(Bell’s Weekly Messenger, Nov. 26, 1842)

TO HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S SUBJECTS IN CHINA

Her Britannic Majesty’s Plenipotentiary, &c., in China, has extreme gratification in announcing to her Majesty’s subjects in China, that he has this day concluded and signed, with the Chinese High Commissioners, deputed to negociate with him, a treaty, of which the following are the most important provisions :-

1. Lasting peace and friendship between the two empires.
2. China to pay 21 millions of dollars to the course of the present and three succeeding years.
3. The ports of Canton, Amoy, Foo-chow-foo, and Ningpoo, and Shanghai, to be thrown open to British merchants ; consular officers to be appointed to reside at them ; and regular and just tariffs of import and export (as well as inland transit) duties to be established and published.
4. The island of Hong Kong to be ceded in perpetuity to her Britannic Majesty, her heirs and successors.
5. All subjects of her Britannic Majesty (whether natives or Europe or India) who may be confined in any part of the Chinese empire, to be unconditionally released.
6. An act of full and entire amnesty to be published by the Emperor under his imperial sign manual and seal to all Chinese subjects, on account of their having held service or intercourse with, or resided under, the British government or its officers.
7. Correspondence to be conducted on terms of perfect equality amongst the officers of both governments.
8. On the Emperor’s assent being received to this treaty, and the payment of the first instalment, 6,000,000 dollars, her Britannic Majesty’s forces to retire from Nanking and the Grand Canal, and the military posts at Chinbai to be alse withdrawn, but the islands of Chusan and Kolnagsoo are to be held until the money payments and the arrangements for opening the ports be completed.

In promulgating this highly satisfactory intelligence, her Majesty’s plenipotentiary, &c., purposely refrains from any detailed expression of his own sentiments as to the surpassing skill, energy, devotion, and valour which have distinguished the various grades, from the highest to the lowest, of all arms of her Majesty’s combined forces, during the contest that has led to these momentous results. The claims which have been thus established will be doubtless acknowledged by the highest authorities. In the mean time her Majesty’s plenipotentiary congratulates her Majesty’s subjects in China on the occasion of a peace, which he trusts and believes will, in due time, be equally beneficial to the subjects and interests of both England and China.

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN.

Dated on board the steam-frigate Queen, in the Yang-tze-kiang river, off Nanking, this 26th day of August, 1842