Page 379 - Merchants and Mandarins China Trade Era

365.
48
Whampoa by bombarding the Bogue forts. Henley earlier had

11
decided to force the Congress up to Chuenpe, located just
1 1
outside the Bogue forts on the Pearl River. The Americans,

having been denied the services of a compradore as an induce­

ment to leave, could not procure required provisions of food,

water and II spirits. 11 But when American Consul Wilcocks in­
11 11
formed Henley of the Alceste Affair, the Captain kept the
11 Congress anchored at Lint in. In early December, through the
11

intercession of Wilcocks and the Hong merchant Houqua, the
. 49
d
e riga
tt
Hoppo issue d a c h o p f or a compra ore to a en d th f . t e.
11 11
On January 6, 1820 the Congress sailed for Manila. In re­
porting the departure to the Governor-general, local officials
1
::_:ointed out that the American ship had observed the prohibi-
1
tion of the Chinese Govt. against going to Chuenpe. II

Shortly thereafter, the Imperial Court at Peking questioned

the Governor-general about the visit of the Congress. 1 1 He
1
1
11
explained to the Emperor that the frigate was driven to Lintin
11
by stress of weather; he also stressed that the ship had re­

50
mained outside territorial waters.
After a friendly welcome by Spanish authorities at

48 11
capt. Maxwell and the H.M.S. 1 1Alceste were part of the
Lord Amherst Mission in 1816. This English delegation had unsuc­
cessfully attempted to establish political relations with the
Imperial Court at Peking. The Chinese had treated the English
as tribute-bearers. For a discussion of the Mission and the
1
1 Alceste" Affair, see H.B. Morse, The Chronicles of the East
India Company Trading to China, 1635-1834 (5 vols.; Cambridge,
1926), III, Chap LXXIII.
49 1 1 1
1Capta1ns Letters, 1 Capt. J.D. Henley, Dec. 14, 1820.
50
Morse, Chronicles of the East India CoI!l]�J:lY, III, 360-
I
61. There was no men-tion of the "Congress 11 or of Capt. Henley s
sailing up to Chuenpe by Consul Wilcocks in his despatches to the
State Department. See Consular Despatches: Canton, B.C. Wilcocks.