Letter to ... Viscount Palmerston on British relations with China |
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Letter to ... Viscount Palmerston on British Relations With China Hugh Hamilton Lindsay No preview available - 2019 |
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advantageous advocate affairs aggrandise alluded amply ance appear April Armed steamer arrogance barbarian British Canton caused Chinese author Chinese empire cides clear and defined COAST OF CHINA commercial treaty Company's conduct Confucius consider Corvettes demand redress denote dispute effect England English expense feel force requisite foreigners granted grievances hastened homi hostile IBOTSON AND PALMER imagine India insulting expressions intercourse interested junks labour laden lamentably Land Force Large frigate liberal LINDSAY LONDON Lord Napier Macao maintain Majesty's ment merchant vessel mission mode monopoly nation naval force necessary negociation nese numerous object operations opinion oppress PALMERSTON political relations port present presupposes PRINTERS proceedings proclamation refuse regulations rela relations with China render rice RIGHT HONOURABLE VISCOUNT rules of government SAVOY STREET sels sent ship simple reason simply Small ditto smallest island sovereign Straits STRAND take possession Teensin terms of equality tion tive trade legally treacherous treatment wish word
Popular passages
Page 12 - ... would wish to see an ambassador sent out from England to act in conjunction with the admiral on the Indian station for the purpose of demanding redress for injuries sustained, and negotiating a commercial treaty on a liberal basis. An amply adequate force to compel submission would consist of one line-of-battle ship, two large frigates, six corvettes, and three or four armed steamers, having on board a land force of about six hundred men, chiefly artillery, in order to protect any land operation...
Page 10 - The E and the Teih cannot be governed by the same rules of government as those of the central nation (the Chinese). They are like the brute creation : if liberal rules of government were applied to them it would infallibly give rise to rebellious confusion. The ancient kings knew this well, and therefore ruled them without law. This method of government is decidedly the most judicious mode of governing them...
Page 16 - ... number of vessels might be deposited, and the exit guarded by a single man-of-war or armed merchant vessel. Two or three such depots might be formed, the vessels moored therein, the crews landed with the exception of a few men in each to take care of their property, and then would be th,- time freely to circulate printed papers, recapitulating the grievances we had to complain of, the demands we made, and stating that the moment they were granted peace would be restored, and all the junks in...
Page 15 - The result of these proceedings would, within a very short period, have annihilated all vestiges of a naval force along the coast of China, and have placed in our power thousands of native merchant vessels. The Chinese coast presents facilities for such operations beyond any other in the world, being studded with numerous islands, in many of which as well as on the main land, are long narrow bays with deep water, in which...
Page 5 - ... which they are now placed," asks, what is to be done? and having pointed out some of the difficulties of the case adds: " I have considered the subject deeply, and feel convinced that there are but two modes of acting that can now be adopted with any appearance of consistency. The first method which I should suggest is by a direct armed interference to demand redress for past injuries, and security for the future. The second, the withdrawal of all political relations from a country which obstinately...
Page 11 - I will merely recapitulate a few which appear to me moat prominent. 1. The use of opprobrious epithets both in edicts and proclamations issued by the government, imputing to foreigners crimes and profligacy of the most atrocious and revolting character. 2. The undefined state of the duties, — the real being in some instances tenfold the nominal. 3. The interdiction to" hire warehouses, and consequent insecurity of property, or to trade legally with any but the hong merchants. 4. The exorbitant...
Page 11 - ... instances tenfold the nominal. 3. The interdiction to hire warehouses, and consequent insecurity of property, or to trade legally with any but the hong merchants. 4. The exorbitant port charges, which effectually prevent small ships from trading legally at Canton. 5. The prohibition to trade anywhere but at Canton, being the port of the empire the worst adapted for extending our commerce, for the simple reason that the staple articles of export, tea, and silk, are brought from the northern provinces...
Page 12 - ... relative to homicides. All the comparatively trifling personal grievances under which we labor, which are, however, most galling and unnecessary, would vanish the moment we have established a claim to be respected by the Chinese, instead of being despised, as we are most deservedly at present. — What, then, would be the force requisite to coerce the Chinese empire, with its countless millions of inhabitants? In my opinion, by combining energetic measures with judicious policy, a comparatively...
Page 8 - ... disclaim any such intention, especially when something of the kind must have been anticipated when speaking (p. 10,) of forming depots among the numerous islands, where the crews of the captured vessels might be landed. Mr. Lindsay objects to the occupation of an island, because " such a measure would have quite a contrary effect from forwarding that extension of purely commercial intercourse, which would be so advantageous to both countries, and might also lead to consequences of which it would...
Page 12 - ... northern provinces at a heavy expense, while the equally heavy charges of conveying our woollens to the north, form an insuperable bar to any great increase in their consumption. 6. The regulations enforced relative to homicides. All the comparatively trifling personal grievances under which we labor, which are, however, most galling and unnecessary, would vanish the moment we have established a claim to be respected by the Chinese, instead of being despised, as we are most deservedly at present....