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

(Stamped, id. Additional.) [TWOPENCE.

seo&ei Wyk
!/ potein, and held the appointment of large sedan chain, but would not deign to notice
assistant quartermuter.genonl of artillery. —I us. We could see that we were in the charge of
bah,* (Signed) Kraut aim KIIICANDIng . Tsing 'rain, the officer already described as being on
The Lord John Russell, Am . the suite of the Prince of I ; and our first solicitations
X... 1 ' for relief from pain and thirst afforded him so much x.' Parker's narrative it introdnoed by •" .w'"'" motel gratification that we made no second appeal to his
Elginiin the following letter : i humanity. Fortunately one of the fora soldiers in the
Pekin, October 30,1860. i cart with us was lees relentless, and gave us • little water.
Hy Ihrde—l have the honour to enclose for your lord. llt wee about half-past two o'clock when we were put into the
ship's pima' i vary interesting and detailed narrative by ' cart, and the sun was setting as we reached the Chaomyanm
Mr. Parkas of the occurratess shish took place while lesr or eastern gate of the city. The streets were crowded with
wasdetained as • prisoner by the Chinese authorities. i people, and our captor', made the best use they could of tia,
Painful as la the by which this experience is se- 'to give their return the character of a triumph. We con-
gutted, such an • ' nt nth* rapture of Mr. Parkesaffents tinued to be driven through street after street, nosing
us an iht into the working of the Chinese systeux which through the eastern and southern and into the western
we shoe* never otherwise nobabiy have obtained. i quarter of the city, until we enteral, at about 8 pm., a
lee. Pease wiesistant refusal *purchase his own safety ' large court, and I saw with a shudder that we were in the
. by sloes toe Pledges, or even by arldrienieg to me any , bands of the Board of Punishments.
1 repcseentetrous, which might have embarrassed me in the ! After we had been kept waiting in a dense crowd for
I &theme of toy duty, is a rare example of courage and de. half-an-hoer longer I was taken from the cart, and carried
I amiratep the public interest, and the course which he fol- before • tribunal composed of examiners of small rank, who
loved m this Inspect, by keying my hinds free, enabled me . made me kneel, and after treating me in a very tyrannical
Ito work out the policy which was best calculated to secure manner, and questioning mo on • few unimportant points,
j hie olotrelmes, as well as the ettanweent of the national they loaded me with chains, and gave me over to a number
objectsistrusted to my ears,—ism, fie., ;of ruftlaolydooking gaolers. These men conducted roe
I Elam Atrii KlNoAgyrag, I through several long courts, and happening to halt for some
To Lord John Reshill, ke., Ika purpose, I knew by the clash of charm that another pri-
soner was approeohing. It proved to be Mr. Loch, but
they would not allow ue to convene, en hastily sent us
MR. PARKES IMPRISONMENT. away in different directions. At last we stood before a
The narrative of Mr. Parkes occupies seven building, which I could see was a common prison, and as
the massive door operated and closed on me, I found myself
°dull" of our deity mathemlatirmahlet ' We °l'll re a Weer of enmity or eighty wild-looking prisoners,
only afford space for the most interesting portions. most of them offensive in the extreme, se is usual in
Describing the eircurnataneee of his arrest, he Chines* gaols, from disease and dirt, and who were =M-
oan : 1 rail_y animus to gaze on the new comer.
itilitig a Add of telt eleiscwliiiili hid as frenwerer t • l'ile epee taielnilY 'mined and 'bad by the
party, we suddenly came upon • body of infantry, who
were with dilltailty prevented from firing upon us, and was
f gaolers, w also saw that Inc chains were properly itecured,
n- ; and bound my arms with froah conk, not so tightly, how-
ever as to reveut circulation, or to occasion serious 1 wereillirened to 'mounted amodarin, evidently one of rauk, ~anfence
inters-
, and wearing • rod button, who was standing on the opposite . . • PAtithe um° time.' br'werarr the, r°m°red• to
niy intense re ief, the cords from. ply eerie's, whigh being
side of the canal referred to in the early part of this re.
has!T very tightly tied had OrturedY gassing
Bands to swell to 4see
part, and near to the spot where one of the bridges
their proper size, and
.were Ito* iving me Fe* pain. They
bees removed. The crowd of sold'ers called on us to die.
••, then id me on the rusefltoariling on which the prisoners mount and cross the canal in • boat. I tried to avoid Qrs. I and mule large slain to a beam
bat al the mandarin referred to would not Teak to me 1 sleep,
unless I did so, and seeing that we were wurroundedley rude overhead. The enema **Dilate° " one I%eld Heavy one I
stretchiest frum ih3 nedr ate floe feat, to
arid excited at:ldiom who clearly looked upon us as their. the hands
comply. 7rere fastened bjt o dross chains and handcuffs, and the
posoneThs, I advised Mr. Loch and the sower to
r tin • similar neer
Bythis time soother mandarin had ridden cap to the former es . . . • . .
Being eananateu w. r ith etiree and want of food. which I
use, and Imaiiet' es he aPPinnellad, the cry "'bed.. had not *Med . for upwards of twenty:lour lin" I fell
of " the Primes 1 the Prime ft I inquired from
'''' imam, but Mai 141011 node ousible of iilpeeition
Aker what prices it wae. He told me Prince ....d.... .ed beforsthe e- boon! .17 info
Seam (Sang-kodinmin). ad I therefore hoped that ca
ito ttwailtrar. about midnight, but the hair did rat
the use which this personage had himself made in the late ma
yrkept.ul4.
couer. ha a a law
coo
odoorkdd4l..mr.
hostilities of flags of truce -would induce him to respect the
one under which we wen now satires. We therefore dim. mieth's Inatangnme. of Ci..iCa-rn.
olanata`... •eq. lin''..—.Lic4l'e. alul• -.1-the:
mounted in osier to rem to him, sad directly we did an. other num/ a y reuti i unes() rat
bitoremeaire..
mu, as I woe nen ag in say t s
the soldier' fell upon us, tore off several of the thin. we warned that the would the truth Irma pie if t'
had on, dragged us across the canal, and hurled us prostrate ..,me • ...., , . !ores.
__ .. s ~ •
ms the ground before the prince. mu not put it willingly , min in prow tit, weir earnestness
they ordered four torturer+, en scree mi., even 'before 'they'
' The moment the mince gave me as oppertwaity of &pink-
ies- to him, which he did by asking me my name, lat once began so Put"thelt rums' bythe 'en' sal the is.oC
Marty informed hint who l'eres, and of the whole character the head and fete, They first asked me if I were a Chimp*.
I ly to look at my face and hair to
crely mission to lug-chow, adding that I was returning told them they bed on
ts, my ambasoadot wham I was stepped by his sea that I wasnot Their next questions related tunytige;
ft was proceeding with • remonstrance againste 4
the treat. length °A teetdetee in Chine, how and *bin I had beta•
Whet I was receiving, when the, prom' e interrupted me by employed, lc.
rtake.',' Why did you not agree, yesterday, to settle oho Mr. Parkes proceeds to detail the pa.rticulars of.
questioti t" . ' the examination, informing in; that. at-fisiligent
" Because I was not empeerseed to do so," I replied.
The prince then costumed in a very forbidding tone, intervals hit tOrt6eis pulled sliottliansolutly al his'
"Listen ! You can ten raison ; you have gained two , hair, dart, to. R Wits 6tilv he eaya,front the priedr
Illetoriea to our one. TOM. you have dared to take the writ that la• obtained sympathy or • Waring
Palo forts ; why dote not that ondent you! And sow Many of ibilse unfottotrate men were glad, when 14
yea presume to give out" (the prim, hare alluded to the ponoitiod, to apse round
,me to liotto to my story a
proclamation of the cornmanderdschief) "that you will dercriptiee that 1 would give them of foreign countairse,
*Mack any force that stops lour north on Tuegwhow. / . :115• usages. Instead oefellnwing the example set them ley
ma now dMag that. Yoe my that you do not dltect these their authorities, and treating me with abuse. et rkhealart
rallitary anweneeate, bet I knew your name, and that you • wt., war. „lam Bitting
use eddreased tri. by m y tiVe.
**at* all the Oril that rafr MOPla makalia You have antrotten avoided putting to inconvenience when it win
, also used bold language in the pewee* of the Priem of 1., is their power tel dose Mast of Mem were men of tihe
and it is time that foreigners should be taught respect for lowest class „Agin grayest, eider of blairdere. •,ea Law
Chinese nobles sad minletees."' deters, burglars, Ac.'
prison
who had no memos of 'het
I eadesae•fad to "Plat' the adeteheaad th•lrbre; tad' own were "(diced hy prison filth and prison diet to • shoe!.
him distinctly what my functions were i.that I led tome te 1 ewe of amides., and disease, bet these who taw
Tang-rigor b 7 cAPl•mailtvesioent with the imperial commis- ord to fee the polar*, and purchase such thieves *ay
down, sad aol*Y in the filtarnitc .at isesss,...__a_,lnd I a_
_Mit wanted, liveriln comparitiYe talness and comfort.
I°oml hiet te..allew the maw_ „NIP" t° an_ . „'iminan nag ea' They explaleed to me that their prison system (rest the
truce that we lad always pas to those sti lepersemy NM .0,,,.,mmt b0t0,," wore then the pay of the poi," sag
is by the Chimes.
___, We supply of two bowls of boiled millet per day to each
The Prinne` Innevart simply 44'1 at all this, `"a prisoner. All other expenses, such as water, lightiog, fuel,
grain towards a house trot we, dose by, direeted the OW tea, „pub'. for the orieo„.. and va now. for
dims to Miss meshes him. ' the a
legaors, ke., are defrayed by some uoe among the pri-
CPa arnvulte. the house, I was again thi'm el gal sonars who voluntarily u as the charge in redemption
knees Ware am, and the prince asked vie In would write at a weak twitted antis uTs et eatgee.b.
fraehisee---- I.- • The mandarins of the board beam ordered that I theald
Having asked what it was that he wished me to write. be supplied with food that I could eat, my maintenance—
be talk ' Write top= people, and tell them to stop the which cost, as I was told, ls. a ilay—wes carried to the
attack."
charge of the man who held this position ; but indeed uf
"It would be useless for me to do so," I replied, "ea I taking a dislike to me on account of the iocreased Olntllllo
*mot matron' or influence military mermen* in say which I occasiooed him, he was one of the foremost in
way. I will not deceive your highness by leading you to
or c showing me kindness
suppose that anything I might write would have such an consideration. My meals consisted
of two meals a-day of boiled rice, or • kind of mammon
effect.*
seaweed with a very sparing allowance of meat or vegeta-
" I seou continue obstinate," he said, " and that you bias; also cakes, or the bread of the country, and a little
will be ono use to me." tee sold tobacco.
I then heard him give direction to take Mr. Loch, the In the prison roll which was hung up on the wall. I
Dower, and myself to the Prince of I, but to conduct the found toyed( returned as " • rebel," and that I was one of
escort into (hang-kat-wan. While the necessary prepare, five, out of a total of seventy-three, who were ordered to
time were being made, two high officers in his suite, wear-
ing red buttons, took me as into a tent, and told me to As I grew more ietiniate with the inmates of the prisoo,
sit down and talk with him. "Follow our advice," they I cautiously endeavoured to obtain information from or
said, "and don't think of denying that you eau do this or through them of the movements of the allies, or the intim.
that, or you will get into trouble." tiou of the Chinese authorities ; but thesaolen, were always
I again explained to them who I was, and how far my on the watch to prevent communication between me and
rower. extended, but they replied that they did not be- the prisoners on theme subjects. nor would they allow them-
. Mee Me. salves to be drawn into couvenation respecting them. Two
Navies expressed surprise at the engagement then going of these men remained always beside me, both by day and
on, and inquired how it, had oononenced, they observed, night, end although they occasionally answered my inquiries
"It does not matter how it commenced ; perhaps you - •
- respecting Mr. Loch and my felloe-prieonera they defeated
began it, perhaps we did ;but Too have at last gone too far, every endeavour I nods to get a nooses., or note conveyed
and will now get your deserts!'
to them.
" Bat we
have not go" too far," lad your
"It has On the 22nd September I was removed from the common
been agreed between our ambaseackes your °min"' prison to • separate ward about eight feet square, on the
Minters that we are to occupy ground up to five le south of opposite side of'the court, the four gaolers appointed to
Cliairea-vrao."
watch me crossing at the 'erne time, and putting up in the
o h, we are not particular to a few le," said the officers. sane little room. This was scared}, done when I received
"It would have been quite the mane if you hail come within a visit from the inspector of the prison, who, instead of
five, ten, or twenty le of our army. You have gone too far, making me kneel before bin, as he had done on previous
i.e toll you." suite, desired me to be seated, and introduced another man-
The cannonading now became heavier, mil the two officers
dame of small rank as his relief. The latter odd he he'd
, had to follow Prime Sang, who rode away to the front Mr. come merely to pay me a friendly and a private visit,
Loch, the sower, and myself, were ordered to get into an and to suggest in au equally private way whether I coul
open cart of the roughest description, and two French not do something by writing • note of some kind or in sayy
soldiers, whom we had not before sees, were put in with way that I might suggest to bring about a est-
ns. A few momenta before I had observed a French officer tlement of the Forwent anteroom,. between our at
war
I knew to be the commimariat intendant, being led five
nations. I said that when two nations at war
up to the house ;he had evident?_ been ill-used, but I erootod to come toe friendly ooderotoodiog. the mot thin
could not see to what extent, nor had I any opportunity of to be done was for one or the other to make overtures for
speaking with him. uegotiatioos, either by writing or conference, would
We were conveyed to Tung-chow, seeing nothing of our f peace;
ollow and if them were carried out to the setisfaction of
escort on the way, and were taken through the city to the
temple in the western suburb, where I had seen the corn. both. Proles peace would ensue. The difficulty in the pre
ascot Matt was that the Chinese had made prisoners of the
nnaawnera in the morning. They had /aft' and our guard. very persons—although eseetially noncombatants—woo(cousating of 10 horsemen) followed the Peking- roarh in. were required to conduct these confereoces. Here I gave
quiring for the commimioners as they went along, and en. them a recital of my own story, but utter hearing this they
joying the sufferings which the 'severe shocks eccusioned us
when the cart was driven along the dilapidated stone Canoe- usi.mtpatuie back to their first prmosed that I should mg
way at a rapid pace. After retracing their steps in more some mode of arrangement, andmid they wouldshortly.
repeat their visit to hear what had occurred to me They
Use one direction they at last took us into an encampment would give me no information as to the occurrences of the
amid threw us on our knees before a mandarin, who they hot aye days.
told us was the general and minister of stele, Juy.lin. To Shortly after they had gone, the head jailer asked rue if I
avoid another painful and Da010•1 examination I feigned knew a mandarin named Hang-ki. He would like to me 1
faintness, and in reply to his inquiries called out for you, he said, but cannot come into the prison on account of I
water. He then directed that we should be taken the stench, and I doled see how you can be allowed to go
into the air, but we were so premed upon by • out to him. I told the
disorderly mob of soldier' that we had to be no few minutes dt.rward. s railer to act as be pleased. and a
ang-ki „tan&
moved into a bowie, where we were searched by
a military officer of the rank of TOD' and everything that Here follows a note of Mr. Parker's conversation
we had in our possession was taken from us. Again we with Hawg.hi, Mr. Parkes insisting upon the
were removed to • temple, and a mandarin on the suite of
Mega° of Mr. Loch, and the Chinese official
the Prince of I, named Tsino Tajin, who bad behaved with
marked rudeness to me at the morning's interview, came in endeavouring to secure Mr. Parker's services in
and directed that we should be brought before him for en- negotiation at a leas price. On the following slay,
ruination. He askedna our names and who we were, sad however, both gentlemen were released. The
thou Melded upon any telling him where I had obtained a narrative continues :
paper that had been found in my pocket in which promi.
neat mention happened to be made of several prince, and I need not here dwell upon the satisfaction we both
other important personage who are believed to be among felt aa we met each other again iir uue of the outer
the leading 'denotes of the war policy. Fearing to crier*. courts of the Board. Having put auto separate vehicles
rate the native writer of the memorandum (which was we were conveyed, in the charge of Hang-ki and a strong
nothing but a lit of names), I replied that I had obtained escort, to the temple spoken o . Here we were placed in a
it in a Canton yamun. He declared this to be false, de. room about 21.1 feet by 10, which was entered by another
mended why' I presumed to make inquiries about Chinese room of the same dimensions, in which eight of the gaoler,
princes, and said that force should be used to make me di- of the Board were stationed. These rooms looked
into an
ridge from whom I received the information. open court about 40 feet square, in which we were allowed
At this moment he was sadden/7 called away. We heard to take exercise ; but • strong party of soldiers guarded
• stir outside the house, and a number of soldiers with the outer entrance into this court, end we soon became
drawn swords rushed in, dragged us all out, sod bound our aware that military were put up, in and about all parts
wrists tightly behind on. They were much excited, and of the building. llang-ki explained the presence oh the
called out that death was our only desert, as our edition gaoler., by saying that they bad been brought here to act
had been killing their people. After a short delay, during as our servants. With a degree of coneideretioa for our
which Mr. Loteh arid myself took, as we thought, a final comfort, not usually shown by masteries, he had supplied
leave of each other, we were seised by the soldiers and run US not only with such essentials as good food, beds, Ac., but
out of the house at a swift pace, exactly in the way in also with the luxuries of writing materials, soap and towels,
which I have observed the Chinese conduct their prisoners Ac. He left It to ourselves to order our meals whenever
to execution. Again we came together under some trees, we chose, and those, 1 may meution, were abundant sad
and ell five of mwere put sea more into a cart All good during the time of oar stay it. the Kaowincaou tem-
was confusion mound us • the camp we had pre- Pte. As soon as he had seen us located in our new quer.
"Musty observed was being ;truck, and 1 could me that tan, I gave hini, according to my promise, the following
erne advance OD the part of the allied force was evidently note :
causing& retreat on the part of the Chiron. !loon we found "The Chinese authorities are now treating Mr. Loch sad
ourselves agaiu on the Pekin road, and suffering much more myself well, and we are informed that this is done by dins
than before from the jolting of the cart, ... we could not 1 tion of the Prince of Kung. We are also told by them that
now use our hands or arms to ward off the shock.. The I hit highness is • man lit decision and great intelligence, and
cart being too heavily laden to proceed at the desired pace, 1 I trust that, ender these eireunietamet hostilities may be
soother one was called, and the Sikh and owe of the Preach. 1 temporarilymapeniled to give piert. linty for negotiation,"
men were tranderrsd to it. We pared numerous bodies September :to.—nun if Haim les head servants delivered
of infantry in podgiest along the road, sad wen met by a in the name of the Prince of Kling, a tinge present of fruit
considerable force of cavalry going in the direction of Tung- I and confectionery. Hang-ki followed himself at 2 p.m.,
chow. The road was so much blocked up by men and ' and talked at considerable length without loving may ap.
vehicles retreating while other" were advancing, that we I parent object. He timintained that the invasion of a country
were often obliged ti halt. Tin. Prince of I, Yoh-yin, and a march mem the c.ipital was altogether elintrary to
his fellow-comminioner, and liang-ki, pawed us in justice and reason, and that was what we were now doing.

I held that the justice or injustice d invasion depeuded
upon circurmtances ; if one power were wronged by soother.
Old could not obtain redress by fair means, force was the
only resource left. Ws knew from history that Chant had
been invaded about 21:10 years ago by the Manchoo Tutors,
who, when once they had taken possession of the comitry,'
never quitted it, but founded the present dynasty, and Vat
I presumed that he, u a hfanchoo, was vete prep- wed to
defend that course.

He then argued that if we ceptured Pekin, we should
have to coateud against the viceroys of all the provisoes,
who would, of course, march upon us.
Isaid I thought not, as many of these viceroys were
already unable to hold their owns against rebels and banditti.
Instead, however, of wasting time in arguing upon the de-
gree of mischief that would ensue upon the capture of Pe-
kin, I advised Yang-kitosvoid that emtingeney altogether,
by effecting a timely settlement of affairs, instead of coati-
nuing to indulge in delays which, under present circum.
Nunce, must prove particularly deugerous.
Hang-ki went over a good deal of old ground, and tie.
fended hesitation on their part on the grimed that we put •
difficulties in their way which they could not get over.
Among these he euunwrated bringing ep a large escort to
Pekin ; the demand fur indemnities ; the presentation of
the Queen's letter, &o.
As Hang-ki instated on keeping me in the dark as to the
movements both of the koubassadure and the allied boom, I
could Dot give a more practical form to my suggestion*.
hail gathered from a conversation with one of Haug.ki's
wean* previous to the arrival of his master, that our
army had advanced to sod continued to halt at Pa-le-.
cheaou ; and whet, I assumed this es the feet, Haug-ki's
equivocations convinced nit of its truth. I advised htm,
therefore, not to lore what appeared to me their last
chance of negotiation, as one more march would bring
our army under the walla oLkakin, idang.ki having again
put forward the old plea that their fears for the asfety of
their deputies prevented the despatch of these officers to
oar camp, Mr. Loch voltutteered 40 escort them out and
tp return grids them *eau. Haag-id said he would submit •
this propond,to the Prose of Kling.
October I.—llang.ki called at 11 a.m. and was accompa-
nied by Leu, formerly 'Limiter at Shanghai, :out a high
literary mandarin. Lau had been sent by the Prince of I
to Ho-se-woo with desisitehes for the ambassadors at the
same timo that Mr. Wade and myself bad visited the prince'
at Tung-chow. lea half serious tone 1 compared the dif-
ferent treatment in the two cases. Os the pith September
I had carefully escorted lon past our lines, and on the
18th I had been seized and brutally treated by the Chi-
nese in their. Hang-ki cause forward in defence. The•
seizure of myself and party was almost a neceseity, Ike said,.
arising out of the exigency of the moment ; hostilities had.
been resumed, I was m their hands at the tints, and it is.
contrary to all reason, he added, to put a sword into the
hand of your enemy at the very time when you are going to.
give him combat. 'True, I had atone time to complain of ill-,
dentment, but that had been corrected, andl was now well.
taken alreof. They all blamed Sang-kodin-ain and the Princr
of for fighting at Chang-kea-wen instead of concluding,
peace ; but although they admitted that nay detention was
10) act of treachery, they would not see in toy present de-,
tenant a' continuation of the injustice. The Prince of
Kung does' not approve, Rang.ki laid, of Mr. Loch going:
ant with the deptities ; but we wish you to write a note to
Lord Klgn proposing that your army should retire for tea,
of twenty le, and that deputies from both sides should then,
Meet upon some neutral ground. I.pointed oat that duels,
should be inideliy them to your lordship dined.,
ariP7roltiltihrough me, and that I could not lower myself in
the eyes of err olro people by proposing that oar troops,
dhon.U. fall beck Keelung to negotiation. I ouriacoted, how-
ever, to note the proposal they made as to a meeting on,
neutral ground, add accordingly wrote your lordship the
emitted letter. 'Mr. Loch and myself also preps red private,
notes to be wed in the event iif Prinoe Kiang allowing
these to be forwarded with the former.
The 2nd of October passed without a visit, but on the
3rd Hang-ki and Lau called in the afternoon. (The Prince of
Kung, they said ltid baptise! all the letters we load written,
on the lat. Again, they seemed disposed to limit their
conversation to general subjeets, and to deplore the exist-
ence of present difference*, without making any reel effort
to settle them. They stated that Lord Elva had started a
different proposition to theirs—namely, that deputies should-
meet " before the armies," instead of at "a neutral spot."
I pointed out that this'was a distinction without a differ-
ence. They then allotted me a paper ptuport-,
log to be an extract from one of your
despatches, on the subject of the presentation
of the Queen's letter, and wanted me to declare to
them whether this meant that your lordship had no inten-
tion of insisting upon an audience with the Emperor.
They also produced another extract, and desired me to in-
form them whether that meant that your lordship de
nasieded need* aOOO than the izinet,iittilri e*
of Tientsin. declined to give an opinfoll win e mean-
ing of any isolated passages in your lordship's communica-
tions, valets they showed me the original letters • these
they always declined to produce. They then delivered the
following Dote, which had been sent by Mr. Wade, in reply
to the paper I had written on the day we were removed
from prawn, and which, I now learned, bad been forwarded
by them to the English camp :
My dear Parkes,—We were glad to hear from you at last:
I have written to rou a note in Chinese, and take my
chance with this in English. Ever since the Prince Kong
has begun to write, Lord Elgin has been writing to say, that
if they send an officer to get the treaty reedy fors ignature,
end send cut the prisoners at the same time, place will be
made. He adds no conditions to those he insisted on
before, and if the Chinese had had any sense they would,
have made peace a week ago. As it is, they have delayed
so long that we have been obliged to move on the forte ;
and if they do not make peace now, we shall be obliged to
attack Pekin. Our shell will easily destroy the city, and if
any harm betel you all, it will be burned from one end to
the other. Every one here wishes you well ; if the other
fellows want anything, try to get the mandarins to
inform us."

The Chinese version of the above note, which had ht en
forwarded open, bad• of coulee, informed them of its con-
tents. It gave us the information we had so long been
wishing for, and enabled me to point out to Hang-ki and
Lau that it was useless for them to ask me any longer foe'
suggestions, as it was quite clear they had only one course
to pursue. Again 1 urged on them the great risk to which
they exposed their government and city by indulging in
further delay ; but they did not appear much conesmed,
and said that they had been), through the French. that
there was to be no more fighting. I then wrote the follow-
ing acknowledgment of Mr. Wade's note. in English and
Chinese, and begged them to deliver it :
"Myderst \f, e,—We have received the clothes and your
note of the 2nd, acknowledging mine of the 29th Septem-
ber. I see that subsequent notes (one public and two pri-
vate) of Ist October have not been delivered to you. I find
that such arguments PS 1 have been able to use to the
Chinese autborities are iu complete accord with your own,
' and my only hope is that Prince Kung is a man of sufficient
intelligence and weight in the councils of his government as
to induce the latter to follow, without further hesitation,
the course marked out by Lord Elgin."
In one respect, Mr. Wade's Dote gave us considerable
concern, as it seemed to infer that several other per eons
were in the hands of the Chinese besides the Sikh anal the
two Frenchmen who were sent to Pekin with us ; but, tie sough
we often tried to learn from Hangki and the ether manda-
rins the fate of the other gentlemen and men from whom we
were separated on the day of our seizure, they aline. in-
sisted that they knew nothing slant any other prisoner., end
had only accidentally hefted three or four foreigners were de-
tained a tiang-ko-lin-sin's camp. Having imagined, from
mated remarks let fall from time to time by Chinese about
us, that Mr. Lech and myself, with the Sakh and the two
Frenchmen, were the only prisoners in Pekin, we had
hitherto hoped; that the larger portion of our original party,
numbering no less than twenty-three persons, had escaped
capture.
October 4.—Lan called to my that nu Our notes had been
sent to the English camp with another despatch from the
Ponce of Kung to your lordship, upon the answer to which,
mace or war depended. He would not, however, tell us
the tener of the prince's despatch.
October 5.--liengki and Lau called in the afternoon. As
usual, their conversation wan at first desultory, anal they
pretended to want to discuss with me certain provisions of
the Treaty of I Sbei and the convention of Tiemtsin. Tu our
inquiries as to whether they had any letters for us, they at
first produced only one newspaper and a packet of medi-
cine; but, on toy insisting that they must hare
received something more, they delivered us Mr.
NVade's note of October 4, informing us, in very
decided language, thst your lordship had determined not to
open negotiations with the Chinese authorities until the pri-
soners seized under the flag of truce had been given up ;
further, that as the Chinese had not complied with this
alemnod, although often repented, hostilities would at once
be resumed. As reference to this letter may he convenient
iu this place, I beg to MOWS a copy. 1 reed It over to
Munk' twice, and the UltraPiDeDS which he and leiii had,
till then, been trying to conceal, became now mere appa-
rent. They again endeavoured to teed me Into a long -dis-
euasion as to the rielitfulocos of our proceeding.. but I had
ouly the oils reply to give them—" You lance to choose
between the destruction of your capital or the uneendi-
tiooal auareuder of your prisoners." They could not
agree, they said, te that mode of proceeding. and
things must, therefore, take their cmiese. Twice
they went away, and twice they returned to ask
if I could not point out some other mode of meeting the
atifikultv. ID reply I simply rated from Mr. I% adds
letter. -"
But if you are relents!, they wed, " before the
convention is signed and piece concluded, you will want to
retaliate upon us in some way for what you have under..
gone." Mr. Loch and niyeelf very distinctly mewed them.
tint we had no wish or intention 14 the kind, and that they
had it yet in their power to atone fur the wrong committed
by immediately releasing all their prisoners. Thee then
urged that the Prince of Kew wankel to use me briore we
were returned. They could not say when—perhaps in two
or three days' time. 1 warned them against incur ring any
delay on this account, adding that, although it would he
graidyiug to um to see his highness, suchen interview could