Page 265 - Merchants and Mandarins China Trade Era

251.

resolve "to discontinue all connection withfue Opium trade

in China." The house explained in a covering letter its
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reasons for giving up the trade: (1) the danger and illegality

now attached to its operation; (2) the prospect of refusal by

the Hong merchants to secure transactions of houses dealing

in it; (3) the possibility of losing constituents to other

houses. Russell & Co. carefully distinguished the former

opium trade which "was considered legalized by the connivance

of the mandarins & local authorities," from the present opium

trade which had "the character of a smuggling transaction."

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d 1
h d
h'
h
·
Since Dece mb er t e C inese a execu e ano er opium- ea er.
t d
th
This action had further convinced Russell & Co. of Chinese
determination to suppress the opium trade. Without coopera­
tion from Chinese authorities, the trade could not be conduc­
ted openly. The house did not care to smuggle opium, an action

11 68
pursued only "by a parcel of reckless individuals.

66
The circular and covering letter are in Letter, Russell
& Co. to J.M. Forbes, Mar. 4, 1839, Forbes MSS. Bennet Forbes
also noted the house's decision in Journal of R.B. Forbes, Feb.
27, 1839, Forbes Family MSS.

67
This second execution occurred on February 26, 1839.
This time the Chinese successfully accomplished it in Factory
Square by going at dusk, when most residents were out boating
on the river. Although the Canton Press stated the execution
was not intended to insult the foreigners (the cross was placed
at a street-corner instead of directly before a Factory), the
foreigners were outraged. 'l1he British immediately struck their
flag to show indignation. After rneeting with the American resi­
dents, Consul Snow did not raise the American flag. Snow reported
the execution (and mentioned for the first time the attempted ex­
ecution and riot of December 6, 1838) and included copies of Can­
ton Press Extra in Consular Despatches: Canton, P.W. Snow, Mar. 6,
1839.
68
rn late December foreigners had petitioned the Hoppo
for permission to run boats between Canton and Macao to carry
letters. They pledged the boats would be used solely for this