Page 380 - Merchants and Mandarins China Trade Era

366.

After a friendly welcome by Spanish authorities at
51
Manila, the "Congress" cruised the South China Sea and the

waters of the East Indies for six months. The frigate returned

to Lintin in the autumn to convoy American merchantmen through

the East Indian straits, which were infested with pirates. Once

again Chinese authorities refused the "Congress" a compradore.

When they even refused to answer his communications, Capt.

Henley sailed up to Chuenpe. The authorities did nothing,

although the Hong merchants hastened to send down supplies

from Canton. As soon as his ship was ready, Henley left for

52
the United States. Henley's action in sailing into Chinese
territorial waters was singular. All other American naval

vessels which visited China remained at one of the Outer An­

chorages in observance of Chinese regulations. American

merchants at Canton insisted that the naval commanders not

interfere in the normal procedure of the "Canton system."

Although the Navy despatched its vessels to China to protect

51
Both Capt. Henley and his officers remarked on the
much warmer welcome extended them at Manila by the authori­
ties, although they also noted that the Spanish residents were
"aloof." "Captains' Letters," Capt. J.D. Henley, Jan. 22,
1820. National Intelligencer, Jul. 29, 1820.

52
Paullin, Diplomatic Neqotiations of American Naval
Officers, pp. 181-82. Morse, Chronicles of the East India Com-
12_any, III, 374. No Arnericu.n vessels accompanied Henley when
the "Congress" left China. Paullin claims, without documenta­
tion, that Americans refused Henley's offer of convoy since
they feared "to incur the hostility of the Chinese government
by taking advantage of it." An alternative reason for this
refusal could be the time of year in which Henley departed. In
September most American vessels had just arrived in China, as
this month opened the trading season at Canton. Very few ves­
sels were prepared to depart.