After he had finished his enquiries, and was preparing to
depart, he desired to leave the two custom-house officers behind him, on
which the Commodore told him that though as a man-of-war he was
prohibited from trading, and had nothing to do with customs or duties of
any kind, yet for the satisfaction of the Chinese he would permit two of
their people to be left on board, who might themselves be witnesses how
punctually he should comply with his instructions. The officer seemed
amazed when Mr. Anson mentioned being exempted from all duties, and told
him that the Emperor's duty must be paid by all ships that came into his
ports.
On the 16th of July the Commodore sent his second lieutenant to Canton
with a letter to the Viceroy, informing him of the reason of the
Centurion's putting into that port, and that the Commodore himself soon
proposed to repair to Canton to pay a visit to the Viceroy. The
lieutenant was very civilly received, and was promised that an answer
should be sent to the Commodore the next day. In the meantime Mr. Anson
gave leave to several of the officers of the galleon to go to Canton,
they engaging their parole to return in two days. When these prisoners
got to Canton the Regency sent for them and examined them, enquiring
particularly by what means they had fallen into Mr. Anson's power. And on
this occasion the prisoners were honest enough to declare that as the
Kings of Great Britain and Spain were at war, they had proposed to
themselves the taking of the Centurion, and had bore down upon her with
that view, but that the event had been contrary to their hopes.
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