There seems no sufficient reason to doubt that the subjoined documents are genuine, whatever may be their deficiency as translations -they are both curious and instructive curious, as showing something of the internal political arrangements of China, of the emperor with his mandarins, and of the mandarins with the people; and instructive as showing in what light our proceedings are viewed MEMORIAL FROM KESHEN TO

The slave Keshen, a high Minister of state, and acting governor of the two Kwang provinces, kneeling, presents before the throne of the Great Emperor a statement relating how that the English foreigners have sent a messenger to Chékeang to restore Tinghae, how that they have already restored us the forts of Shakow (Chuenpee) and Takok, and the cruising vessels and salt junks which they had previously captured, all of which have been duly received, and now that the ships of war of the said foreigners have already retired to the outer ocean; the said slave respectfully takes all these circumstances, and along with his most attentive observations on the military position of the country, the materiel of war, and the disposition of the people, offers them up, begging that a sacred glance may be be stowed upon the same.

Whereas your slave, with a view to the defence of the country and protection of the people, previously to the receipt of your Majesty's commands, foolishly and confusedly

begged for a display of imperial clemency in favour of the English foreigners; at the same time (seeing that such was opposed to your Majesty's wishes) your slave repeatedly begged that his crime might be visited with the heaviest punishment, as is duly recorded.

On the 28th day of the 12th moon of last year (the 20th of January, 1841) I received a despatch from the Private Council to the following effect: "We have received the following imperial edict: - Whereas Keshen has reported to us the measures he has taken in reference to the circumstances of the English foreigners; that as these rebellious foreigners are without reason, and refuse to listen to our commands, a dreadful example of severity ought immediately to be made in their regard.

"Already has a flying despatch been sent to the different provinces of Hoonan Szechuen, and Kweichow, that 4,000 soldiers be immediately got ready and sent with all haste to Canton, there to await orders; cause therefore, that Keshen, in concert with Lin Tsih

sen and Tang Tingching, take the neccessary steps for settling this business. If the rebellious foreigners dare to approach our inner shores, let them be immediately exterminated.'"

"And successively on the 4th day of the present moon (26th January, 1841) I received the following imperial edict from the court direct;- Whereas Keshen has addressed to me a document in reference to the present circumstances of the English foreigners, which on glancing over we completely understand:-Cause that our previous edict be put in effect with implicit submission: let our military force be plentifully assembled together, and a complete display of heavenly Majesty made in the utter extirpation of the rebels. As far as regards the expense necessary for these military operations, no matter whether it be the duties arising from foreign commerce, or the land-tax, you are hereby permitted to consult as to ways and means, and make true account of the expenditure of such revenues. Should these not be sufficient you can report the same to me and wait our further orders, &c. Respect this."

Your slave, while kneeling and hearing these commands read, reflected, that though he had conditionally granted the several items (of the foreigners' demands), yet he but barely promised to make a representation of them to your Majesty in their behalf. Thus, in reference to one article, viz.,-the opening of the trade, although it appears that they (the foreigners) had requested that this might take place during the first decade of the present moon (23rd of January till the 1st of February), yet up till now I have not dared to permit it,

and they have already sent me in a a foreign letter, in which they restore us the forts of Shakok and Takok, and every one of the cruising vessels and salt junks which they had previously captured, and still further, they at one and the same time despatched a foreign officer by sea to Chekeang to order the withdrawal of the foreign troops, and wrote a foreign document, which they handed up to me, and which your slave transmitted to Elepoo by an express of 600 le a day, in order that he might receive back Tinghae, which conduct on their part looked more mild and submissive than had previously been the case.

But your slave is a man of confused and dull understanding: what he has done has unhappily not met the views of his Sacred Majesty; fearing and trembling as I am, how shall I find words to give expression to my feelings? Humbly remembering that your slave's person has received marks of Imperial goodness, his conscience is not hardened; how should I dare, while engaged on the important duty of curbing these outside foreigners, and struggling amid danger and difficulty, to strive after forbidden repose? From the moment that I came down to Canton have I been the victim of the craft and wiles of these presuming foreigners; in every instance are they quite ungovernable, until that my head aches, and my heart is rent, and my morning meal comes to me without relish. Thus, for example, on one occasion we gave the foreigners battle, but our men showed little firmness. We then requested that a manifestation of divine Majesty might be made in their annihilation. But, alas! the

circumstances of the case and the wishes of my heart are sadly opposed! All these facts have I offered up to your Majesty in repeated statements, praying that your Majesty would bestow thereon a holy glance. Now, it appears, that after these said foreigners had sent a person to Chekeang to deliver up Tinghae, and had restored all that they had captured in Kwangtung, and withdrawn their ships of war to the outer ocean, Elliot requested a personal interview with me, and, as your slave had not yet in person inspected the Bocca Tigris, and as the troops ordered from the several provinces had not yet arrived, it did not seem prudent to show any symptoms of dislike to his proposal, which would have given rise to suspicion on his part, and thus prematurely brought on a collision; so your slave took advantage of the opportunity to visit and inspect the Bocca Tigris, and on the 3rd day (25th January, 1841) left the city, and embarking on shipboard approached Sze Yang (Lion's Ocean), on the Canton river, whither Elliot soon came in a wheeled fire-ship, and begged for an interview. He scarcely brought several tens of persons in his train, and on that day his language and demeanour were exceedingly respectful. But he handed up to me a rough draught of several regulations which he had planned, the most of which regarded the troublesome minutiae of commerce, and at the same time he agreed that afterwards in relation to the bringing of opium, the leaking out of sycee, or smuggling, he was quite willing that ship and cargo should be confiscated. But among the articles he proposed there were some items quite impossible to be granted;

your slave at the time pointed them out and rebuked him, when the foreigner immediately begged that they might be discussed and amended. I consented that he might alter them, but told him, he must wait till they had been maturely canvassed and handed up to your Majesty for examination and approval.

Your slave after having parted with Elliot, found that the Sze tse yang (2nd bar) is distant from the Bocca Tigris about sixty le (twenty miles); but even there the sea is vast, the billows boiling, and the wind fierce; suddenly we came on the outer ocean in all its majesty ! No inland river can in any measure be compared to it! Your slave immediately changed his boat for a vessel capable of navigating the high seas, and having arrived at the Bocca Tigris, made a most careful inspection of all the forts round about, if they may not be said to be utterly isolated on the four sides, and rising up alone in the midst of the ocean, yet are they situated beyond the extremity of our hills, and quite approachable from the sea; supposing them to be surrounded and blockaded, even so much as provisions for the troops it would be found difficult to introduce. Your slave then proceeded to measure the depth of the water, beginning at the Bocca Tigris, and sounding till he came to Canton, and found it at high water to be from one chang (two fathoms) and upwards to three and four chang, varying continually. Now, we all know that the principal cause of these forts being erected was a barrier to merchant ships which draw more water, and which in time of peace, when they submit to constraint, dare not to pass the bounds or to

go roundabouts; but if they were to bring troops with intention to rebel, they may sneak in clandestinely through every hole and corner; there is no necessity for their passing before the forts, and thus may they proceed straight up to the provincial city itself. More over, after having passed the Bocca Tigris. though we may add obstruction to obstruction, yet such is the nature of the country, that there is no important point by which we may hold it.

In reference to the guns mounted on these said forts, their whole number hardly exceeds 200, barely adequate to defend their fronts, while their sides are left quite unprotected. Moreover, among their number those which may be used at a moment's notice are not many, for in point of endurance as well as make they are alike defective. The bodies of the guns are immensely large, but the bore is very small, and the sea in those parts is extremely wide, so that they scarce carry to the middle; thus, as regards their number, they are fewer than those mounted on the foreign ships, and if we speak of their power, they are not equal to those which the foreign ships carry. Moreover the embrasures on the forts are as wide as doors, almost large enough to allow people to creep out and in by; if we had to sustain a broadside, they would offer no protection to our people, and may be said, in a word, to be wholly without strength. Just now we are making inquiries after a cannon-founder, to see if he can cast guns upon an improved model, when we shall have such cast; but if we can, in very deed, get them cast according to this plan, that will only do as a preventive against the future, and not at all be in

time for the present emergency; thus there is nothing good in our military weapons, that we may place reliance on them.

Again, in reference to the strength of our soldiers, I find that the keeping off the foreigners must be done by sea-fights, and to fight well at sea we must have good marine troops. I have now to feel grateful to your Majesty for specially sending land troops from the different provinces. This shows the great and sacred anxiety your Majesty feels in the matter. But then these troops must go on board our seagoing ships before that they can give battle to the foreigners; and if they were not firm, or if they were not accustomed to the winds and waves, it might entail on us the calamities of a defeat. Now, they are not accustomed to go on board ships and handle them, so that we cannot but use marine soldiers. The marine troops of Canton province are drawn by invitation from the sea-side, and their quality is irregular and uncertain. I had previously heard a rumour, that on the 15th day of the 12th moon (January 7, 1841), after the battle, the whole of these soldiers went to their Tetuh, or general, and under false pretences extorted money from him, otherwise they threatened to disband. And lately I went to the said Tetuh, and asked him face to face concerning it, when he said that it was quite true, and that he (the Tetuh) having no remedy was obliged to pawn his clothes and things, by which means he was enabled to give a bonus of a couple of dollars to each of his Canton soldiers, and thus got them to remain at their posts until now. If then the disposition of these soldiers, as it is, is greatly to be

lamented, supposing at the most critical moment when we had actually joined battle these marine forces were to be found weak and without energy, it might lead to the nost fatal consequences; and although we might have veteran troops among them, yet there woull be no means of inspiring them with a portion of their skill and teadiness. Moreover, our war-sips are neither large nor strong they are not capable of sustaining large guns, so that they are unable to repulse the foreigners, and these are the remarks I have to offer on the weakness of our soldier?.

I have also found by careful examination that the characteristics o the people of Canton province are falsehood, ingratitude, and geediness; putting out of the question those who are already atual traitors, and whom there isno occasion to speak about, the ret have all been born and dwell inthe same place, mixed up with the foreigners; they are constantly acustomed to see them, and for mny years have been as intimate w:h them as very brothers; they ar not at all like the people of Taghae, who having never been acustomed to hold intercourse wh foreigners immediately discoered them to be a distinct specic. But if we suppose that what thy did there they had done here fthese said foreigners had decefully distributed their paltry prsents, and set the machinery of thir tricks to work, I really fear th: the whole people (of the provire) would have been seduced by them; they would certainly no have shown the unbending firiness of the Tinghae people. Sth are the observations I have go to offer on the flexible dis

position of the Canton people' which circumstance gives us still more cause for anxiety.

On looking over the records of the past, I find, in reference to the putting down of the ladrones, that these were but so many thieves and robbers, the ships they were embarked in were native ships, and the guns they made use of were native cast guns, and yet this affair was spun out for many years, and only put an end to by inviting them to surrender under promise of pardon; and under the present circumstances it is to be feared that the wasp's sting is much more deadly.

Your slave has again and again revolved the matter in his anxious mind! In so far as it regards his own person it is unworthy of notice, but the consequences touching the vital interests of the country and the lives of the people involved in it are vast and extending to posterity! But alas! your slave has sinned in giving battle when he could not command destiny to give him the victory, and he has no less sinned in being unable to settle matters in unison with your sacred Majesty's wishes! Both of these are crimes which affect his poor life, but what is there in this worthy of pity or consideration? Still your slave, though he has sinned in not being able to settle matters in unison with your sacred Majesty's wishes, yet the territory and people of Canton still exist and look up to your most sacred Majesty for his gracious support and protection, while your slave, by having sinned in giving battle when fate denied him the victory, has soiled the glory of his master and poured out the lives of his people, and still more, left himself without a sensi