The first public notification was by a circular dated at the hall of the British Factory, by which it was announced that a suspension of hostilities had been agreed upon between the imperial commissioner, Yang-Fang and Captain Elliot. It was further agreed that the trade of the port of Canton should at once be opened. With regard to the opium trade, it was settled that no bond, such as had formerly been demanded by Lin, should now be required, but that the same liabilities should be incurred by any British subject detected in the act of introducing any unlawful goods, as would follow the same offences in England. Captain Elliot also distinctly intimated that, "pending the final settlement of affairs between the two countries, the usual port charges and other dues should continue to be paid as heretofore."
All those who had watched the course of events, and had studied in the slightest degree the Chinese character, could only look upon this temporary arrangement as the mere preliminary of the resumption of hostilities, not as the settlement of peace. In itself, this insignificant demand was almost equivalent to an acknowledgment of failure. That it was so viewed by Sir Gordon Bremer is evident, from the notice which he issued on the next day, the 21st, dated at the Bogue, in which he declared that all vessels proceeding to Whampoa, under this agreement, must do so at the risk of the possible resumption of hostilities.
On the side of the Chinese, a proclamation was issued by Yang, as joint commissioner, (the other two had not yet arrived,) to the effect that, "as Elliot had represented that all he wanted was peace and permission to trade as formerly, and as all trade depended upon the cherishing goodness of the celestial court, that therefore it was right now to permit the English to trade as well as other people, in order to shew a compassionate regard." It was further added, that henceforth the people were carefully to look to and well treat the merchant vessels at Whampoa, as well as the merchants at Canton.
Such, then, were the slender grounds upon which it was agreed that our force should be withdrawn from before Canton, after all the treasure, and labour, and some loss of life, which had been expended in bringing it there.
FOOTNOTE:
[42] The vessels engaged were the
Modeste, Commander Eyres;
Algerine, Lieut. Mason;
Starling, Lieut. Kellett;
Herald, Capt. Nias (later in the day;)
Hebe and Louisa Tenders, Mr. Quin and Mr. Carmichael;
Together with the steamers
Nemesis, W. H. Hall, R.N.; and
Madagascar, Mr. Dicey.
A large flotilla of boats, from the squadron generally, was placed under the command of Captain Bourchier assisted by Captain Bethune, and was formed in four divisions, three of which were under the orders of Commanders Barlow and Clarke, and Lieut. Coulson, and the fourth commanded by Captain Belcher and Captain Warren. The whole together must have amounted to little less than forty in number. Upwards of fifty naval officers took part in the operations of this large flotilla alone; the services of which were likely to be of the greatest importance in capturing and destroying the immense flotilla of Chinese boats, of all forms and sizes, which had been pressed into the service of the government for the defence of Canton.