The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-18 00:00:00

The Annamite Ambassadors.

The illoniteur gives some further interesting particulars
respecting the Annamite ambassadors, and particularly de-
scribes their stay at Toulon :—" The Annamites, who are
the people of the extreme East, most advanced in naval
constructions, examined with much interest all that was
shown to them. Our immense supply of cannon of all
sizes, and particularly the armoury, excited their astonish-
ment. Although it is in general very difficult to detect any
expression of feeling in the countenances of the natives of
the East, yet the novelty of such a spectacle more than
once was seen to strike them with amazement. The nume-
rous sailors composing the crews of the line of-battle ships,
all in full dress, made a deep impression on the first ambas-
sador, and it was on this subject that he asked the greater
number of questions. The first vessel visited by the am-
bassadors in the roadstead was the Imperial yacht the
Aigle. They were evidently deeply impressed by the
honour done them, and several times expressed their gra-
titude towards the Emperor of the French. They would
not allow the mandarins of their suite to go below, and
themselves abstained with much delicacy from entering
the private cabins of their Majesties. The ambassadors
during their journey from Marseilles to Paris,
constantly took notes of all they saw, and what
particularly struck them was the highly cultivated appear-
ance of the country. So long a panorama of variously cul-
tivated ground excited their admiration."—The Patric adds
some further details of the manners and customs of these
" distinguished strangers" ; it says :—" Before describing
the impression produced upon these Asiatics by the aspect
of our civilisation, we may mention that the spectators who
beheld them on their arrival were not overwhelmed with
admiration at their personal appearance, which is of a cha-
racter inferior to that of the late Japanese ambassadors, or
the more than simple attire attire of their numerous attend-
ants. These representatives of the yellow race have been
immensely flattered by the illustrated journals which have
published their portraits. They are generally small and
thin, with long black hair, which they do not shave off like
the Chinese; their eyes and teeth are also black. For the
latter they use a die partly composed of copperas which pro-
duces that appearance. By them it is considered a mark of
beauty ; to heighten it they chew betel-nuts, and rub their
teeth several times a day with tobacco. The three ambassa-
dors wear silk dresses ornamented with gold threads,and carry
almost perpetually in their hands an ivory stick, which is
an insignia of their rank. The stick, in fact, plays a great
part in the customs of the country. With a bamboo rod
the officers and persons of their suite make their inferiors
understand what they mean. Contrary to the Japanese,
, who were remarkable for the profusion of jewellery which
they wore, the Annamites wear only a few rings- The
clothes cf the inferiors consists of simple robes of very thin
material. On arriving in France they did not even abandon
their national usage of going barefooted, the mandarins
alone wearing silk stockings and Chinese shoes, the upper
part of which are of stout cloth ; the soles are nearly two
inches thick. Their stockings are embroidered with curious
fantastical figures. Black, which is considered an aristo-
cratic, and at the same time a national colour in Cochin-
China, predominates in their costume, The cotton-hand-
kerchief with which the inferiors cover their heads aro of
this colour. The head-dress worn by the chiefs is of a more
pretentious character. It is a sort of a double cardboard
hat, covered with black silk, and garnished with figures and
gold rosettes. These natives, accustomed to a temperature
of more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, shivered with the
cold on their arrival in Paris, having nothing on beyond
their thin robes, fastened round the waist with a
cord. The officers charged to accompany them immediately
' proposed to provide them with a dress more suitable to the
climate of the French capital, but there were certain diffi-
culties to be overcome. In Cochin China shoes (as before
stated) aro au article of luxury and a mark of distinction.
The ambassador was perfectly willing that, warm clothing
should be provided for his soldiers and servants, but on the
subject of shoes he was inflexible. It was explained to him
-
that the wearing of shoes form no part of the ceremonial in
France, and that the pavement was dangerous to the health,
but he only gave way on the condition that a difference
should be observed in the making of the shoes, and that
those of the inferiors should bo less handsome than the
others. Among the parsons composing their suite is a
young man, a native of Cochin China, of very agreeable
1
countenance, and the only one among those Asiatics pos-
sensing the slightest pretensions to good manners. He
. speaks four ialigtogep, and is Pccutirly fluent in French

The organs of the most extreme parties may reject as in-
sufficient the programme recommended by the three Powers;
but it would be an error to believe that there are in such a
case but two parties to be considered—on the one side the
Government occupied in suppressing the insurrection, and
on the other the chiefs of the insurgents fomenting disorder
and raising the most extravagant pretensions.
Outside these two eamps there is a great floating maser
that would be content to see the security of persons and
property placed under the protection of a just and beneficent
Administration. In gaining the confidence of this portion
of the population, Russia would make a great stride towards
the pacification of the country.
Prince Gortschakoff points out, as one of the principal
obstacles to all atterepts at conciliation, the moral encou-
ragement which the most insensate aspirations of the in-
surrection draw from the hope of an active foreign inter-
vention from without.
It is true that events in Poland have, excited a lively
sympathy in Europe. This sympathy has been mani-
fested in almost every State where national represen-
tation exists. Such manifestation, added even to the
material assistance which the insurgents have been able
to receive from neighbouring States notwithstanding the
strict surveillance Of the Government, do not, how-
ever, constitute the only obstacle to the re-establish-
ment of order in Poland. If the insurrection, as Prince
Gortschakoff says, has concentrated all its efforts in the
kingdom of Poland, it is because it has found there a
favourable ground on which it was casT to call up well-
founded grievances, and where there existed causes for
discontent, the removal of which is precisely what we ad-
vise. If the Court of Russia had taken more into account
the engagements entered into in 1772 and 1815 in favour of
the maintenance of religious liberty and of the motional in-
stitutions, the agitation from without would not so easily
have provoked these troubles, the frequent recurrence of
which disturbs, not without reason, the neighbouring coun-
tries and the whole of Europe.
Neither do we very well cooprehend the objections offered
by Prince Gortschakoff against the reassembling of a formal
conference called to discuss the affairs of Poland. From the
moment that the Cabinet of St. Petersburg admits that the
other Powers have the right of interpreting the sense of
certain stipulations concerning the kingdom of Poland, it
implicitly recognises by such admistion that these same
Powers have a right of examination, ieuding them to make
their opinion heard upon the execution \of measures which
are only the direct consequence of these stipulations.
We cannot discover in the participaticn of the eight
Powers signing the acts of Vienna, or in deliVerations upon
the condition of the kingdom of Poland the ciraracter of a
direct interference in the interior affairs of RussiLl, since it is
evident that the Treaty of Vienna places his kincdom in a
special position, very different from that of the proevinces of
the Russian Empire. We do not see, then, what, from
Prince Gortschakofl's poinfof view, renders unaccept able to
Russia the assembling of a conference of the eight Pow era.
'We have already protested against the interpretation wltich
the Cabinet of St. Petersburg seemed to give in this resp ect
to a passage of our despatch of the 18th June.
The Imperial Cabinet then only stated an elementary
truth. It is clear, in fact, that the assembling of a conference
with the object of negotiating with Russia becomes impos-
sible, if the party most directly interested, that with whom
it is precisely necessary to negotiate, declines to appear.
But we did not wish to be understood to indicate by this
reserve that we should approve the refusal of Russia to take
part in a conference.
As regards the proposal of a direct undertaking between
Austria, Prussia, and Russia, the Imperial Government
could not, as far as it is concerned, regard this combination
as admissible. We can only repeat here, on this head,that
the concert established between the Cabinets of Vienna,
London, and Paris, with the view of facilitating a pacific
solution of the Polish question, forms between these three
Cabinets a bond from which Austria cannot now disongage
herself to negotiate separately with Russia and Prussia.
We have besides been obliged to repel the assimilation
which this proposal appeared to establish between the terri-
tories purely and simply incorporated with the Austrian Em-
pire, and the portion of ancient Poland constituted in 1815
into a State united to the Empire of Russia, but enjoying a
distinct Administration.
The Emperor, our august master. has-not hesitated to
spontaneously endow his Polish possessions with institu-
tions in harmony with present necessities and the progress
of the age.

For its part the Imperial Government had Lot, therefore,
to concert on this subject with the frontier G,overnments,
and the measures which it recommended to Rawls were not
in contradiction with the example which it has set in its own

dominions.
We further hasten to note with satisfaction the declara-
tion contained in the despatch of the 15th (27th) of July,
read to Ina by M. de Knorring, in which Prince Gort scha-
koff protests against the interpretation which we put 14011
his proposition.
In fact it appears to me that the precedent of 1815 cal..
not be successfully applied to existing circumstances,for the
Powers who signed the Acts of Vienna had not at that;
period the title to intervene in the Polish question which
they now claim, and which originates precisely in those
very Acts.

In thus communicating our v!ews to Prince Gortschakoff
there still remains an imperious duty for us to fulfil. It is
to call his most serious attention to the gravity of the situa-
tion and the responsibilities which it throws upon Russia.
Austria, France, and Great Britain have pointed out the
urgency of putting an end to a deplorable state of affairs full
of danger to Europe; they have at the same time indicated
the means which it appeared to them ought to be employed
to arrive at this end, and they have offered their concurrence
to attain it more surely.

If Russia does not do everything in her power to second
the moderate and conciliatory intentions of these three
Powers, if sho does not follow the path pointed out to her
by amicable counsels, she exposes herself to the seriou2
consequences to which a prolongation of the disturbances iv.
Poland may lead.
Idesire you, Count, to read this despatch to Prince Gorts•
chakoff, and leave with hips a copy of the same. —Receiver
Sze., RECIII3E.IIO.

A BARONET'S DAUGHTER AND GRANDCHILD Ig
THE POLICE CELLS.—On Monday the Glesgov.,
police apprehended a woman, named Margaret Lindsay or
Cowan, on a charge of uttcriitg base win. when she was
brought to the police office on this charge, two detective
officers went to her lodgings in Alison-street, with the view
of making further inquiries regarding her. In the course
of their investigation they discovered, in the possession of
hte mother, who occupied the same lodgings, two pawn
ticket--one for a table-cloth and the other for a sheet
pledged by her, while they were the property of their land-
lady. The owner, unaware of this transaction until this
discovery, at once committed her to the (Ayers. Her name
is Phillis Pet tes, or Lindsay, (laughter of the late Sir W:u-
Fettes, Bart., who, it is said, omitted to make a suitable
provision for her in his will, when at ranging for the endow-
ment of an hospital at Comely Bank. The trusties on Sir
Willianes estate, however, gave her au allowance from the
funds under their control; but it is said that after the de-
cease of the late Lord Rutherfurd this was discontinued.
At length, after enduring several privations, and disposing
of all her marketable property, she, in a state of utter desti.
tution, pledged these articles for a few coppers. She pled
guilty to the charge, and was sentenced to 30 days impriv
sonment,—.Yora

On the Ist of October
nwill be p
icub Ilishetd, a Third and Cheap
Edpre os. d.,
DISEASES of the BRAIN and
OBSCURE,
MIND.
FORBES WINSLOW, M.D., D.C.L.
Lona : Robert Ilardwicke, 192, Piccadilly.

HEATRE ROYAL DRURY - LANE. -
Managers, Messrs. E. Falconer and F. B. Chatterton.
THIS F,VENIEN G, the new and original Comedy, by Edßo-
-
mund Falconer, ea titled NATURE'S ABOVE ART
A
mance of the Nursery : Messrs. Walter Lacy, Addison, Rydtte
er,
Barrett, G. Belniore, F. Charles. Neville M
; Miss Charlo
~suniters. 'Murray, Miss R. Leclercq, Mrs. elville, and
rs. Edmund Falconer.
To conclude with A DAY WELL SPENT Messrs. G.
Belmore, F. Cha ries ; Mesdames Murray, Harfleur, and C.
Weston.
Box-office open from Ten till Five daily. Prices as usual.

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
I.,,,asee, Mr. George Vining,
Open under the Management of Mr. Walter Montgomery.
THIS EVENING, TFIE LADY OF LYONS. Claude
Melnotte. 3; r. n alter Montgomery ; Damas, Mr. C. Fitz-
james ; Pauline, Miss Kate Saville.
To be folio wed by FAMILY JAE:S.
Commence at 7.

NENV THEATRE-ROYAL,
El 'le Fropristor and Manager. Mr. B. Webster.
THIS EVENING, THE TRAGEDY QUEEN. Mrs.
Stirling:.
Follimed by the new comic drama, THE HEN AND
Gut( K P:NS ' • or. A Sign of Affection. Messrs. Billington,
B. Phillips, Stephenson ; Mrs. Stirling and Miss H. Simms.
Alter which, at 4 -past 8 o'clock, the new drama of THE
HAUNTED ]IAN ; OR, THE G. OS L'S BARGAIN, in
which will be exhibited Professor Pepper's adaptation of
`he Great Spectral Illusion. Messrs. A. Wood. R. Phillips,
Sefton C. J. Smith; Mrs. Alfred Mellon and Miss H. Simms.
To conclude with CATCHING AN HEIRESS : Mr. A.
Wood.

ROYA L STRAND THEATRE.
*Manager, Mr. W. H. Swanborough.
THIS EVENING, HIS FIRST CHAMPAGNE. Mr
Leigh Murray.
Followed by (51d time) THE MOTTO, "PM ALL
THE FIE." Messrs. Honey, Turner, E. Danvers, Collier,
Clifton; Mesdames Ada Swanborough, F. Josephs, Maria
Simpson, Wallace, ano Jenny White.
To conclude with TURN HIM OUT. Mr. Turner, Miss
Thorne.

Commence at 7.

rip FIE THIRD EDITION OF " THE SUN,"
Containing. the Lq test SPORTING INTELLIGENCE,
Can be had Every Evening of
G. R. GLENIE. NEWS AGENT,
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HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
This Dew.—Morning, 4h. 55m.—Afternoon, bh. 16m.
To-mounow.-Morning, sh. 35m.—Afternoon, sb. 5Sm,

The Weather—Sim Office, Sept. 17, 1863.