The Press. — London, England, 1857-01-10 00:00:00

JANUARY 10, 1857. wens to the authorities and city of Canton (where all the Chinese high officials reside) as is enjoyed under treaty at the other four ports, and denied to us at Canton alone. To this Yeh returned no reply. Operations were then commenced against the city defences ; the wall was breached, Yell's palace bombarded, and an entry forced into the city. On the Admiral Seymour informed his Excellency Yell in rather laconic terms of the result of the bombardment : Your Excellency sent no reply to my message, and according to the intention of which I hail given notice to your deputy, I breached the wall of the city, and thus ob• 'mined access to your Excellency's official residence, which ritiited yesterday afternoon. This object accomplished, I withdrew my trucps. On the 31st Yeh replies that the people of Canton still retain their original objection to the admission of foreigners to the city, and concludes : It may be supposed how little to their liking has been this storming of the forts and this destruction of their dwellings ; and apprehensive, as I am, that evil may hence befall the officials and citizens of your Excellency's nation, I can suggest nothing better than a continued adherence to the policy of the Plenipotentiary Bonham, as the correct course to be pursued. Further correspondence then ensues. Sir John Bow ring forwards to Yeh a copy of a previous communi cation from Sir George Bonham, in 1849, stating that her Majesty's Government had then no inten tion of renouncing their right of entering the city of Canton. To this Yeh replies, on the sth Nov., that Sir George Bonham, in 1849, published a pro clamation prohibiting foreigners from entering Can ton, and promising that the question "should be no more discussed :" The Kwanitung people (observes Yeh) of the present day are the Kwang•tung people of 1849. If admission into the city had been practicable, in 1849, there would have been no occasion for the prohibiting notice of Mr. Bonham. Your Excellency's proposition, being identical with his, will not bear discussion. I would have you ask yourself, if the question of admission to which the Kwang tung people were opposed before be, in all likelihood, less easy now, when they piave been subjected to grievous af fliction, than it was in IN-0). The destruction of twenty-three war junks at anchor up the river was the next step on the part of Admiral Seymour. An attempt of the Chinese to burn our squadron with fire-rafts proved unsuccessful. Sir John Bowring, on the Bth, wrote to express his satisfaction at the conduct of the ad miral, observing in his despatch of that date ! Whatever may have been the importance of the question which necessitated the first appeal to hostilities, it has now assumed a character seriously involving all our present and future relations with China ; and I am of opinion that everything possible should be done to give effect to treaties which have been pertinaciously and recklessly violated--a small and turbulent fraction of the population of China cannot be allowed :co supersede the engagements of their Emperor to the Sovereign of Great Britain. On the 9th Admiral Seymour again pressed his de mands upon the Imperial Commissioner, and warns his Excellency of the penalty of inciting the people to resistance, and that active measures will be still further carried on if he continues obstinate. Yeh replies, on the 11th, with much moderation : As to the imputation that T am vainly seeking to incite the people to a rupture, in support of an unjust and per sonal policy, I would ask by what person have they really been incited to a rupture in this case? The seizure of some criminals on the part of the Chinese Government, a small matter, having been misre presented as a hauling down of your flag—on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th ultimo, you opened fire on the different forts of the city. To this, in consideration of the peace ful relations so many years subsisting between us, I made no rejoinder whatever. Had I not referred myself to the higher principles (which your letter accuses me of not keeping in view), I should have shown no such forbear ance. As to another observation in your letter, let your Excel lency well remember, that without any injury done to the English by the people of Canton, your Excellency fired at once into the city, and ask yourself whether this consists with the forms of war, as waged by a great State, or whether this is the practice of civilisation. Upon this, further aggressive operations were carried out—the Bogue Forts were captured on the 12th, on the 13th the Annunghoy Forts, and by the 15th the entire defences of the city were in tile ad miral's hands. A circular, dated Nov. 15th, from Mr. Parkes, addressed to the foreign residents at the Factories, concludes the correspondence. Mr. Parkes ob serves:— His Excellency is determined that his demand shall be conceded. But the community must be well aware that any course his Excellency may now contemplate would be compromised by publicity. His Excellency therefore con fines himself to stating that he sees no immediate pro spect of a restoration of quiet; the security of the foreign position will be as well cared for as heretofore ; the nature and object of any measures now to be resorted to, his Ex cellency deems it advisable to keep to himself. THE PRESS. SIR ROBERT PEEL ON RUSSIA. SIR ROBERT PEEL, on Monday evening last, attended the opening of the Adderly-park Museum and Library, and delivered a discourse upon Russia, re markable for its buffoonery, bad taste, and indecent vulgarity. Sir R. Peel commenced his address by stating that he had enjoyed the proud satisfaction of being conveyed to Rus sia "on board one of those magnificent vessels which plough the ocean like queens, and gloriously assert the independence and greatness of our country." As he passed up the Baltic and round Cronstadt he reflected naturally upon the past, and upon the great distinction that might have resulted from any successful operations against it. When he arrive:) at St. Petersburg, though it was in the heart of summer, he found the weather very change able, '° like everything else in Russia." The city, he said, is built on piles, and is always very subject to the east wind : When the east wind blows St. Petersburg has a chance of being done away with, as the public expected Sir Charles Napier would do away with it,—at all events, it then stands a good chance of being sunk in the water. It is not a very magnificent city, and does nut strike one by its fine streets and buildings after all. It was a city of deceptions, "like everything else in Russia." Sir Robert Peel then detailed a long list of solid realities for so deceptive a city. The square before the Winter Palace was " the largest in the world ;" the monolith in its centre was also" the largest in the world ;" while the crown jewels in the rooms of the palace were " the most magnificent in the world." The ruby in the imperial crown was such "as was never seen before ;" the emerald in the sceptre was "the largest in the world ;" the ball of state had an "enormous" sapphire; the Empress's beautiful crown of pearls contained " the largest pearl " lie ever saw ; and in fact the effect produced by this congregation of brilliants was something "quite magnificent." There VIM at all events no deception about the crown jewels, and the Walpole collection of pictures was quite as authentic and valuable in its way. In the Winter Palace was the famous Reach collection, removed there some two years since by order of the late Emperor. Sir Robert Peel discovers in this removal a vast political significance : The man in charge of the collection pointed my atten tion to a quantity of works of art, and said, " Here is the Kertch collection." I snid, " 1 thought they were all taken by our people," to which he replied, " Oh no ; they were removed by order of the Emperor two years ago." That shows the premeditation of the man. Those pictures had been removed at great cost and difficulty from Kertch to St. Petersburg two years before ; and this proceeding leaves little doubt on my mind that there was a great de sign against the liberties of Europe. The next palace was the Marble Palace, the resi dence of the Grand Duke Constantine. Both the palace and its Grand Duke were terrible decep tions : It is called the Marble Palace because it is built of granite. The Marble Palace is the residence of that frank and open-hearted sailor " Constantine. How I laughed when I read that description of Constantine's character. You may remember what has been said about the distinguished Admiral Constantine. With all respect to his Highness, I must say that I never saw a man who gave me less of the impression of a "frank and open hearted sailor." It is all soft sawder, you know. Sir Robert Peel found no deception in the hotel bill. The embassy dinner cost 601. a night ; but, con sidering that, attendants included, the embassy numbered some sixty persons, the charge perhaps was not so exorbitant. Besides, too, Sir Robert Peel himself tells us that they all had "enormous estab lishments," and all lived at an "enormous rate." Being daily so " horribly done" made Sir Robert anxious to reach Moscow. Arriving there, he is once more " horribly done " by one General Souro chokoff, " a common man, who:ie whole anxiety was to impose upon people who trusted in him" : At my command he had sent for me to the station a mag nificent carriage with four magnificent grey horses. I has tened at once to our dwelling near the English Embassy, accompanied by my wife, Lord Stafford and his wife, the Duke of Newcastle's son, and Lord Shaftesbury's son. Sourochokoff charged me 11X/1. for the hire of each horse, and, although I objected to the impost, I as compelled to pay his exorbitant demand. It would appear from this that not one of the right hon. baronet's numerous carriages or horses had been forwarded to Moscow. _ As the great fair was being held at of course Sir Robert Peel must "do " the fair. The appear ance of the postmaster appalled him:— I went to the postmaster, and found him one mass of decorations. I was quite frightened with his pomp and ceremony. He gave me what he called an official, but a man I .hould have taken for a general officer, so splendid was his uniform. Everything was at length arranged, and he started. Road travelling about Moscow was tolerably good for so deceptive a country and people : 29 We travelled on a road as smooth as Hyde•park front Moscow to Nishni, four hundred miles, in twenty.eight hours—fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen miles per hour fre• quently. We were in the second carriage, and I once made signs to our richly-dressed director that we were not going Last enough, eel that the first carriage was outstrip• ping us. He immediately rose from his seat, dragged the man from the hoc, and cast him to the ground, nearly killing him. I took care not to complain again. —•- - • - Sir Robert, however, enjoyed this sort of thing : There was no postillion for one of the six horses when we stopped at one post•honse, but the director in gold insisted that we must have six horses and six riders, and, to supply the vacancy, rushed into the crowd which had collected, seized the first person, put him upon the horse, and started off again. The man had no stockings or shoes on, but that. did not matter ; he soon got in a dreadful state from riding, and dropped off the animal. The horses frequently became tired, and when they fell down exhausted were left by the roadside. The postboys suffered the same treatment when they became unable to perform their duties. Ido not think I ever enjoyed travelling so in my life. The hospitality of the inhabitants at Nishni was no deception, and the Governor was a " brick" : Our arrival caused a great sensation, for they had never perhaps seen an English face before. The following night some of our party went to the theatre. The Governor was there, and, seeing strangers, inquired who we were, and as soon as he ascertained he treated us with the greatest possible hospitality. During the whole time I was in Russia I never saw such a brick as the Governor was. But the fair and its Ci Sir Robert : were the things for What delighted us most, however, was going to the fair; We saw there Calmucks and lovely Circassians, the latter being particularly engaging, and I was nearly engaged twice by some of them. Here, too, was a little business to be done : there were teas and caviare to buy—good investments— but, above all, some turquoises from the people of Bokhara These I felt snre would realise in this country all that General Sourochokoff robbed me of. lam always anxious to recover, arid never like to be " done." But the Emperor was about to enter Moscow, and no time was to be lost in returning. Nothing was so magnificent as the Imperial cortege on the day of the Emperor's entry. The hon. baronet then gave a series of graphic descriptions of the illustrious per sonages present at the coronation. First was— THE EMPEROR ALEXANDER. The Emperor Alexander is a fine-looking man, his appearance and the expression of his physiog nomy being mild—in fact, nothing desperate-looL:ng about him. The homage he receives from his sub texts is godlike, and such as could scarcely be con ceived in a free country. THE EMPRESS. As the Empress entered she fell flat on the floor, I supposed by accident. It was, however, to kiss some sacred stone or other ; and then she carne in wick her hair dishevelled, looking like Norma in the opera. COUNT MORSY. The French Ambassador, a spick-and•span man of considerable aplomb, and who, by the way, is one of the graatest speculators in the world. He speculates in everything, and bought a lot of pic tures to sell again and make a profit of. [ THE PRINCE DE LIGNE. Then came the ambassador of the smallest king dom in Europe, Belgium, the Prince de Ligne, the very picture of swelling insignificance, so swelling, indeed, that he could not for the life of him look down from the contemplation of his own importance. PRINCE Then there was that fine specimen of a man, Prince Esterhazy, the representative of Austria. THE NEAPOLITAN AND TURKISH AMBASSADORS. Then the representative of Naples, of whom in charity I will say nothing. Then the Turkish re presentative, a clever Turk. Of course he was not admitted into the church. At the same time, you could not look at him without feeling that he was the representative of an effete and worn-out nation. LORD GRANVILLE. He was the representative of the moat powerful nation in the world, yet plainly dressed. When I saw him standing amid the decorated group around him I was reminded of the lines of Burns : A king ran make a belted knight, A duke, a lord, and a' that ; But an honest man's shone his might A utan'a a man for a' that. Then, casting the eye across the cathedral, you saw the distinguished generals of the Russian army —Todtleben, Gortsohakoff, and others—and, just beside the Emperor, Count Orloff. I believe he was in the palace when Paul was assassinated, and bas been the favourite of three great emperors. He pos sesses quality of heart and hospitality for which I am much indebted. At the moment of coronation, Sir Robert Peel de clared that the Crown fell from the Empress's head