may be, and often are, afraid of Europeans, but the Government was not so. Despotic in itself, ignorant of the power of foreign nations, very superior to the divided and small States that surround it, the Chinese esteem themselves not only the first nation in the world but the most powerful. Such circumstances and such notions had naturally produced a high and imperious spirit in the government, but no fear." The Court directed that in the event of a casualty like the last unfortunate accident happening to any of the English, the supercargoes should use every means in their power to stop the business in the first stage by applying to some Chinese merchant of ability to get such a representation made to the Viceroy as might secure the life of the person. Only in the event of a murder were they to deliver the perpetrator up to the Chinese.
CHAPTER V.
Lord Macartney's Mission to China—Friendly Reception by the Emperor—Stately Court Ceremonies—Unsatisfactory Negotiations—Return of the Mission—The Emperor's Letter to King George—Affairs at Canton.
The cumulative effect of vexatious interferences, the arbitrary displays of authority, the unfair exactions, and the ever present manifestations of jealous exclusiveness which went to make up the Imperial Chinese policy, was to produce in England a feeling that an organised effort should be made lo place matters on a better footing. In the view of influential authorities, the China trade was too important to be subjected, as it often was, to the caprice of local officials. It had developed in remarkable fashion and would develop to a still larger extent if the heavy restraints put upon it were removed, or even materially modified. Furthermore, there was the consideration that while other nations, through missionaries or scientists, had long been able to maintain direct intercourse with the Emperor, Great Britain, though possessing by far the greatest stake in the country, had never been represented at the Imperial Court. It was suspected that the loss from this absence of contact was a good deal more than the negative one of lack of influence. On the one hand foreign intrigues were promoted, there was reason to believe, by the spirit of aloofness which was maintained by the Court, while, on the other, abuses were created as the direct result of giving local officials practically unlimited powers, and denying all right of appeal to the supreme head of the Government. In all the circumstances it was held that the time was ripe for the despatch of a special mission to China to invoke the imperial protection for British subjects and to attempt to widen the opportunities for trade between the two countries. The idea took definite shape at the beginning of 1792, when the Court of Directors were informed by the Government that they contemplated sending an embassy to Peking for the purpose of placing our intercourse with China on a firmer and more extended footing. Doubts were expressed by the chairman and deputy chairman, who were first consulted, as to the probability of any substantial advantage accruing from the projected step. But in view of confident expressions of opinion in a contrary sense, emanating from other quarters, and of the strong desire evinced to make the experiment, they did not allow their misgivings to go to the extent of opposition lo the proposal. The Court subsequently took a very active part, in consultation with Ministers, in perfecting the arrangements for the mission.
(From an engraving by Bartolozzi in the Print Room, British Museum.)
The choice of the Government for the office of ambassador fell upon Lord Macartney, a distinguished Ex-Governor of Madras, who had specially qualified for diplomatic work early in life by conducting a successful mission to the court of Catherine of Russia. He was an accomplished man of the world, tactful, dignified, and resourceful, and he had shown in his dealings with Orientals in his Indian appointment that savoir faire which of all personal qualities is perhaps the most important in that connection. A better selection indeed could scarcely have been made, and
