of the mischievous priests, who were labouring in secret to subvert his authority over his own subjects, led him to seek them out with increased vigilance. Many of them were detected in disguise in almost every province; these were imprisoned, and their converts either fled or returned to their duty. To mitigate the severity of the persecutions, the Jesuits residing at Peking spared neither supplications nor bribes, but with little effect; until the decree of 1785, nearly fifty years after Kienloong first came to the throne, released the imprisoned monks, and allowed them either to join their brethren at Peking, or proceed to Europe. From that date to the present time, the Roman Catholic mission has been in a declining state, and has occasionally had to suffer renewals of persecution. According to a return made by Père Marchini, Procurator of the Propaganda mission at Macao, the actual number of European priests in China, in 1810, was twenty-nine, with about 200,000 native Christians. Since that date, the last of the Europeans has been sent away from Peking, but a few still continue to lurk among the provinces.

The Spaniards, although they possess the privilege of trading at both Macao and Canton, as well as at Amoy, have derived less advantage from an intercourse with China than most other nations, notwithstanding the vast advantage which they possess in the locality of Manila, and the Philippine Islands, within a few days' sail of China, and approached with equal facility in either monsoon. It has been suggested that had bonded warehouses, with a system of drawbacks on re-exportation, been established at Manila, one-half of the trade to China might have been centred there at present. The heavy charges and vexatious conduct of the Chinese Government, together with the close monopoly of the Hong merchants, would have driven many a ship from Canton, could a

neighbouring port have been found, with a supply of goods in case of need. At present, American and English ships often find it convenient to touch at Manila for a cargo of rice, by the importation of which to Canton they avoid the heavy port charges: but so ignorant is the Spanish Government of the commonest principles of political economy, that rice is forbidden to be exported from Luconia when its price is above a certain limit.

The Dutch met with little success in their attempts to open a trade with China until 1624, when, by means of assistance from Batavia, they were enabled to form a settlement on the west side of Formosa, opposite to the Chinese coast. The vicinity of this to Manila and Macao excited the jealousy of the Spaniards and Portuguese, as well as of the Chinese Government. Liberty of trade with that empire was at first denied them; but the Dutch annoyed the coast with their ships, until it was agreed that on their evacuating the Pescadores, some small islands between the main land and Formosa, and confining themselves to the latter, liberty of commerce should be granted them. A fort was built at the principal harbour, on the south-west side of the island, named Fort Zealand, and measures were taken to civilize and reclaim the aboriginal inhabitants of the country. In the mean while Peking fell a prey to the Manchow Tartars in 1644, and all the northern provinces, with most of the southern, acknowledged in a short time the foreign dominion. Many thousands of Chinese families emigrated from their country in the course of the struggle, and no less than 25,000 are said to have transported themselves to Formosa. This emigration tended greatly to the improvement of that new country, and was at first, encouraged by the Dutch: but their fears were alarmed by the increasing numbers when they could no longer prevent them; and the influx of Chinese

was a principal cause of the final expulsion of the Dutch from that settlement. This forms an episode in the history of European intercourse with China, deserving of some particular notice; and we shall give the account nearly as it stands abridged from Nieuhoff, in the second volume of the Chinese Repository*.

A Chinese, for some time servant to the Portuguese at Macao, and who had been baptized by the name of Nicholaus, grew by foreign trade to be the richest merchant in the country; and when the Manchows invaded the empire, he equipped, at his own expense, a small fleet against the Tartars. His success attracted a vast number of vessels, until he at length became commander of a very formidable fleet. After several battles, he was invited by the Tartar Chief to Peking, with the offer of a high title, which he accepted, leaving the command of his fleet to his son Kuo-shing, called, in Portuguese orthography, Koshinga. The father was not permitted to return, but the son continued faithful to the Chinese cause, and opposed the enemies of his country. In the course of three or four years, however, the Tartars, by force or bribery, contrived to drive him from the coast to the numerous islands in the vicinity; and the large and fertile country of Formosa, now inhabited by numerous Chinese, became the object of his hopes. The Dutch were aware that the secret agents of Koshinga held a correspondence with the resident Chinese, and, foreseeing the danger, increased the garrison of Fort Zealand in 1650. They still remained unmolested for a time, until the exiled leader, being defeated before Nanking, had no refuge left for himself and his numerous followers except Formosa. On the application of Coyet, Governor of the settlement, twelve ships were despatched from Batavia in 1660, with orders, that if the alarm at Formosa proved ground

* Page 411.

less, the fleet should proceed against Macao. The garrison now consisted of 1,500 men, and the Dutch demanded of Koshinga whether he was for peace or war. In his reply, by letter, he affected the most friendly disposition towards the settlement, and, still farther to lull the Hollanders into security, sent several merchant vessels to Formosa. The Governor's suspicions were not removed, as Koshinga still continued his preparations at Amoy; but the majority of the Council being of opinion that there was no present danger, all the ships were ordered away to their respective destinations. The Admiral, on his return to Batavia, accused the Governor of unreasonable apprehensions; and the Council, wearied with the expense, and with what they considered as the groundless fears of the Governor, suspended him from office, and ordered him to Batavia to defend himself. His successor, M. Clenk, sailed for Formosa in June,

1661,

Mean while, the events which were taking place on the island justified all the anticipations which had been thus contemned. Soon after the departure of the Dutch fleet from Fort Zealand, Koshinga and his forces were in motion: he embarked upwards of 20,000 of his best troops, and appeared before the settlement, where, assisted by thousands of his countrymen on shore, he soon began to land. Having occupied with his forces a point which would cut off the communication between Fort Zealand, and another on the opposite side of the entrance, the Governor ordered out 240 men to dislodge him. About 4,000 Chinese had already occupied the place, but so confident were the Dutch that the enemy would not stand the fire, that they immediately attacked them. The Chinese, instead of giving ground, returned the fire with musketry and arrows, and sent a detachment to attack them in the flanks. The soldiers,

seeing this, were alarmed and fled, leaving the Captain and nineteen men in the hands of the enemy; while only half their company reached the fort alive. The defence by sea was no better; for though the four ships in port attacked the junks, and sunk some of them, one was burned by the Chinese fire-vessels, and another sailed away with the news for Batavia. The Chinese now landed without opposition, and cut off all communication between the forts, as well as with the open country; and Koshinga summoned Fort Zealand, threatening to put all to the sword unless they surrendered at once.

Deputies were now sent to the Chinese camp, which consisted of about 12,000 men, armed in three different ways: the first, with bows and arrows; the second, with only swords and shields; and the third, with back swords and pikes, three or four feet long, with broad pointed heads of iron. The deputies were introduced into the tent, where Koshinga sat in an elbow-chair, behind a square table, surrounded by "the chief commanders, clad in long robes, without arms, and in great silence, and with a most awful countenance." Koshinga replied, that " Formosa had always belonged to China; and now that the Chinese wanted it, the foreigners must quit the island immediately. If not, let them only hoist the red flag." On the following morning, the red flag was seen over Fort Zealand, but the other fort was surrendered, with its garrison and cannon. All the men able to fight were now taken within the citadel, and the town itself set on fire, in order to deprive the besiegers of shelter; but the Chinese saved many of the buildings, and brought up twenty-eight pieces of cannon to bear against the fort. They were, however, so galled by the fire of the Dutch, that the streets were strewed with the killed, and the besieged, making a sally, spiked their guns. Koshinga, finding all his attacks

VOL. I.

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