THE CANTON AFFAIR.
The Earl of DERBY has given notice that he will move the following resolutions on Tuesday,. "That this House has heard with deep regret of the interruption of amicable relations between her Majesty's subjects and the Chinese authorities at Canton, arising out of the measures adopted by her Majesty's Chief Superintendent of Trade to obtain reparation for alleged infractions of the supPlehrziVilit,rzloofnillt12. lqcote,rtre4 occurrence of differences on this aubject rendered the time peculiarly unfavourable for pressing on the Chinese authorities a claim for the admittance of British subjects into Canton, which had been left in abeyance since 1849, and for supporting the same by force of arms.
"That, in the opinion of this House, operations of actual hostilities ought not to have been undertaken without the express instructions, previously received, of her Majesty's Government, and that neither of the subjects ' adverted to in the foregoing resolutions afforded sufficient justification for such operations."
In the House of Commons, Sir JOHN PAKINGTON inquired whether it was true, as stated, that the Admiral of the station had been bombarding Canton with red-hot shot ?
Lord PALMERSTON answered, that the only foundation for the report was this. The Chinese had set fire to some of the longs, and as there were numbers of them congregated in the space near the longs, it was thought desirable to disperse them. Some shells were accordingly thrown into that space' for the purpose of driving away the crowd that had collected there ; they had the desired effect, and the place was cleared : but there was no bombardment of the town, no red-hot shot was ever fired; and the Admiral retained his position in the river.
Previous page
