The 'Fan Kwae' at Canton Before Treaty Days 1825-1844Hunter, William C.
History
The 'Fan Kwae' at Canton Before Treaty Days 1825-1844
Hunter, William C.
Guangzhou (China) -- Commerce; Guangzhou (China) -- Description and travel
_Regulation 1._--All vessels of war are prohibited from
entering the Bogue. Vessels of war acting as convoy to
merchantmen must anchor outside at Sea till their merchant-ships
are ready to depart, and then sail away with them.
_Regulation 2._--Neither women, guns, spears, nor arms of
any kind can be brought to the Factories.
_Regulation 3._--All river-pilots and ships' Compradores
must be registered at the office of the 'Tung-Che'[11] at Macao.
That officer will also furnish each one of them with a licence,
or badge, which must be worn around the waist. He must produce
it whenever called for. All other boatmen and people must not
have communication with foreigners, unless under the immediate
control of the ships' Compradores; and should smuggling take
place, the Compradore[12] of the ship engaged in it will be
punished.
_Regulation 4._--Each Factory is restricted for its service
to 8 Chinese (irrespective of the number of its occupants), say
2 porters, 4 water-carriers, 1 person to take care of goods
('go-down coolie'), and 1 mā-chen (intended for the foreign word
'merchant'), who originally performed all the duties of the
'House Compradore,' as he is styled to-day.
_Regulation 5_ prohibits foreigners from rowing about the
river in their own boats for 'pleasure.' On the 8th, 18th, and
28th days of the moon 'they may take the air,' as fixed by the
Government in the 21st year of Kea-King (1819). All ships'
boats passing the Custom-houses on the river must be detained
and examined, to guard against guns, swords, or firearms being
furtively carried in them. On the 8th, 18th, and 28th days of
the moon these foreign barbarians may visit the Flower Gardens
and the Honam Joss-house,[13] but not in _droves_ of over ten
at one time. When they have 'refreshed' they must return to the
Factories, not be allowed to pass the night 'out,' or collect
together to carouse. Should they do so, then, when the next
'holiday' comes, they shall not be permitted to go. If the ten
should presume to enter villages, public places, or bazaars,
punishment will be inflicted upon the _Linguist_ who accompanies
them.
_Regulation 6._--Foreigners are not allowed to present
petitions. If they have anything to represent, it must be done
through the Hong merchants.
_Regulation 7._--Hong merchants are not to owe debts to
foreigners. Smuggling goods to and from the city is prohibited.
_Regulation 8._--Foreign ships arriving with merchandise
must not loiter about outside the river; they must come direct
to Whampoa. They must not rove about the bays at pleasure and
sell to rascally natives goods subject to duty, that these
may smuggle them, and thereby defraud His Celestial Majesty's
revenue.
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Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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