 1837. March 18. In pursuance of a communication from the Emperor an edict was issued allowing Capt. Elliot to proceed to Canton. April 1. Captain Elliot, in a dispatch to his Government, states his embarrassment at the mode of communicating with him adopted by the Chinese authorities. He observed that all their communications are contained in notes to the Chinese merchants: "They are not addressed to me at all; they speak of me, not to me." He expresses a hope that so inconvenient a system may be modified. April 8. Capt. Elliot addressed a letter to the Governor of Canton, informing him of the recovery from shipwreck of seventeen Chinese by an English vessel, acknowledging the acts of kindness received by English sailors from Chinese authorities on similar occasions, and hoping that peace and good-will may continue between the two nations. April 19. The Governor of Canton addressed the Hong merchants, desiring them to convey to Capt. Elliot his directions to conform to a more respectful mode of writing; not to omit the words "Celestial Empire," nor to puff himself up with the idea that any "bonds of peace and good-will" can exist between the Great Emperor and the petty English Nation. He also directed him, in case of sending any communications to the authorities, to submit them previously to the Hong merchants, that they may judge whether such communications be sufficiently respectful or not. April 22. Letter addressed by Capt. Elliot to the Governor, notifying the impossibility of submitting his dispatches to the Hong merchants, and declining to receive in future any communications unless direct to himself. April 25. The Governor consents to receive sealed dispatches from Capt. Sept. 8. The emperor signifies his assent to the conditions of the treaty. Dec. 31. The Great Seal of England affixed to the treaty. 1843. July 22. A proclamation issued by Sir Henry Pottinger that the ratifications of the treaty of Nankin have been exchanged under the signs manual and seals of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and His Majesty the Emperor of China; and that a commercial treaty has been concluded: the trade according to the new system to commence at Canton on the 27th July; the four remaining ports to be opened so soon as the imperial edict to that effect shall be received, which is expected to take place in September. VIII.-TRADE WITH CHINA. WE have in the preceding pages given a brief but succinct statement of the various steps which have gradually led to the opening of the trade with China on a more extensive and firmer basis than heretofore. Instead of being confined to a single port, and that port very inconveniently situated, the five great ports of Canton, Amoy, Foochoo, Ningpo, and Shanghai, are opened to the enterprise of the great commercial nations of the world. This is one of the great events of our times, and its importance can be compared only to the discovery of America or of the passage to India by the Cape of Good Hope. The consequences of the discovery of the Great Transatlantic Continent three centuries ago are only now beginning to develope themselves. Who can foresee the influence which North America will exercise on the destinies of the world when her population is reckoned by hundreds of millions? It is equally impossible to foretell the consequences of the Chinese Commercial Treaty. In the meanwhile a grand field is opened for the commercial and industrial energies and enterprise of England. Instead of conquerors, we now enter China as friends, and upon the footing of a just equality. As the Chinese high-commissioner remarked in his proclamation, which accompanied the promulgation of the general regulations for the new trade:-"Henceforth, then, the weapons of war shall for ever be laid aside, and joy and profit shall be the perpetual lot of all." This proclamation is, however, free from that childishness of language which has hitherto generally distinguished Chinese state documents. The high-commissioner, with true wisdom, exhorts his countrymen to lay aside their prejudices: " From this time forward, all must free themselves from prejudice and suspicions, pursuing each his proper avocation, and careful always to retain no criminal feelings from the recollection of the hostilities that have recently taken place; for such feelings and recollections can have no other effect than to hinder the growth of a good understanding between the two people." The proclamation of Sir Henry Pottinger emphatically cautions all British subjects, in the name of all honourable feelings, strictly to conform to the provisions of the Commercial Treaty, and to beware of entering into any collusive proceedings with any subject of China, whether officially connected with the government or not. This proclamation was accompanied by the Export and Import Tariff, and the General Regulations under which the British trade is to be conducted at the five ports, which had been settled by Sir Henry Pottinger and the Chinese high-commissioner. The new system of trade commenced at Canton on the 27th of July; and it was expected that the other four ports would be declared open early in September. We now give an analysis of the new regulations, and a complete copy of the tariff. The first regulation relates to pilots; the second to customhouse officers, who are to board ships, but their expenses will be paid from day to day by the Chinese custom-house; and the officers are not to receive fees; the third regulation applies to masters of ships, who are liable to penalties if they fail to report their arrival. The fourth regulation, relating to "Commercial Dealings between English and Chinese Merchants," is as follows:- "It having been stipulated that the English merchants may trade with whatever native merchants they please, should any Chinese merchants fraudulently abscond or incur debts which they are unable to discharge, the Chinese authorities, on complaint being made thereof, will of course do their utmost to bring the offenders to justice; it must, however, be distinctly understood, that, if the defaulter really cannot be found, or be dead, or bankrupt, and there be not therewith to pay, the English merchant may not appeal to the former custom of the Hong merchants' paying for one another, and can no longer expect their losses made good to them." Article fifth substitutes a tonnage duty of 5 mace (3s. 4d.) on entry, in lieu of all existing fees on entry and departure. Article sixth declares, that no duties on goods imported or exported are to be levied except those specified in the tariff. The seventh article regulates the mode of examining goods at the custom-house, and provides for the settlement of disputes respecting the payment of duties. The manner of paying the duties is settled by Article eight, which states that," Different kinds of foreign money may be made use of, but as foreign money is not of equal purity with Sycee silver, the English consuls appointed to the different ports will, according to time, place, and circumstances, arrange with the superintendent of customs at each port what coins may be taken in payment, and what per centage may be necessary to make them equal to standard or pure silver." Article nine provides that standard weights and measures similar to those hitherto in use at Canton are to be kept at each of the five ports by the British consul and the Chinese superintendent of customs. Articles ten and eleven relate to the employment of cargo-boats or lighters, and the transshipment of goods. Article twelve relates to the appointment of a subordinate consular officer to exercise due control over seamen and others. The following are the remaining regulations : - |