Page:Chinese account of the Opium war (IA chineseaccountof00parkrich).pdf/83

others to the foreign ships. The foreign chieftains demanded ⁽¹⁾ twenty million dollars, to be paid up over a period of three years; ⁽²⁾ Hongkong as a trading place; ⁽³⁾permission to trade at Canton, Foochow, Amoy, Ningpo, and Shanghai; ⁽⁴⁾ foreign officials to be on terms of equality with Chinese officials; and the rest as proposed last year. CHANG HI said that $6,000,000 had already been given at Canton last year towards the indemnity and the opium, and asked if the money demand now made was not excessive, and the number of ports named too great altogether. MORRISON said:—"This is the sum we require, and, of course, not the sum which China offers. Moreover, our leading idea now is open trade, and not to get money. If we only obtain one or two ports for trade, China may decide for herself about the indemnity and the opium:" but the high authorities, instead of giving a prompt answer, sent back CHANG HI with a message; and, whilst he was moving to and fro' during a period of two days, the enemy had learnt from disloyal Chinese that new troops were being ordered up, and said "that we were only trying to gain time, and that unless an agreement were come to that day hostilities would commence on the morrow;"—their desire being for a speedy peace, as they did not really expect to get all they asked. But all our leaders now lost courage, and sent a reply that night, submitting to