The Express.
London, England, 1860-12-29 00:00:00

OFFICIAL DESPATCHES.

Mr. Loch, Private Secretary to the Earl of Elgin
and Kincardine, arrived at the Foreign-office on
Thursday enioing, at 7 o'clock, with despatches
from his lordship, enclosing a convention putting an
end to hostilities with China, signed on the 24th of
eet9isml4aet by his lordship with the plenipotem-
tiary of the Emperor of China.
These despatches are published in the Gazette Ex-
truordiotary of last night.
The Earl of Elgin endemics communications from
Prince Kung relative to the signing of the conven-
tion, and his lordship comments with much seve-
rity upon the unsatisfactory nature of these docu-
ments. He also gives the reasons which led him to
decide upon the destruction of the Summer Palace.
The following correspondence passed between
her Majesty's Commissioner and the Commander-
in-Chief of the Forces :

Before Pekin, Oct. 16, 1660.
Kir,—Ae it is important that I should not, at the present
oonjunctuic, make any demands on the Chinese government
in the enforcement of which I shall not he supported by
your excellency, I beg to know whether I have rightly in.
terpeeted your excelleecy's views as the following points :
Ist. That it is your determination to return to Tieu-tain
before the winter sets in.

Yadly. That in order to effect this object, it u reseereary
that you should commence your movement towards that
Place not later than the brat week in November.
3nlly. That you cm:odder that good faith regains you to
aketsiu from any attack un Pekin or on the public buildings
cootainal Miocene, unless the Chimes give fresh owe of
provocation.
4thly. Sunhat you ire Prepared to take POOONLOCI at
once tor the complete demolition of the palaces of Haitian
and Yuen • If Mg-loci'. —I have, kc.
ELGIN AND KINCANDINZ.
His Excellency tit Hops Grant, 'C.C.S., ka.
Tleadquarten, Pekin, Oct. 15, 1860.
Lord,—ln reply to your excellency's letter of this
date I have the honour to state so follows :

lei. That, in consultation with General do Montauban, I
have determined that it will not be advisable to keep the
army here during the winter.
Zany. That, is order to make the necessary arrangements
for wintering at Tien-twin, the allied forces must march
towards that place about the let November.
3nily. That, after the ents under which the
Anting Otte has been curt eodssed , viz., that the city
should not be injured, it would be not only contrary to
good faith to attack the city or public buildings, excepting it
should become a military necessity, from the Chinese giving
fresh muse of provocation, but would also tend to destroy
the reputation which we now possess, both in Europe and in
the East, for adhering strictly to oar wont; sod, in the
prevent state of our relations with China, 1 consoler it still
moms important that we should give rise to no possible mis-
construction on this point.

etilly. That I am prepared to ensure the destruction of
the 'alar sof Haitieti and Yu'.-Ming-Yuen, should your
lordship consider this step to be advissible.—l have, &c.,
J. Bore GUAM'.
The fir! of Elgin, tic., kc.

The convention and treaty are given in the
Gcralte, but our readers have already been made
acquainted with all their chief provisions. Respect-
ing the unfortunate prisoner+, we have the fol-
lowing letter :

British Embaasy, Pekin, Oct. 26, 1860.
My Lonl,—When I adilremeeto your lordship my dee
*patch of the 13th instant of the total camber of 26 British
subjects seised by the Chinese authorities on the 18th ult.,
while nailer the protection of a Gag of truce, 11 only,
namely, Mr. Parkes Mr. Loch, and eight Sikh troupers
had been retuniete. Hance that date two Sikh troopers
have been restored to us alive, though suffering severely
from the effects of ildtrestment ; and twelve corpses have
Neu given op, among which have Leen recognised the re-
mains of Lieutenant Audersoo, Mr. de Norman, and Mr.
Bowlby.
Of the regrets inspired by the sad fate of Lieutenant
Anderson and Mr. de Norman I have already written.
Mr. Bowlby was the correspondent of the Times. lie anode
the passage from England in the same 4.11111,r LB myself,
and 1 became acquainted with him during the voyage. I
deplore his loss not uuly because he WWI a highly seem' plished
and weldinformed gentleman, hut oleo because from the
conteientions awl liberal spirit in which lie adilreased
felt to the investigation of the singularly complicated pro-
blems presented by the naval, social, pohticul, and °owner-
Mid condition of Chine, I bad econieivel the hope that he
would be the RW411214 diffusing sound informotion on many
points on which it is moat important fur tho national lute.
rests that the British public Gould be correctly informed.
The other corpses sent in are those of eight Sikh troopers,
snit of one English dragoon.
)f the British subjects captured, therefore, Captain Bra.
les.on, of the Boyd Artillery, is alone unaccounted for.
! The silence of the Chinese authorities, who always plead ig-
norance of his fate when questioned on the subject, and
rumours which reach us from various quarter., lead us to
fear that le must have met II violent death. It is reported
that, together with a Freinh gentleman (a priest acting as
int.-, meter to Ideuend Minitnuliai), he was beheaded after
the union of the 21st ultimo, by direction of • Chinese
general who was wounded on that occasion, and who in his
exasperation it said to have ordered that these two tel
who chancel to be MIAs power, should be executed.
i I on, Mellorl to credit this report, although I have no
positive evidence of its amuniey. Captain Brabseon wsa