Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 06.djvu/90

 Bowring part on the committee of inquiry into the distress of the hand-loom weavers, on that in connection with Irish education, and on that on the state of the arts as applied to commerce and manufactures, and he was an eloquent advocate for the abolition of flogging in the army. Bowring received services of silver plate from the electors of Blackburn, Kirkcaldy, and Kilmarnock respectively; from the Manxmen for his valuable aid in obtaining an act of parliament for their emancipation from feudal tyranny; and from the Maltese in recognition of the success of his advocacy as their unofficial representative in the House of Commons. Supported by the prince consort, Bowring obtained, after a discussion in the House of Commons, the issue of the florin, intended as the first step towards the introduction of the decimal system into the English currency. He subsequently published a volume on ‘The Decimal System in Numbers, Coins, and Accounts, especially with reference to the Decimalization of the Currency and Accountancy of the United Kingdom’ (1854).

After his election for Bolton, Bowring embarked all his fortune in ironworks in Glamorganshire. In 1847 a period of severe depression set in, and as there was no prospect of the cloud lifting, Bowring became seriously alarmed at the aspect of his affairs. He consequently applied for the appointment of consul at Canton, and, obtaining it through the friendship of Lord Palmerston, resigned his seat in parliament. The general relations between England and China were even then in a somewhat critical condition. It was understood that the gates of Canton, hitherto closed against foreigners, were now to be opened, and Bowring hoped that the mandarins would at least receive him officially within the walls of the city, thus paving the way for the entrance eventually of all Europeans. But the Chinese treated him with the same contumely as they had done his predecessors, and the governor-general wrote him offensive letters. Yet the Cantonese, with whom Bowring mixed a great deal, received him with good feeling, thus proving that the mandarins were the sole ground of opposition.

From April 1852 to February 1853 Bowring had charge of the office of plenipotentiary in the absence of Sir George Bonham; but on the return of the latter Bowring applied for leave of absence for a year, visiting the island of Java on his way home. In 1854 he was appointed plenipotentiary to China, and subsequently held the appointment of governor, commander-in-chief, and vice-admiral of Hong Kong and its dependencies, as well as chief superintendent of trade in China. He was also accredited to the courts of Japan, Siam, Cochin-China, and the Corea. On receiving these appointments he was knighted by the queen. The Taiping insurrection shortly afterwards broke out in China, trade was paralysed, smuggling was largely carried on at Shanghai, and the imperial dues could not be collected. Sir John Bowring resolutely endeavoured to put an end to the disorder.

Bowring has stated (Autobiographical Recollections) that one of the most interesting parts of his public life was his visit to Siam in 1855. He went upon a special mission, being authorised to conclude a treaty of commerce with the two kings of that country. There had already been many unsuccessful attempts on the part of the United States, of the governor-general of British India, and of the English government, to establish diplomatic and commercial relations with Siam. Sir John Bowring succeeded in concluding a treaty, which was carried out with promptitude and sagacity. In 1857 Bowring published an account of his travels and experiences in Siam under the title of ‘The Kingdom and People of Siam.’

In October 1856 the outrage on the lorcha Arrow by the Canton authorities involved Sir John Bowring in hostilities with the Chinese government. It was admitted that the vessel had no right to carry the British flag, the term of registry having expired; but the English representative maintained that the expiry of the license did not warrant the violence perpetrated by the Canton authorities. He affirmed that the authorities did not know of its expiry; that it was their specific object to violate the privileges of the British flag; that the case of the Arrow was only one of a succession of outrages for which no redress had been given; and that the expiry of the license and the failure to renew it placed the ship under colonial jurisdiction. Votes of censure on the conduct of Sir John Bowring, and the British government in supporting him, were moved in both houses of parliament, and some of the former friends and colleagues of the British plenipotentiary took a strong part against him. The Earl of Derby moved the hostile resolution in the House of Lords, but after a long debate it was negatived by a majority of thirty-six. In the House of Commons Cobden proposed the vote of censure, and contended that Sir John Bowring had not only violated the principles of international law, but had acted contrary to his instructions, and even to express directions from his government. Lord Palmerston warmly defended Sir John Bowring and his action. Cobden's motion was carried against the government by a majority