RELATIONS WITH CHINA.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH moved for returns respecting the observ
ance of the supplemental treaty by the British. As we are so strict with the Chinese, it behoves us to ascertain, whether we have fulfilled our obligations to them. Those obligations were imposed with the view of preventing illicit trade. The 12th article expressed a hope that, as a fair tariff had been established, smuggling would entirely cease. Now, as regarded the articles referred to, it was only reasonable that smuggling should cease ; but it was not reasonable that smuggling should cease on articles remaining under prohibition. That article must have referred
to the expectation that a duty would be imposed, but which never was imposed, on opium. The article also provided that the British authorities should apprize the Chinese of any instances of smuggling that came to their knowledge. It is desirable to know whether that has been done. It is also essential to know whether the 14th article has been observed, which provides that the British should not allow any Chinese vessels to trade without passes. By the 16th article, the British officer at Hongkong was to make a monthly return of the passes granted to trade : has that been done ? Having explained his object in moving for the returns, Lord Ellenborough volunteered a good deal of advice to the Government with regard to the conduct of the war. He complained that military and naval reinforcements had not been sent out earlier ; and objected to the Government plan of carrying on operations by European troops alone. He was afraid they would arrive at the most unhealthy season of the year, and that sickness would be fatal to the army. It is said the Government intends to do what was done in 1842 and send a force to Nankin : that would not embarrass the Chinese Government, but it might assist the Emperor in turning out the rebels. The operations should be confined to Canton.
He heard with very great regret that there was an intention of sending out a great Plenipotentiary—some very important person in the confidence of the Government, who was to go with sonic person on the part of France, and some person, probably, on the part of the United States—to exact from the Chinese Government sense concessions which we have no pretence for , demanding. He objected to that, not only because it would be most unworthy to take advantage of a supposed period of difficulty to require conmaidens from the Chinese Government for which there is no pretence, but because he deprecated any conjoint operations and any conjoint negotiations. We have had enough of both. We have seen the inconvenient manner in which conjoint operations affect the character of our arms and the result of our negotiations, and he most earnestly trusted, that, whatever the Government might determine on doing, they would do it by themselves ; that they would exact only those terms to which they thought, as Englishmen, we were entitled, and that having obtained those terms they would retire from the conflict. (Cheers.) Lord PANNURE said that the policy of the Government in the first instance would be to bring affairs to a satisfactory conclusion in a peaceful manner. But should the Chinese Emperor refuse to grant the reasonable terms that Government would demand, then we shall not stop until we have obtained them, It is therefore intended to send four regiments, under orders and ready to sail for India, to China. The transports that will take out the troops will serve as barracks. The heads of the commissariat, the medical and store department, will arrive long in advance of the troops ; and orders have been given to send adequate supplies to China. The war will be confined to Canton. The reason why it will be conducted by European troops alone is, that great difficulties arise from the admixture of forces. In the last war, during the hot season the native Indian troops wore able to do duty, while the British soldiers failed and died; but directly the cold weather set in the Indian soldiers became utterly useless, while the English recovered their health.
Earl GREY complained that the despatches brought by the last mail had not been produced. The Earl of CLARENDON said that there was no objection to produie them. They contain nothing not already known. In reply to Lord Ellenborough, he said that he had no means of knowing anything about the passes granted with reference to the treaty, or what led to the adoption of the article respecting smuggling. There were three or four despatches which contained records of notices given to the Chinese authorities under the treaty ; and he had been informed that in 1851 instructions were sent out to Stir George Bonham with reference to the numerous notices which had been given by the British Plenipotentiary and Consul to the Chinese authorities about smuggling, of which no notice had been taken by the Chinese authorities. There is, in fact, no doubt whatever that the smuggling took place with the connivance of the Chinese authorities. There is not a single provision for giving notice in the ease of transactions of this kind in the treaties concluded with France and the United States ; consequently British subjects were really placed in a worse position than the citizens of France or the United States. He repeated, it was perfectly uirmifest that the smuggling was connived at and shared in by the Chinese authorities. The result was, that Lord Palmerston, who was then at the head of Foreign Affairs, sent out a long despatch reviewing all that had been done, stating the terms of the treaty, and adding that if the Chinese would not collect their own revenue and assist in carrying out the terms of the treaty, it was impossible for this country to give effect to its provisions, seeing that we had never had their cooperation in currying it out. Notice was given to the Chinese authorities to that effect; but the Chinese Commissioner returned a very vague answer intimating that he was not aware that any smuggling had taken pace. That was the position in which the matter had remained since Mel, and since 1851 them had been no despatches on the subject.
Motion agreed to.
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