Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/27

Rh parts they will seek and accommodate with hazard of all they have."

"In these three considerations it is easily conceived how and where intercourse with that nation is to he expected; for it requireth no more care than to plant in some convenient place whither they may come and then to give them knowledge that you are planted."

"This condemneth the Dutch their long-continued roamings upon the coast of China; where, after much charge and trouble, they saw their folly, and planted upon Formosa; a place not inconvenient in respect of nearness, but a barred harbour, an open road and inconvenient for shipping. Yet should we shew ourselves to trade there with the Dutch it shall be guarded with those difficulties and infinite charges as if it were a diamond mine."

"This hath occasioned us to be inquisitive concerning that commerce, how with most conveniency it may be accomplished; and so by conference with chiefs of those ports, especially with Naukadas (captains of native craft) lately come from China, we understand that none of their nation is publicly tolerated for foreign trade— some proportioned to trade with the King of Siam; but for Cochin China he that will, and with what they please. All other trades are unlawful; and whosoever attempteth, doth it with the danger of his life, be it for the Manillas, Japan, Formosa, Java, or wheresoever."

The Presidency then go on to observe that if hereafter they might have free trade with the Dutch at Formosa they would deliberate whether to use it or not; "for the aforesaid Naukadas persuade them rather to settle upon Cochin China, which is connected with the main of China, but seven days' journey from Chin-Chew; and there is free intercourse both by sea and land between these nations, as they are indeed both one; for Cochin China was a kind of tributary to the great Emperor, but of late is free."

"The said Naukadas rejoicing at our motion profess that if we will settle in these parts they will beat their gongs in China when they hear of our coming and we shall want no trade, nor whatsoever we can desire. Further they importuned the President's kinsman to go with them to see all the accommodation of China (Cochin China), promising to return him in safety, and to leave as a pledge for his return his own brother and son."

The Presidency of Batavia adds that on their own parts they would willingly embrace this motion, did they know the inclination of the Court to coincide.

direct steps appear to have been taken at the time to carry out the recommendations of the Batavia Presidency, set out in the foregoing chapter. The next important move was deferred until 1635 when, following upon the conclusion of peace with the Portuguese, the Company's agents at Surat, at the invitation of the Viceroy of Goa, despatched the ship London to China. The venture was avowedly an experiment, and it does not appear to have been a brilliant success. Macao was visited, and the vessel remained some time there to the dissatisfaction of the Portuguese, who, apart from a feeling of trade jealousy, were influenced by a fear of the displeasure of the Chinese. They afterwards represented that they were made to pay a smart fine for opening their port to the London, and very possibly it was so for the Chinese officialdom was not likely to let slip so favourable an opportunity of making money. The year following the London's voyage witnessed a far more ambitious attempt to establish commercial relations with China. The enterprise was fathered, not by the East India Company, but by a private organisation known as Courten's Association. A fleet consisting of three small but well equipped ships—the Dragon, the Sun, and the Katherine—and the pinnace Ann, were sent out under the command of Captain Weddell, an experienced navigator. Sailing from the Downs on April 14, 1636, the little squadron anchored off Macao on the 27th of June in the following year. The journal of the voyage states that immediately after his arrival Weddell sent a boat ashore with a letter he had in his possession from King Charles to the Portuguese Governor. The boat was met by the Captain General, "a mulatta of a most perverse and pevish condition, reported to have bin a tinker." The letter was duly delivered to the Governor and his Council, and the deputation was dismissed with the statement that a reply would be sent the next day. Afterwards the procurator of the city came on board and "began to unfould a tedious, lamentable discourse (as false as prolix) of their miserable subjection to the Chinese, which would be now (as he pretended) be much more by other 4 shipps arrivall, they haveing had experience by the shipp London's only being there which cost them a great fyne. Hee said wee knew not the good they intended us (wee believed yt) but there were two main obstacles w$ch$ hindered them from expressing y$t$, viz., the non consent of the Chinese (w$ch$ was meerely false), and the slender quantite of goods w$ch$ they might expect y$s$ yeare from Canton for Japan, &hellip; but the mayne excuse was that wee brought noe letters recomendatory from the Old Vice Roye of Goa (w$ch$ would have done us as much good as nothing). In conclusion he told us that for matter of refreshinge yf we came neerer (w$ch$ wee did) he would p'vide for us. And this he verry worshipfully and like a true Hebrew indeed p'formed: att 2 or 3 tymes the vallew on shore; and to the end that none might cheate us but himselfe, there was a stride watch of boates placed about each shipp, not p'mitting so much as a poore ffisherman to supply us with the vallew of 6d."

Captain Weddell determined to see for himself what the prospects of trade were, and accordingly despatched the pinnace Ann on a reconnoitring expedition to the Canton River. After two days' sailing they came in sight of the mouth of the river "being a verry orderlie inlet and utterly prohibited to the Portugalls by the Chineses, who doe not