CHINA.

New Zealand Herald and Auckland Gazette, Volume I, Issue 46, 26 January 1842, Page 3

CHINA.

Proclamation authorising Trade on the usual footing. From the Singapore Free Press Extra, Sept. 4. Yih Shan, Imperially appointed great rebelquelling general, &c. &c. Yang Fang, Imperial appointed to assist in quelling the rebels, General of the troops in Hoonan province, bearing the Imperially bestowed title of “ Truly Brave Noble.” Tse Shin, Imperially appointed to assist in quelling the rebels, General of the troops in the province of Szechuen &c. &c. Ke Kuug, a Guardian of the Heir apparent, a President of the Board of War, Viceroy of the two provinces of Kwangtung and Kwangse. E Reang, a Vice President of the Board of War, Lieutenant-Governor of the province of Kwangtung, &c. In respectful obedience to the Imperial commands hereby conjointly issue this proclamation that all men may know and understand ! Behold ! our celestial dynasty presides over the universe, and supports and cherishes those without as well as those within (its precincts !) The benevolence of our great Emperor is unfathomable His virtues are boundless! So for upwards of two hundred years have all the barren regions of the earth been subject to our sway. The inhabitants of thes lands afar off consider hot the distance of several tens of thousands of miles, but all under Heaven flock hither for the purposes of trade ; their ships reaching out in a long line of unbroken

succession, and in progress of time certain regulations have been enacted for uo other object than that those should go away full, who came hither empty; thereby manifesting the immensity of imperial compassion I this is what all merchants and common people of the central land and foreign States have seen with their own eyes, and have heard with their own ears !

Thus, in the case of the English nation : thesd found here an open market, and both parties traded in peace and quietness for a great length of time; but by reason of native traitors deceiving the English and inflaming mutual animosity, this unhappily brought about the horrors of war. Our Great Emperor graciously considering the condition of his people, and being grieved to think that so many merchants of foreign countries should be deprived of the means of livelihood, specially commanded us to lead hither a chosen body of troops, and either to terrify by our arms, or to soothe by our kindness, according as the circumstances of the case might be. On the day that the said commander-in-chief had his audience of leave, bright and glorious were the words that proceeded from Heaven’s mouth ! that we were not rashly to kill was the imperial command ! and in relation to every being possesed of blood and breath, how ought we act that we might re-echo the sentiments of our Lord ? That reverentially looking up we might embody in our own persons the bene-' volence on our August Sovereign ? For several days were we engaged in a mortal struggle at the Provincial City ! The cannon roared, the rockets flew on either side without intermission ! The hearts of men were afraid, and the native robbers availing themselves of the opportunity, set fire to the houses of the common people ! the inhabitants of the city came rushing to us in crowds, begging and imploring that we mihgt desist from the combat ! We the said Commander-in-Chief and Colleagues saw with our own eyes how the case stood, and we feared lest we might act contrary to the lovely life-giving desire of the Great Emperor who contiuually looks down with compassion on the distresses of his children and of his people ! therefore it was, that trumpet-tongued, we the said High Officers, in a body memorialised His Majesty, and have now with reverential awe received his Imperial Reply, graciously permitting Trade to be carried on with all foreign nations, and with the English among the rest on the same footing as formerly, and in conformity with the old-established regulations. Due examination will at the same time be made regarding those of the common people who have had their houses burned or destroyed, and a manifestation of compassion will also be made in their behalf! And now the Imperial troops from the different provinces being sent succesively with songs of triumph to their homes, the strife of war ceases from this moment and for ever ! the desceptions and mistakes of bothparties are to be forgotten, all suspicion, all distrust is to be utterly banished from our minds ! and that each may be able quietly to look after his owrf business, and that all may unitedly enjoy the blessings of peace is the ardent wish of the Commander-in-Chief and his colleagues ! Taoukwang 21st year sth moon and 28th day Canton 16th July 1841.