清代中期英國東印度公司在澳門印行的二份中文傳單

Foreign maritime trade in China was regulated through the Canton System, which emerged gradually through a series of imperial edicts in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Flint Affair took place in 1759 and the Macartney Envoy came to China in 1793. These affairs indicated that the British looked forward to overcoming the Canton System. The Printed public announcement (“Brief Account of the English Character”) and a leaflet were written by Charles Majoribanks, who was President of the Select Committee of the East India Company’s branch at Canton, were translated into Chinese by Robert Morrison. The announcement tried to lobby the Emperor to gain greater trade rights and request changes to the current arrangements. The British resolved to force the changes they had long wanted to make.