The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-05 00:00:00

THE BRITISH EXPEDITION TO CHINA.

(From the Special Correspondent of the Times.)
TA-LIEN-WHAN BAY, JULY 20.

In a few days the allied expedition will sail for
Peiho and attack the Taku forts. Before hostili-

ties commence it will be well to take a rapid survey
of the causes which led to the present war, and of
the real policy of the Chinese Court.

It is now 10 years since the Emperor Hienfung
assumed the rule over 400,000,000 men. De-
scended from a powerful race, to which China is
indebted for two centuries of stable government, it
hag hp,n hie tnicfnrtnnP fn fall nn a ravnlnfinnarY
era. The child of a long-lived dynasty, debauchery
and dissipation have rendered him prematurely old,
and his life is already flickering in the socket. Ten
years ago and no banner but his own waved on the
walls of a fortified city from the banks of the
Amoor to those of the Irrawaddy—from the shores
of the Pacific to the foot of the Himalayas; ten
years ago and his empire was safe from internal
commotion, free from external war; and now his
northern frontier is receding before a powerful and
aggressive neighbour. His fairest provinces are in
the hands of rebels. His capital is threatened by
the arms of England and France, against whom he
is preparing a hopeless resistance. In such mis-
fortunes has he become involved through a blind
and imbecile policy which has neglected every
favourable opportunity and spurned all friendly
advice.

No sooner had Hienfung ascended the throne
than he determined on resisting all innovation, and
thought only of restoring the old regime in all its
force and rigour. His favourite adviser was an old
councillor, who adjured him by the shades of his
fathers to impose all along the coast the same re-
strictions on foreign intercourse as then existed at
Canton, and to prepare for hostile and coercive
measures. Well has he followed this advice, each
succeeding year having afforded fresh proof of his
uncompromising hostility to the barbarians.
In the summer of 1850 her Majesty's ship Rey-
nard was despatched to the moxth of the Peiho
with a letter from her Majesty's Government.
Here was au opportunity of dispelling at once and
for ever any doubt as to the character of his foreign
policy. " Foreigners," says the Emperor in a de-
cree then published,—

" Are under obligations to be grateful for our generosity
and to live in peace and quiet among us. But their recent
proceedings at Tien-tsin, in impudently forwarding de-
spatches direct to the Minister of State, can be looked upon
only as contumacious and insulting in the extreme. We
have accordingly given our demands that no reply be
handed them, but that those documents be passed over in
perfect silence as if they were of no consequence whatever.
Now, as our code of ceremonies has ordained that the offi-
cials of the empire shall have no intercourse with fo-
reigners, wo accordingly require that our Ministers of State
return no reply to the said foreigners, lest by so doing they
give the slightest encouragement to their insolent arro•
gance. But, whereas Seu-Kwangtsing, our viceroy at Can-
ton, has hitherto conducted our affairs there in a very
trusty manner, and has shown himself thoroughly ac-
quainted with the diabolical schemes and manoeuvres of
foreigners, and seeing, moreover, that Canton is the first
province reached by foreigners, we appoint that all such
matters be hereafter referred to Seu-Kwangtsing. This
we pubjash as the invariable and unalterable law of the Em-
pire."

Foremost among the liberal statesmen of China
stood Keying. He had the courage to propose a
liberal policy, and the fidelity to inform his master
of the truth, however unpalatable. He was the
first victim to imperial wrath. "As for Keying,"
says the decree which degraded him,—
" His unpatriotic and pusillanimous conduct is to us a
matter of unmixed astonishment. When ho was at Can•
ton, for instance, he seemed only anxious to make our
people subserve the interest of foreigners, all the while over-
looking the claims of his native country. Is not this evi-
dent from his proposal to throw open the gates of that city,
whereby he violated the principles of Heaven, outraged the
feelings of men, and all but introduced a series of innova-
tions the result of which it is beyond human power to
divine? Recently, during a private interview, Keying
spoke to us freely of the English—how much they were to
be dreaded, and strongly urged on us the necessity of a mild
and conciliating policy. He supposed that we were not
aware that his knavish object was merely to secure rank
and emolument to himself. Oh, how fallen and degraded
is he ! The more he speaks the more do we discover this,
so that at last we have the same contempt for him that we
have for a wild yelping cur."

Soon after lieyin:6'B d-
egradation the conduct of
he officiPl' the
gave ample evidence
had been inaugurated.
seaboardpolicy
However, the outbreak of the rebellion afforded
along
&oat a reactionary
employment sufficient to the Imperial troops. At
length, in 1854, the Americans tendered their aid
in suppressing the insurrection. Iliang, the Vice-
roy, thus reports to the Emperor his interview
with the American Minister, Mr. M‘Larte :--
" Ho subsequently handed in a communication in very
obaoquim plawlogii QM tll9 Wl°l° it differed 1494):41g