The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-12-27 00:00:00

THE TREATY OF PEKIN.

THE cold has all but killed the news. To discover
a particle of really novel and interesting intelli-
gence in this excruciatingly festive season is about
as difficult as would be the extraction of blood
from stones. The news is that there is no news.
We are sick-tired of Italian-unity news. The
Turkish Empire is a drug in the market.
Austria seems so perfectly capable of resisting
an Italian attack, if unaided by a French sup-
port, which, it is to be hoped, England and the
other Great Powers will not• permit, that the
threatened outbreak in the spring still remains a
very problematical proposition. Prussia holds on
her way, amid many difficulties and obstructions,
towards a liberal-constitutional system of govern-
ment ; and doubtless she can hold her own.
Russia, apparently, contemplates no scheme of
aggrandisement which need immediately alarm
any one. Looking further abroad, we find that
India approaches towards a firmly consolidated
system of administration. Turning our eyes to
the west, we behold America making vast strides,
although not without commotion, towards that
state of perfect freedom to its children which alone
can give the Union permanent stability. From
other parts of the world we have been receiving
assurances of the best intentions and the most
pacific purposes. Towards China chiefly have
the eyes of all men been anxiously turned, to find
out the real state of affairs.

So far as we can judge, the war with China,
now concluded, has been happily terminated.
There have been many differences of opinion as
to the propriety of the war ; and there are not a
few who would willingly have seen England sub-
jected to any indignity rather than that the cost of
such an expedition should have been incurred.
Others seem to have imagined that the only
worthy and proper objects of an Anglo-French
invasion of the Celestial Empire were the life and
throne of the Emperor, and the annexation of the
great Kingdom of China to the dominion of Wes-
tern Europe. An intermediate class seem to
have been duly impressed with the solemn
belief that a make-believe war was all that
was necessary to accomplish all we desired.
These simple,tons for some time dreamt of
an empty parade of a few ships' guns and a
handful of marines as sufficient to convince our
Chinese acquaintances of the infinite superiority
and certain determination of the belligerent
Powers. Another party is rather facetiously
represented as the " impossible section," whose
single instinct is to declare everything to be
Impossible, and who are now demonstrating
to all who will listen or read that it is clearly
contrary to all rule that any one of our expedi-
tion should come back, and that it is nothing but
the accident of our Armstrong guns which has
saved the whole force from being ridden down
by the Tartar cavalry. The nearest approach to
the truth, however, seems to be that the really
responsible authors of our troubles and wars
With China are those who have sought most
assiduonsly to demonstrate that war was an
unprotitahlel *iekedi and inexcusable expedient.
To the peace-at-any-price party as much as to
anything else, therefore, ought we to set down
the cost of our recent Chinese war expenditure.
Not a few well-meaning and intelligent people

feel a difficulty itt realising the actual value of
the stake we have at hazard With China. Let us
for a moment consider the facts. Last year the
foreign trade at the port of Shanghai alone was
twenty-eight millions and three-quarters sterling,
exports and imports ; and in 1850 it was seven
and a half millions. This is the increase made in
Chinese trade at one port alone dating nine years,
and three-fourths of this commerce is inthe hands
of British merchants. This increase has gone on
without Cessation even while we have been at war,
even while we have been advancing upon the capital
and assaulting the Imperial ralaee. It is only a
specimen of what will yet be done when the Treaty
now ratified is in operation. Tea will then be
approachable in the districts where it is made,
and tufty be bought at a price which may
encourage Mit Chancellor of the Exchequer
to diminish the duty, not perhaps down to
a vanishing point, but until tea may become
a plentiful article in the most humble house-
hold, and an item of expenditure of as little
importance as salt. China is all Europe ;it is
more than all Europe, for it is greater in popula-
tion, in fertility, and in communications. It is
all Europe cut up by broad, navigable rivers, and
reticulated by canals. We have hitherto only
just looked upon the land, and drawn from it by
our agents specimens of its products; we may
now go in and enjoy. To the twenty millions of
trade Oil which we draw our profits at Shanghai,
we shall soon add other twenty millions in various
ports, and still greater operations in those vast
cities upon the inland lakes and huge rivers.
Will the treaty of Pekin be the last we have
Ito extort from the Chinese ? That must depend,
says a judicious contemporary, very much upon
how we use it. Properly used it ought to be our
last extorted treaty with China. If we put it in
operation at once, and accustom the Chinese to
its provisions while our army and navy are
still in China, we shall have no more diffi-
culty with them. This treaty is like a sap-
ling; we must guard it round at first, or the
beasts of the field will nibble at its bark and
destroy its growth; but let it have time to strike
its roots firmly into the earth, and you may take
away the rails, for the strong trunk can protect
itself, and the same cattle which would have
destroyed it will repose in its shadow. Protect
it now against these Tartar rulers, and the Tartar
rulers will themselves protect it when they see its
fruits. Shanghai gives to Pekin an annual million
of dues. The Northern Ports yet to be opened will
give as much, and, if the South should remain sub-
ject to the North, quite as much again will arise
from the ports on the Yang•tse. But these things
are not yet apparent, and, as there is no reason
now for creating a war, but every reason for pre-
serving the peace, we entreat our professors of
paradox to refrain from showing their cleverness
by proving how it was that the Chinese did not
destroy us all ; for, although no one else would
believe them, the Chinese may. Much un-
doubtedly rests with ourselves as to how far the
newly concluded peace shall really redound to
the credit and profit of Great Britain.

THE ARCHITECTURAL AND ARCHIEOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
—The seventh meeting of the session of this society was
held at the Royal Institution yesterday evening. Mr.
M. ilay presided, and there was but a very limited
attendance. Several donations of books and periodicals
were announced ; and two papers were read. The first
of these was by Mr, Griffiths, on "The Resources of
Design," which was spoken of in the brief discussion
which ensued as of a highly suggestive and valuable
character. The next consisted of Notes on Furness
Abbey," by the secretary, Mr. W. 11. Picton. The
thanks of the society were voted to both gentlemen.
DOG STEALlNG.—Yesterday, at the County Magis-
trates' Court, John Melia, of North-street, Liverpool, a
hawker, described on the police-sheet as a reputed thief,
was brought up, charged with having stolen a dog, of
the value of £2, the property of Mr. Thomas Douglas
Robinson. The prisoner, when stopped, had nearly
£3O in his pocket ; and on his house being searched,
ten other splendid dogs were found there, and all wear-
ing collars, from which the names had evidently been
erased. This being his first conviction, the prisoner
was fined £5 for the offence, £2 for the value of the
dog, and Bs. 6d. costs, with two months' imprisonment
in default.
THE LATE GENERAL PIMODA'N.—The Armortia of
Turin states that the Pope has addressed an autograph
letter to the widow of General Pimodan, informing her
that he has conferred the title of duke on the two sons
of her deceased husband.