Page 387 - Merchants and Mandarins China Trade Era

373.

Indian Squadron, in addition to the Pacific Squadron.

Following the "Peacock, " the next American vessels to

visit China were members of the new Squadron. In April 1839

the U.S.S. "Columbia" under Commodore George C. Read arrived

at Macao. Accompanying the frigate was the U.S. Sloop-of-war

"John Adams". The Commodore and his vessels were on a routine

cruise among East Indian ports. At Singapore in March Read

received advices from the American consul that he should sail

directly to China instead of Manila. The opium crisis at Can­

ton had prompted these orders. By the end of March Commissioner

Lin Tse-hsu had confined all foreigners to the Foreign Factories

until they should surrender their opium. At first all the

foreign residents, including the Americans, feared severe

action by the Chinese. Immediately after the Commissioner's

first demand for opium, American Consul Snow had written to the

State Department asking for naval protection of American lives

and property at Canton. But, knowing that his despatch would

not reach Washington until late surmner, Consul Snow also sent

despatches to American consuls at Singapore and Manila. He

asked these consuls to divert the East Indian Squadron to

China as soon as possible. Read set sail in early April for

China. Explaining his actions to the State Department, the

consul at Singapore concluded that "the presence of so respec­

table a force in the waters of that Empire cannot fail to