Until the summer of 1829 the most important of the American houses was that of Perkins & Co. It was the oldest one existing, without change of name, of all the foreign firms, having been established soon after a visit made by Mr. Thomas H. Perkins with two vessels to Canton in 1798. The house was represented until 1807 by Mr. Bumstead, who was then succeeded by Mr. Cushing. For comparison with the size of merchant ships at the present day, it may be noted that this gentleman came out in the ship 'Levant' (Captain Proctor), of 264 tons! Mr. Cushing became a partner in the Boston firm of J. and T. H. Perkins, and managed that of Perkins & Co., of which he was also a partner continuously until 1828, without leaving Canton, when he returned to Boston in the ship 'Milo,' arriving there on September 17.
To Mr. Cushing succeeded Mr. Thomas T. Forbes, who, on returning from a visit to Macao in his yacht, was unfortunately drowned in a taiphoon on August 9, 1829, together with Mr. S. H. Monson, the book-keeper of Russell & Co. On this sad event taking place, amongst his papers was found a sealed letter addressed to Russell & Co. It requested them, in case of accident to himself, to take charge of the local business of his own firm, as well as that of J. and T. H. Perkins. They did so, and naturally came with it that of Houqua, who had been the intimate personal friend of Mr. Cushing during his unbroken residence of over twenty years in Canton.
When the news of Mr. Forbes's death reached him, Mr. Cushing was in England, where the 'Bashaw' (Captain Pearson), one of the ships of his Boston firm, was loading for Whampoa. He returned to Canton in her, arriving in the month of August 1830. Arrangements were then definitely concluded by which Russell & Co. were officially appointed sole agents for the Boston house, that of Perkins & Co. being wound up, while the important foreign business of Houqua was then also definitely secured to them.
Towards the close of 'ante-treaty' days, the house met with a serious loss in the violent death of another book-keeper, Mr. George C. Perkins, of Boston. He entered the office as assistant book-keeper,[68] and subsequently took charge of that important branch of the business. He was about thirty years of age, very systematic and methodical, a well-read man, and of most agreeable manners. He left Macao on a visit to the United States, and was returning by the way of San Francisco to resume the duties of his office. Having arrived near Hong Kong, he left the ship in which he had crossed the Pacific, for Macao in a fast boat with all his baggage. Supposing it to contain gold, coming from the 'Gold Hills' (by which name California is known to the Chinese), the cupidity of the boatmen was excited. They threw Perkins overboard in the Lantao Channel, and he was drowned. On the event being made known to the Canton authorities, their search for the boatmen was so energetic that they were soon discovered in the midst of a number of fast boats anchored in Anson's Bay, and beheaded.