e road, secured from
all winds.

CHINESE INQUIRIES.

But whilst the Centurion and her prize were thus at anchor, a boat with
an officer came off from the mandarin commanding the forts at Bocca
Tigris to examine what the ships were and whence they came. Mr. Anson
informed the officer that his ship was a ship of war, belonging to the
King of Great Britain, and that the other in company with him was a prize
he had taken; that he was going into Canton River to shelter himself
against the hurricanes which were then coming on; and that as soon as the
monsoon shifted he should proceed for England. The officer then desired
an account of what men, guns, and ammunition were on board, a list of all
which, he said, was to be sent to the Government of Canton. But when
these articles were repeated to him, particularly when he was told that
there were in the Centurion four hundred fire locks and between three
hundred and four hundred barrels of powder, he shrugged up his shoulders
and seemed to be terrified with the bare recital, saying that no ships
ever came into Canton River armed in that manner; adding that he durst
not set down the whole of this force, lest it should too much alarm the
Regency. After he had finished his enquiries, and was preparing to
depart, he desired to leave the two custom-house officers behind him, on
which the Commodore told him that though as a man-of-war he was
prohibited from trading, and had nothing to do with customs or duties of
any kind, yet for the satisfaction of the Chinese he would permit two of
their people to be left on board, who might themselves be witnesses how
punctually he should comply with his instructions. The officer seemed
amazed when Mr. Anson mentioned being exempted from all duties, and told
him that the Emperor's duty must be paid by all ships that came into his
ports.

On the 16th of July the Commodore sent his second lieutenant to Canton
with a letter to the Viceroy, informing him of the reason of the
Centurion's putting into that port, and that the Commodore himself soon
proposed to repair to Canton to pay a visit to the Viceroy. The
lieutenant was very civilly received, and was promised that an answer
should be sent to the Commodore the next day. In the meantime Mr. Anson
gave leave to several of the officers of the galleon to go to Canton,
they engaging their parole to return in two days. When these prisoners
got to Canton the Regency sent for them and examined them, enqui