The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-17 00:00:00

LORD ELGIN.

Camp before Pekin, Oct. 8.
My Lord,—At the close of my despatch of the 23d of
September, sent by the last mail, I informed your Lord-
ship that a brother of the Emperor of China, by name
Kung, had written to apprise me that he had been ap-
pointed to treat with me in the room of Prince Tsai and
President Muh, who had been superseded because of their
mismanagement of affairs, and that I had referred him, in
reply, to the notifications which the Commanders-in-Chief
had issued some days previously, and which was to the effect
that if the British and French subjects illegally detained in
captivity by the Chinese authorities were not at once set at
liberty Pekin would be assaulted,

On the following day I received a further letter from
Prince Kung, which stated that the persons in quest on
had been captured after the fight had commenced on the
18th ult., and that they could only be restored after her
.Majesty's fleets and armies should have left Taku. The
Prince added that there had been a dispute between Mr.
Parkes and the Imperial Commissioners Tsai and Muh on
the subject of the presentation of the Queen's letter to the
Emperor of China.
As I had the good fortune to be within reach of Lieute-
nant-General Sir Hope Grant at the time when this letter
reached me, I thought it proper to confer with him before
answering it. I found that he inclined to the opinion,
that it would be advisable to take advantage of the oppor-
tunity afforded by it to restate to the Prince, not only
the serious consequences that would ensue if he refused
to deliver up the British subjects whom he had illegally
captured, but also the conditions on which, if they were
accepted within a period of three days, peace between
Great Britain and China might still be concluded. I was
moreover, desirous to inform the Prince that the Queen's
letter to the Emperor had not been, as he insinuated, men-
tioned by me, for the first time in the despatch to Prince
Tsai and the President Muh, of which Mr. Parkes had been
the bearer, but that I had referred to it in the very same
terms in a letter written to Kweiliang, at Tien-tsin ; and,
further, that I had always treated the question of its presen-
tation as one of courtesy, not of war. I enclose a cnpy of
this communication of Prince Rung, and of my answer; also
of my correspondence with Sir Hope Grant, and of a letter
from me to Baron Gros in reference thereto. Further letters
between Prince Kung and me, the coptes of which are
likewise enclosed, followed on this correspondence. Not-
withstanding, however, various endeavours on his part to
raise discussions which might, as he hoped, enable him to
escape from the necessity of categorically accepting or re-
fusing the conditions offered, I deemed it to be my duty to
adhere to them, and to require that her Majesty's subjects
detained at Pekin should be restored before any steps for
arresting hostile operations were taken. I could not admit
the I rinciple that they should be dealt with as prisoners
legitimately made during war. At the same time, as 11161
lives might have been put in jeopardy if the Chinese autho-
rities had been driven to despair I thought it proper to in-
timate that their unconditional surrender would cause the
prospects of peace to improve.
_ _

Oa the sth inst. the Commanders-in-Chief, having re-
ceived from the fleets and from Tien-twin the supplies and
munitions of war which they required, advanced on Pekin.
On the afternoon of the 6th the main body of the English
force was encamped on the north face of the Tartar city,
and the French army, with the British cavalry, at the
Summer Palace of the Emperor, having encountered on
their march to these points no enemy except a few strag-
gling Tartars who fled on their approach.

On the morning of the 7th inst., I received a despatch
from Prince Kung, of which I enclose the translation, in
which he goes a great way towards the acceptance of the
conditions prescribed by me in the communications which I
had previously addressed to him. I may mention that he
refers in it to a letter written to me on the day preceding.
which however has not yet reached me. It was agreed
that the authorities in Pekin should be informed that the
city might still be spared the calamities of an assault, if her
Majesty's subjects therein detained were immediately re-
stored, and ono of its gates given up to the Allies, and that
Mr. Wade should require a mandarin of proper rank to
meet him at some point between it and our camp, in whose
hands he might place, with suitable explanations, a paper
stating these conditions in the names of the Commanders-
in-Chief.

I enclose a copy of the document which, in pursuance
of this arrangement, was delivered by Mr. Wade to the
mandarin sent to ccnfer with him. Mr. Wade leads me
to hope that Mr. Parkes and others who are with him may
be restored this evening. But as Prince Kung Ins left the
city, and is now at a considerable distance from it, some
time must elapse before we learn what view he takes of
the demands preferred in the final summons of the Com-
mander-in-Chief. I have, &c., .
ELGIN AND KINCARDINE.
The Lord John Russell, &c.

Received September 24.
The Prince of Kung, Imperial Commissioner, makes a
communication in reply :

The Prince has just received the despatch of the British
Minister, requiring that the officers of his Excellency's Go -
vernment, who are still absent, should be desired to return
to the army without delay. The officers of his Excellency's
Government had, on an earlier occasion, in person, discussed
at Tungchow, with the late Imperial Commissioners, the
Princo I, and his colleague, right propositions, to the whole
of which assent was given, it is to be presumed, to the
satisfaction of his Excellency the British Minister. The
discussion of the question of personal presentation of the
national letter* had not yet been satisfactorily terminated,
when the British officers in question, going off in anger,
fell in with the troops by the way; an encounter ensued,
and they were seized in the melee. It is not, therefore, the
Chinese Government that has been at all wanting towards

the maintenance of friendly relations.
The officers in question are now in the capital ; none of
them have suffered harm ; t but with peace still uncon-
eluded it is scarcely possible that they should bo sent back
again. The city of Tien-tsin and the forts of Taku have
both been taken and are still in possession of the British
Government. What occasion is there then for alarm about
a few British subjects who may be missing? If the two
Governments are indeed to be friends, if (the British Go-
vernment), desiring a cessation of hostilities, will take its
men of war out of the Fort of Taku, the Chinese Govern-

ment, so soon as the different concessions it is asked to make
shall have been discussed and disposed of, will send back
the officers in question, such as they shall find them to ba,:.
in order to the perfecting of friendly relations.

The letter addressed by his Excellency to his officer

could hardly be delivered while the present state of hos-
tility continues. It shall be delivered us the force has been
withdrawn.

A necessary reply, addressed to the Earl of Elgin,
&c., &c.
- -

Ilienfung, 10th year, Stb moon, 9th day (23d September,
L 860). Translated by
TIIONIAM WADE, Chinese Secretary.

The undersigned has received a despatch under date the
23d inst., from his Imperial Highness the Prince of Kung,
and makes this communication in reply :

The subjects of her Majesty the Queen of England now
detained in Pekin, were at Tungchow, or on their return
from Tungchow to the British camp, under tfie protection
of a flag of truce, and with the knowledge and consent of
the Imperial Commissioners, the Prince Tsai, and the Pre-
sident Muh, when the bad faith and imprudence of the
General. in-Chief Sang-ko-lin-sin brought on a conflict
between the armies of England and France, and that of
China, on the 18th inst. Their arrestation under these cir-
cumstances was a violation of the law of nations, and their
subsequent detention an act of perfidy which expose the
Chinese Government and its officers who have taken part
in the proceedings to the just vengeance of the British
army, which is now quartered at a distance of 30 li from the
gates of Pekin.
The Prince states that a dispute had arisen with respect
to the mode in which the letter from her Majesty the Queen
of Great Britain to his Majesty the Emperor of Chins, of
which the undersigned is the bearer, should be presented,
and gives it to be understood that this letter was alluded to
for the first time in the communication of the undersigned
to Prince Tsai and his colleague, which Mr. Parkes took
with him to Tungchow on the 17th inst. Thisi
st
oa tnh error,
rr or
and if the case has been represented in this leengh
Im-
perial Prince, his Imperial Highness hasdeceived. In
his communication to Kweiliang of the 3d inst. the under •
signed referred too the letter in question in the same terms
in which ho referred to it in his communication to the Prince
Tsai and the President Muh, of which Mr. Parkes was the
bearer. Neither at Tien-tsin nor at Tungchow did he pro-
pose to make the delivery of her Majesty's letter to the
Emperor the subject of a treaty stipulation. The presenta-
tion of letters from Sovereign to Sovereign, and the recep-
tion by Sovereigns of ambassadors from other Sovereigns
with whom they seek to cultivate relations of friendship,
are matters of courtesy understood and practised in all
civilised States. A State affecting to be civilised, which
refuses to reciprocate such acts of courtesy, necessarily ex-
poses its professions of amity to suspicion.
In order, however, to give further proof of his sincere
desire for the re-establishment of peace between (treat
Britain and China, and to afford the Imperial Prince a last
opportunity of averting a blow which will entail the destruc-
tion of Pekin, and the probable fall of the dynasty now ruling
in China, the undersigned makes the following proposals :
If within the space of three days from the date of this
letter the British (and French) subjects detained at Pekin
be sent back to the head-quarters (of their respeect.ti.vnees,nat;
tions), and if the Imperial Prince intimates his__rwealliiano.,
at
sign the convention placed in the hands of 1"-
Tien •tsin, the bulk of the British sill not advance

autograph letter of her Majesty.
t Mortal injury. it might be almost as
This is a mere formula, which
well untranslated. It might be rendered " all in good order.",

beyond its present halting place. The convention will. b
, signed at Tungchow, and after it shall have been signed
the undersigned will proceed with a sufficient escort to
Pekin for th -,xchange of the ratifications of the treaty of
Tien- [sin. When these acts shall have been accomplishvd
the -13-..i!ish army will commence its mevement towards
Tien-tsin, at 1.-chi,,hpoint it will r,rrin until the spring, as
the bad faith, evasions, and delays of the Chinese Govern-
ment and its agents hr.ve made it inexpedient to proceed
further before the winter.
Should these conditions be accepted deputies can be named
on either side for the completion of such preliminaries as
may be necessary. If they be not accepted the British army
will advance on Pekin, and in common with that of Franca
take measures to prove that the laws of nations cannot La
violated in the persons of British and French subjects with
impunity.

Pa-li-chiau, Sept. 23

Monsieur le Baron—l have the honour to enclose for
your Excellency's perusal a draught of my proposed reply
to the letter of the Imperial Prince Kung received icy
yesterday.

I think that, as regards the subjects of our respPetive na-
tions detained in defiance of the law of nations at Pekin, we
should adopt the principle of entire solicitude. I have there-
fore, as your Excellency will observe, put the restoration of
the subjects of his Majesty the Emperor of the French on
the same footing as the restoration of the subjects of her
Majesty the Queen in the draught of letter herewith trans-
mitted. I have, &c.,

ELGIN ♦TD KINCARDINE.
His Excellency Baron Gros, French
Ambassador in China, &c.

Pa-li-chiau, Sept. 25.
Sir,--I enclose a draught of a letter which I propose to
address to the Imperial Prince Kung, in reply to his com-
munication to me, the translation of which I have the hon-
our to transmit herewith." I believe that it is your Excel-
lency's opinion that the Chinese authorities, before the
extreme measure of an assault of Pekin be resorted to,
should be distinctly apprised that they have it in their
power to make peace it they surrender her Majesty's sub-
jects, now illegally detained by them, and concede all the
other points which have been demanded.
I propose tc. stipulate that a portion of the army under
your Excellency's command shall remain at Tien-tsin until
the spring, because I think that it would be inconvenient
to have to move it from Tientsin to Taku and Tungku
during the winter, which might be the case if the article
respecting the disposition of our troops in China, which was
inserted in the Convention dranghted at Tien-tsin, were to
remain unaltered.—l have, &c.,

ELGIN AND KINCARDINE.
His Excellency Sir H. Grant, K.C.8., &c.

Head-quarters, Camp, Pa-li-chiau, Sept. 25.
My Lord,--In reply to your Excellency's letter of this
date, forwarding draught of a letter addressed to the Impe-
rial Prince Kung, I have the honour to state that I fully
concur in the terms of your Excellency's communication.
As regards the occupation of Tien-tsin during the winter,
I shall be quite zeady to do so if your lordship considers it
to be necessary..-.I have, &c.,
The Earl of Elgin, K.T., G.C.B.

HOPE GRINT.

Receiv e d
Commissioner, Sep '27 ,
mMidnight.akes a
The Prince of Kung, Imperial
communication in reply.
lie has received and thoroughly acquainted himself with
the despatch of the British Minister. To the wrongdoing
of former Commissioners in the transactions conducted by
• hem to which it alludes the Prince was no party. He is hint-
self
an immediate relation of the Emperor's, and in the
weighty office he has had the honour to be especially ap-
pointedby his Majesty to fill he has full authority for every
step he takes, nor will his acts assuredly be the same as those
of the former Commissioners. In his conduct towards men
the Prince is sincere, and he assumes that the British Mini-
ster is beyond doubt, of like mind.
Every condition of the treaty (or treaties) negotiated at
Tien-tsin being conceded, if while, on the one hand, the
Prince departs not from this promise no change whatever
is, on the other hand, introduced by the British Govern-
ment, peace, evermore to endure, is doubtless attainable.
With reference to the presentation of the Government
letter, when his Excellency shall have arrived in the capital,
some place suited to the solemnity shall be chosen, and an
incense table (or altar) having been there set up, the Prince
will i eceive the letter (1) of the British Government, and
will place it on the table, that due honour may be shown
to it.

The words in the despatch under acknowledgment re-
garding the attack on and destruction of the capital, and
the downfall of the dynasty, are words which indeed it is
not fitting that a subject should use. Can it be right for
the British Minister, when declaring that he still entertains
a desire for peace, to employ them? If a war to no purpose
is to be carried on so long as troops are left, a struggle which
is not to cease, then, though the British Govern-
ment have the troops it has in the field, China
has yet, besides the stout hands in her forces, here at pi e-
sent, her troops from beyond the frontier, and those which
it will behove her to move up from the different provinces.
It would seem, then, better that neither side should do
injury to friendly relations by further talk of the snuggle
between them.

As regards the capture by our army in the confusion of
the fight of the British officers returning from Tungchow,
it is true that the former Commissioners (2) did seize them,
bind them, and confine them ; but the Prince, when this
came to his knowledge, which was but recently, gave orders
to the officer in charge to release them from confinement, to
lodge them comfortably, to attend to the hurts of those who
were wounded, and to treat them with every courtesy. In
evidence of the Prince's sincerity towards roan he is bound,
before he does anything else, to oblige the British Govern-
ment to put away utterly its suspicious, and he now encloses
the card sent by the British Consul Parkes to his Excel-
lency Hang (Hang-ki) to engage him to come and speak
with him this day, that it may be known that this person is
safe and well, and has come to no harm.
The letter under acknowledgment proposes that deputies
should be sent on either side to confer respecting all matters
that have been discussed and disposed of. Those shall pro-
ceed as soon as ar_ answer has been received naming a time
(for a conference).
A necessary communication, &c.
Hienfung,, 10th year, Bth moon, 13th (lay (September 27).
Translated by
THOMAS WADE, Chinese Secretary.
(1) The word " letter" is here raised in the column, not
ES it has been usually written, but with more honour.
(2) The term " Commissioners" is, on the other hand,
not accorded hero the honour commonly paid it.

The understand has received tb.e despatch of his Impe-
rial Highness the Prince of Kung, under date the 27th
inst.
Notwithstanding the ptotestations of good faith and de-
sire for peace with which it abounds, his Highness has not
returned the prisoners unlawfully detained in Pekin, nor
has he stated positively when and where he will sign the
convention negotiated at Teiu-tsin.
The undersigned regrets to observe, on the other hand,
allusions to the military resources of China which argue a
strange forgetfulness of the reverses sustained by the Im-
perial arms in the last few weeks at Sinho, Taku, Chang-
kia-wang,, and Pa -li-chiau.
Let no more time be wasted in words so unmeaning. Th©
term of three days allowed for the satisfaction of the de-
mands of the undersigned, he would remind his Highness,
will expire to-morrow night. The prisoners must be sent
in in the course of to-morrow, and the Imperial Prince must
write to say when and where the convention shall be signed.
The single modification which will be needed in it has been
intimated to his highness in the undersigned despatch of
tehyes,?Lhi:,and has been rendered necessary by the bad faith,
and delays of the Chinese Government and its
dseor
sig presented,ned
agents. The letter of her Majesty the Queen
can be pre-
sented to the Emperor only in one way; if not
it cannot be presented at all ; but, as the has
already explained, he has throughout
un
consideredb this to be
a question of courtesy, and not a eau tits
h all.
There is consequently no ground • atever far the appre-
hensions apparently entertained by 11/4
his Highness that other
changes than those known to him are in contemplation.
Let his highness, then, at once appoint his deputies and
name a place at which these meet the deputies of the
undersigned, in order to the may
form
of preparation of the con-
vention for signature. The meeting may take place
the
to-
morrow if his Highness sees fit, and at the same time a
prisoners are restored.
The ersl dun '
gned will not repeat the words of warning
which ho addressed to his Highness in his last despatch.
Ho will only add that if the subjects of her Majesty the
Queen now illegally detained in captivity at Pekin be not
returned in the course of to• morrow the British force will
forthwith resume its march in advance, and that all respon-
sibility for the serious consequences that may ensue will
rest upon his Imperial Highness.
ELGIN AND KINCARDINE.
Pa-li-chiau, Sept. 28.

Cam]

Camp, Pa-li-chiau, Sept 29.

Afonsieur le Baron,—l enclose herewith the traLvlat ion
of a communication which I received yesterday from Prince
Kung, and a copy of my reply, which I have already had
the honour of submitting to your Excellency in draught.
I have, &c.,

ELGIN AND KINCARDINE.
A son Excellence Monsieur le Baron Gros,

and to Sir 11. Grant.

The Prince of Kung, Imperial Commissioner, 'wakes a
communication in reply.

The Prince is in receipt of his Excellency the British
Minister's reply of the 15th inst (29th Septemb(w), and has
acquainted himself with its contents.

* The combination id, Etrictly, " seized and bowl d."

The British officers, captured by the army outside Tung-
chow were seized * because an engagement was going on at
the time. This was, moreover, an act of the late Comr.aia-
sioner, to which the Prince was no party. It 'c as but re-
cently that he ascertained the facts, and he then ire mcd'axely
gave orders to the officers in charge to lodge them (torafort"