Page:Chinese account of the Opium war (IA chineseaccountof00parkrich).pdf/37

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naval force left Chusan for Canton. Lin Tsêh-sü had represented meanwhile that the other nationalities were very indignant at the prolonged stoppage of trade by the British, and had said that they would send home for armed forces of their own if the English did not return quickly. This, he said, was just what we wanted,–to set one enemy against the other. Three million taels would buy all the ships and guns that China wanted; and, by thus imitating the enemy's best methods, we should be able to constrain him with his own weapons, and allow him to wear himself out in seeking to attack us. He offered to redeem his past errors by proceeding to Chê Kiang with a view to recovering Ting-hai. The Emperor, however, would not agree to his proposals. In November Elliot returned to Chê Kiang, and had an interview with Ilipu at Chên-hai. He demanded the surrender of the captured chief An-t‘u-tê[1] [Captain Anstruther]; and also of the foreign ship ["Kite"] which had been stranded on a sandbank off Ningpo in September, together with a score or two of white and black barbarians. He left unsuccessful. Ilipu after this sent his slave Chang-hi[2] to the foreign ships with a present of beef and wine, and the "welcome news" of the degradation of Lin and Têng. The foreign chief Bremer shook his head, and said:–"Mr. Lin is one of China's best

  1. 安突德
  2. 張喜