son of a superstitious belief that a weather-vane on
top of the flagstaff over the American Consulate interfered with the
spirits of the air. A Chinaman was shot during the riots. The British had
to interfere on behalf of the threatened Americans. The outraged feelings
of the Chinese populace were allayed by a conciliatory declaration of
Emperor Taouk-Wang, to the effect that the Christian religion could be
commended as a faith for inculcating the principles of virtue. At the same
time he sent a special commissioner, Ke-Ying, "amicably to regulate the
commerce with foreign merchants at Canton." Trouble again broke out in
March, when a small English hunting and fishing party violated the
agreement confining them to the foreign concession at Canton. They were
pelted with stones by the natives. Sir John Davis denounced this incident
as international outrage, and, in disregard of the accepted treaty
provisions, proclaimed "that he would exact and acquire from the Chinese
Government that British subjects should be as free from molestation and
insult in China as they would be in England." On April 1, all the available
forces at Hong Kong were summoned to Canton. Three steamships, bearing two
regiments of soldiers, convoyed by a British man-of-war, attacked the Bogue
forts. The Chinese, acting under orders from Ke-Ying, made no resistance. A
British landing force seized the batteries and spiked the guns. Next, the
forts opposite Canton were captured without a blow. Without a shot fired,
Canton, on April 3, lay at the mercy of the British guns. Ke-Ying accepted
the British ultimatum that the whole city of Canton should be opened to
Englishmen two years from date. The agreement was closed with this
significant statement on behalf of the Chinese Emperor: "If mutual
good-will is to be maintained between the Chinese and foreigners, the
common feelings of mankind, as well as the just principles of heaven, must
be considered and conformed with."

[Sidenote: Nicaragua coerced]

[Sidenote: Threatened intervention in Portugal]

A new phase in Great Britain's boundary dispute with Nicaragua was reached
by a British squadron's abrupt seizure of the harbor of San Juan del Norte,
Nicaragua's only seaport on the Atlantic coast. In regard to the demands
made for the free navigation of the La Plata River, the Argentine Republic
at last came to terms. The joint squadrons of England and France thereupon
raised their blockade of Buenos Ayres. At