The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-11-15 00:00:00

demanded all that was contained in the ultimatuni,
required that Tien-tsin should be open to foreign trade,
and fixed the indemnity to be paid by the Chinese I
GOvernment at eight millions of taels—about two
millions and three-quarters sterling—the Taku Forts to
be occupied until the money was paid. Half this
amount was due for the Canton indemnity, not one
farthing of which has ever been paid to Great Britain.
The remainder was on account Of the expenses of this
war. The French claimed a like amount; but, ins.;
nitieh as their losses at Catitoll only amounted to two
millions of taels, their demand for the present war in
effect amounted to six millions of taels.
On the Ist inst. Kweiliang arrived, and informed.
Messrs. Wade and Parkes that he and Hang-fuh (Go-
vernor of the Province), had, as joint Commissioners,
the fullegt powers to conclude a treaty, and that the
Imperial seal had been entrusted to them for the pur-
pose: He thinotruced his intent on of &Brig on Lord
Elgin; tat was told that the English Ambassador doiild
not receive him until an answer from the Imperial Com-
missioners had been returned to his letter. On the evening.
of the 2nd their answer arrived, containing a most
unqualified acceptance of all demands. A convention
was prepared for signature by the respective Plenipo-
tentiaries, and it was agreed that Lord Elgin and Baron
Gros should proceed to Pekin, with an escort of 2,000
men, for the purpose of ratifying the Treaty of Tien-
tsin. On the Oth, all preliminaries being settled,. Messrs.
Wade and Parkes had an interview with the dornmis-'
sioners to atralie for the signature of the convention on
the following. day. Lord full powers were then
prothiced liweiliarig and his eolleague were invited id
show their credentials. They were not sufficient. The
COmnlissioners had no power to conclude a treaty. They
must refer to Pekin. They had assumed a position to
which they were not entitled, and had been fighting
for a few days' delay. Fortunately, past experience of
Chinese duplicity and fraud had led the allies to neglect
no precautions. The army had, been marched up to .
Tien-tsin, with the exception of, a small garrison left in
the Takti Ports.. eommissariat and other supplies had,
been accumulated, and the day after negotiations were
broken off the advanced guard was on the road to Pekin.
The Commissioners were informed that Lord Elgin
refused to enter into any negotiations whatever, or to
receive any fresh proposals, until he arrived at Tang-
chow, twelve miles from the. capital. On the morning
of the ninth the whole army marched out, and would
reach Pekin in seven, days. There we are informed that
Sang-ko-lin-sin is endeavouring to rally his beaten
troops, but I hardly believe they will ever meet the
allied army in the field. All the country people state
that the men Who escaped from the forts, were com-
pletely paiiiestribken. "what is the nse," said they;
"of fighting against men whose guns carry eight
miles ?" Sang-ko-lin-sin himself arrived the night of
the fight, with jaded horse and torn garments. He
exchanged his coat with a villager, at a place three
miles hence, and lost no time in proceeding on his
journey to Pekin. He was said to have been degraded,
but there is no certain information on the subject.
The Emperor Hien-fuh, prematurely worn out by
debauchery, is now paying. the penalty of early excesses.
Confined to his' bed, he is unable to "take any part in
public affairs. The management of this great empire
has fallen into the hands of four Mandarins, virtually
irresponsible, and exercising uncontrolled poWer.
Tsai-Wan, a Prince of the Blood, and Grand Pre-
sident of the Imperial Court of Punishment, is said
to be a man of some capacity and leader of the
clique. After him comes Twanhwa, Prince of the
Blood, and Commander-in-Chief of the Forces and
Gendarmerie in Pekin, a position which gives him
enormous power. Suhshun—brother of Twanhwa, "a
,speaker at the classical feasts," is Superintendent
(above the President) of the Board of Revenue, Captain
General of the plain white banner of the Hanchun
(Chinese enrolled and organised like Mantchoos and
Mongols), and President of:the Colonial-office. Mien-yu,
President of the Board of Music, is the only surviving
brother of the late Emperor. These four old gentlemen,
safe in what they believe an impregnable stronghold,
have complacently heard of towns stormed by English
armies and provinces ravaged by rebel hordes. No
foreign soldier, no hostile force, had appeared at Pekin.
Tien-tsin had been the furthest point reached by barba-
rian ambassador,' or rebel chief. No arm was long
enough to reach them, no Power could attack their haunt.
Because in all previous wars we have never gone to
Pekin, these Mandarins doubt our power to do so. They
.will now be undeceived, and will be taught a lesson which,
in all probability, there will be no occasion to repeat.
Kweiliang's conduct in this matter is proof positive, if any
were needed, of the thorough duplicity and mendacity of
the Chinese character. Here is the Senior Secretary
of State, the first man in the empire, calmly and quietly
asserting a lie, which he knew must be discoverer' in a
day or two. By fear alone can the rulers of China be
taught to respect their political engagements. By arms
alone can China be opened to trade. An ambassador
must negotiate with an army by his side, ready to act at
a moment's notice. For two centuries have we traded
at Canton, and we know as much about China at the
end as at the commencement of our intercourse. At
length the opportunity has arrived ; and the Ambassa-
dors of England and France, with the troops of the two
nations at their backs, will, under the walls of Pekin,
dictate the terms of a peace likely to endure.

The commercial aspect of this great struggle
with the Chinese is, according to the same autho-
rity, highly satisfactory. Strolling through Tien-
tsin, he came upon numerous interesting sights.
Among others, he notes the following :
A " curio" stall contains very ordinary china at very
exorbitant prices. Among its prizes are a common
English bottle, price half a dollar, and an English
earthenware plate, with " Swiss scenes" painted thereon,
for which double that amount is demanded. Here, also,
are small boxes labelled "Superior congreve matches,
without smell or sulphur." They would cost a halfpenny
at home • their price at Tien-tsin is 2td. We come to
a linen-draper's and find Manchester and American
goods—linen, cotton, and calico. Here is blue stuff for
the common tunics and trousers. It is labelled
" Manchester, John Pender and Co." By its side
are calicoes, marked " Saunders," and printed cottons
from the Manchester looms in great abundance. The
prices are 100 per cent, higher than at Shanghai.
Immense quantities of Russian cloth, both red and blue,
are to be found in every shop. This cloth is of double
width, thick and coarse. It is sold at 255. a-yard, the
price being fixed by the Russian Government. Coming
by land all the way from Nijni Novgorod, such a price
can never pay, but the government is careless as to profit,
for this cloth forms the principal object of barter for
tea and silk. When Tien-tsiu is open to trade, our
'Yorkshire manufacturers should be able to drive
the .Russians out of the market. But let it not
be forgotten that the Chinaman will only purchase that
to which he has been accustomed, and for the present
none but the most ordinary woollens should be sent to
the north of China. It is somewhat remarkable that
not one yard of English cloth can at the present moment
be found in Tien-tsin. I propose addressing myself to
the commercial question at greater length when I return
to Shanghai, and have more leisure and better opportu-
nities than tamp life affords. I have seen enough,
however, to feel satisfied that. the opening of Tien-tsin
to foreign commerce will encotirage an enormous trade
in all the main branches of Euglisli. manufacture.

Those who keep a sharP look-out in the com-
missariat department—and what sensible man
does not read the following with interest :
Bullocks are divided into three classes. The first
weigh about 5001 b., and cost 25 dollars (£5) per head ;
the second, weighing about 4901 b., are fixed at 20
dollars; the third, about 3001 b., are 15 dollars each.
Sheep of all sizes cost 3 dollars per head. Beef and
mutton are also sold by retail, the first.at 3d., the second
at 4d. per lb. Tea is is. 2d., sugar 4d., and flour 2-4 d. per
lb.; onions, turnips, ant pumpkins five cash per lb.; fowls
9d. and ducks ls. 9d. each. The finest grapes may be
had in abundance at 3d. per lb. ; the largest peaches at
ld. each. Water melons—most refreshing of fruits, and
large enough for a dozen—cost sd. each. Ice in large
blocks of 251 b., pure and clear as the finest Wenham
Lake, is sold for 6d. a block. There is any quantity of
forage of every description—hay, millet stalk,' gteen
grass, paddy; peas, beans, and Indian corn. Coal
costs ld. and cliarcoal ld. a pound. Coolies receive
is. per day per man. Supplies of every description
are abundant and excellent. The mutton is fat and
well flavoured, and no finer grapes or peaches are grown
than those which now come to Tien-tsin market. A
favourite fruit with the Chinaman is the classic loios,
in shape like a small melon; it is full of stoneless
kernels, sweet and pleasant to the palate. Often and
often have I eaten them without experiencing the
dreamy sensations they are said to produce, and most
certainly no man in this expedition has exclaimed,—.
We will return no more ; our island home
Is far beyond the wave, we will no longer roam.
There is every reason to expect that the next
mail will bring us word of the virtual conclusion
of the war in China ; and although some delay
may intervene, there seems, as little ground to
doubt but that before our forces are withdrawn a
lesson shall have been taught Chinamen, high and
low, which they will never forget, and which
will bring forth fruits for which they will, sooner
or later, learn to be grateful. In the realisation
of such happy results future generations of
Celestials will date the commencement of a new
era of progress and prosperity from the Anglo-
French invasion of :1860.

WEST DEHBV OUARDIA'NS. Mr. Heyes presided
at the weekly meeting of this board yesterday ; and
there were also present Messrs. Abrahams, Wareham,
H. Edwards, Wright, Shaw, Medealfe, Whitby, Rich-
mond, Smith, and Pilling. Cheques were granted for
outdoor relief to the amount of £154. Various bills
were passed ; but the principal subject occupying the
attention of thiOoard was the case of death from alleged
starvation, Nthrtvh was reported in our columns yesterday,
and the depositions in which were laid before the board by
Mr. Gough. Mr. Pilling proposed, and Mr. Edwards
seconded the following resolution, which was agreed to,
—" That the subject be referred to a committee, to con-
sist of the following members : Reyes, Pilling, Whitby,
Warehatn, Edwards, Wright, Richmond; and that' the
witnesses examined before the coroner be requested to
attend, together with Mr. Bramham (the relieving officer)
at the Workhouse on:Friday next."
A MAN TAKING OFF lIIS LEG TO SHOW HIS FOOT
TO A NEIGHBOUR'S WIFE !—At the County Court,
yesterday, a labourer, named Thomas Hatchley, sum-
moned a gentleman, named Morris, for £2 damages
under the following circumstances :—On the 15th of
October last the plaintiff and a friend went in search of
employment, and strayed into a field, used formerly as
a brick-field, near West Derby, but now in the occupa-
tion of the defendant. Near the house a large dog was
chained to a kennel. When the plaintiff approached
a
the dog, it jumped at him, and bit him on the calf of
the leg. Since then he has been in the hospital, under
the care of Mr. Whittle, surgeon. • The leg is not well.
—Mr. Thornley, who appeared for the plaintiff, (to the
plaintiff) Did the dog bite you? Yes.—Was the dog
ferocious ?. Yes, sir ; a very large dog.—His Honour :
Is that what you mean by ferocious ? Yes, sir.—Mr.
Thornley You saw the plaintiff's wife ? Yes, sir.—Did
you tell her the dog bit you? Yes, sir.—Did you show
her the wound ? Yes, sir ; I took off my leg to show
my foot to the neighbour's wife. (Laughter.)—The
defendant swore that the. property was private, and that
the plaintiff had no business there.—Mr. Grocott, who
appeared for the defendant : The dog is chained, sir, near
the hen-house. (Laughter.)—The ease was dismissed.'