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All the following articles before 8th November 1827 come from the Bombay Courier and after that date from the Canton Register and Friend of China.

 This article incorporates text from Bombay Courier, a publication from 1814-1815, now in the public domain in the United States.

Saturday 2nd July 1814

The India ship Providence was detained at Whampoa for a month. She feared attack by an armed trading ship America with a crew of 50 and a cargo of sea otter furs from the Canadian west coast.

The supposed privateer was lurking in the Ladrones until the frigates HMS Phoenix and Doris left to convoy the returning Company ships. She then came straight up to Whampoa, sold her furs, loaded a return cargo and was actually on her way down river when a report was received of HMS Doris returning to Macau.

The America was not the only ship inconvenienced by this stratagem of the Royal Navy; the American ship Hunter has been laid-up in the river for months awaiting an opportunity to sail. She loaded and sailed but was captured by HMS Doris. The America privateer remained at Whampoa and the Providence then sailed on 8th April. She has just arrived at Calcutta. She brings 700,000 Rupees in silver and a large amount of Bills on the Company.

It is reported that several country ships at Macau were permitted to join the Company’s convoy to Calcutta.

Saturday 17th December 1814

HMS Doris has arrived at Madras from China. She reports trade is again stopped.

Saturday 24th December 1814

The state of trade in Canton is worrying. HMS Doris is at Penang from whence Capt O’Brien of that frigate reports that the Canton Provincial government is generally in favour of the ‘new people’ (the Americans) whereas we are at war with them and will attack their ships wherever we meet them.

Currently there are 20 American ships in the River and our China squadron of three warships is in the estuary just waiting for them to come out. They are from Boston and New York and do not support Madison’s War but we cannot distinguish them from their government or exonerate their national activities. The Hong merchants have procured some help for the Americans. The English warships are not being provisioned until the Select agrees not to harass the China-trade (i.e. the Americans). As a result, trade is temporarily stopped. HMS Doris is coming to her home port of Madras for instructions from the Admiral. The other two British warships remain in the estuary to maintain the blockade.

From a correspondent in Canton, we hear the Hong merchants expect to resolve the matter by loading the India ships in the expectation that the warships will convoy them away and thus allow the Americans to likewise depart. The receipt of our trade-proceeds from China (in silver) may be slightly delayed.

Saturday 31st December 1814

The Upton Castle has arrived from Whampoa. At the time of her departure in August, she was the only country ship at the anchorage. As soon as she started to descend the river, the US privateers Jacob Jones and Tommy Hummimah also raised anchor and followed her down. The Upton Castle anchored in the river within the neutral jurisdiction of China and sent a boat to the estuary to call on the British warships for protection.

After a few days the sails of HMS Doris were seen and the Upton Castle continued its voyage undisturbed by the Americans. Fortunate she was that the Americans turned back as the incoming ship was not HMS Doris but another country ship United Kingdom. In this unintended way one merchant ship escaped and another reached safety.

Saturday 7th January 1815

The Editor has published two letters from Canton:

Canton, 20th October – All trade is stopped. The three direct Indiamen from London are at Whampoa but not allowed to open their holds. The crews have been aboard for months and are boisterous. None of our ships are allowed compradors; none are receiving provisions through the formal system. Our warships at Chuen Pi (HMS Grampus and Owen Glendower) are getting neither beef nor vegetables from the compradors. Since the stoppage of trade, no British ship is allowed into the river. There are nine British merchant ships anchored at Lintin.

Ten Chinese warjunks are anchored across the river about two miles above the Tiger’s Mouth. They have advised the warships that if they or their boats enter the river they will be fired upon. Extra artillery has been installed in the forts at either side of the river’s entrance. The British offence that caused this situation is attributed to HMS Doris (O’Brien). He entered the river in hot pursuit of an American ship, seized it at Whampoa and tried to take it away. The Chinese call it piracy and a breach of their strict neutrality. The Select has sent O’Brien and HMS Doris away to mollify the Chinese but they want more – specific undertakings that the boats of our warships will stay out of the river and not disturb the trade again. We cannot make that promise – the Royal Navy must be free to go wherever our merchant ships go.

The Chinese admiral has sent a message to the British shipping at Lintin and Chuen Pi to come into port and trade or go away. We told him Capt O’Brien ordered us not to enter. Now the Select have ordered the shipping at Whampoa to leave the river and, together with the four ships at Chuen Pi, to assemble with the other five ships at Lintin preparatory to departure.

There are 11 American ships at Whampoa including four privateers (Sphinx, Russell, Jacob Jones and Rambler). Some are loaded and ready to sail but they are unwilling to risk the chance of capture by the Royal Navy once they exit the river. It is supposed that they have called on their ally How Qua to fix things with the provincial officials.

The Americans have a better relationship with the Chinese than the British. When the Rambler came in, she tied-up to starboard of a big Chinese junk and the two ships sailed into the river together passed HMS Grampus in Anson’s Bay which could not clearly distinguish the little American ship. Its not just How Qua and the Hong merchants that are biased, the Canton government has also taken the American part. The Chinese are unconcerned by our squabbles – they are only concerned for trade and they are irritated by the British who, they say, carry their disputes all around the world. This morning, they requested the Royal Navy ships to leave the estuary. We refused.

We have complained about the American privateers but the Chinese officials say they are armed for self-protection. It is true that all the British Indiamen are well-armed too and our country ships have a few cannon as well – it is difficult to sustain an argument that American ships should be less well-armed, particularly when they are so small. The annoying thing is the Chinese cannot know we are much stronger than the Americans militarily – they treat both our countries equally. Canton, 27th October 1814 – On the advice of the senior British naval officer on station, Capt Brian Hodgson, the Select Committee advises all British shipping to exit the river within the next four days.

This manoeuvre is intended to encourage the Canton Provincial Government to re-open trade. We are not really leaving, just trying to persuade the Viceroy that buyers need sellers and vice versa – we rely on each other.

An appeal to the clemency of the Emperor has also been made by the Select.

Saturday 21st January 1815

HMS Doris (O’Brien) after a brief visit to Calcutta has returned to the Far East with a cargo of treasure.