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

No. 10.

MR. BRUCE TO THE EARL OF MALMESBURY.
(Received Sept. 13.)
Shanghae, July 13, 1869.
My Lord,—l propose in this despatch to give a succinct
account of the course I have adopted, and of the grounds on
which it is based. It is necessary to allude briefly to the
maxims of China in regard to intercourse with foreign
nations, as they afford the key to what has taken place.
In China international relations have been always
studiously ignored by the Government, and in no single in-
stance has a foreign minister succeeded in obtaining admis-
sion to the capital, except on performance of the " kotow,"
or ceremony of vassalage, or in the character of tribute-
bearer. The subjects of foreign nations residing in China
are represented as belonging to barbarous tribes, and living
by trade of all occupations the one least in repute among the
Chinese, as devoid of civilisation, and ignorant of the rule.; of.
reason, and by all means to be confined to the outskirts of the
country.

According to the maxims of the Government they are en-
titled to no rights beyond those accorded by the favour of
the Emperor, and though circumstances and the weakness
of the Governmeni have led it to acquiesce in the concession
of considerable privileges to foreigners in distant seaports,
it is remarkable as proving how tenaciousiy it holds to its
traditions, that it always classifies as acts of rebellion the
measures of coercion adopted by foreign Governments to ob-
tain redress for wrongs done to their subjects.
Now the British treaty of Tien-tsin (which is much more
complete in this respect than the treaties signed at that
place by the other Powers) asserts principles which are dia-
metrically opposed to those traditional pretensions of the
Chinese Government. According to it the British minister is
to be accredited as a representative of an independent equal
power ; and the Chinese Government, in its treatment of him
is called upon finally to abandon the assumption of supe-
riority which it asserted uncompromisingly during Lord
Amherst's embassy, and so lately as three years ago, when
Count Poutiatine ffrst proposed to visit Pekin. H• is to be
allowed free and unrestricted communication with the
capital, not only as specified in the French and American
treaties, when he has business to transact, but whenever
he wishes to visit it. His diplomatic intercourse is to be
conducted according to the usages of western nations, and
he is not to be called on to perform any ceremony of a
nature derogatory to his character as representing an equal
and independent nation. In future access to the capital is
to be recognised as a right the minister can insist, instead
of its being begged for as a favour; and either refused or
conceded, on such terms as the Chinese might choose to
impose, for the sake of saying their own dignity at the ex-
pense of that of the foreign envoy in the eyes of the Chinese
population.

The clauses which permit British subjects to travel in the
interior, and open the Yang-tze river to British shipping
are equally subversive of the established maxims of Chinese
statesmen. To push us back on the sea-beard, and confine
to as few sea-ports as possible, to keep us outside the walls
of important cities, and vilify us to the people in order to
preserve a wall of separation between the races, is the policy
which the Chinese Government, from its adherence to
usage, and from its indifference, if not dread of all progress,
which can only be attained through novelty, would gladly
follow, if it dared to do so.

It is not surprising, therefore, when the allied squadrons
left the Peiho river last year, and the panic produced by
their presence began to subside, that ancient maxims and
prejudiees should have gradually resumed the ascendant at
Pekin, and that the Imperial cabinet should have entertained
hopes of recovering part of the ground it had lost. There is
proof its language and feeling with regard to foreigners
having undergone no change in a decree published in the
_Pekin Gazette, on the 25th July, one month after the signa-
ture of the treaty, in which allusion is made:to the barbarians
suddenly rushing up the river to Tien-tsin, and retiring,
moved by the commands of Kweiliang and his colleague,
signified with affectionate earnestness." Sungko-lin-sin,
a Mongol prince, reputed to be their best general, was made
commander-in-chief of the Pechelee province, with a large
force at his disposal ; the forts at Takoo rebuilt and strength-
ened, and stakes and obstacles of different kinds placed
across the river to efface the impression produced by the
proceedings of lart year, and by preventing foreign ships
from arriving at Tien-tsin, to render Pekin more inaccessible
than ever.

While these preparations were going on the departure of
the high officer of the Board of Revenue, who was to settle
the tariff at Shanghae, was detained, in order that he might
not reach Shanghae until the season for operations in the
Gulf of Pechelee had passed, and when he started he was
accompanied by the Imperial commissioners Kweiliang and
llwashana. Subsequent events leave no doubt in my mind
that the statement contained in the letter of which Mr.
Parkes obtained possession, is substantially correct, and that
they were instructed to obtain modifications in the principkl
articles of the treaty—the residence at Pekin, the opening
of the Yang-tze river, and circulation in the interior, to all
of which the Emperor strongly objects.
In their first letter the commissioners advanced the prin-
ciple that the treaty having been signed under pressure, its
provisions had not been fully discussed. But the determina-
tion evinced by Lord Elgin not to allow the treaty to. be
called in question seems to have convinced the commiss7-
eritthai it was advisable to rest satisfied with the concession
made as to permanent residence at the capital. It is clear,
however, that their remonstrances against the policy en-
joined on them from Pekin, were most unpalateable to the
Emperor and his counsellors, who urged them to make
further efforts ; and the dissatisfaction with the conduct of
110, who seems to have pointed out most strongly the inex-
pediency of the course proposed, is reported to have been
expressed in the autograph rescript, that " his obstinacy
would be the cause of calamity to him."
In the beginning of March, Lord Elgin, who had left
Shanghae on account of the unsatisfactory state of Canton,
wrote to the commissioners, stating that her Majesty's Go -
vernment had agreed not to establish the mission permanently
at Pekin, on condition of a proper reception being given to
her Majesty's minister. He further informed them of his
approaching departure from China, and of my appointment,
charged with important documents to be delivered at the
capital, and warned them solemnly that peaceful relations
could only be maintained by a faithful observance of the
treaty. The Imperial commissioners, in spite of this infor-
mation, continuod at Soo-chow, instead of returning to the
capital to prepare for the reception of myself and the French
minister ; and their motive in so doing was made suffi-
ciently manifest by their attempts, through a Chinese for-
merly in Mr. Wade'e, but now in the Chinese service, to
ascertain whether we would consent to exchange ratifica-
tions at Shanghae, or, at least, to be conducted from that
point by land to Pekin. This journey occupies two months,
and I leave your lordship to judge whether, had we adopted
this route, we should not have abandoned, for all practical