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of the Viceroy, his Excellency has had every warning that could have been given. He has seen, day by day, in the destruction of the Imperial fleets, in our breaching the walls and entering the city, in the ruin of the public buildings, and in the manner in which every menace has been followed by prompt and irresistible execution, how impossible it is for him to oppose a power which he has thoughtlessly and wantonly provoked, and most discourteously and obstinately denied to me, Her Britannic Majesty's Representative, the means of official personal intercourse.
I have to state to your Excellency that, though I have received many overtures from the rebel chiefs, who are naturally desirous of availing themselves of the disorders which have been created by the persistency of the Viceroy, I have refused all cooperation and all intercourse with them, and have not allowed their ships to approach the waters which Her Majesty's naval forces command.
It is of the greatest importance that His Majesty the Great Emperor should be informed of the true state of things, and of the miseries which have been suffered by, and the still greater miseries which are hanging over, the Chinese people, in consequence of the perversity of the Imperial Commissioner; and I have to request your Excellency will not delay advising the Court of Pekin of the events that have taken place, and that you will kindly forward copies of the inclosed documents.
I have, &c.
(Signed) John Bowring.
Inclosure 2 in No. 5.
The Governor-General of Fuh-keen to Sir J. Bowring.
(Translation.)
WANG, Governor-General of Fuh-keen and Che-keang, &c., makes communication in reply.
I received a letter from your Excellency on the 3rd instant. (Here follows at full length Sir J. Bowring's despatch of the 9th December, 1856, to the effect that Her Britannic Majesty's Consul at Foo-chow would forward to His Excellency Wang twelve copies of a "collection of documents," printed in pamphlet form, upon affairs at Canton, and requesting him to bring their contents to the notice of the Emperor.)
Having had, from first to last, no official communication from his Excellency Yeh, Imperial Commissioner and Governor-General of the Two-kwang, to explain what it was in the administration of commercial affairs at Canton that produced this rupture with your Excellency, I have been without any means of informing myself thoroughly on the subject, and even now that I have received your Excellency's letter, still, the great distance between Fuh-keen and Canton considered, it is so out of my power to form an opinion on the merits of the question, that I cannot be so precipitate as to address the Throne on the matter.
The document[1] forwarded to me being in English, its contents are unknown to me, and I have no means of deciphering them. In conclusion, it is my duty to add that our two nations having been on friendly terms for many years, I am still in hopes, that by due observance on either side of the Treaty of Peace that was to last for ever, it will be their good fortune to strengthen the amicable relations heretofore existing between them. I accordingly reply, availing myself of the occasion to wish your Excellency promotion and prosperity.
A necessary communication, &c.
Heen-fung, 6th year, 12th moon, 11th day. (January 6 , 1857.)
- ↑ In the translation of Sir J. Bowring's despatch of the 9th December, 1856, the words "collection of documents" were rendered by a Chinese word signifying small volume or pamphlet. It was intended that twelve copies should be forwarded to his Excellency Wang. Mr. Consul Medhurst has explained that these were not sent, as he considered the communication of them might cause unnecessary excitement at places where public tranquillity was undisturbed; and his Excellency Wang, not having received them, has applied the term "seaon tee," pamphlet or brochure, to the copy of the despatch in English which is always forwarded with the Chinese version.
