The Express.
London, England, 1858-02-23 00:00:00

THE WAR WITH CHINA.

CORRESPONDENCE WITH COMMISSIONER YOU.
This morning were issued, for the information of
the legisl►ture, copier of correspondence between the Earl of
Elgin and the Chinese High Commissioner Yoh.
In a note to the Chinese commissioner, dated Hong Kong,
Dec. 12, 1857, the Earl of Elgin apprises that functionary
of the nature of his lordship's powers as ambassador extraor-
dinary, and proceeds to refer in general terms to the various
lafinetions of treaties by the authorities of the province of
Kwangtung. These offences have led the governeseate of
England and France to unite in a determination to seek by
vigorous action reparation for peat, and security against future
wrong,. " Under these cirmunstanoet," continues Earl Elgin,
" the undersigned think" it his duty to state distinctly to
the imperial commissioner that be cannot assume the
responsibility of arresting the progress of hostile operations
against Canton, until the following demands of the British
government are absolutely and unreservedly conceded :—The
complete execution at Canton of all treaty engagements,
including the free admission of British subjects to the city ;
compensation to British subjects and persons entitled to
British protection for lows incurred in consequence of the
late disturbances. If these moderate demands, and those
preferred on behalf of the Emperor of the French by his
Imperial Majesty's high commissioner and plenipotentiary,
be frankly accepted by the imperial oommissioner Yeh within
the period of tan days from this date, the blockade of the
river will be raised, and commerce will be permitted to
resume its owns. Bat the English forces, in con-
junction with the forms of the French, will retain
the island of Ronan end the forts on the river as a material
guarantee until the terms of a treaty for regulating these and
all other questions pending between the government of Great
Britain and that of China shall have been agreed to between
the andenigned and a plenipotentiary of equal rank, appointed
by the Emperor of China to negotiate with him, and until
the treaty so agreed upon shall have been ratified by their
respective sovereigns. If, on the contrary, the imperial
commissioner shall meet these demands by a refusal, by
Asses, or by evasive or dilatory pleas, the undersigned will
deem it to he his painful duty to direct the naval and mili-
tary conamenders to prosecute, with renewed vigour, opera-
tion' against Canton, reserving to himself the right to make,
In that ore, on behalf of the British governmeet, each addi-
ticeal unmade on the government of China As the altered
condition of affairs may seem, in his eyes, to justify."
Commissioner Yeh replies on the 14th of Decem-
ber, to the effect that the commercial intercourse of
Canton has been conducted on the same principle
as the other porta ; that the Emperor of: Chins has de-
clared his sacred will that the " Treaty of peace, which
wee to last ten thousand years, with a view to the preserve-
lion of a good understanding for evermore," and which re-
gulate• the admission of foreigners, shall not be altered in
the case of Canton ; and that in the after of the lorchs, Jua-
na' and equity are on the side of the Chinese. " Minions
of people were eye-witnessos of these things. At the very
commencement every Englishman and every other foreigner
with a sense of justice did all that in them lay to dissuade
the consul Parkas from proceeding, but be would not listen."
The threatening part of the plenipotentiary's letter is treated
as follows -
" Your letter talks of a military occupation of Homan and
of the forte along the river, but if you could not proceed once
before, even with such a measure as the building end leasing
of warehouses there, how should it be possible to station
troops on Ronan? The forte along the river have been
built at the expense of the gentry and people for their pro-
tection against piracy. An attempt on the part of the troops
of your ex cellency's nation to occupy these will, I fear,
produce a state of irritation which may grow into • merlons
misunderstanding. (If it do) let it not be said that I did not
speak in time, or that I did not do all that
in me lay to provide for your safety. The pro-
positions brought forward in your letter have been
suggested, it appears to me, by some mischievous person at
your side; they ars not your excellency's own conceptions.
I h►ve long heard of year excellency's great experience and
discretion; of the universal esteem in which you are held in
your own country; the great trust which you have come to
Canton to discharge towards your own government, is natu-
rally the termination of the trouble' here existing, not, as-
suredly, the creation of (fresh) troubles. Your excellency's
acts will, I feel sure, anticipate my confidence in your perfect
sense of justice and thorough impartiality. The words ' com-
merce shall resume its course,' in your letter, are additional
evidence of your excellency's sense of justice and practical
knowledge. Ever sines the treaty was made, in
all their commercial dealings with foreigners, the merchants
of China have invariably behaved as they ought.
It is not from any hindrance interposed by Chios that
no foreign merchant-vessel lass been here since last October.
By year excellency's declaration now made, that
' cola-
ewes between natives and foreigners shall resume its
come; you justify to their complete satisfaction the high
estimation in which you are held by all classes of your own
eceatemen ; what is more, you enable yourself to meet the
unless expectations of the commercialists of every other
country. To conclude, our two nations have ever ontaideoff
themselves so on friendly terms with each other, and the
eontineiees of trade between native and foreigner on its
sonetameed kettag can, of course, be setlefeeteray arranged