An Appeal to all Missionaries in China.

[Shanghai? : The American Presbyterian Mission Press?, c.1870]. Broadsheet, 265 x 205 mm, laid down on a nineteenth-century album leaf; signed at the foot ‘Yours faithfully in Christ Jesus, John Smith’; mild toning and faint original folds.

A completely unrecorded Protestant missionary circular concerning alleged corruption within a major British trading company in China, authored by John Smith and probably printed in Shanghai around 1870.

The “appeal” is to missionaries in China to pray that the merchant firm of Butterfield and Swire mends its corrupt ways. Smith alleges that Butterfield and Swire ‘hire their names to a company of Chinese and not only allow the said Chinese firm to trade and enjoy all the rights and privileges of British merchants but one of their assistants goes before the Consul and signs face declairations [sic] as often and for as many as they may require. The above mentioned company is composed of five partners viz: Yuen Wien Lin who is the proprietor of the Pan The Tsan in Shanghai, Yuen Kai Tang compradore of the SS Pekin running to Hankow, Wang Tse Hsien is also on board the said steamer. Whang Sao Kong and Chen Yuin Chow live in their place of business which is next door to the Custom House at Hankow, the latter is the general manager. They employ a clerk who writes in English, his name is Lieu Chang and is a son of the milk man at Hankow. I have stated the matter clearly so that should any one doubt the foregoing he may investigate for himself. It must be apparent to every missionary that the effect of such an example set before the Chinese by one of the best known British firms in China is extremely detrimental to the spread of Christianity. To say nothing of the honour of the British merchant concerned. Now Brethren let us one and all beseech our Heavenly Father to soften the hearts of this money lovering [sic] firm and cause them to see the error of their wats and in future refrain from setting such a pernicious example before the Chinese. The matter is known to the whole of the merchants trading with the interior of China and what must be their opinion of us when our largest firms lend their names to fraud as above stated.’

‘Butterfield and Swire, the Far Eastern trading company of John Swire and Sons, was one of three companies established from the partnership of John and William Swire with R S Butterfield. The Shanghai Office opened on 1 January 1867 to handle JS& S textile shipments to China which had previously been consigned to Preston, Bruell & Co. Almost at once the firm’s interests were extended with the acquisition of the agency for Alfred Holt’s Blue Funnel Line and expansion into shipping, insurance and other fields was eventually to lead to the abandonment of textile shipments for which the company had originally been formed. Throughout the nineteenth century branches were opened and agencies established in ports in Japan, along the Yangtze River and down the China coast, including in 1870 the Hong Kong office which was accorded equal status with Shanghai. Expansion also took place into South East Asia, Australia and the Philippines until there were B. & S offices or agents in most parts of the Far East. Although the partnership with Butterfield was dissolved in 1868 the firm retained its original title and gradually new partners were taken in by John Swire, particularly after his brother’s retirement in 1876.’ (SOAS)