Bonham (文翰) | 24 Histories

Overview

The translated histories identify Bonham as a diplomat. This record brings together 9 passages from 1 chapter across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Bonham	文翰	Wenhan
Personal name	Bonham	文翰
Native language name	Bonham
Title	British envoy	英酋

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Strongly inferred · qingshigao:394:s0014

Roles

Diplomat

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 道光三十年 · Western Year: AD 1850
Explicit · qingshigao:394:s0044
Source Date: Text: 道光二十九年 · Western Year: AD 1849
Explicit · qingshigao:394:s0016

Places and affiliations

Polity: Britain / 英 · Relation: served
Explicit · qingshigao:394:s0014

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 394Volume 394 Biographies 181: Xu Guangjin, Ye Mingchen, Huang Zonghan · 9 passages

Open chapter

德庇時回國，文翰代為領事，初至請謁。 When Davis went home, Bonham became consul in his stead and on arrival asked for an official audience.

二十九年，文翰以兩年入城之期已屆，要踐約，廣縉諭以耆英所許。 In the twenty-ninth year (1849) Bonham argued that the two-year deferral had expired and demanded that the agreement be honored; Guangjin cited the terms Qiying had granted.

文翰則堅持成約，且以他省入城相詰難，揚言將駕兵船至天津訴諸京師，相持不下。 Bonham held firm to the treaty, countered by pointing to foreign access in other provinces, and threatened to send warships to Tianjin to lodge a complaint in the capital; neither side would yield.

士紳聯名致文翰，為反覆陳利害甚切。 Local gentry sent Bonham a joint petition, pressing him again and again on the stakes involved.

文翰內受牽制，乃罷入城之議，乞照舊通商。 Caught between pressures, Bonham dropped the demand for entry and asked only that trade resume as before.

昨英酋复伸入城之請，徐廣縉等悉心措理，動合機宜。 When the British envoy again demanded entry into the city, Xu Guangjin and his colleagues handled the matter with care, and their measures were well judged throughout.

逾數月，文翰復言國王以進城未能如約，為人所輕，似覺赧顏，請為轉奏，廣縉以罷議進城之後貿易始復，豈可再申前說，拒之。 Months later Bonham wrote that his king felt humiliated because entry had not been granted as promised and asked that the matter be referred to Beijing; Guangjin replied that trade had resumed only after the entry demand was dropped and refused to reopen the question.

三十年，文翰又遺書大學士穆彰阿、耆英，遣人至上海、天津投遞。 In the thirtieth year (1850) Bonham again wrote to Grand Secretaries Mujangga and Qiying and sent couriers to deliver the letters at Shanghai and Tianjin.

文翰尋自赴上海，欲有所陳請，先後卻之； Bonham soon went to Shanghai in person hoping to lodge petitions, but was turned away each time;