‘The usual intercourse of nations'

In December 1833, James Goddard, a British merchant in Macao, lamented in the Chinese Repository how British relations with China had resulted in the 'reverse of what takes place in the usual intercourse of nations'. John Davis argued that Chinese historical records provides 'abundant evidence' that 'a much more liberal as well as enterprising disposition once existed, in respect to foreign intercourse'. Chinese statistical records shows a 'perfect knowledge' of the advantages of foreign trade, 'a striking contrast to the indifference which the present Tartar Government affects to feel towards it'. Britons in Canton hoped that a more assertive programme that encourage the Qing government to relax its policies towards foreign trade. With the Qing Empire in 'so crumbling a state', the presence of British ships would be 'received with joy and satisfaction by the great mass of the Chinese population'.