6

FREE TRADE GRANTED TO CAPTAIN WEddell.

castle and fly; the boat's crew in the meantime entering the same, and displaying his majesty's colours of Great Britain upon the walls. The boats of the fleet seized a junk, by which a letter was sent to Canton, directed to the chief mandarins, expostulating on their breach of truce, excusing the assailing, and withal, in fair terms, requiring the liberty of trade. This letter it seems was delivered; for the next day, a mandarin of no great note_came towards the ships with a white flag, the request was renewed, and certain gifts presented; he was dismissed, but returned the same day with a junk to carry up such persons as would be able to conclude further upon the manner of their future proceedings.'

The English, by firmness, gained their point; two officers, Mounteney and Robinson, proceeded up the river, and anchored close to the city walls; and were received by officers of high rank, who granted Captain Weddell permission for a free trade, and the liberty to fortify himself on any place outside the river. In consequence of this, Captain Weddell landed the guns which he had taken from the castle. The supercargoes went up to Canton, paid down ten thousand rials as duties, and commenced loading sugar and ginger.

Not many days elapsed when things took a most unfavourable turn. The Chinese delivered a protest to the commander; charged him with having forced the trade; two of the supercargoes were made prisoners, and seven fire-junks were floated down the river, which the English, however, avoided and destroyed. The prisoners obtained their release by threatening to burn the town by means of a lens, which so alarmed the mandarins, that they gave them their liberty.

In the meantime, the fleet at Macao hearing of the detention of their comrades, resolved to release them. And having well manned their boats, they attacked sixteen sail of the imperial fleet, and burnt five of them, captured the town of Famou, and sailed to Canton. The affair was arranged, the Chinese authorities charging the Portuguese as the instigators, whom they condemned to pay a large sum, which went into their own pockets.

Between the imbecility of the Chinese government and the renewed persecution of the Portuguese, the project of Courteen's association was abandoned; although the terms entered into with the Chinese were moderate, viz.: "that for ample trade and residence, the English should yearly pay 2000 taels to the Emperor, four pieces of iron ordnance, and fifty muskets." Throughout these protracted difficulties the Chinese authorities appear to have been under the control of the Portuguese, as the Chinese were not then governed by the Tartars, and were really desirous of free trade.

Agreeably to an understanding entered into between the Viceroy of Goa and the East India Company, a fleet of ships was despatched to Macao, in June, A.D. 1637: the supercargoes presented a letter

STATE OF OUR CHINA TRADE IN 1648.

from King Charles to the Portuguese Captain-general, who alleged that the conduct of Captain Weddell the previous year, had subjected them to heavy fines from the Chinese.

A.D. 1644. The East India Company sent the ship Hinde to Macao; on first landing, our countrymen received good entertainment, but were subsequently mulcted in every possible way, and charged 3,500 rials instead of 800, for measurement. The supercargoes' letter stated that the Portuguese were greatly reduced, owing to the loss of their former trade to Japan, Manillas, &c., and that they are little better than rebels against their viceroy at Goa, having lately murdered their Captain-general, and daily spilling one another's blood.

The supercargoes further state the effects of the Tartar conquest on China thus :

"What makes things more miserable, China is wholly embroiled in civil wars. One of the mandarins having risen in rebellion, is grown so powerful, that he possesses a great part of the kingdom, and is likely to command the whole. The Emperor has hung himself, (after slaying his wife and children). These disturbances have left Macao destitute of all kinds of merchandise, neither raw nor wrought silks, nothing but China ware, of which the bulk of the present cargo is composed."

The state of the East India Company and of our trade in China, A.D. 1648, is thus shown in a letter from the supercargoes at Bantam :"The experiment which you desire we should make with one of our small vessels for trade into China, we are certainly informed by those that know the present state and condition of that country very well, cannot be undertaken without the inevitable loss both of ship, men, and goods; for as the Tartars overrun and waste all the inland country, without settling any government in the places which they overcome, so some of their great men in China, with a mighty fleet at sea of upwards of 1,000 sail of great ships, (as is confidently reported) rob and spoil all the sea-coasts, and whatsoever vessels they can meet with; and how one of our feeble vessels would be able to defend themselves against such forces is easy supposed. As for the Portugals in Macao, they are little better than mere rebbels against their viceroy in Goa, having lately murdered their Captain-general sent thither to them, and Macao itself is so distracted amongst themselves, that they are daily spilling one another's blood. But put the case, all these things were otherwise, we must need say, we are in a very poor condition to seek out new discoveries, while you will not allow us either factors, shipping, or sailors, scarce half sufficient to maintain the trade already you have on foot; and, therefore, the Dutch but laugh at us to see us meddle with new undertakings, being hardly able to support the old."

A.D. 1664. The Surat ship despatched this year to Macao, after waiting five months, reshipped the goods, as the charges de

8

TARTAR GOVERNMENT IMPEDE CHINA TRADE.

manded were enormous, independent of the heavy exaction of the Chinese in the form of bribes. The supercargoes reported that "the new governors of China, the Tartars, are throwing every impediment in the way of trade, merchants from Canton are prevented from coming to Macao by the pirates, who take every thing before them; provisions are not to be had."

A.D. 1670. The chief of Formosa had hitherto proved successful against the Tartars, and was so anxious for foreign commerce, that he invited the English to trade in his territories, promising them an exemption from port or any other charges. The East India Company despatched a vessel from Bantam, to Formosa. The chief entered into terms which promised well for establishing a factory and trade with Amoy.

Notwithstanding the invitation and promises, when the factory was settled, and warehouses erected, the chief in the most treacherous manner charged duties, to the serious injury of trade, engrossed the monopoly of sugar and skins, and acted most arbitrarily in every respect, obtaining goods without the least prospect of paying for them, unless he got the better of the Tartars, of which he was most sanguine. He, however, promised free ports in every place should he succeed.

A.D. 1674. The ship Return was again despatched to Macao, and after a long stay was obliged to depart without any success. The consultation states that "owing to the intestine wars now raging in China, and the consequent distress, they only sold eleven pieces of cloth in barter, and that at poor rates."

About the year A.D. 1677, a most pressing invitation was sent from the viceroy of Canton to the English merchants, who were then settled in Amoy seven years, to establish and settle a factory in Canton. But such was the uncertainty of the usurpers being able to continue their sway in China, and probably a dread of displeasing Koxinga, that the proposal was declined, the English preferring the native chieftain Koxinga, i.e., the King of Formosa, and his successor. It was not until his final overthrow, A.D. 1681, that the English turned their attention to Canton.

The Portuguese no sooner heard of the defeat of Koxinga, than they purchased the sole right of trading to Canton, by a bribe of 8,000 sterling per annum, and procured an edict from the governor, which prohibited the merchants of that place under heavy penalty "from trading with any strangers."

When the English arrived in A.D. 1682, in the Canton river, they were met by a Tartar Admiral, who informed them, "that there was an agreement entered into between the Emperor of China and the Portuguese, not to permit a trade with any other European nation."

The Tartars obtained possession of Amoy, and the factors, to appease their hostility and rapacity, were obliged to expend considerable sums of money; but the more they gave, the more was

EXTORTIONS ON TRADE AT AMOY.

9

required, so that their condition was getting worse every day under the new rulers.

Mr. Roberts, one of the supercargoes, demanding a debt due to him by a Chinese merchant, was put under arrest in his own factory, and chained there until he agreed to take such goods as the debtor chose to give him at his own valuation, for the sum he owed. The extortions and exactions were not confined to the mandarins, but the Emperor's son sent to a merchant and compelled him to sell him such articles as he selected for his own price. The English were even obliged to pay duties for a cargo that could not be disposed of. All the ports of China being opened to traders, Amoy was relinquished.

A.D. 1685. All the ports of the Empire were nominally opened to foreign free trade by the Emperor Kanghe; but the restrictions and heavy impositions adopted by the local authorities continued at Canton; where the Portuguese tribute or bribe of £8,000 per annum closed the port against the English, except under severe exactions.

A.D. 1689. The first experiment of free port privileges was tried on the ship Defence at Canton. After a delay of three weeks a measurer came on board, commenced measuring her from stem to stern; but by getting a bribe consented to measure her from before the mizen-mast to the after part of the fore-mast. The sums demanded were 2,484 taels, which was resisted; after a week's delay 1,500 taels were paid, 300 of which were to go to the Tartar officers. A riot occured between the sailors of the Defence and some Chinese, and although some of the sailors were killed, and the doctor mortally wounded, yet in consequence of one of the Chinese being also killed, not less than 5,000 taels would pacify the mandarins, who refused 2,000 offered by Captain Heath.

A.D. 1702. Rapacity had early exhibited itself, by an attempt to have all the trade at Canton conducted through one person, to be styled "the Emperor's merchant." This extortion was not fully acted on, after an engagement had been entered into to pay him 5,000 taels for each ship.

A fresh imposition was laid on of four per cent. which caused a long and useless remonstrance.

A.D. 1704. Gerardini, the Italian painter, arrived from Peking at Canton, to embark for France in one of the company's vessels. This eminent painter had been eight years in Peking, adorning the Emperor's palace. The Emperor was so delighted with the works of this artist, that he would not part with him till he had "bred up six great men's sons " in the art. The hoppo to whom he was consigned by the Emperor for safe and speedy departure, greatly facilitated the despatch of the Company's fleet, by which means the artist obtained a free passage.

A.D. 1715. The great promises held out by the mandarins at Canton of protection, induced the East India Company to resolve

10

ARTICLES OF TRADE AGREED TO IN 1715.

on sending ships to Canton at stated periods; and the better to secure the trade, stipulated for the observance of a series of regulations as follows:

Articles agreed upon between the supercargoes of the East India Company and the hoppo, or superintendent of foreign trade at Canton.

1st. Free trade with all Chinese without distinction.

2nd. Liberty to hire Chinese servants, and to dismiss them at pleasure. English servants committing any offence to be punished by the supercargoes, and not by the Chinese.

3rd. Liberty to purchase provisions for the factory and ships.

4th. No duties to be chargeable on the reshipment of unsold goods, nor on stores, such as wine, beer, &c. expended in the factory.

5th. Liberty to erect a tent on shore for repairing casks, sails, &c.

6th. English boats with colours flying, to pass and repass the custom houses without examination, and the sailors' pockets not to be searched.

7th. Escritoires and chests to be landed and shipped without examination.

8th. The hoppo to protect the English from all insults and impositions of the common people, and the mandarins.

As soon as it suited the authorities of Canton to violate these regulations, they were of course set aside. In fact, although ratified on paper they were never practically carried into effect.

The lex talionis, promptly executed, has always been in China the surest mode of obtaining redress. The East India Company records state that in 1713 "A private ship (the Anne) from Madras, seized a junk belonging to Amoy, in satisfaction of injuries received at that port. The Emperor being informed of this, sent a special messenger to enquire into the affair; and on his report, ordered the mandarins, whose duty it was to see justice done the Madras merchants, to be severely punished.

"The seizure of the junk caused the English to be better treated than ever."

Lord's Report, 1821, p. 279.

Whilst the Company had the alternative of trading at Amoy as well as Canton, the supercargoes exhibited a becoming spirit. They frequently detained their vessels at the mouth of the river, until they obtained an assurance of proper treatment. At this early period it was not an uncommon occurrence to bring sentries on shore to guard the factory; and it must have been through ignorance or neglect, that they permitted so good a precedent to become obsolete.

In 1721 a complaint of combination among the Chinese to regulate prices was made, as is now (1847) the case.

The Court of Directors, in their orders to the supercargoes as