incident, Sir George Staunton, Secretary of the first British
embassy to China, naively remarked--``The unfortunate circumstances
under which the English first got footing in China
must have operated to their disadvantage and rendered their
situation for some time peculiarly unpleasant.''[37] But as early
as 1684, they had established themselves in Canton.


[36] Parker, ``China,'' p. 9, places the number of ships at five and the date
as 1637.

[37] Foster, ``American Diplomacy in the Orient,'' p. 5.


June 15, 1834, a British Commission headed by Lord Napier
arrived at Macao, and the 25th of the same month proceeded
to Canton empowered by an act of Parliament to negotiate
with the Chinese regarding trade ``to and from the dominions
of the Emperor of China, and for the purpose of protecting and
promoting such trade.''[38] The government of Canton, however,
refused to receive Lord Napier's letter for the character-
istic reason that it did not purport to be a petition from an inferior
to a superior. In explaining the matter to the Hong
merchants with a view to their bringing the explanation to the
attention of Lord Napier, the haughty Governor reminded them
that foreigners were allowed in China only as trading agents,
and that no functionary of any political rank could be allowed
to enter the Empire unless special permission were given by the
Imperial Government in response to a respectful petition. He
added:--