Page 41 - Merchants and Mandarins China Trade Era

27.

support of American Consul Edward C. Carrington protested to

the Chinese government against English vessels seizing Ameri-

can vessels and impressing their crews. The Americans, including

resident merchants, shipmasters and supercargoes, asked the

Chinese authorities to protect their rights as neutrals in a
29
neutral port. But the Imperial government refused to inter-

fere in disputes among foreigners. So Consul Carrington could

do nothing more than protest repeatedly to the English captains

who impressed American seamen. Carrington noted in his des­

patches to the State Department that "it appears that the

Citizens of the United States must rely on their own government

to protect them when within the Empire against the violences of
II 30
other nations who visit it. As no American naval

vessel was near China, this reliance meant nothing. The Arneri-

cans were effectively alone. In August 1807 the master of

the American brig "Diana" died of injuries received in defend­

ing his ve�sel from English seizure off the coast of China.

Three months later the English boarded the American ship

"Topaz" and killed its master and eight of its crew. This

incident almost resulted in a sea-battle between the remaining
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h'
ng is
t
1e
"
.
Arn erican mercnan menan d th E 1· h wars ips a Canton.
t
29
U.S., Departm�nt Qf State, Consular Despatches: Canton,
E.C. Carrington, Nov. iOct� 25, 1805. "Memorial to His Excel­
lency John Tuck, Governor of the Province of Canton," Oct. 23,
1
1805, enclosed in Consular-agent Carrington s despatch of Oct.
25, 1805.
3 0
Consular Despatches: Canton, E.C. Carrington, n.d.
31
Morse, Chronicles of the East India Company, III, 64-65.
Latourette, "Early Relations between the United States and China,"
pp. 49-51.