where the Centurion’s boats were to receive it. This article, which
the Merchants reprefented as a matter of great favour, being fettled,
the Commodore on the 16th of December came back from Ctinton
to the (hip, feemingly refolved to proceed to Batavia to refit, as
foon as he (hould get his fupplies of provifions on board.
But Mr. Anfon (who never intended going to Batavia') found
on his return to the Centurion, that her main-m'aft was fprung in
two places, and that the leak was confiderably increafed; fo that
upon the whole, he was fully fatisfied, that though he (hould lay
in a fufficient (lock of provifions, yet it would be impoffible for
him to put to fea without refitting. Since, if he left the port with
his (hip in her prefent condition, (he would be in the utmoft danger
o f foundring ; and therefore, notwithftanding the difficulties he had
met with, he-refolved at all events to have her hove down, before
he departed from Macao. He was fully convinced, by what he
had obferved at Canton, that his great caution not to injure the Eafi-
Jndia Company’s affairs, and the regard he had (hown to the advice
o f their officers, had occafioned all his perplexity. For he now
faw clearly, that i f he had at firft carried his (hip into the river of,
Canton, and had immediately addreffed himfelf to the Mandarines,
who are the chief officers o f State, iuftead o f employing the Merchants
to apply on his behalf, he would, in all probability, have
had all his requefts granted, and would have been foon difpatched.
He had already loft a month, by the wrong meafures he had pur-
fued, but he refolved to lofe as little more time as poffible; and
therefore, the 17th of December, • being the next day after his return
from Canton, he wrote a letter to the Viceroy o f that place,
acquainting him, that he was Commander in chief o f a fquadron
o f his Britannic Majefty’s (hips of war, which had been cruifing
for two years part in the Soutb-Seas agzmH the Spaniards, who were
at enmity with the King bis Mafter; that on his way backto England,
he had put into the port of Macao, having a confiderable leak
in his (hip, ar.d being in great want of provifions, fo that it .was,impoffible
for him to proceed on his yoyage, till his (hip was repaired,
- and
and he was fupplied with the neceflaries he wanted; that he had
been at Canton, in hbpes of being admitted to a perfonal audience
of his Excellency; but being a ftranger to the cuftoms of the country,
he had not been able to inform himfelf what fteps were necef-
fary to be taken to procure fuch an audience, and therefore was
obliged to apply in this manner, to defire his Excellency to give
orders, for his being permitted to employ Carpenters and proper
workmen to refit his (hip, and to furniffi himfelf with provifions
and (lores, that he might be enabled to purfue his voyage to Great-
Britetin. Hoping at the fame time, that thefe orders would be iffued
with as little delay as poffible, left it might occafion his lofs of the
feafon, and he might be prevented from departing till the next winter.
This letter was Mandated into the Cbinefe language, and the
Commodore delivered it himfelf to the Hoppo or chief officer of the
Emperor’s cuftoms at Macao, defiring him to forward it to the Viceroy
of Canton, with as much expedition as he could. The officer
at firft feemed unwilling to take charge of it, and raifed many difficulties
about it, fo that Mr. Anfon fufpefted him of being in
league With the Merchants of Canton, who had always (hown a
great apprehenfion of the Commodore’s having any immediate in-
tercourfe with the Viceroy or Mandarines -, and therefore the Commodore,
not without fome refentment, took back, his letter from the
Hoppo, and told him he would immediately fend it to Canton in
his own boat, and would give his officer pofitive orders not to return
without an anfwer from the Viceroy. The Hoppo perceiving
the Commodore to be in earned, and fearing to be called to ?n
account for his refufal, begged to be entrufted with the letter, and
promifed to deliver it, and to procure an anfwer as foon as poffible.
And now it was prefently feen how juftly Mr, Anfon had at laft
judged of the proper manner of dealing with the Cbinefe;. for this;
letter was written but the 17 th of December, as hath been already obferved
; and on the 19th in the morning, a Mandarine o f the firft
rank, who was Governor of the city of Janfon, together with two-
Mandarines of an inferior clafs, and a confiderable retinue of officers