On the 24th of November, therefore, Mr. Anson sent one of his
officers to the mandarin who commanded the guard of the principal gate of
the city of Canton with a letter directed to the Viceroy. When this
letter was delivered to the mandarin, he received the officer who brought
it very civilly, and took down the contents of it in Chinese, and
promised that the Viceroy should be immediately acquainted with it, but
told the officer it was not necessary for him to wait for an answer,
because a message would be sent to the Commodore himself.
A FIRE AT CANTON.
Two days after the sending the above-mentioned letter a fire broke out in
the suburbs of Canton. On the first alarm Mr. Anson went thither with his
officers and his boat's crew to assist the Chinese. When he came there he
found that it had begun in a sailor's shed, and that by the slightness of
the buildings and the awkwardness of the Chinese it was getting head
apace. But he perceived that by pulling down some of the adjacent sheds
it might easily be extinguished; and particularly observing that it was
running along a wooden cornice which would soon communicate it to a great
distance, he ordered his people to begin with tearing away that cornice.
This was presently attempted, and would have been soon executed, but in
the meantime he was told that, as there was no mandarin there to direct
what was to be done, the Chinese would make him (the Commodore)
answerable for whatever should be pulled down by his orders.
Pages:
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212