Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/32

 supplied what at the first blush appeared to be a most promising opening for direct business relations with China. The King was not only willing, but anxious for foreign merchants to trade, and as an inducement he held out an offer of exemption from customs and other duties for three years. The concession in the end proved illusory, but it served the intended purpose of attracting traders to this new centre. In 1676–77, the Company's frigate Tywan, as an experiment, was ordered to go to Amoy and there take on board a cargo of silk, and shortly afterwards a factory was established. In October, 1677, the head-quarters of the Company in China was transferred from Tywan to this new centre, the prospects of which seemed at the time to be encouraging enough to justify a special effort on the part of the Company. The Amoy establishment thus organised consisted of Mr. Benjamin Delaune as chief factor, on a salary of £80 per annum, a second factor on a salary of £50, a third on one of £40, and four writers at £10 each per annum. These emoluments appear ridiculously small, but it has to be remembered that the Company's servants were allowed to engage in private trade, and there is ample evidence that they freely availed themselves of the privilege, sometimes to the marked disadvantage of the Company. The hopes entertained of Amoy were doomed to speedy disappointment. When the King of Tywan had got the factors completely in his power he calmly rescinded the concession relative to exemption from customs' duties. In vain the Company's agents protested against what they properly regarded as a gross breach of faith. The King's officials blandly made their demands and would accept no compromise. It was suggested at the time by the Company's agent at Amoy that good might be done by the despatch of a special envoy from the Company to the King. But the Court very emphatically rejected the proposal. While they did not think that the least advantage would accrue from sending such a personage, a mission they considered would be expensive and would "begett a greater expectation from the princes in those parts who would all expect the like or think themselves slighted." "Wee as merchants," the Court's letter proceeded, "have hitherto only treated with them by our factors upon the respective places, and shall continue so to doe until their be just ground to make an alteration." Bantam was instructed to expostulate against the unreasonable terms imposed, but matters were "to be carried fair at Tywan till a sure settlement is formed at Amoy or some other place in China, where we design the chiefe of our trade." At about this period the Company's operations were greatly hampered by the inefficiency of the Bantam establishment. The officials there so gravely mismanaged affairs that the Company's interests in the Straits were imperilled for the time being, and meanwhile the Dutch were taking full advantage of all the opportunities that offered for commercial intercourse with China. Eventually the Dutch captured the Bantam factory, and the direction of the Company's interests was, as has been stated, transferred to Surat, a far too distant point for really effective control. Before this event occurred, in May, 1679, an invitation was forwarded home from the Viceroy of Canton for a ship or ships to go to that port. The Court, in acknowledging the communication, expressed themselves doubtful as to the possibilities of lucrative trade in view of the disturbed condition of China. They added, "Yet forasmuch as China may introduce a very considerable trade and sent for English manufactures, we hope in time when the wars shall be ended and peace restored y$t$ upon our application to the Emperor, wee may be admitted to a Freedome of Commerce in that country." Afterwards the Court reconsidered the determination expressed in this letter to allow matters to rest. In a communication dated August 12, 1681, they wrote: "Wee have had many conferences concerning the commencement of a trade for Canton, upon which wee have thus far agreed, viz., that it is a very desirable and profitable trade—that the China silk comodityes from thence are generally better than from Amoy—as also that it might be a place in time to sent a considerable quantity of our English manufacture, in soe much that wee should now have sent you a ship and cargo proper and purposely for that trade; but wee are in doubt of two things: First, we are not satisfied either by our owne letters or by discourse with Mr. Marshall, English Dacres, and Captaine Nicholson, or any other that you have a sufficient Chop or Phyrmand, from the Vice King or supream person in authority at Canton for the security of our ships estate and servants, which wee may send thither. Our 2nd doubt is lest if wee should send a ship thither the Chineeses at Amoy, being at a kind of enmity with the Tartars and people at Canton and being themselves a jealous, suspitious people should take such offence at the news thereof, as might in the consequence turne to the great prejudice, hazard, or loss of our affaires,