Imágenes de página
PDF
ePub

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

1. Journal of the Proceedings of the late Embassy to China. By HENRY ELLIS, Esq. Secretary of Embassy. 1 vol. 4to. 2 vols 8vo. 1818. 2. Narrative of a Voyage in his Majesty's late ship Alceste, to the Yellow Sea, along the Coast of Corea. By JOHN MACLEOD, Surgeon of the Alceste. 8vo. 1818.

3. Account of a Voyage of Discovery to the West Coast of Corea, and the Great Loo Choo Island. By Captain BASIL HALL, R. N. F.R.S. L. and E. 4to. 1818.

THE works now enumerated include a sufficiently ample view of all the results derived from this embassy; both as it has affected the political relations of Britain with China, and as it has extended our knowledge of those eastern regions. In neither respect has it answered the expectation formed from it; in the first not at all, and in the second not equal to what might have been anticipated. The narratives, however, to which it has given rise, are far from being uninteresting; and we shall therefore endeavour to present a general view of the information which they convey.

Most of our readers are probably aware of the jealous restrictions within which the commercial relations of China with all other powers are confined. Only one port of the empire, Canton, is open to foreign vessels, which cannot even come up to the city, but must remain fifteen miles below, at the mouth of the river. All the mercantile transactions are carried on under the eye of the government, and by persons to whom it grants a licence for that purpose. It is obvious that these arrangements must place the trade in a state of entire dependdence upon the local authorities, who not only regulate immediately the mode in which it must be conducted, but who have the exclusive ear of the court, and can convey to the emperor any impressions which they may wish to give him respecting the conduct of the English. Considerable umbrage had recently been taken at the proceedings of his Majesty's ship Doris,

which, within Chinese limits, had captured several American vessels. The explanations given not appearing satisfactory, the irritation of the government was shewn by repeated acts, and the company's agents were deprived of many of their usual privileges and accommodations. Matters at length came to such a height, that the committee of management had recourse to the measure of putting a sudden and complete stop to all commercial intercourse with the Chinese. This decisive step produced the desired effect. Although the British trade is of no great importance to the empire, considered in the aggregate, it forms the main source of prosperity to Canton and its vicinity;-it forms there even the sole means of subsistence to many of the inhabitants. It could not, therefore, be interrupted without causing extensive distress in this crowded population, the consequence of which might have been, if not revolt, at least such heavy complaints to the Imperial Court, as might have. issued in the deposition of the persons at present in power. The Mandarins judged it prudent to yield, and the storm, for the present, blew happily over. This experience, however, inspired the Company with a wish to open a direct communication with the court, and to obtain thus an appeal from the caprices of the local government. With this view, they proposed to the British Government, that an embassy should be sent from the Prince Regent to the Emperor, of which they undertook to defray the expence. This proposal was readily acceded to; an embassy was prepared, at the head of which was placed Lord Amherst. Mr Elphinston and Sir George Staunton, who held the highest situations in the factory at Canton, were to occupy the second and third places in the commission; but in case either of these gentlemen should happen to be absent, Mr Ellis went out to fill the station thus left unoccupied. On reaching Canton, they were joined only by Sir George Staunton, who took the second place, and Mr Ellis the third. They were accompanied

also by several members of the factory, and among others by Mr Morrison, a gentleman well skilled in the Chinese language, and who acted as interpreter. The viceroy, and the Portuguese at Macao, shewed an unfriendly disposition, and spread unfavourable rumours; but, before leaving Canton, the embassy received a communication from the emperor, expressing the most cordial welcome and assurances of a favourable reception. In the end of July they arrived at the mouth of the Peiho, the river which passes by Pekin. They were soon waited upon by three Mandarins, two of whom, Chang and Yin, had the one a blue and the other a red button, which indicated high rank. The third, Kwang, had only a crystal button, but as Chinchae or Imperial Commissioner, he took precedence of the other two. Indications of Chinese haughtiness were occasionally manifested; but, upon the whole, they behaved with tolerable politeness, and arrangements were made for the disembarkation and voyage up the river. An early opportunity, however, was taken, of introducing the subject of the Kotou, or grand prostration, which had been the main stumbling block to the success of every Chinese embassy. The Kotou, our readers are probably aware, consists in the individual admitted to the presence of the "celestial emperor," prostrating himself nine times, and each time beating his head against the ground. The question as to the performance of this ceremony had come under the consideration of the government at home; and the instructions given to the ambassadors seem to have been very judicious. They were to adhere, if possible, to the precedent of Lord Macartney, who had obtained access to the imperial presence without the performance of a ceremony so revolting to European ideas. At the same time, Lord Amherst was left at liberty to act as circumstances at the moment might seem to dictate; in short, should it seem advisable, the Kotou was to be performed. On the other hand, Sir George Staunton, and the other members of the Canton factory, objected to it in the most decided manner, as likely to produce injurious effects, by lowering the English character in the eyes of the Chinese. The first questions were prudently evaded by Lord

Amherst, who merely said, that every thing proper and respectful would be done. The embassy and suite were therefore embarked on the Peiho and it was soon intimated, that at Tiensing, the first great city on its banks, an imperial banquet awaited them. The pleasure afforded by this testimony of respect was damped by the intimation, that they were expected to perform the grand ceremony in presence of the dinner, in the same manner as if his Imperial Majesty had presided, which he was judged to do, having given the entertainment. This proposition was rejected by Lord Amherst in the most decided terms; he refused even to kneel before the majesty of the table; and, after long discussion, the Chinese compounded for nine bows, to correspond with the nine prostrations, which they themselves made. The dinner was handsome, after the Chinese manner, and they continued their voyage up the river to Tong-chow, the port of Pekin. During the voyage and the residence there, the Kotou was an almost perpetual subject of discussion ; and the Mandarins spared no urgency which could induce Lord Amherst to agree to it. They even made the most solemn and repeated asseverations, that it had been performed by Lord Macartney; and they had the unparalleled effrontery to appeal to Sir George Staunton, who had been then present, for the truth of their statement. Finally, they brought forward an imperial edict, in which the same assertion was made. The ambassadors extricated themselves as politely as possible, from the embarrassing situation in which they were placed by these scandalous falsehoods. Sir George evaded the references made to him; and Lord Amherst steadily referred to the archives of the former embassy, which bore, that no such ceremony had been performed. To the first band of solicitors was now added Hoo, whom Mr Ellis terms a duke, though the expression, we think, cannot be properly applied in China, where there exists no high hereditary rank corresponding to the idea which we attach to it. This duke, as he is called, began by endeavouring to carry his point by roughness and blustering; but finding that these produced no effect, he assumed a more conciliatory tone, and held out high prospects, al

most assurances, of solid marks of imperial favour, which would follow, upon this point being conceded. Lord Amherst and Mr Ellis were inclined to yield, but Sir George Staunton having held a formal consultation with the Canton members of the mission, gave it as his and their decided opinion, that compliance would prove more injurious to the interests of the Company in China, than any concession which could be hoped for. The resolution of refusing it was, therefore, irrevocably fixed. With our comparatively imperfect means of judging, we do not intend to dispute its soundness. We only regret that it was not formed in a more leisurely and deliberate manner. The decision was fixed, not according to the intention of the government at home, by the aspect of affairs at the moment, but by the general principle, that the ceremony was not in any case to be performed. This might have been discussed more conveniently at Canton by all the members of the Committee, than by a few of their number, amid the hurry and confusion of a journey, and upon the pressure of the moment.

The Chinese officers did all in their power to induce the ambassador to change his resolution, but when it appeared immoveable, they seemed to yield the point, and said, that the Emperor would receive them on their own terms, by which kneeling upon one knee was to be substituted for the Kotou. The object was now to hasten their departure, which, through the exertions of the Chinese, took place on the afternoon of the 28th of August. They travelled that evening and the whole night round the walls of Pekin, not being admitted into the city. Soon after day-break they arrived at the palace of Yuen-mien, where the Emperor then was. They were ushered into a small apartment, filled with Princes of the blood, Mandarins of all buttons, and other spectators. Chang, one of their ordinary attendants, then came and announced the Emperor's wish to admit them to an immediate audience. Lord Amherst objected, on the ground of his exhausted state, and want of all proper equipments. Chang finding all argument ineffectual, reluctantly carried the information to Hoo, who sent repeated messages, and at last came

VOL. II.

himself, and exhausted every form of argument or entreaty to induce Lord Amherst to enter. At length; with a shew of friendly violence, he made a movement to draw him in, which was very properly resisted. At the same time, we cannot help thinking, that in this obstinate refusal to attend the proposed audience, an error was committed. To a monarch accustomed to have every wish gratified, and his presence considered as an almost divine honour, it could not fail to be highly offensive. The reasons for adopting it ought therefore to have been very strong. Those stated are, that the ambassador had not his court dress, and that he was in a state of " fatigue and inanition." The first concerned the Emperor's dignity more than his own, and there would have been an immediate opportunity of personal explanation. As to the encroachment on his own personal comfort, we really do not think it ought to have been at all considered on so very serious an occasion. Mr Ellis vehemently exclaims against the rude curiosity of the surrounding personages, who appeared to view them as so many wild beasts; but as this was neither sanctioned by the Emperor, nor by any of the regularly attending Mandarins, it ought in no degree to have affected their official conduct. We are far, indeed, from anticipating that any very favourable results wouid have been produced by the interview. From what transpired afterwards, it appears, that a complete system of deception had been practised upon the Emperor; that he had never been told of any objections made to the ceremony, and fully expected to see it performed. The Mandarins probably hoped, in the hurry and confusion of this introduction, to get the thing done, though we do not think that force would have been employed. But the failure of the ceremony would probably have taken from the audience every thing of an amicable or beneficial character. Lord Amherst, however, had then no suspicion of this ignorance of the Emperor, and could not therefore found any proceedings upon it.

The principle of the Chinese government is to make every officer responsible for the success of the affairs entrusted to him, with very little inquiry whether they have failed through his own fault, or from unavoidable

I i

causes, This had led to the eager ness of the Mandarins for the performance of the ceremony, and it now made them dread being punished for the disrespect shewn to their imperial master. Their usual system of deception wss resorted to. The Emperor was told that the ambassador had been seized with a sudden illness, which rendered it impossible for him to appear in his Majesty's presence. This passed off well. The Emperor delayed the interview, and permitted the British to retire into a neighbouring house, where ample accommodation was provided. Unfortunately, he added the farther kindness of sending his own chief physician to assist in their cure. That person found Lord Amherst in the most perfect health, and with no visible impediment to have prevented him from appearing at Court,-which, being reported to the Emperor, sealed the fate of the embassy. In two hours an order arrived to set out for Canton without a moment's delay; and no plea of fatigue being listened to, the party were obliged to set out by four of the same day. On their arrival at Tong-chow, they found the triumphal arch, which had been raised to celebrate their arrival, thrown down, and the house provided for their reception shut up. Their fallen state fully appeared, when a beggar, who had risen up as Lord Amherst passed, was ordered to resume his seat. Yet, in the course of their voyage down the canal, an edict arrived, in which the Emperor complained of having been deceived, and directed, that the English should be treated more favourably. On their arrival at Canton, however, they found a new edict, in which they were bitterly reproached for the disrespect shewn by refusing the offered audience. The viceroy was instructed to treat them with marked coldness, and even to give them a sharp reprimand. Upon the whole, there does not appear much promise of any favourable issue to similar missions. That there is only one sovereign on earth, of whom every other prince must own himself the vassal, is a principle irrevocably fixed in the mind of the Chinese. "God is high over all, but on earth Gengis Khan only is Lord," formed the preface to that conqueror's letters, and has continued ever since to be the principle of Chinese court policy. Hoo, in a discussion with the embassy,

impatiently exclaimed, "There is but one sun, and there can be but one Ta-whang-té." The idea is not without some excuse. The population of China, at the lowest computation, is more than equal to that of all the kingdoms of Europe united; an excellent observer supposes, that as many Chinese live on the water, and have no habitation on land, as there are inhabitants in Great Britain. Such a sovereign will probably never receive, with satisfaction, a mission from any state, which does not approach him in the character of a humble tributary.

In China, where nothing changes, a new traveller can see little that has not been seen before. It was impossible that the present embassy should add much to the copious details of the missionaries and Sir George Staunton, and the living picture drawn by Mr Barrow. Indeed, Mr Ellis, though his remarks are correct and sensible, does not appear to us to have been smitten with the true exploratory spirit. He repeatedly intimates, that the traversing of distant oceans and empires appeared to him a very poor compensation for the suspension of his English comforts; and even in the first novelty of Chinese scenery, he describes himself as besieged with ennui. He sailed, however, down the great river Yan-tsé kiang, which he describes as truly majestic, and decidedly superior to the better known stream of the Hoangho, or Yellow River. This entirely agrees with the account long ago given by Marco Polo, who represents it as the greatest then known in the world. The embassy had also an opportunity of viewing the noble scenery of the Poyang Lake. An extensive sheet of water, surrounded with mountains, is a feature not unknown to ourselves. But these mountains, covered to the summit with woods and varied vegetation, crowned with pagodas, and with vast cities stretching along their feet, must have formed a combination of grandeur, which scarcely, perhaps, any other part of the globe can equal.

We now hasten to that part of the expedition which presents by much the most interesting results in the view of discovery. This was the return of the Alceste and Lyra to Canton, which they performed by a route hitherto unknown to European navigators. A very pleasing account is given of it by Lieutenant Macleod of the Alceste;

and a more elaborate, scientific, and truly interesting one by Captain Hall of the Lyra, son to Sir James Hall, President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, a gentleman to whom science is deeply indebted. The vessels began by making the circuit of the Gulf of Petchelee, which brought them upon the coast of Corea. They discovered a group of islands, to which Captain Hall gave his father's name. They landed, but the only intercourse which they could obtain with the inhabitants consisted in signs made by the latter, expressive of the most eager wish that they should go away; one of which consisted in blowing a piece of paper in the same direction with the wind, and pointing to the ships. The English were at length obliged to comply, and landed on another part of the coast, where they could obtain no courtesy till they turned their backs to regain the ships, when the natives shewed the utmost alacrity in helping them over every impediment. They now came to a very populous part of the coast, and resolved to make another attempt to attain a footing on land. As soon as they put out their boats, a number came rowing from the shore to meet them; and they soon distinguished one personage, whose dress and deportment announced him as a chief. He was an old man of venerable appearance, with a beard reaching below his middle, a robe of immense size, flowing round him, and a hat of enormous brim, reaching more than three feet across. He received them graciously, but, on their proposing to go on shore, intimated the most decided preference in favour of proceeding towards the ship. The British complied; and he was, with great difficulty, hauled up with his bulky appendages, and placed upon deck. He then shewed extreme satisfaction, and endeavoured to enter into conversation; but it soon proved that signs were the only possible mode of communication. He behaved, however, with great courtesy and gaiety,-eat and drank after the English fashion, -and searched every corner of the ship with eager curiosity; though to explore some of them, he was obliged, with great reluctance, to lay aside his hat of state. After several interviews, the English pressed so earnestly the proposition of returning his visit on

shore, that he found himself obliged to comply. No sooner, however, had the landing taken place, than his countenance changed, and he was soon seen melting into tears. The party proceeded towards a village in sight; but the old man soon began crying violently, and at length sobbed, and even bellowed aloud. The English, entreating to know the cause of such direful affliction, he made a long speech, in which nothing was intelligible except the sign of passing his hand frequently across his neck, which was understood to intimate that his head was in danger. Every attempt to abate his agony having proved unavailing, there remained no choice but to return to the ship. He appeared then ashamed of his conduct, but made no attempt to repair it by inviting them again on shore.

The expedition proceeded southwards; but they were soon surprised to find that what had been supposed to be the coast of Corea was, in fact, a numerous collection of small islands, the existence of which had been hitherto unknown. The number of these islands baffled all calculation. From a high point which they reached in one of the groupe, they could count a hundred and twenty in sight, and, during a course of upwards of a hundred miles, the sea continued as closely studded with them. There does not, perhaps, exist in the world such an archipelago of islets. Wherever they landed, the same eager anxiety was shewn for their re-embarkation; so that there seems no doubt that the Corean government is as rigidly adverse to the admission of strangers as those of China and Japan.

The vessels now left the shore, and, after a considerable run, passed a volcanic island called Sulphur Island; but the surf prevented them from landing. They soon after came in sight of the great island of Lieu Kieu, or, as Captain Hall calls it, Loo Choo. The very first view of it inspired a pleasing sentiment, as it resembled, according to Mr Macleod's description, rather the environs of the finest country-seats in England, than the shores of a remote and unknown island. The deportment of the people soon confirmed every favourable impression. Several canoes came up, which handed water, provisions, and fish, without asking, or seeming to

« AnteriorContinuar »