frigate,
commanded by Captain Smith. At the latter end of the year Commissioner
Lin issued an edict against the importation of any British goods,
in which he ordained that a bond should be required from any vessel
entering the port, certifying that it did not contain any British
property on board, and consenting to the confiscation of the ship
and cargo, if any such should be therein discovered. In his edict,
Commissioner Lin gave all foreigners to understand that it was no use to
deceive the Chinese; for there were skilful translators and interpreters
among them, who would certainly ascertain the country from whence
they came. In this state of affairs. Captain Elliot sent a petition
to Commissioner Lin,' entreating for the restoration of the trade with
Canton, until he received further advice from England. The commissioner
replied by a haughty refusal; enumerating all the offences of which, in
the eyes of the "great pure dynasty," the British had been guilty; and
declaring that, until the murderer of the Chinese was given up,
there could be no intercourse allowed between the two nations. But
notwithstanding this peremptory refusal, a temporary adjustment of the
matters in difference so far took place, that Commissioner Lin permitted
the commerce of Great Britain to be carried on below the Bocca Tigris
until further instructions should be received from England. The
high-commissioner still insisted that the captains of all vessels
which traded with Canton should sign the required bond; and this was
unfortunately consented to by Mr. Warner, master of the ship _Thomas
Coutts_. The consequence of this consent was, that Commissioner Lin
determined to break off the arrangement concluded, unless the whole
British shipping which was re-entering the Bocca Tigris should agree
to the same terms: if not, the vessels were again to depart, or be
destroyed. Matters now proceeded to extremities; and the Chinese soon
received a lesson from British artillery. Finding that the inhabitants
of the celestial empire were preparing to attack the fleet, and that
Admiral Kwan lay in considerable force near Chuenpee, two English
frigates, the _Volage_ and _Hyacinth_, were removed to that
neighbourhood. Captain Elliot now prepared another address to
Commissioner Lin, and then went on board the _Volage_ frigate. That
vessel took up her station, on the 2nd of November, not far below the
first battery, where an imposing force of war-junks and fire-ve