The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-06 00:00:00

* This is a free translation of the Chinese, representing
the English of Lord Elgin's dispatch, of which there is not
a copy at hand. •

t Aud consequently here.
t This is, I think, a feeler regarding the extent to which
our former relations aro modified. The Chinese would pre-
fer continually to regard them as merely commercial; the
Chinese Superintendent of Trade as Foreign Minister.—
LW.

Enclosure 3 in No. 8.
COMMISSIONERS KWEILLIANG, 'MAMMA, &C., TO MR,

BRUCE.
(Translation.)
Kwei, &c., Hwa, &c., Ho., &c., Twau, &c., 'Ripe' ial
commissioners, make a communication in reply.
On the 25th instant (27th May) the commissioners re-
ceived Mr. Bruce's despatch of the 14th instant (16th May),
apprising them that her Britannic Majesty had done him
the honour to appoint him her envoy extraordinary and
minister plenipotentiary to the Court of Pekin.
The commissioners were greatly gratified at this intelli-
gence. They are of opinion, however, that an affair of so
grave importance to both nations as an exchange of treaties
cannot with propriety be hurried over. The commissioners,
baying the fullest confidence in his predecessor, Lord Elgin,
when he engaged them to remain at Shanghae to consider
all matters not dispc sed of, were unable to return to Pekin,
and if Mr. Bruce now proceeds direct to Tien-tsin, the corn •
missioners, having to travel by land, cannot reckon upon
arriving there so soon. Indeed, taking into consideration
the hindrance to be expected from the weather on their land
journey, this will certainly occupy two months and more,
as Mr. Bruce, they imaginr, must be well aware.

As to the preparation of vessels, vehicles, &a., atTien-tsin6,
to which the letter under acknowledgment refers, and the
selection of a building in proper order (for Mr. Bruce) to
reside in with the good understanding now subsisting be-
tween the two nations, the arrangements will be, of course,
as liberal as it is suggested they should be.t But the com-
missioners cannot arrive in so short a time, nor can any of
these things be done at a moment's notice.
There is another consideration : not only will there be no
one to receive Mr. Bruce at Tien-tsin, as it: is impossible
for the commissioners to be there against his arrival, but
(there will be no one either to exchange the ratifications) :
the exchange of the treaties must be effected by the hand of
the commissioners, and by their hand alone—no one can
act as their substitutes ; and believing, consequently, that
it would be better for Mr. Bruce to defer his departure from
Shanghae for a while, than to be kept waiting at the other
place, where, after midsummer, the heat is excessive, they
feel bound to request him, in the first place, on his arrival
at Shanghae, to name a day for their interview with them,
and, in the second, to appoint some other time for proceed-
ing. This, it seems to them, would be a more satisfactory
arrangement. The commissioners are induced to put for-
ward this proposition by the importanCe they attach to the
question before them, and (their desire for) the establishment
of friendly relations to endure for evermore. Mr. Bruce's
thorough acquaintance with the ways of the world (or the
motives of men) is such that they feel sure he u;11 appre-
ciate their feelings, and they hope that he will at once reply
to them.

A necessary communication addressed to the Hon. F.
Bruce, &c.

llien-fung, 9th year, 4th moon, 2Gth day (May 28, 1859).
(Received June 6, 1859.)

(Enclosure 4 in No. 8.)
MR. ERTICE TO COMMISSIONER IMEILIANG.

The undersigned, &c., begs to acknowledge the receipt
of the letter addressed to him by their Excellencies the Im-
perial Commissioners Kweiliang, Hwashana, Ho Kwei-
tsing, and Twau Ching-shih, in reply to that sent by him
to his Excellency Kweiliang, Chief Secretary of State.
The undersigned must remind his Excellency Kweiliang
that the treaty of Tien-tsin, signed on the 26th of June last,
provides that the ratifications shall be exchangefl at the
capital within a year of that date; and the Imperial
commissioners themselves admit that on the 30th of
March last they were apprised by the Earl of Elgin that
the undersigned was on his way to China for the pur-
pose of fulfilling his engagement. The commissioners
were, at the same time, made aware that the Earl of
Elgin was returning home, consequently that he would not
revisit Shanghae. Notwithstanding this intelligence, they
have thought proper to remain at Shanghae till within a
month of the time appointed for the exchange of ratifica-
tions, alleging, as a reason for so doing, that various details
connected with the execution of the treaty had been only
in part discussed by the Earl of Elgin, while they de-
clare that they are th 6 only authorities by whom the ex-
change of the ratified treaties at Pekin could be effected.
They now write to inform the undersigned that their jour-
ney to Pekin will occupy above two months—that is to say,
that they cannot reach the capital for upwards of a month
after the day by treaty appointed, that there will be no one
to receive the undersigned at Tien•tsin, and no one to ex-
change the ratifications at Pekin. They accordingly re-
quest the undersigned to delay his departure from Shanghae.
_ _ _ _ _

The undersigned is determined, that, so far as it rests
with him, no stipulation of the treaty shall be violated.
The exchange of the ratifications is a ceremony which re-
cords in the most solemn form that the new treaty is the
rule henceforth to be observed in conducting the intercourse
of the two nations. And as the treaty admits of no altera-
tion or modification, the undersigned cannot allow that the
period fixed for the exchange be made at all dependent On
arrangements necessary to carry certain of its details into
execution.

It is with regret that the undersigned finds at the very
outset of a mission sent by her Britannic Majesty as evi-
dence of her desire for peaceful relations, that he is met, not
as he had a right to expect—with a cordial and frank invi-
tation to the capital—but with delays and hesitations, ill-
ealculated to cement a good understanding. The under-
signed will not, however, swerve in the least from the course
he has laid down in his letter of the 18th ult. He is re-
solved to proceed forthwith to Pekin, there to exchange the
ratifications of the treaty, and to deliver in person the letter
entrusted to his charge by his gracious Sovereign to his Im-
perial Majesty, to whom it is addressed, nor will he quit
the capital until satisfied that effect will be given, without
reserve, to every provision of the treaty of Tien-tsin.
The undersigned intends no discourtesy to the Imperial
commissioners, but he must, under these circumstances,
positively decline any interview with them at this place.
His resolution to proceed to Pekin without delay is in-
flexible.

It is at the same time his duty to warn his excellency
Kweiliang that he is prepared to insist on a reception befitting
the dignity of the nation he represents, and that any failure
in this respect will be attended with the most serious conse-
quences to the Imperial government.—The undersigned, &c.
(Signed) FREDERICK W. A. BRUCE.
Shanghae, June 8, 1859.

Enclosure 5 in No. 8.
MR. BRUCE TO COMMISSIONER RWEILIANG.
The undersigned, &c., had the honour to address a letter
to the Chief Secretary of State, Kweiliang, upon the Bth
inst. He has received no reply to this, and he observes
that neither his excellency nor his colleagues the Imperial
commissioners, who have informed him that it is through
their hands alone that the ratifications of the treaty can
pass, are, to all appearance, making any effort to reach Pekin
by the day on which it is by treaty agreed the ratifications
shall be exchanged. He begs, therefore, to point out to
them that there are lying in this harbour several steamers,
one or two of them flying the Chinese flag, by the employ-
ment of which it is perfectly w:thin their power to accom-
plish their journey within the appointed time.
Admiral Hope, the naval commander in chief, has started
for the mouth of the Peiho with his squadron, charged to
advise the local authorities of the immediate approach of
the undersigned and his colleague, M. de Bourboulon, the
Minister of France.

The undersigned, before leaving Shanghae, begs again
to impress upon his excellency Kweiliang that his proceed-
ing is in strict accordance with the treaty provision, and
he throws upon the Chinese government the entire re-
sponsibility of any consequences tliat may arise from its
violation.—The undersigned, &c. .
(Signed) FREDERICK W. A, BRUCE.
Shanghae, Juno 11, 1859.,

Enclosure 6 in No. 8.
MR. BRUCE TO REAR-ADMIRAL HOPE.

Shanghae, June 11, 1859.

Sir,—The communications I have received from the Im-
perial commissioners do not, I regret to say, justify me in
assuming that the Chinese Government has resolved to re-
ceive my visit to Pekin in a conciliatory spirit. There is
manifestly a desire to treat this visit, not as the exercise of
our undoubted
privilege under treaty, but as an exceptional
case, the various steps of which are to be minutely arranged
at this place before we are to be permitted to proceed
_to the
north; and not satisfied with the interminable discussions
to which such a course would necessarily lead, the commis-
sioners propose further to enter upon the details necessary
for carrying into effect the provisions of the treaty. Their
letters breathe throughout the old spirit of jealousy and
isolation.

It is not consistent with my instructions, nor with the
express stipulations of the treaty that I should agree to such
proposals, nor do I see how it would be possible, within any
reasonable time, to settle, at this distance from Pekin, ques-
tions of ceremonial which affect the Emperor personally,
and on which his pleasure will have to be taken.
I am satisfied, on looking over the correspondence, and
particularly by a reference to the Earl of Elgin's last letter
to the commissioners on leaving China, that they cannot
allege, with any show of reason, that they have prolonged
their stay hero at his request ; and however much I regret
the difficulties that may arise out of their absence from the
capital at this conjuncture, I do not think that I could de-
part from the prOgramme contained in my first letter to
them, without involving myself later in more serious com-
plications, and without reviving hopes In the mind of the
Chinese Government that by procrastination and discussions
they may succeed ultimately in giving to this visit to Pekin
a character, in the eyes of the Chinese people, at variance
withthose principles of equality and unrestricted intercourse
which it was one of the main objects of the treaty to ensure.
I have therefore informed them that I cannot accede to
their request to remain here, and that I shall take my de-
parture for the north wit.,out delay, in order to effect the
exchange of the ratifications and the presentation of my
letter and credentials to the Emperor.

At the same time I am anxious to give to the Imperial
Government the opportunity, if it be so disposed, of repair-
ing the neglect of the commissioners, and of receiving me
in a friendly manner. You will precede my arrival at the

* The suitable means of transmission spoken of in Mr.
Bruce's letter of the 16th May.
t Lit. It is certainly proper that, according to this, or
after this fashion (China should be) liberal. There is a cer-
tain amount of patronage in the expression,

Peiho, and I beg that you will have the goodness to
in-
form the officer in charge of the forts of the approach of the
ministers of England and France on a friendly mission,
and inquire whether orders have been given to facilitate
their progress to Tien-tsin. Should the reply be in the
negative, I would suggest that they should be called upon
to transmit the intelligence to Pekin, warning them at the
same time that if a reply is not received within a certain
fixed period the Imperial Government will be held respon-
sible for the consequences. ,

By the time your message reaches Pekin the government
will be in possession of the correspondence between his
Excellency Kweiliang and the foreign plenipotentiaries,
and will be informed accurately of the objects and scope of
the visit to the capital, M. de Bourboulon'agrees with me
as to the course to be adopted, and I am authorised by him
lo request that you will make the above communication in
his naive ao well as in mine.

I intend leaNing Shanghae on or about the 15th of this
month.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) FREDERICK W. A. BRUCE.

Enclosure 7 in No. 8.

COMMISSIONERS KWEILIANG, lIWASIINA., &C., TO MR.
BRUCE.
(Translation.)
_ _ __

Kwei, &c., Hwa. &c., Ho, &c., Twau, &c., Imperial
Commissioners, make a communication in reply.
_ _ _

On receipt of Mr. Bruce's letter of the Bth instant,
acquainting the commissioners that his determination to pro-
ceed forthwith to Pekin to exchange the ratifications of the
treaty was unalterable, the commissioners feeling that it
would not be correct that the day appointed for that pur-
pose, which was near at hand, should be passed, after due
deliberation decided that the only course open to them was
to represent the matter fully to his Majesty the Emperor,
and to request him to be pleased specially to select some
high officer who might proceed to Tien. tsin to make ar-
rangements for Mr. Bruce's reception. Their memorial
was sent forward at the rate of 6001 i (200 miles) a day* and
would arrive at the latest in some eight or nine days at
Pekin, so that it might be assumed that when Mr. Bruce
and the ministers of France and America reached Tien-tsin,
the Imperial commissioners could not fail to have arrived
as well, and so the exchange of treaties in Pekin would be
effected by the time fixed for the purpose.
The commissioners were in the act of addressing Mr.
Bruce to the above effect, when they received his second
letter dated the 11th inst., expressing a wish that they
should proceed by steamer. They were not unaware that a
steamer would be a most expeditious (means of conveyance),
but they have not received his Majesty's commands (to
avail themselves of it), and they could on no account pre-
sume so to proceed on their own motion. Were they now
to make the proposition the subject of a memorial (so far
from any advantageous result from such a course), there
would be, on the contrary, time lost in the marching and
countermarching. It behoves them, therefore, in obe-
dience to his Majesty's commands, to return post-haste to
the capital. As they had prayed his Majesty to detach a
high officer to act as agent in the matter, Mr. Bruce will
be certainly enabled to arrive at his destination by the time
appointed. With the peaceful relations now established
between the two nations nothing certainly will be done that
is not in conformity with the provisions of the treaty, and
the commissioners accordingly pray Mr. Brace at once to
put away all misgiving on the subject. There is no need
for him to feel any anxiety. They would wish that on
his arrival at the mouth of the Tien-tsin river (the Peiho),
he should anchor his vessels of war outside the bar, and
then, without much baggage and with a moderate retinue,
proceed to the capitol for the exchange of the
treaties. His mission being a pacific one (or, as he comes
speaking peace), his treatment by the Government of
China will not fail to be in every way courteous ; and it is
the sincere wish :cf the commissioners that relations of
friendship may be from this time forth consolidated, and
that on each side confidence may be felt in the good faith
and justice of the other.
A necessary communication, addressed to
.the Hon. F.
Bruce, C. 8., &c.
Hien-fung, 9th year, sch moon, 12th day.
(12th of June, 1859.)
(Received June 13, 8 a.m.)

No. 9.
MR. BRUCE TO THE EARL OF MALMESBURY.
(Received Sept. 13.)
Off the Peiho River, July 5, 1859.
My Lord,—l have the honour to state that four days
after the receipt of his excellency Kweiliang's letter, I left
Woosung for the north, taking the ;Coromandel in tow, in
order to have an unarmed vessel in which to ascend the
river.

On arriving at the islands of Sha-100-tien, the render.-
vous agreed on with the admiral, I found the squadron no
longer there, and proceeded to the mouth of the Peiho on
the 20th June, where the ships were assembled, the admiral
having sent the gunboats over the bar, on account of the
heavy sea running outside.
Admiral Hope reached the islands of Sha-100-tien on the
16th, and on the 17th he left the anchorage in the Fury,
attended by two gunboats, to announce the coming of the
ministers of England and France to the authorities at the
mouth of tho river. The Fury and gunboats anchored out-
side the bar, and Commander Commerell, with Mr. Mor-
gan, the interpreter, went over the bar in the Fury's gig, to
deliver the message. They were not allowed to land by
the armed ratable on the bank, and when Captain Corn-
merell asked for an interview with the authorities, they de-
clared that there was no authority, civil or military, on the
spot; that the barriers in the river had been made by the
people at their own expense, not against us but against the
rebels ; and that the garrison consisted of militia only. The
chief spokesman, who called himself an engineer or clerk of
the works, howeuer, offered to take any message to Tien-
tsin and bring back an answer.

On receiving the report of what had passed, Admiral
Hope sent Capt. Commerell in again to inform them of the
arrival of the ministers, and to request that a passage should
be opened within three days to allow of their proceeding by
the river to Tien••tsin.

To this they replied that they had despatched a mes-
senger to Tien-tsin to notify our arrival, and that a passage
should be opened within the required time. Admiral Hope
then returned to Sha-100-tion.

On the 18th the squadron left for Peiho, and the gun-
boats anchored inside the bar on'account of the heavy sea
running outside; and on the 20th, the day of my arrival,
Admiral Hope proceeded to the forts to see whether steps
had been taken to obtain a passage for us, and to deliver a
letter he had addressed to the intendant of Tien-tsin, stating
that the squadron would remain at the anchorage during
our visit to Pekin, and requesting that a market should be
opened for the sale of fresh provisions, and arrangements
made for landing of officers and men in such numbers as
might not be inconvenient to the inhabitants of Takeo.
The same rabble came down to the bank, and opposing
the landing, ono of them threatened Mr. Morgan with a
drawn sword when he jumped on shore. They again denied
the presence of any authority, and asserted that they were
militia, acting on their own responsibility. Instead of re-
moving the obstacles :they had further closed the passages,
and when taxed with this breach of their promise denied
that they had ever offered to remove the barriers.
To give more colour to their assertions of the absence of
any authority they hoisted no flags on the forts, and no sol-
dier was visible d uring the time the squadron was lying there.
It is not difficult to understand the motives of the Chinese
Government in thus holding aloof, contrary to their usual
custom, from all communication with the squadron and
foreign ministers. We know from the Pekin gazettes that
during the last eight months they have been studiously ad-
dingle_ their defences along this coast, and ,that
sin, a Mongol Prince, the head of the war-party, and dis-
tinguished by his successful defence of Tien- tsin against the
rebels in 1853, has been appointed commander-in-chief of
this district. It is evident that the Government were pre-
paring for our arrival, and had instructed the garrison to
represent themselves as a militia post, and to deny the pre-
sence of any constituted authority, by which arrangement
they hoped to preserve anattitude which would enable them
to take advantage of his success if he were able to keep us
out of the river, or to disavow his proceedings if he failed
in hiS efforts to do so.

After a long and anxious consultation M. de Bourboulon
and I decided that we ought to adhere strictly to the course
laid down in our letters to Kweiliang at Shanghae, and that
we should insist, as much for the sake of our future commu-
nications with Pekin as for the successful accomplishment of
the missionnow confided to us, on the right of using the river
as the natural highway to the capital. If, in accordance with
Kweiliang's memorial,ahigh officer had been deputed to meet
us at this place, bearing a friendly invitation from the Empe-
ror, and satisfactory assurances as to our personal reception
by him, we were quite prepared to have proceeded as far as
Tein-tsin with only such vessels as were required for the ac-
commodation of ourselves and suite, for I do not think that
in any case we ought to have allowed our right to choose the
only expeditious and commodious route to the capital to be
questioned. But on considering the late proceedings of the
Chinese Government, the persistency of Kweiliang and his
colleagues in remaining in the south instead of returning to
Pekin, the proposal to effect the ratifications at Shanghae, the
attempts to delay our progress to the north by raising fresh
discussions on the treaty, and finally, the hostile and discour-
teous reception we have met with here, we were forced to con-
clude that the difficult task lay before us of carrying the trea-
ties into full operation, and of ensuring a reception at Pekin
on terms to the last degree mortifying to Chinese arrogance
while the Emperor is in the hands of a party averse to con-
cession and relying on their preparations to resist us.
Every incident corroborated the information we obtained
at Shanghae from a Chinese authority, reported to your lord-
ship in my despatch of the 11th ult., that the Emperor would
not accede to what we were instructed to demand, except
under the pressure of fear.
The question then for consideration was, how were we to
work sufficiently on the fears of the Emperor to induce him
to give way ? The experience of last year showed that the
presence of a squadron in the gulf was not enough to effect
that object, while it equally showed that the opening of
Pekin would follow on the accessibility of Tien-tsin to our
ships being established. We could hardly be mistaken in
inferring from the studied manner in which the Chinese
officials held aloof from all communication with us, and
from the repeated assertion of no authority being present

This is the form of words for the fastest rate of mail-
dispatch but one,

at the forts, that the Government was prepared to dis-
avow these hostile proceedings, if we succeeded in clear-
ing a passage up the river.

We were equally justified by our past experience, and by
the reluctance of the Chinese Government to allow us to
proceed up the river, in assuming that they considered they
would gain a great advantage by keeping the vessels out-
side, and by reducing us to negociating in the gulf or in the
interior, deprived of the moral support we should have ac-
quired from the presence of our flags at Tien-tsin. Our
desistitg from claiming the right to go up in our ships
would have been attributed to inability to force their de-
fences, and the ascendancy would thus have been secured to
the war party in the Emperor's councils. My conviction is
that in that case we must have abandoned all hope of a pro-
per reception at Pekin on this occasion, and that we should
have found It impossible to establish unrestricted access to
the central government in future, or work eut in practice
the clauses of the treaty provided for circulation in the in-
terior, and the imposition of regular duties instead of arbi-
trary exactions, provisions which can always be evaded%
and for which we can have no other guarantee than the
Emperor's dread •f giving us offence.
. - -

On the 21st of June I accordingly addressed a letter to
Admiral Hope (copy enclosed), requesting him in the joint
names of M. Bourboulon and myself to take such steps as
he might deem expedient to clear away the obstacles in the
river, so as to admit of our proceeding at once to Tien-tsin.
Nothing was done until the 24th, the admiral being mean-
while engaged in notifying that as a passage up the river
had not been opened, he should proceed to open it himself,
and Mr. Ward, the American Minister, having signified
his intention of proceeding on the 24th in his small steamer
to the forts, and requiring a free passage up the river, in
which application he was, like ourselves, unsuccessful.
During that night, however, Admiral Hope caused part
of the obstacles to be blown up withput loss, and the at.
tempt to pass the barriers and proceed up the river was
fixed for the morning of the following day.
About 9 a.m, on the 25th a junk came alongside her Ma-
jesty's ship Magicienne, anchored about nine miles from the
forts, and a petty mandarin came on board with a letter ad -
dressed to me by the Governor General of Pechelee, transla-
tion of which I herewith enclose. I announced that the Go-
vernor General had been ordered to proceed to Peh-tang-ho,
an inlet or small month of the river about 10 miles to the
northward of this anchorage, and thence to offer his services
to her Majesty's minister. That Kweiliang and Hwashana
had been summoned back to Pekin, as the persons autho-
rised to exchange ratifications, and convey the minister to
the capital. I was requested, therefore, to wait their arrival,
and to allow time for the withdrawal of the troops quartered
at Peh-tang-ho, after which the Governor General would
e)me in a vessel to convey me to the landing-place, whence
I should proceed to Pekin by land.
This letter was dated the 23d, and only reached me on the
25th—a delay which is inexplicable, if it had been intended
to reach me in time.

As, in thebody of the letter, the name of her Majesty was
not put on the same level with that of the Emperor of China
thereby violating the principle of equality established by the
treaty, it was returned by Mr. Wade for correctien, with
an intimation that I was about to proceed to Tien-tsin.
As the attempt to pass up the river was to be made at ten
a.m., it would have been difficult for me at that late hour, to
have communicated with the admiral, who was at adistance
of nine miles, and already engaged in his operations ; but I
should not have been deterred by the informality alluded to
above, had the contents of the letter been satisfactory. It
will be seen, however, on comparing it with Kweiliang's
last letter to me at Shanghae, that the proposal differs so
widely from the course recommended by the commissioners,.
as to confirm the impressisn in my mind that the pacifies
party had lost their influence with the Emperor. Kweiliang
had acknowledged the propriety of exchanging the ratifica-
tions within the stipulated period, and had proposed that a
person should be named to meet me at this place, and con-
duct me at once to Pekin ; thus admitting that the treaty
was to be accepted as it stood, without further discussion..
The Governor-General of Pechelee proposes a course
which is substantially a repetition of the attempts made to
detain me at Shahghae, and postpone indefinitely the ex-
change of ratifications, thereby giving room for re-opening
discussions on those points which are particularly obnoxious
to the Chinese Government. In both letters it is to be re-
marked that a demand for a personal interview is passed
over in silence; and in neither am I informed that the Im-
perial Government objects to our making use of the river
route to Tien-tsin.

Apart, therefore, from the considerations I have speci-
fied above, for believing that the abandonment of the right
to go up the river would be fatal to the success of the mis-
sion, and would establish a precedent which would put it
in the power of the Chinese Government to throw difficul-
ties in the way of our future intercourse with Pekin, I could.
only see in this overture a further attempt at evasion and
delay, and evidence that the influence at court of Kweili-
ang and his colleagues was at a low ebb. It is, moreover,
a significant proof of how idle it is to expect to carry out
our policy by appealing to any other motive than fear, that
no communication was addressed to M. de Bourboulon, and
no notice taken of Mr. Ward, though he came to the Gulf
of Pechelee at the express invitation of the Imperial Com-
missioners.

Answers are received at Takeo within 48 hours from
Pekin, and bad the Government wished to treat foreign
ministers with courtesy, it would not have allowed eight
days to elapse without taking any notice of them, and then
contented itself with addressing the only minister who hap-
pens to be supported by a considerable force.
Her Majesty's government will be informed by Admiral
Hope's despatches that on proceeding to remove the barriers
on the 25th, the batteries which had up to that time re-
mained apparently deserted, and some of them masked, were
suddenly manned, and opened with so heavy and well
directed a fire, as to render the operation of removing the
barriers imposiible. Towards the close of the day a force
was landed to storm the batteries, but failed in the at
owing to the nature of th 2 ground and the deep
ditches which had to be crossed before reaching the forts.
Nothing could exceed the heroism of those engaged in the
attack, and, judging from our past experience of Chinese
warfare, there was every reason to expect success. But the
Chinese fired on this occasion with a skill and precision of
which there is no previous example in the history of our
contests with them, and which would seem to show that
they must have received foreign instruction, even if they
have not foreigners in their ranks.

Admiral Hope ha ving notified to me that the force under
his command was unable to clear the passage up the river,
M. de Bourbolon and myself agreed that we must consider
the mission to Pekin at an end for the present, and that we
should retire to Shanghae. I accordingly addressed the en-
closed letter to the admiral, requesting him to dispose efith
force fn the manner best calculated to preserve tranquillity
at the ports open to trade. I thought it expedient not to,
address any communication to the Chinese government
upon these events, in order not to interfere in any way with
the decision of her Majesty's Government, and to keep the
Chinese Government as long as possible in suspense as to
its ulterior intentions.—l have, &c.,
(Signed)" FREDERICK W. A. BRUCE.

Enclosure 1 in No. 9.

REAR-ADMIRAL HOPE TO THE TAOUTAE OF TIEN-MN.
Off the Peiho, June 20, 1859.
Having arrived here with a considerable squadron in
company with the Hon. Frederick Bruce, tke Minister em-
powered by her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain to ex.
change the ratifications of the treaty concluded last year
with his Majesty the Emperor of China, and it being my
intention that the squadron shall remain here during Mr.
Bruce's absence at Pekin, I request that proper directions
may be given that I may be permited to purchase such
supplies of fresh provisions and other articles as I require;
and that the officers and men may have free communication
with and access to the shore in such numbers as may not
be inconvenient to the inhabitants of Takoo.—Accept, &c.
(Signed) JAMES HopE•.

Enclosure 2 in No. 8.
MR. BRUCE TO REAR-ADMIRAL HOPE.

Magicienne, off the Peiho, June 21, 1859.
Sir,—M. de Bourboulon and myself havingmaturely con-
sidered the position of affairs, we have come to the conclu-
sion that it would not be consistent with the course
hitherto adopted by us to delay further our attempt to reach
Pekin within the time specified by the treaty for the ex-
change of ratifications. The Chinese Government, besides
the article of the treaty itself, is before this in possession of
the correspondence that passed at Shanghae with the com-
missioners, and, had it wished to do so, could have sent
orders to facilitate our progress up the river. As you are
aware, the course their officers at Takoo are pursuing,
bears every mark of a fixed determinaiton to prevent us pro-
ceeding to Tien-tsin. The superior officers in charge of the
forts keep out of the way to avoid making any specific de-
claration of their intentions until their preparations for
our exclusion are completed, and their subordinates have
not hesitated at positive falsehood for the same purpose.
There is considerable reason to believe that on the Mon-,
gol Prince in charge of the works the hopes of the war
party repose, and that if he is defeated in his attempts to
keep us out of the river, pacific counsels will prevail with
the Emperor, but there is little chance of any satisfactory
result while their confidence in him is unabated, or that the
visit to the capital will be effected in such a manner as to
impress the Chinese with a just idea of our national power
and equality.

We have therefore resolved to place the matter in. your
hands, and to request you to take any measures you may
deem expedient for clearing away the obstructions in the
river, so as to allow us to proceed at once to Tien-tsin.
I have also to beg that you will act in M. de Bourboulon's
name as well as in mine.--I have, &e.,

(Signed)

F. W. A. BRUCE.

Enclosure 3 in No. 9.
GOVERNOR HANG TO MR. BRUCE.
(Translation.)

Hang, Governor-General of Chili, &c., makes a comma•
nication.

In obedience to the commands of his Imperial Majesty,
the Governor-General has come to Peh-tang-Ho, a port (or`
harbour) to the northward of Takeo, to be of any service
(or to do the honours to) her Britannic Majesty's Envoy.
As to the negotiations of the treaty made last year, his
Majesty the Emperor has issued a decree commanding the
Chief Secretary of State, Kweiliang, and the President f