File SC1/3 - Investigation into British warships entering Chinese internal waters

Investigation into British warships entering Chinese internal waters which triggers an investigation of foreign business in the Canton area. The local government rules the pertinent issues are architectural forms of foreign shops plus the prohibition of locals contacting and working with foreigners without government approval. The local commander also discovered that compradors were negotiating business with borrowed funds from foreign businesses, some of which were not qualified to undertake this. There is a record of George Thomas Staunton's background including his contacts, length of stay, personal experiences and language skills. Four paper documents handwritten in Chinese. The paper is fragile. With these documents is an English abstract and translation into modern Chinese undertaken in 2018.

• Chinese
• English