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“...AN
AUTHENTIC ACCOUNT
OF
AN EMBASSY
w FROM
THE KING OF GREAT BRITAIN
TO THE EMPEROR OF CHINA;
INCLUDING
CURSORY' OBSERVATIONS MADE, AND INFORMATION
OBTAINED, IN TRAVELLING THROUGH THAT
ANCIENT EMPIRE, AND A SMALL PART
OF CHINESE TARTARY.
TOGETHER WITH A RELATION OF,THE
VOYAGE UNDERTAKEN ON THE OCCASION BY HIS MA-
JESTY’S SHIP THE LION, AND THE SHIP HINDOSTAN,
IN THE EAST INDIA COMPANY’S SERVICE, TO THE
YELLOW SEA, AND GULF OF PEKIN; AS WELL AS OF
THEIR RETURN TO EUROPE;
WITH NOTICES OF
The several places where they stopped in their way out and home; be-
ing the Islands of Madeira, Teneriffe, and St. Jago; the Port of Rio
de Janeiro in South America; the Islands of St. Helena, Tristan
d’Acunha, and Amsterdam; the Coast of Java, and Sumatra, the
Nanka Isles, Pulo-Condore, and Cochin-china.
TAKEN CHIEFLY FROM THE PAPERS OF
HIS EXCELLENCY THE EARL OF MACARTNEY, Knight
of the Bath, His Majesty’s Embassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to
the Emperor of China; Sir ERASMUS GOWER, Commander...”
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“...EMBASSY TO CHINA.
9
already mentioned. Dispatches from the govern-
ment general of the Dutch East India settlements,
to their resident in China, containing orders for
his co-operation with the views of the British
Embassy, were forwarded to him likewise at this
time, as well as letters to the same effect from the
cardinal prefect of the congregation for propa-
gating the faith at Rome, to the procurator of the
missions residing at Macao. The English factory
was still also residing at that place, as none of
the ships from Europe had yet arrived, that
season, in the river of Canton.
Through the English East India Company’s
commissioners, the Embassador had information
that, “ his Imperial Majesty’s disposition to
“ afford a reception to the Embassy, suitable to
“ its dignity, had not suffered the least diminu-
■ ‘ tion, as appeared by his repeated instructions
on this subject to the different governments
“ upon the coast. He had given orders for Man-
“ darincs to await his Excellency’s arrival...”
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“...CHINA.
“ great Mandarine had come so far to visit him, he
“ must be received in a distinguished manner, and
“ answerable to the occasion.'’
The commissioners, who knew with how dif-
ferent a spirit foreigners were received and treated
at Canton, entertained no doubt that “ the go-
“ verning officers of that place had thrown a veil
“ over the disposition and intentions of the Em-
“ peror towards Europeans, and that nothing was
“ so much wanting, or would be of such singular
“ advantage to the East India Company, as a
“ free and immediate communication between
“ their servants and the court of Pekin, should
“ an opening offer for obtaining it in the course
“ ofhis Excellency’s nfcgotiations. The Embassy
“ did not, certainly, appear to be agreeable to
“ some of the officers of the government of Can-
“ ton, who were perhaps apprehensive of its
“ consequences to themselves. The motives
“ which gave rise to the Embassy had been an-
“ xiously inquired into by them; and particu-
“ larly by the Hoppo...”
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“...EMBASSY TO CHINA.
11
The commissioner's had no doubt of every en-
“ gine having been set to work by him, to pre-
vent the success of their proceedings with
* ‘ regard to it; and when he found a flaw in their
commission, by their not having been deputed
directly from the King of Great Britain, but
H being merely representatives of the East India
“ Company, he did not let slip the occasion to
f‘ perplex and oppose them by every artifice in
“ his power.”
The Foo-yen, or Governor of Canton, was
likewise still solicitous to discover the private ob-
jects of the Embassy; and aware that some of them
might relate to persons from whom the commis-
sioners would wish them to be- concealed at this
early period, he gave assurances to the commis-
sioners that, “ if they should disclose them to
“ him, he would confine the matter within his
“ own breast, and that of the Emperor.” The
commissioners very properly replied that “ they
“ were ignorant of any views beside those which
“ obviously occurred of...”
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“...EMBASSY TO CHINA. 27
from the shore. Its true position is laid down in
the following bearings and distances, which were
obligingly communicated by Thoma.s Fitzhugh,
Esquire, at that time a passenger on board the Hol-
derness, and now one of the Directors of the East
India Company. He observed that ‘ ‘ the bearings
“ were taken by him while the Holderness lay
on the rocks. Buffaloe’s Nose, easternmost
“ end north-uorth-west northerly. Southernmost
“ small Que-san, the body south-east. Second
“ Que-san, the peak in the middle, south-east by
“ east. Three small rocks, ofwhich two only are
“to be seen at high water, east-south-east half
“ south. Third Que-san, the body east, distant
“ one mile and a quarter. Northernmost part of
“ theQue-sans, north-north-east. The largest of
‘ ‘ the cluster called the Whelps, north-north-west
“ half west. The bearings recorded in the jour-
“ nal of the Holderness were taken when at
“ anchor afterwards, at a distance from the rock.”
The route, followed by the...”
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“...EMBASSY TO CHINA. 37
ceeds three hundred. A dangerous rock .(not
that of the Holderness already mentioned) on
which the Hindostan struck on her return to the
southward, is met with in the passage to Chu-
san harbour. By a perusal of the manuscriptjour-
nals of the English East India Company’s ships
which had sailed formerly to Chu-san, it appears
that the Northumberland in the year 1 7 04, was
the only one on hoard which it seems to have been
known that such a rock existed. In her log-book it
is observed that ‘' they kept Kee-to point open with
“ Deer island, to avoid a sunken rock that lay
“ off Sarah Galley island ; which, and the flag-
“ staff on Chu-san hill, being both in one, the
f‘ ship is abreast of it.”
The part of the harbour in which the Clarence
anchored, was distant about half a mile from a
landing place, near the house of the Tsung-ping,
or military governor, who presided in this place,
and which bore from the brig north-east by
north; the depth of water was live fathoms....”
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“...annexed. From one port in
that province twelve vessels sail, annually, for
copper to Japan.
Soon after the Clarence had anchored, some
civil and military officers came on board to in-
quire the occasion of her visit; which being
declared, it was settled that the party should go
ashore the next morning, and wait on the gover-
nor to make their demand. With these officers
came, to serve as an interpreter, a Chinese mer-
chant, who had formerly been connected in trade
with the agents of the East India Company,
while they were allowed to frequent this part of
China. He still retained somewhat of the Eno--
o
lish language. By this man’s account, the
English had given no just cause of dissatisfaction
in this place, tho they have been interdicted
from it, through the means, as is most likely,
of the superior influence of the officers govern-
ing at Canton, who are supposed to draw large
sums from the accumulation of foreign trade in
that port; and perhaps also from the increasing...”
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“...might have effected it without cruelly depriving
them of the physical power of motion. No such
custom is known in Turkey or Hmdostan,
where women are kept in greater habits of
retirement than in China. Opinion, indeed,
more than power, governs the general actions of
the human race; and so preposterous a practice
could be maintained only by the example and
persuasion of those -who, in their own persons?
had submitted to it. Men may have silently
approved, and indirectly encouraged it, as those
of India are supposed to do that much more...”
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“...before
the squadron arrived in the neighbourhood of
that place, a vessel with dispatches for the Em-
bassador. It was the Endeavour brig com-
manded by Captain Proctor. She had also on
board a young man who could speak Spanish
and Chinese; ancl meant to offer his services as
an additional interpreter to the embassy. The
Endeavour belonged to the East India Company,
and had been employed, under the command of
a gentleman of science of the name of M'Cluer,
in a voyage of observation and discovery thro
the great eastern Archipelago, comprehended in
what are called the Chinese seas, according to the
liberal plan pursued, in many instances, by the
India Company, of attending to the promotion
of knowledge, in the midst of its commercial un-
dertakings. Captain M‘Cluer was considered
as a diligent and capable observer. He had
either visited formerly the Pelew islands, or had
formed an exalted idea of the climate, and of the
disposition of the inhabitants, from the very...”
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“...EMBASSY TO CHINA.
deration for the English nation, of which the
agents of the English East India Company at
Canton might experience effects conducive to
their benefit and comfort. Every consideration
demanded, at the same time, that the individuals
who composed or accompanied, the Embassy,
should, by the correctness and circumspection of
their conduct, avoid giving offence, where it was
so eaily taken at any disorder or lightness of be-
haviour, and should endeavour, wherever they
went, to gain upon the private good opinion of
the Chinese; thus to counteract the prejudices
which the Company’s records testify to have
been entertained in that country against the morals
and manners of the English.
The Embassador determined, therefore, when
the squadron was already advanced in the Yel-
low sea, and likely to arrive soon at its des-
tined port in the gulf of Pekin, to disperse a
paper throughout the squadron ; which was pub-
licly read to the crews and passengers of each
vessel. His Excellency...”
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“...earnest manner,
“ requested that no person whatever belonging
“ to the ships he suffered, and he desired that
“ none of his suite, guard, mechanics, or ser-
“ vants, would presume, to offer for sale, or pro-
“ pose to purchase, the smallest article of mer-
44 chandize of any kind, under any pretence
4 4 whatever, without leave from him previously
44 obtained. The necessity ofavoiding the least ap-
44 pearance of traffic, accompanying an Embassy
“ to Pekin, was such as to have induced the East
44 India Company to forego the profits of a new
44 market, and prevented them from shipping any
44 goods for sale in the Hindostan, because the
“ dignity and importance of the Embassy, in tire...”
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“...138 EMBASSY TO CHINA.
each had a portion of the profit accruing flora
the service performed.
Into a sufficient number of those junks the
presents and baggage were transhipped, tho in
the open sea, without any damage. The wea-
ther indeed was fine. The stormy season, how-
ever, was approaching: and it was impossible
for the squadron to make much stay in its pre-
sent exposed situation. It had been intended by
the East India Company, that as soon as the
Hindostan should be discharged by the Embas-
sador at Tien-sing, she should proceed to Canton
to take a cargo from thence for Europe, in the
usual way of trade. But as she must in her
route pass by Chu-san, it was now thought de-
sirable for her to touch there, in the probability
of her procuring a lading home on more advan-
tageous terms than at Canton, if leave should
happen to be granted for the purchase at the for-
mer port, of the teas and silks of the neighbour-
ing provinces. On this account, Captain Mack-
intosh was the more readily...”
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“...•embassy to china.
’39
perhaps occasion to observe the method of manu-
facturing the goods he generally carried from
China, relative to which the East India Company
was desirous of receiving particular information.
It was absolutely necessary likewise before the
Embassador should leave the Lion, to determine
how to dispose of her while the public business
might detain his Excellency on shore. No know-
ledge had been obtained of a harbour sufficiently
secure for her during winter, throughout the
gulf of Pekin. It was thought also, that aChinese
port was the least desirable for her to continue
long in, as, notwithstanding every care, some
accident or difference with the natives might
take place to affect the general purpose of the Em-
bassy. The apprehension even of any distur-
bance might operate on such a government as
that of the Chinese, to occasion the premature
departure of the Embassador. Nor did Sir
Erasmus Gower think it conducive to the health
or discipline of his men that they...”
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digital image 195
“...three other dinners, each consisting
of twenty-four dishes, to the three gentlemen
who had accompanied his Excellency on the visit.
Why the Viceroy preferred this method of
showing civility to his visitors, to that of retain-
ing them to partake of a banquet with him that
day, or of inviting them for the next, could be
explained by nothing known in Chinese man-
ners or opinions, except what might relate to the
rank of the gentlemen accompanying the Embas-
sador. It did not proceed, as it might in India,
from any religious scruple, against eating with
profane foreigners. More, indeed, than four
persons seldom sit at the same table in China;
but a banquet is frequently , served upon several
tables in the same apartment. It is possible
that some circumstance of delicacy towards the
Embassador, which was not explained, or of
doubt concerning English customs, might have
induced the Viceroy to adopt this particular
mode of hospitality, which, indeed, the tables
supplied at the Emperor’s charge had...”
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“...EMBASSY TO CHINA. l8l
people, as in some of the interior parts of India,
and may there deserve more the name of com-
mon salt than that which the sea produces.
Most of the marine salt imported into the
Pei-ho, is brought from the sea coasts of the
two southern provinces of Fo-chien and Quan-
tung, where it is prepared from sea -water. Large
fields being made perfectly smooth and flat,
with margins elevated about six inches, sea water
is let in upon a clayey surface, either through
sluices, or pumped up at high water by chain-
pumps. The water is suffered to lie on those
fields to the depth of two or three inches. The
heat of the sun in the summer season is suffi-
ciently strong to evaporate the water. The
evaporation carried on slowly and uniformly,
leaves behind large cubic crystals, and forms
that species usually known by the name of Bay-
salt in England. There are similar works near
the mouth of the Pei-ho river, but to no con-
siderable extent. Its more northern situation is
certainly...”
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“...“ and malignant suspicions of the latent projects
“ of the Embassy suggested, in a variety of letters
“ from Canton and Macao; hut that he was
“ very apprehensive mischief might he done at
“ Zhe-hol, where the Emperor resided; but
“ where he (the letter writer) could net proceed,
“ unless called there by the government; that he
“ was truly anxious to testify his gratitude, in
“ common with most of his colleagues, to the
“ English nation, for the protection afforded, in
“ their settlements in India, to the missionaries
“ employed for the propagation of Christianity
“ there : that his first letter had, on the different
“ reports of his Excellency’s arrival, been al-
“ ready three times at Tien-sing.’ And he
concludes by requesting that “ his letters should
“ be kept secret, lest the knowledge of their con-
‘ ‘ tents might draw upon him the resentment of
“ the Portuguese.”
Tho the above letters might have been dictated
by a spirit of opposition, ambition, or intrigue,
the assertion of ext...”
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“...neither fact was true, yet
he was conscious that the belief of the first asser-
, tion would be sufficient to alienate the admini-
stration of China from any favourable disposi-
tion towards, or confidence in, the government of
Great Britain.
In such a temper, tho the Emperor personally
was flattered with the Embassy, and peremptory
in his orders for its reception, yet the ministers,
coupling this mission from the English with
their supposed .hostility , and their real strength,
on the side of India, might be disposed to suspect
seine sinister intention latent under the present
proffer , of gifts and friendship. Similar suspi-
cions led, it is known, not long since, the Otto-
man court, to prohibit the passage of the English
travellers through Egypt, on the ground, as was
set forth in the body of the proclamation, that it...”
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“...EMBASSY TO CHINA.
221
period, was the more easily disposed to credit the
reports spread in the country, that British troops
had, contrary to his expectation, been sent to the
assistance of the Rajah; especially as he found
the struggle was maintained by the latter with
uncommon obstinacy. Nor is it absolutely im-
possible that a few fugitive sepoys from the forces
maintained in the northern districts of Bengal,
acquainted with the discipline, and even dressed
in the uniform, of the English East India Com-
pany’s troops, may have found their way to the
Napaul army, where, no doubt, they would be
joyfully received. The badness of the season, and
the ruggedness of the country, increased the dan-
ger to the attacking army, and rendered their
success uncertain. The idea of having a double
enemy to encounter would add to the renown of
victory, or mitigate the disgracfe of a defeat. Ac-
counts were accordingly said to be transmitted to
Pekin that English troops had joined the Rajah.
The intimate...”
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“...22^ EMBASSY TO CHINA.
Dhalary Lama, that, 4 4 as the English Company1
“ had nothing more at heart than to maintain the
“ most cordial and friendly terms with all the
“ powers in India; and, sensible of the wisdom
44 of that conduct, they were careful not to in-
4 4 fringe the rules of friendship by interference,
“ in a hostile manner, in the disputes prevail-
44 ing among foreign powers, except when self-
44 defence or wanton attacks obliged them. That
4 4 the English governor had sent an answer, coti-
44 formable to those sentiments, upon the Rajah
“ ofNapaul’s application for military assistance.
44 It could not be unknown to him (Dhalary
44 Lama) that a friendship had long subsisted be-
44 tween the English and the Rajah of Napaul,
44 and also between the Emperor of China, whose
44 protection extended over the Lama, and the
“ Company. The English had for many; years
“ carried on commercial concerns with the sub-
jects of the Emperor, and had actually a fac-
4 4 tory established in his...”
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“...H ill
Iliff
SIM
it
111
it'
If!
EMBASSY TO CHINA.
Most of the utensils in common use in Eno-land
o
were, indeed, likewise used and made in China;
but inferior, generally, in quality and neatness.
English hardware was eagerly sought after ; and
whenever in the course of time the East India
Company’s ships shall have free access to the
port ofTien-sing, the demand for the manufac-
tures of Birmingham and Sheffield will be very
much enlarged, for the supply of Pekin alone.
This capital bears not in size the same pro-
portion to the rest of China, that London does
to Britain. The principal part of it is called the
Tartar city, from the circumstance of having been
laid out anew in the thirteenth century, in the time,
of the first Tartar dynasty. It was in the form
of a parallelogram, of which the four walls face
the four cardinal points. They include an area
of about fourteen square miles, in the centre of
which is the Imperial palace, occupying within
the yellow wall at least one square mile...”
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