Further Papers relating to the Proceedings of Her

Majesty's Naval Forces at Canton.

No. 1.

Sir J. Bowring to the Earl of Clarendon.-(Received February 16, 1857.) My Lord,

Hong Kong, December 27, 1856.

IN my despatch dated 17th-23rd December,* I mentioned the kidnapping of an old man, Mr. Cowper, by the Chinese at Whampoa. I have now the honour to send the particulars of this characteristic act of perfidy, as communicated in a despatch from Mr. Consul Parkes, dated Canton, 23rd instant. I need not add that I have approved of the step taken by Mr. Parkes on this occasion.

IT is with pain that I have to inform your Excellency that William Cowper, the father of J. E. Cowper, master shipwright at Whampoa, was forcibly carried away from his floating residence at that anchorage, by certain Chinese, on the evening of the 20th instant.

At the time of his capture Mr. Cowper was walking on the top of his chop, anchored about 500 yards from Her Majesty's ship "Sybille." An ordinary looking native boat pulled alongside, ostensibly for the purpose of delivering a letter, and as Mr. Cowper lent over the side of the chop to take this from the boatman who presented it, several other men sprang forward and dragged him into the boat, which then made off at full speed. The female relatives of Mr. Cowper raised an alarm, and boats from Her Majesty's ship "Sybille" started in pursuit, but darkness coming on, they discontinued the search, without discovering Cowper.

Mr. J. C. Cowper reported the circumstance to me on the morning of the 21st instant, and earnestly begged for any assistance it might be in my power to render. Sir Michael Seymour had just left for the Bogue, and remembering the interest in the town of Whampoa possessed by many of the wealthiest native merchants of Canton, particularly those connected with foreign trade, I determined, as the only course left me, to prevail on Howqua, and one or two other Chinese of note, to whom I still have access, to exert their influence in the recovery of Cowper, or in obtaining information as to his fate.

Howqua undertook to ascertain for me whether Mr. Cowper had been brought a prisoner to Canton, and after four hours employed by him in visiting or sending to the public offices, he informed me that this was not the case. He then concurred with me that it was possible that some village. ruffians might have seized Mr. Cowper with the view of holding him to ransom, and fearing

* See "Further Papers relating to the Proceedings of Her Majesty's Naval Forces at Canton," presented March 1857, page 3. B 2

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that the murder of an Englishman, or the detention of one as a prisoner in the neighbourhood of Whampoa, might lead to some hostile movement on the part of the Admiral in that direction, he and Kingqua, who had joined our consultation, undertook to dispatch a messenger to that place, to advise their friends and connections to interest themselves as much as possible in searching after and recovering Cowper.

To give all the weight I could to the matter, and expedite the search, I took the messenger to the Whampoa anchorage that afternoon in a private steamer placed at my disposal for the purpose. He returned to me the next morning with a considerable number of the Whampoa gentry and traders, who although loud in their protestations of the innocence of their own townspeople, and ready to hint at the possible implication of those of other localities, furnished me with no definite or available information, and gave me no reliable promise that they would exert themselves to procure any. I therefore thought it desirable that three of their number should see Howqua and Kingqua, who had a better appreciation of the risks at stake, and I brought them with me to Canton for this purpose, where they now remain.

The result is, I feel assured, that the people of Whampoa now perceive that it is to their interest to undertake the task, which, if time be allowed them, they can of course accomplish, of tracing out the captors of Mr. Cowper, and ascertaining what has become of him; and so long as they really continue to exert themselves to this end, and we remain without any precise information as to the offending parties, I do not see what other step is open to me to take, or how the intervention of the Naval Commander-in-chief can, with advantage, be exerted.

I HAVE received your despatch of the 27th of December last, inclosing a copy of a despatch from Mr. Consul Parkes, stating the circumstances under which Mr. William Cowper, Senior, of Whampoa, was kidnapped by the Chinese on the evening of the 20th of December, and reporting the steps which he took to obtain the restoration of Mr. Cowper to his family; and I have to instruct you to state to Mr. Parkes that I approve of his proceedings on this occasion.

I am, &c. (Signed)

CLARENDON.

My Lord,

No. 3.

Sir J. Bowring to the Earl of Clarendon.-(Received March 1.)

Hong Kong, January 6, 1857.

I HAVE the honour to forward copies of correspondence with the Spanish Consul-General on the subject of the supposed murder of the Spanish ViceConsul of Macao in the attack upon the "Thistle" on the 30th ultimo, as reported in my despatch dated the 31st ultimo, and I fear there is little reason to hope that M. Diaz de Sobre Casas and his Spanish servant have escaped from this treacherous act of assassination.

Inclosure 1 in No. 3.

Señor Canete y Moral to Sir J.
Moral to Sir J. Bowring.

(Translation)
Most Excellent Sir,

Consulate-General of Spain in China,
Macao, January 5, 1857.

SINCE the arrival at this city of the first intelligence of the horrid crime perpetrated by the Chinese on the 30th ultimo on board the English steamer "Thistle" in the Canton river, I have endeavoured to verify, as completely as possible, if there were amongst the number of persons so barbarously and treacherously assassinated the Spanish subject Don Francesco Diaz de Sobre Casas, Vice-Consul of Her Catholic Majesty for this city, and a Spanish servant whom he had with him, named José Martinez; but up to this hour I have not been able to obtain any real or positive proof, although, unfortunately, I do possess a variety of dates and circumstances which incline me to believe and think that Señor Diaz de Sobre Casas and his servant were victims of the perfidious treachery of the Chinese.

In this uncertainty I am most anxious to know the truth, in order that I may perform the sacred duties imposed on me by my position; and, the crime having been perpetrated on a vessel under the English flag, as I am satisfied that your Excellency will have directed an inquiry into all the circumstances attending this catastrophe, I have the honour to address to your Excellency a request for the communication of all the information and details that you may have obtained on the subject, in order that I may proceed with a full knowledge of what took place in so important and delicate an affair.

With this object, I renew, &c.
God preserve, &c.

(Signed)

NICASIO CANETE Y MORAL.

Sir,

Inclosure 2 in No. 3.

Sir J. Bowring to Señor Canete y Moral.

Hong Kong, January 6, 1857.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge your despatch of yesterday. As there is reason to believe that no European escaped the massacre on board the "Thistle," the information we have is very imperfect, and such alone as could be gathered from the frightened Chinese who escaped.

I send you copy of the communication I have received from the British Vice-Consul at Whampoa on the subject.

The acts of incendiarism and assassination which have marked the progress of these Chinese hostilities, involving, as they do, in general danger and destruction, the persons and property of all strangers in China and its waters, demand the indignant intervention of all civilized nations for their repression and punishment; and I doubt not you will see the propriety of your calling the early attention of the Captain-General of the Philippines to the perils with which the subjects of Her Most Catholic Majesty, in common with all foreigners, are menaced in the existing crisis of affairs.

Sir,

Vice-Consul Bird to Consul Parkes.

Whampoa, December 31, 1856.

I HAVE heard this morning that, when Murrow's postal-steamer, the "Thistle," which left Whampoa for Hong Kong about 11 o'clock in the forenoon of yesterday, was a little below the first bar, the Chinese passengers murdered all the foreigners on board, consisting (as far as can be ascertained) of the master, mate, two engineers, four coloured seamen, and one Spaniard, a passenger. They set fire to the vessel, which is now on shore about six miles below Whampoa.

I have, &c.

I HAVE to state to you that I approve of the answer which you returned to the Spanish Consul-General, and of which a copy is inclosed in your despatch of the 6th of January last, with reference to the probable murder by the Chinese of the Spanish Vice-Consul of Macao, with other Europeans, on board the steamboat "Thistle."

My Lord,

Sir J. Bowring to the Earl of Clarendon.(Received March 16.)

Hong Kong, January 17, 1857.

I HAVE the honour to forward to your Lordship copy of a communication I made to his Excellency Wang, the Viceroy of Fuh-keen and Che-keang, at Foo-chow, and to Eleang, the Viceroy of the Two-Kwang at Soo-chow, and to Chaou, the Acting Governor of Keang-soo, and translation of the reply which I have just received from the first of these high functionaries.

I have, &c.

I HAVE now to forward to your Excellency, through the British Consul, twelve copies of a collection of documents, by which you will be thoroughly informed of the unhappy differences which have arisen between his Excellency the Imperial Commissioner and myself, and which have compelled me to take measures of the most decided character in order to enforce the obligations of Treaties, and to prevent such misunderstandings in future, with their inevitable results, the miseries of the people and the horrors of war.

His Excellency the Imperial Commissioner having refused becoming redress for an undoubted violation of Treaties in the disrespect shown to the British flag, I have been compelled to call upon Her Majesty's naval Commander-inchief, who has captured and destroyed the fortresses along the river from the Bogue to Canton, and now holds the city at his mercy. Still, unwilling to visit upon the people the consequences of the unreasonable and pertinacious conduct

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.

(Translation.)

Inclosure 2 in No. 5.

The Governor-General of Fuh-keen to Sir J. Bowring.

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* 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 "seaou tee," pamphlet or brochure, to the copy of the despatch in English which is always forwarded with the Chinese version.