"walls of the impérial palace: such an engine we are well aware must be wielded "with discretion; but if ever involved in serious discussions with the Canton "authorities, the power of uncontroverted misrepresentation would no longer be in "their hands."

11. It is not necessary for us to repeat the opinion which we have already expressed, to the cause of your grievances having originated not with the Chinese, but with the members of our Factory, in the matter of the quay, the resort of females to Canton, and the bringing up of sailors and guns to the Factory. With reference to the requisitions you allude to, we shall merely remark, that some remission of the port duties has been made, and that a disposition to increase the Hong has been repeatedly evinced by the local authorities.

12. As to the right of paying your own duties, we know of no ground founded either in "reason or justice," which can warrant foreigners who voluntarily resort for the purposes of trade to a distant country, to insist upon the authorities of that country so framing their fiscal regulations as that the duties to be paid shall be paid only through the channel such foreigners may think fit to prescribe; neither have we any right to insist upon the publication of an authenticated list of government duties, however desirable it may be that both these objects should be accomplished through an amicable arrangement with the Chinese government.

13. With regard to the treatment of British subjects, and a security against further acts of aggression, the whole tenor of your despatches prior to that of the 16th October, leads us to infer that no intentional ill treatment or aggression will be systematically manifested towards them, unless provoked by unjustifiable acts on their part.

14. In making this remark, it is impossible for us not to feel the just cause which the Chinese government would have, were you to adopt the proposition noticed in the 7th para. of your letter of the 7th November, as to printing and distributing papers throughout China, and connected with which idea we perceive in your letter to the Governor-General of the 25th October (which appears to us to enter into a lengthened and unnecessary detail of events long since past), "that you apprehend "the present Tartar dynasty is by no means popular with the Chinese nation.'

15. We have already conveyed to you our strict injunction that you should in no way be parties to the publication of the Canton Gazette, or to any other work of a political tendency; and we now enjoin you in the most pointed manner, not to think of acting upon a notion so crude and so totally unjustifiable as that of circulating any printed paper of such a tendency amongst the Chinese.

16. By the latest advices from our Bengal government, we have great reason to hope that Admiral Sir Edward Owen will not have proceeded beyond Prince of Wales Island. We have perused with great satisfaction a letter from Sir Edward Owen to the Governor-General, dated on board His Majesty's ship "Southampton,' at sea, the 6th October, in which, after some other very judicious observations, his Excellency justly states

"Whilst during war our naval superiority had driven away every flag from "Canton but our own, the threat of stopping trade was an effectual restriction on "the Chinese authorities.

"But since the Dutch, the Danish, French, American, and even the Russian "flags have, I believe, now found their way to China, there are not wanting those "who will instruct the Chinese governors and others, that an export under such flags may be made with as much benefit to China, and the vessels will be more "under the controul and better subjected to their regulations."

17. Whatever may be the position which Great Britain holds in the scale of European nations, or however extensive her empire in the East, we have no preten'sions beyond the subjects of other nations to dictate to the Chinese government the principles upon which alone they are to carry on her trade with foreigners.

18. We entirely approve of the determination announced in your President's letter of the 16th November, to address a complimentary letter to the Viceroy on his expected return to Canton.

19. We await with anxiety the next advices, by which we hope to learn that your proceedings have been brought to a satisfactory termination, without your having

having resorted to the ulterior measures pointed out in your President's letter of the 16th October last.

20. The other subjects noticed in the despatches we have enumerated, will be replied to in a separate letter.