Page 94 - Merchants and Mandarins China Trade Era

80.
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chow-chow trade articles. Like the Hong merchants these

Outside merchants had a reputation of honesty and integrity

in the foreign trade. American merchants, who exported a large

percentage of chow-chow merchandise, valued some of the.Outside

merchants, Cumwa and Washing especially, as much as they did
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their Hong merchants.

While the Hong merchant's primary function under the

Canton system was cormnercial, they also served as official

representatives of the Imperial government in dealing with

the foreign residents at Canton. The ramifications of this

latter capacity were important in the crisis of 1839-1842. In

effect the Hong merchants formed a buffer between the authori­

ties and the foreigners. Such a barrier was necessary from the

Chinese viewpoint, since the officials could not directly treat

on a level of equality with "barbarians." But this responsi­

bility also tended to push the Hong merchants into closer ties

with the foreigners. Both groups' desire for a profitable

trade reinforced this bond. At times the Hong merchants were

willing to subvert their own authorities and aid the foreign

merchants in violation of regulations. Consequently the for­

eigners were able to use the very group instituted to control
them and their trade to circumvent the Chinese Government's laws

and regulations.

5
1L. iang, Kwang-tung-shih-san-hang-kao, pp. 108-09.
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Hunter, 'Fan Kwae' at Canton, p. 106, and Wines, A Peep
at China, p. 55.