Page:Europe in China.djvu/324

306 defences or his army. Yet he was determined to maintain the supremacy of China over all barbarians. He blamed Seu for having had too much parleying with Plenipotentiaries and Consuls. He would have no interviews of any sort. He would simply dictate his terms to them. As a matter of fact he never granted an interview to any foreigner, though Sir John plied him with arguments and Sir M. Seymour bombarded his residence to obtain one, and he never met a European face to face until that memorable day (January 5, 1858) when his apartments were unceremoniously burst into by the blue-jackets of H.M.S. Sanspareil and he was, while climbing over a wall, caught in the strong arms of Sir Astley Cooper Key whilst Commodore Elliot's coxswain 'twisted the august tail of the Imperial Commissioner round his fist.' But I am anticipating.

From the time of Yeh's assumption of office, the anti-foreign attitude of the literati at Canton became more and more pronounced. There was a brief lull in 1855 and 1856 while the Taipings hovered around Canton city. But when the rebels retreated, the gentry of Canton resumed their hostile demeanour. Inflammatory anti-European placards and handbills were distributed broadcast over the city and suburbs in summer 1856. Englishmen were stoned if they shewed themselves anywhere outside the factories. It was felt on both sides that an explosion was imminent. Yet neither side prepared for the coming struggle.

Such was the position of affairs when, on 8th October, 1856, the little incident occurred which gave rise to the famous Arrow War. The Chinese Annalist tells the story in the following words. 'The difficulty arose through a lorcha (named the Arrow), having an English captain and a Chinese crew, anchoring off Canton with the Russian (sic) flag flying. Now the Nanking Treaty provided for the surrender of such Chinese as shall take refuge in Hongkong or on board English ships. When the Chinese Naval Authorities became aware that the crew was Chinese, a charge of being in collusion with barbarians was preferred and twelve Chinese seamen were taken in chains into