“This letter is to have the address of being presented to the most high and mighty Andrew Jackson, President of the United States of America, whose name shines with so much brilliancy throughout the world.”
Translation of the “Chinese Chop,” relative to the United States’ Sloop-of-war Peacock, D. Geisinger, Commander, and sent to the Hong-Merchants at Canton.
“Chung, Imperial Commissioner at the Port of Canton, Tsunhwan of Jeho, &c., &c., hereby issues an order to the Hong-Merchants:—
“The Custom officers at Macao have reported, saying: On the sixteenth day of the present Moon, [November ninth, 1832,] the pilot, Leu Kefang reported, that on the sixteenth, the American cruiser Geisinger[†] came and anchored off the Nine islands; that immediately he went and inquired why he came and anchored, and that the captain of the said ship replied, that he sailed from his own country to Manila, and a gale having driven him hither, he had anchored for a short time; but that when the wind should become fair he would set sail and depart. Now on examination it is ascertained that there are in the ship two hundred foreign seamen, twenty-four cannon, one hundred muskets, one hundred swords, nine hundred catties of powder, and nine hundred balls. Uniting these circumstances they are forthwith reported. Having obtained this information, we ordered the pilots to keep a strict watch and guard (against the ship.) Moreover, as it is right, we send up this report.
“This coming before me, the hoppo, and having ascertained that the said cruiser is not a merchant-ship, nor a convoy, and that she has on board an unusual number of seamen, cannon and weapons, she is not allowed, under any pretext, to anchor, and create disturbances. Wherefore, Let her be driven away. And let the “hong-merchants,” on receiving this order, act in obedience thereto, and enjoin it upon the said nation’s Tae-pan,[†] that he order and compel the said ship to depart and return home. He is not allowed to frame excuses, linger about, and create disturbances, and so involve offences, that would be examined into and punished. Let the day fixed for her departure be reported. Haste! haste! A special order.
“TAOU KWANG.
“Twelfth year, twenty-second day of the ninth intercalary moon.”[†]
Note.—The truth of the matter is, the pilot, who came in the mandarin-boat, was informed, that the Peacock was on a cruise and last from Manila, and came there for provisions, and when she was supplied, and otherwise ready, she would proceed to sea. But nothing was said to him that she was driven there in a gale of wind from Manila. An order was issued commanding the Peacock to quit the waters of China, but no notice was taken of it, for the ship remained at Linting for six weeks after. So inefficient is the navy of China in the present day, that the Peacock alone could destroy the whole “imperial fleet,” and have passed up to Canton and back with a leading wind, without receiving any material injury from the forts, as their guns are firmly imbedded in stone and mortar, and they can only be fired in one direction.
THE END.