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The only security which we possessed we have abandoned; namely, the possession of the forts which commanded the town; for by the same treaty all the British forces were bound to return outside the Bocca Tigris, without leaving a single witness to report whether the Chinese fulfilled their part of the contract. Nay, such was the incomprehensible confidence of this renowned plenipotentiary in the honour of the Chinese, that when only five out of the six millions of dollars had been paid, and only 14,000 out of the 45,000 troops in the city, that were bound to leave it, had marched out, he insisted on Sir Hugh Gough retreating with our forces. The remainder, therefore, of the 45,000 soldiers may have continued in the town, for all we know to the contrary, and the 14,000 who had marched out may have marched back the moment we were out of sight; whilst the forts that we had dismounted may be now rebuilt, and the only result of our operations be, that we have afforded the Chinese a lesson on the proper means of defending themselves the next time it may be necessary to attack Canton.

Need we wonder that if our plenipotentiary has accomplished nothing else, he has at least succeeded in spreading a spirit of discontent amongst the soldiers and sailors of the expedition? Need we wonder at finding that the disgraceful treaty made by our plenipotentiary, whose large salary was paid for very different objects, had such an effect on the gallant Sir Le Fleming Senhouse, that worn out by fatigue and disappointment, he did not long survive the treaty of the 27th of May? has been told us," says the Canton Register, "that Sir Le Fleming said, he would rather have died than signed the terms of the treaty of the 27th of May. It will not, therefore, be a mere metaphor to say, that the ruin of his country's honour and interests in China caused Sir Le Fleming Senhouse to die of a broken heart."

"It

We fear that it will not diminish the anger both of the fleet and army against Captain Elliot, if it be true that he has commenced paying the opium-dealers with the money thus obtained for "the use of the crown of England." A malicious person might suggest, that as personal ap

prehensions may have originally had some influence in determining him to recommend the delivery of the opium under his guarantee, that it would be repaid by our government, in like manner the responsibility he had thereby incurred had determined him to stop the demands which the opiumdealers might have on him in case of the refusal of the government to sanction his guarantee of repayment, by distributing amongst them this money surrendered to the crown of England.

We shall now say no more of the "great plenipotentiary." We trust his crimes will be shortly made the subject of official investigation. Had he acted all along with a view to lowering the British name, and traitorously selling British interests, he could not have adopted a more effectual method for succeeding in those objects, than the line of vacillating conduct which he so consistently followed from first to last. If there be one thing more discreditable than another to the late Whig government, it is that family connexion should have rendered a public minister so callous to common decency as to have continued in office a man whose every act proved him utterly incapable of, or wilfully neglectful of, the trust.

It is a source of great regret that Sir Gordon Bremer was not at Canton during the late operations. On his judicious firmness we could have reposed with the utmost confidencea confidence not lightly yielded, but a well-earned tribute paid to a long course of successful services.

We cannot forget that it was Sir Gordon Bremer who had the sole management of the expedition to Chusan last year, and who likewise by his able and judicious arrangements destroyed or captured last February, in the most brilliant manner, and in an incredibly short time, all the forts and defences that covered the approach to Canton. But though his military and naval operations merit our eulogium, we give the gallant commander equal credit for that acute intelligence which enabled him on all occasions to penetrate the Fabian system of delay adopted by the Chinese, and justly appreciate the hollow insincerity of their pretended negotiations. We regret,

626

The Chinese and

therefore, that he was not present at
the recent operations at Canton, as
we are convinced, that had he been
there, possessed as he was of sufficient
authority (having been appointed
joint plenipotentiary along with
Elliot), he would have overruled
the blind eagerness with which the
latter attempted to rid himself of
some of the responsibility attaching
Sir Gor-
to himself personally.

don's absence, though it appear un-
luckily to have proved detrimental
to his country's interests, yet arose
from circumstances highly honour-
able to him as a man; for, feel-
ing that it would be impossible to
carry on our extensive operations
without additional reinforcements,
and judging it extremely advisable
that Lord Auckland should be made
thoroughly aware of the real posture
of affairs in China, he volunteered to
go himself to Calcutta, and leaving
to others the more brilliant duties of
the soldier's and the sailor's life, ar-
rived, on the 20th of last April,
at Calcutta, where he at
plunged into all the more irksome
details of superintending the com-
missariat, hastening the embarkation
of reinforcements, and the procuring
of transports, &c. &c. It is to these
unwearied exertions, by which we
regret to state that the gallant com-
modore's health has been seriously
impaired, that the expedition which
has by this time sailed northward
will be in a great measure indebted
What a contrast in
for its success.
all respects does Sir Gordon afford to
the imbecile plenipotentary!

once

As long as Elliot continued superintendent, we confess we had but little hope of the successes of our arms achieving aught but disappointment and vexation. Now that he has been dismissed, we hope for better things. We trust that no one will be hardy enough to maintain any longer the good sense or expediency of making arrangements, and attempting to conclude negotiations in a distant corner of an immense empire, with persons whose acts were generally insincere; and where designed with good faith, as we believe was Keshen's case, were yet liable to be disavowed, when it subsequently suited his purpose, by

putes; and the Queen of England must now treat with the Emperor of China. We must no longer expose ourselves to be either baffled by chicanery, or misrepresented by a numerous body of sub-officials, intervening between us and their master. At the mouth of the Peiho we may resume negotiations with a prospect of terminating them advantageously and with honour. We cannot therefore allow ourselves to doubt for a moment the result. Never was the country served by a more gallant body of men, or more able servants, than those whom she at present possesses in China. We have seen recently an expedition, composed altogether of not more than 5500 men, officers, soldiers, sailors, and marines included, place at their feet in a few days a city containing 700,000 inhabitants, and garrisoned by 100,000 troops, defended by strong forts, and only approached by difficult and wellprotected channels, of the navigation of which we had been previously ignorant. Why should we therefore suppose that, when joined by those reinforcements which Sir Gordon's energy has almost created, they shall be found less fortunate or less efficient? If asked, whether this handful of men ought to be expected to conquer China? we at once reply, No. But England seeks not for conquestshe has long resisted the temptation; and she asks now merely to be treated as an equal and to have her commerce placed on a firm and intelligible footing. She should, therefore, confine her demands to strict justice, and we confess that we are not aware of any principle which would justify us in declaring restitution either of the surrendered opium or of its value to That opium has be a sine quâ non. been given up formally, and whether indiscreetly or not is a question not between our government and the Chinese, but between the former and Elliot. We may certainly consider ourselves justified in insisting on most ample reparation, whether in the form of money or commercial advantages, for the outrages committed on our subjects, the bad faith observed towards us, and the great of the expedition. If we ask, expense therefore, not for six millions, but a shall

we

this long interruption of our trade, and the equipment of our fleets, &c., has really cost us.

The immense extension of secret societies throughout China, formed chiefly of supporters of the old Ming dynasty, the diminution of that almost religious adoration with which his subjects have been taught to regard their emperor as omnipotent, the now universally admitted importance of English commerce to China, may yet shake the Tartar monarch on his throne, or even place there for a time some post captain of our navy to rule the three hundred millions of his subjects till further instructions be received from the home government.

It is useless to speculate at present. The next Chinese mail, or at least the one after, ought to bring to us important intelligence. We cannot, however, conclude without expressing our cordial admiration of the excellent spirit which seems to unite all the branches of our service at present. Many of our readers will doubtless recollect the period when their mutual jealousy used often to paralyse some of our most important operations; but, though that jealousy has long ceased, we do not think the spirit that has now rendered the united services apparently irresistible was ever so cordially manifested as in our recent operations both in Syria and China. Whilst such a spirit exists, and such competent leaders to guide it, need we apprehend the issue?

We cannot do better, in conclusion, than refresh our readers with an anecdote not generally known, and most highly illustrative of the noble emulation and truly generous feeling which actuate our officers in their intercourse with one another. We owe it to our readers, after making them wade through the thoroughly humiliating details of our "great plenipotentiary's conduct," to acquaint them more particularly with those who are in future to be freed from his discreditable rule.

Amongst the most brilliant feats

performed in the operations of last March, was that of the capture on the 18th of that month of a number of forts before Canton, and 123 guns, as well as the destruction of a numerous fleet of war-junks, all accomplished in a single day, by the judicious combinations and arrangements of Captain Herbert of her majesty's ship Calliope. It is not generally known that Sir Gordon Bremer, with his usual watchfulness over all the departments of his duty, had arrived at the scene of action on the night preceding the operations. He was, of course, therefore entitled to assume the command; but finding on examination that Captain Herbert's arrangements were such as he would have himself adopted, and of which he entirely approved, he refused to take the command, lest he might deprive Captain Herbert of an opportunity of distinguishing himself, and with the same self-devotion which afterwards induced him to sacrifice the brilliant opportunities of action for the irksome but useful employment of superintending the raising of reinforcements at Calcutta, he actually retired to a distant ship, and only proceeded to the Modeste about an hour before the action ended the following day. None but a soldier or a sailor can properly appreciate such disinterested generosity; and the best commentary on it is the manner in which he alludes to his absence from the scene of action in his official despatch :-" I endeavoured," he says, "to push forward to the scene of action in the Hyacinth's gig, but only arrived towards its close; in sufficient time, however, to be gratified by the hoisting of the British colours." Thus he took care to keep down the fact of his having been entitled by his presence on the spot the previous evening to have assumed the command, and thus claimed for himself the glory of the victory.

Surely with such men to lead British forces, we ought to cherish high hopes; for with such a more than heroic spirit in our navy and army, we might conquer the world!

The Late Mr. Fraser.

WE have never written with a heavier heart. One we loved and esteemed, and with whom we have spent many a happy hour, is now numbered with the dead. Many will feel his loss deeply. All who knew him, and few connected with literature were strangers to his hospitality and friendship, will regret his removal as that of one distinguished by every generous and noble characteristic. Mr. Fraser, however, needs not the eulogia of friends,—he lives in many hearts. His fine tact and acute discrimination of literary excellence,- his taste and patronage of genius, in whatever garb he found it, raised him to a high place in the esteem of some of the first literati of the age. His judgment was uncommonly masculine; it weighed whatever was submitted to it, and required its verdict, coolly and dispassionately; and rarely was the imprimatur he affixed reversed by the opinions or erased by the experience of others. He appreciated the importance of literature not merely as an elegant art, but as endued with great power, and allied to the spirit and influence of Christianity. He believed it to be the daughter of revelation, and he ever rejoiced to see it her handmaid also. Nothing gave him greater satisfaction than to find in our pages a bud taken from the tree of knowledge, and grafted into the tree of life. We well know the high enjoyment he derived from seeing in the Magazine vigorous defences of the claims of Christianity, and of its consecrated herald, the church, to the reverence of the nation, and to the support and patronage of our princes, and cabinets, and parliaments. He was in politics a Tory, in outward communion a Churchman, and in heart a Christian. It may be truly said of him, his professions came short of, never exceeded, the principles he espoused, or the feelings he cherished. His generosity to reduced children of song and of literature is well known. Many a time has he accepted articles of inferior merit and paid the author the usual amount, quietly putting the production in the fire, or classifying it with useless lumber. He did so to help the needy, and at the same time not to offend the too sensitive feelings of unsuccessful authorship. We have said he was a Christian; we say so again; and that too while perfectly aware of the intensity of meaning really condensed into that oft-misapplied term. During the latter weeks of his life, the hidden stream which weeds had too often concealed,—and which sin, peradventure, had tainted,—which the noise of the wheels of this world's career, and the spray that flashes from them, had often overpowered,—gushed forth, refreshing those who ever believed in its reality, satisfying those who felt doubts, and presenting to all who saw it a bright signature and foretoken of coming joy.

He has rendered some service to his country, to his kind, to religion, and to truth. If, at any time, from the mixed nature of a literary magazine, allusions were introduced by its writers calculated either to offend good taste, or subvert in the least the high claims of religion and morality, he

was the first to interfere. When papers of great power and righteous principle were accepted, he was ever foremost to reward and encourage the writers. As publisher of Fraser's Magazine, he received many a token of substantial approval from the highest dignitaries on the bench and the holiest clergy in their parishes; and at last he closed his eyes most beloved by them that knew him best. He lived, however, to see the symptoms of halcyon days, the foretokens of national progress and prosperity, a Conservative ministry, an expanding church,-bright harbingers of national good.

We lament his removal bitterly. We have lost a true man, a dear friend, a right honest and large-hearted companion. But we shall pay the highest tribute to his memory, not by words, but by prosecuting with yet intenser zeal and energy the righteous cause which he loved and which we worked. He needs no marble record-no monumental brass. His image is engraven on many hearts; and of him it is literally true,

"He, being dead, yet speaketh."

As friends, we have much more to say; but we desist. Let strangers speak. We therefore select from the pile of papers now upon our table the following short extracts, embodying the opinions of our publisher's worth entertained by contemporary writers:—

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The publisher of Fraser's Magazine died on Saturday last, after a protracted illness, brought on, as it is supposed, by the attack of Mr. G. Berkeley. Literature has thus lost an earnest supporter, literary men a generous patron, and a large circle of friends one beloved as a very brother.

It is often true that an intimate acquaintance, by unveiling defects of character, weakens the reverence, respect, and esteem first felt. This did not apply to Mr. Fraser. One learned slowly but surely to love him, and they who knew him best loved him most. His fine taste, his ardent attachment to literary pursuits, and his sacrifices in the service he loved, endeared him to the most distinguished literati of the age. His unfeigned faith, humility, and true Christian conduct, exemplified in public life, and yet more richly developed on a death-bed, shewed that the loss of many is indeed the gain of one."Times.

"We regret to have to announce the death of this gentleman, which took place in London, on Saturday last, after an illness of five years' duration. As the publisher of the sound Conservative Magazine which bears his name, he has long been known to the literary and political world; and not more extensively known than highly esteemed. In him our glorious constitution in church and state has lost one of its

warmest, most indefatigable, and con-
scientious supporters; and a large
circle of acquaintance will deplore the
loss of a generous, disinterested, and
valuable friend. Perhaps few have
contributed more than himself in (com-
paratively) private life, towards pro-
ducing the present healthy state of po-
litical feeling in this country. No man
ever better deserved the name of ' pa-
triot, for while he honestly sought
the good of his country in every action
of his life, he sought it only as based
on sound religious principles.
cannot omit mentioning as a fact parti-
cularly interesting in this locality, that
himself and our excellent representa-
tive, Mr. Wortley, were amongst the
projectors of the Westminster Conserv-
ative Association, one of the first, if
not the very first, established after Sir
Robert Peel's memorable declaration,
that the battle of the constitution
must be fought in the Registration
Courts.""-Wakefield Journal.

We

"On Saturday this very estimable man paid the great debt of nature, at an early age, when, according to all human probabilities, he had a long career of usefulness and prosperity before him. Mr. Fraser was a successful publisher, and proprietor of the well-known Magazine which goes by his name. From his press issued many works of great merit and popularity; and he was personally the friend and intimate of a

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