And as to the second question, they told the
Chinese that amongst the nations of Europe it was not customary to put to
death those who submitted, though they readily owned that the Commodore,
from the natural bias of his temper, had treated both them and their
countrymen, who had formerly been in his power, with very unusual
courtesy, much beyond what they could have expected, or than was required
by the customs established between nations at war with each other. These
replies fully satisfied the Chinese, and at the same time wrought very
powerfully in the Commodore's favour.
A MESSAGE FROM THE VICEROY.
On the 20th of July, in the morning, three mandarins, with a great number
of boats and a vast retinue, came on board the Centurion and delivered to
the Commodore the Viceroy of Canton's order for a daily supply of
provisions, and for pilots to carry the ships up the river as far as the
second bar; and at the same time they delivered him a message from the
Viceroy in answer to the letter sent to Canton. The substance of the
message was that the Viceroy desired to be excused from receiving the
Commodore's visit during the then excessive hot weather, because the
assembling the mandarins and soldiers necessary to that ceremony would
prove extremely inconvenient and fatiguing; but that in September, when
the weather would be more temperate, he should be glad to see both the
Commodore himself and the English captain of the other ship that was with
him.
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