EXPERIMENTAL VOYAGE TO THE N.E. COAST OF CHINA.*

THE important documents laid before Parliament, with reference to the voyage of the Amherst to the N.E. coast of China, consist of two despatches from the Court of Directors to the Select Committee at Canton, (severely condemning such an experiment, as well as some of the circumstances attending it); and two reports of the voyage, one from the Rev. Mr. Gutzlaff, the other from Mr. Hugh Hamilton Lindsay, the superintendent of the expedition.

The instructions were drawn up by the President of the Select Committee (Mr. Marjoribanks). The principal object of the voyage was to ascertain how far the northern ports of China might be gradually opened to British commerce; which would be most eligible, and to what extent the disposition of the natives and of the local governments would be favourable thereto. Mr. Lindsay was cautioned to avoid being embroiled in differences with the Chinese, giving offence to their established institutions, and expressing that he was sent on any special mission by the Company.

The voyage commenced on the 26th February 1832, and owing to unfavourable weather, they were thirty-one days reaching Namo (or Nan gaou), the boundary between Canton and Fokëen provinces, only 220 miles from Macao. In the course of their passage thither, they visited a few places on the coast, where the vessel was an object of great suspicion to the mandarins and commanders of the war-junks. Mr. Lindsay thought it proper, in consequence of his instructions, to state to them that the vessel was from Bengal and bound for Japan, and that she was commanded by himself, substituting for his real name, his Christian name of Hugh Hamilton, rendered into Chinese by Hoo Hea-me. The Directors remark upon this, that "Mr. Lindsay was led to adopt a line of conduct entirely opposed to that frank and ingenuous course, which we have been at all times anxious should mark our bearings towards the Chinese; should the facts transpire (and that they will, sooner or later, we entertain little doubt), it cannot fail to lower the character which the EastIndia Company has hitherto maintained for honourable conduct towards the native government and authorities."

In their excursions into the country, the demeanour of the common people, who surrounded the strangers in crowds, was uniformly kind and polite; the little they had was readily offered, and it was frequently a contest amongst them in the villages who should entertain them. Instead of the rudeness and insult experienced near Canton, they met with nothing but expressions of good-will. Many visited the ship on being invited, bringing fish and vegetables. Mr. Lindsay says, in this part of his report, rather prematurely: "left to themselves, the Chinese are not the jealous and suspicious race they have been generally imagined." Mr. Gutzlaff remarks: "it is an unjust and insidious [invidious?] remark thrown upon the Chinese, that they hate strangers, and are averse to having any dealings with them: even in Canton province, where foreigners are stigmatised by the hateful appellation of 'barbarians,' we found the people exceedingly friendly and hospitable." We apprehend that the jealousy and suspicion referred to have not been attributed to the people, but to the Government of China. The inhabitants of this part of the coast (Hwuy

• Return to an order of the Hon. House of Commons, requiring a Copy or Extract of any Despatch which may have been addressed by the Court of Directors of the East-India Company to the Supracargoes at Canton, in reference to the voyage recently undertaken by the ship Amherst to the Northeast Coast of China; together with a Copy of any Reports or Journals of the said voyage. Ordered to be printed 19th June 1833.

lae-been and Hwuy-chow-foo) bear the character of being a very lawless intractable race, and are frequently in open insurrection. Numerous forts line the coast, most of which are in a miserably defenceless condition.

Amongst the towns they saw, was Ching-hae (or Ting-hae), the capital of the heen of that name, the population of which exceeds 200,000; it sends out numerous junks; the river, which flows through the town, admits junks of from three hundred to four hundred tons. Many Chinese emigrate yearly from this district.

At Namo (an island about fourteen miles long) they met with the strongest proofs of the jealousy and suspicion of the mandarins. After some communication with them (Mr. Lindsay and Mr. Gutzlaff speaking the Chinese language, the latter being suspected to be a real Chinese from Amoy), these officers became more friendly, and parted on very good terms. They appealed to the strict orders they had received to exclude barbarians from all intercourse with natives of China. Unguarded expressions were dropt, here and elsewhere, by the mandarins, respecting the consequences of the disturbances which had taken place at Canton, that is, the late altercations between the factory and the local authorities.

Repeated inquiries were made for opium by those who visited the Amherst, and calicoes appeared to attract more notice than other commodities amongst the poorer classes. The country yields no export but sugar. The duties are very high, and smuggling to a great amount is carried on at Namo.

They now entered the province of Fokëen, where they looked for intercourse of a more important character, and made the best of their way to Amoy. On the 30th March, they entered a fine harbour, in lat. 23° 45′ N. long. 117° 41' E., which penetrates about ten miles inland, and affords perfectly secure anchorage in any weather. On the 2d April, they arrived at Amoy, or Ha-moy, in the Mandarin dialect, Hea-mun. This flourishing town is situated in one of the most barren districts in China, and it is dependent for the necessaries of life on the neighbouring island of Formosa, the granary of the east coast of China. Amoy is, however, a place of great commerce; no spot in the empire contains so many wealthy and enterprising merchants. The government seems to have endeavoured systematically to check the prosperity of Amoy, by removing the foreign trade from it, and by heavy exactions on native vessels, which have driven many of the merchants to Shang-hae, Canton, and other places.

The arrival of the Amherst at this place appeared to create a very strong sensation amongst all classes. Deputations of mandarins, who were exceedingly polite, visited the ship, and on the part of the local authorities, inquired what object brought it there, and whether the strangers intended to trade. Mr. Lindsay replied that they were in want of provisions and water, but he would gladly trade if he could do so with advantage. On this, one of them interrupted Mr. Lindsay, by stating that the laws prohibited all foreign trade at that place; it was, therefore, out of the question. In the meanwhile, a large body of troops was drawn up on shore, and an unusual degree of excitement was apparent. The mandarins left the ship, and two sent by the tetuh (the chief military authority) shortly returned, and stated that they must quit the port as speedily as possible; that all the supplies they wanted would be given gratuitously, and that they were on no account to go on shore, or have any communication with the inhabitants. Mr. Lindsay remonstrated rather warmly on this line of conduct, and positively declined their offer of a gratuitous supply of provisions, returning thanks for the liberality of the

offer. The visitors, with much civility, apologized for any appearance of inhospitality, by stating that they were only the bearers of a message. They now returned to the council on shore: the tetuh, keunminfoo, and all the chief civil and military authorities of the place had assembled there. Numerous boats, filled with well-dressed persons, came round the ship; but several custom-house boats cruised about, and drove them away; yet they could not prevent several from coming near enough to make inquiries as to their nation and cargo, and object in coming, and both by signs and words expressing their friendly feelings. After dark, a Chinese servant of Mr. Gutzlaff, a native of this place, was landed, with directions to see some of the leading merchants, in order to arrange with them for trading outside, in case it was impracticable to do so openly. On the following morning, several war-junks and boats had arrived, and evidently intended to keep up a very strict surveillance over the ship. At an early hour, the tetuh and other mandarins again assembled, and the whole shore was lined with troops. The two mandarins brought a message to the same purport as before. Mr. Lindsay replied that the best mode would be for Mr. Gutzlaff and himself to go to the town and explain what their wishes were, and remove the suspicions which appeared to be entertained of their intentions. The mandarins strongly urged them not to go to the town. Mr. Lindsay requested them to convey a complimentary card to the chief authorities, respectfully requesting them to accept a few specimens of English manufactures, and intimating his wish to be honoured with an interview; but they declined taking charge of either.

"We subsequently visited the town," continues Mr. Lindsay, "where we were warmly welcomed by the numerous inhabitants, who surrounded us in great crowds, but were most kind in their manner. Their delight was great at the fluency with which Mr. Gutzlaff addressed them in their native dialect. We were soon followed by Le (one of the deputed mandarins), who assured us he merely came to prevent our being annoyed by the crowd, and for the purpose of showing us over the town, and that if we were desirous to see the tetuh he would give us an audience to-morrow. With this I professed myself satisfied; and having rambled about the town for an hour, we returned to the ship. Although nothing could be more civil than the manner of the mandarin and his attendants, yet their object was evidently to prevent, if possible, any conversation between us and the people: in this, however, they failed, and we had the satisfaction of hearing people of all classes express to us their regret at being prevented from visiting our ship, and the anxiety they felt for permission freely to have intercourse with us. Early on the following morning, we found ourselves more closely surrounded by war-vessels of every sort, who commenced a most arbitrary and violent system of treatment to every boat who even approached the ship; some were taken away prisoners to the junks, others were openly plundered and maltreated by the laou-tseangs, or mandarin sailors, for no other offence than speaking to us in a friendly way in passing, or even merely for rowing round our ship; one boat anchored close to us, having a board on its bow, on which was written in large characters: The tetuh of Amoy hereby issues a clear proclamation. The barbarian ship is ordered to set sail and depart. She is not allowed to anchor and loiter about. The boats and natives of the place are prohibited from approaching or having any intercourse whatever with her.'"

A deputation of mandarins came in the morning early and delivered an edict, which purported that by the laws of the empire, foreign (barbarian) ships were not allowed to trade in the Fokëen or Che-keang provinces; that

the prohibition was severe in the extreme, and that it was absolutely necessary that the ship should set sail that very day.

The mandarins now stated that the tetuh was ready to give Mr. Lindsay an audience, and were very liberal in unmeaning professions of good-will. He rather indignantly remarked that their professions did not at all agree with their deeds, in surrounding them with war-boats, and treating them like enemies instead of friends; and he pointed to the placard on one of the war-boats. The whole party loudly disclaimed any such feeling, and seemed particularly annoyed at his using the word “ enemy," begging that he would not harbour such an idea on any accoust. Mr. Gutzlaff replied to them, explaining that friendly actions were preferable to smooth words. It was arranged that they should meet the tetuh; and in the meanwhile Mr. Lindsay drew up a petition, "in which," he says, "I have not attempted to conceal the feelings which any person would naturally entertain at the reception we have met with at a place where we have violated no law, but, on the contrary, have expressed the greatest anxiety to conform to the established institutions." He had, however, told the mandarins he wished to trade.

The petition represented that the ship was bound from Bengal to Japan and other places with a cargo of merchandize (describing the goods), and had entered the harbour to procure water and provisions; that, expecting kindness, they had been treated as enemies; that natives of China were permitted freely to trade with and to reside at the colonies of England; that the power of England is great, its ships numerous, and its frontiers border upon China; that its sovereign permits his subjects to go and trade in every part of the world, being specially commanded to act with propriety, and that he (Mr. Lindsay), in visiting any of the Chinese ports, would act accordingly, but, nevertheless, he could not tacitly submit to insult.

In this representation, some things are stated which are not strictly true, and others which were calculated to alarm the apprehensions of the Chinese government.

On their interview with the authorities on shore, consisting of the tetuh and tung-ping (military mandarins) and the funfoo, a civilian of the sixth rank, with some others, the letter, or petition, was presented and read, and the tetuh stated that it was their wish to treat the strangers with the greatest kindness, as the two nations were on friendly terms, but that they could not be permitted to remain, as it was against their laws; that the ship must instantly remove to a short distance, where they should be gratuitously supplied with every thing required. Mr. Lindsay still declined eleemosynary supplies, and wished to purchase what they wanted. The tung-ping, who was a violenttempered man, chiefly opposed this; his angry words were, however, retorted by Mr. Gutzlaff, the by-standers evidently enjoying the mandarin's discomfiture, and much amused by some of Mr. Gutzlaff's apt remarks, and the point was ultimately gained. Mr. Lindsay expresses himself, on subsequent reflection, convinced that, in this negociation, he was wrong in seeking an interview with the higher officers of government without a distinct previous understanding that they were to be treated with due civility and courtesy, and that by standing in the presence of mandarins of inferior rank, who were seated near the tetuh, they evidently lowered themselves in their estimation. Experience also rendered it apparent, he says, "that by a too scrupulous acquiescence with what the local authorities chose to term the invariable laws of the Celestial Empire, the object of our present voyage, which is principally for the acquisition of information, would in all probability be entirely thwarted; Asiat Journ. N.S.VOL. 12. No. 46.

wherever we go, we evidently must be prepared to receive positive orders instantly to depart, with threats of the most serious consequences in case we dare to disobey. It therefore became a matter of reflection to me how far I should feel myself justified in disobeying these injunctions, and at least trying the experiment of what measures the authorities would take for enforcing them, when they saw that mere words were disregarded by us.”

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Both the tetuh and the tung-ping declined (the former politely, the latter rudely) an invitation to visit the ship, and no mandarin was now permitted to do so. "No reason can be assigned for this conduct," remarks Mr. Lindsay, excepting a jealous apprehension lest we should establish a too favourable impression of the justice and reason of our arguments." The local authorities directed a simple sailor from one of the trading junks, who had known Mr. Gutzlaff in Tartary, to act as comprador, and stopped the sailing of his junk till the departure of the Amherst. Mr. Lindsay speaks with indignation of this miserable expedient. He, however, took his departure on the 7th April, and edicts were issued the day after, announcing that "the imperial fleet had driven away the barbarian ship." In point of fact, it is admitted that the imperial squadron of twelve junks followed the Amherst out to sea, and kept up a heavy cannonade upon it, about six miles astern.

Mr. Gutzlaff's native servant stated that the feeling of alarm on shore, excited on the vessel's first appearance, was beyond belief. The most vague and exaggerated reports bad circulated all along the coast, of the disputes between the English and the Chinese authorities, and a report spread like wild-fire, that the Amherst was only the precursor of a fleet of twenty ships of war, coming to avenge the insults offered at Canton. He further stated, that, so soon as the panic in some degree subsided, and the people became satisfied it was merely a merchant ship, desirous of peacefully trading, and laden with European commodities, much interest had been excited among the mercantile people, and the greatest anxiety expressed that permission might be granted by the authorities for commercial intercourse. The severity adopted towards all who ventured to approach the ship had terrified the respectable traders so much, that none dared to engage in transactions of trade; but a general feeling of disappointment was expressed among all classes at the conduct of their rulers. Mr. Gutzlaff says: 66 we showed nowhere so much submission, and were nowhere so ill treated as in this port. Without remonstrance, we saw the people who either came alongside the ship, or looked at her from a distance, dragged away. They were bambooed on board the war-junks, which had anchored near us that we might hear their cries, and afterwards exposed in the streets, wearing a cangue with a libel, expressive of their great crime, that of having looked at the barbarian ship. These punishments were not only meant to intimidate the people, who were cager to have communication with us, but also to degrade the barbarians in the eyes of the public."

During the six days they remained at this place, they daily landed for exercise, entered the town and adjoining villages, and took long rambles about the country in every direction. In the neighbourhood of Amoy, they were generally attended by a party of soldiers and mandarins, who were uniformly polite, and assured them their only reason for accompanying them was fear lest the unruly populace should do them an injury; but they always were anxious to escape from their offered protection and trust to the kind and friendly feeling of the people, which it was really gratifying to witness, whenever no mandarins or their satellites were present to check the spontaneous expression of their good-will.