The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-04 00:00:00

VIE SIN, LONDON, FIIIDAV EVENING, NOVEMBER 4, 1859.

441.

THE .ADIE.R

ICA2t MINISTER'S VISIT.
TO PEKIII7

The following account of Mr. Ward's visit to
Pekin is taken from the .2‘Torth China _Herald :
The United States' steam frigate Powhatan, flag-,
ship of Commodore Tattnall, having on board his
Excellency the American Minister, Mr. Ward, and
his suite, arrived on the 22d from the Gulf of Pe-
chili, after an absence of rather more than two
months. The principal events of her voyage, and of
the journey of the American Embassy to Pekin,
have been furnished us for publication.
The Powhatan left Woosung on the 17th of June,
and reached the mouth of the Peiho on the morning
of the 21st, where she found the English and French
fleets at anchor. On the 24th the Minister and
Commodore entered the mouth of the river in the
tender Toeywan, to communicate with the Chinese
authorities, but found no proper officer to meet them
at the forts. The few soldiers who came to the end
of thejetty opposite the water entrance of the fort
to meet the deputation sent from the Toeywan to
learn what could be ascertained, gave information,
however, that the Emperor had given orders to re-
ceive the American and the other foreign Ministers
at Pehtang, a place said to be situated a few miles
up the coast. These men could furnish neither sedans
nor carriages to take a messenger over to this
hitherto unknown place, not even a pilot to guide
the steamer to the entrance loading to it; but they
had no doubt it could be easily found, for the masts
of some junks peon over the land to the north-east
indicate its position.
The battle of Taku occurred next day, and the
Toeywan left the river on Sunday morning, the
26th of June. It was not till Wednesday that she
was despatched with a letter to the Governor-Gene-
ral of the province of Chili, who was supposed to be
at or near the town of Pehtang. It was not quite
safe to navigate far up this unsurveyed coast, and
the tender took advantage of a high tide to run as
near as she safely could to the first village, and then
sent a boat with the letter to be handed to the
elders for transmission. The name of the village
was Chin-tau-kau ; and the people, after they had
recovered from their Alarm at seeing a foreign ship
approach and send a boat ashore, were reassured
sufficiently to come forward to learn its errand, and
then willingly received the letter. It was acknow-
ledged the next day by the Intendant of Tien-sin,
who confirmed the report made by the soldiers at
Taku, that orders had been sent from Pekin to re-
ceive not only ,the American Minister at Pehtang
and escort him to the capital, but that they had
originally referred to the English and French
Ministers also, and that preparations had been
made to escort them all.
On the 2d July a despatch was transmitted to the
Intendant, appointing the sth as the day of meeting
the Governor-General, if agreeable to him ; but,
through delay of the j inks in getting out to the
ships, his Excellency's reply was not received till the
evening of that day, too late to reach the place of in-
terview. The despatch of Hangfuh, the Governor-
was couched in courteous terms, expressing his
great desire to carry his Majesty's orders into effect,
and to do everything to facilitate the journey of
the American Envoy.and his suite to Pekin. In it
he said a few words in reference to the battle of
the 25th ult., describing his feelings at the occur-
rence, which was evidently a perplexing disap-
pointment to him, and added that he had been
ordered to conduct all the foreign Ministers to
Court for the purpose of exchanging their treaties.
Failing the sth, the Bth was appointed for au in-
terview at Pehtang, and on -that day the Minister
and Commodore, with several officers in their com-
pany, proceeded towards Pehtang in the Toeywan.
The distance to the town is about 12 miles, but it
could not be seen from the ship. They were met
by three junks handsomely fitted up, in one of
which they proceeded two miles to the landing-
place, which was likewise ornamented with coloured
silk festoons. A guard of hour lined the streets up
to the house, and the foreigners rode to it in car-
riage s ; and though the equipage of these vehicles,
and the discipline and uniform of the soldiers, were
not equal to what they would have been in Paris
or Vienna, they exhibited as much courtesy ascould
be desired. This interview ever, the party returned _
to the frigate to wait for more express orders ex-
pected from Court, for Hangfuh probably felt a de-
gree of embarrassment as to the intentions of his
' superiors after hearing of the battle, and wished to
ascertain whether any change had occurred in their
views. He also confirmed the statement made at
Shanghai, that it belonged to the two Imperial
Commissioners to atteud to the exchange of the
treaty, for whose arrival at Pekin it would be ne-
cessary to wait.
On the 16th he received a reply from the capital,
and the 20th was fixed upon by Mr. Ward for his
departure from Pehtang.
This town is reckoned by the natives as contain-
ing upwards of 30,000 inhabitants ; a dozen, ham-
lets arc in its vicinity near the seaside, showing
that the trade on the Pehtang river and elsewhere
and the fisheries off the coast are sufficient to main-

Lain a larger population than the poor barren tract
can support. The houses are constructed mostly of
mind and millet stalks, and are wretched looking
dwellings, while the soil in the neighbourhood is too
saline to produce any valuable crop. As one looks
from the deck of a vessel lying off the town, not a
green plant or tree of any kind can be seen on either
side of the river ; and a heavy shower is sufficient
to convert the streets and banks into a marsh of
unmitigated mud. The amount of water flowing
from the river apparently exceeds that from the
Peiho, though the native maps describe it as not
half as long, nor having as many affluents.
The necessary preparations were all made for de-
parture on Wednesday, July 20, and the Minister
left the Powhatan on Tuesday to proceed into the
river in the Tooywan. At his departure from the
frigate he was politely saluted by the two Russian
steamers at anchor there, and kis Excellency Gen.
Mouravieff, Governor-General of Eastern Siberia,
came on board to take leave and hand him a letter
of introduction of Gen. Ignatieff, the Russian Mi-
nister at Pekin.

On reaching the river the two officers who had
been deputed to escort the embassy came on board,
with a number of attendants. Their names were

Tsunghau, a brevet commissioner of the gabelle de-
partment, and Chang Pingtoh, a colonel in the
army, with brevet rank:of brigadier-general; the
first a Manchu, with a blue button, and the other
a Chinese, wearing a red button. A third officer,
named Li, a sub-prefect, was joined with them as
their aid to manage the supplies, besides others
still lower, in all amounting to nearly 20 officials
above the 7th or Bth grade of yellow buttons. The
amount of baggage was ascertained and the few
necessary arrangements concluded preparatory -to
leaving the next morning.
The Minister and his suite, in all amounting to
20 foreigners and 10 natives, landed early. Mr.
Ward was received by Tsunghau and Chang with
great politeness. The carriages provided for him
were the common vehicles of this part of China—a
covered box set on one pair of wheels, and drawn
by one horse or by two tandem; the occupant sits
on cushions laid on the bottom, and the driver rides
outside between him and the horse, himself and the
animal both being sheltered by an awning. These
articles would be comfortable conveyances if they
were furnished with springs, for they can carry a
traveller's baggage within and behind, and protect
him against rain and heat. The Chinese were
asked to provide bearers for two sedans to be used
on this journey, but a short experience on the road
proved that their objections to such a conveyance
were well founded, and that 000lioz would have
soon been knocked up.
" Aftrr a little detention, arising from the almost
unavoidable confusion of starting, where it was
so difficult for the parties to understand each
other, the cortege left for I'ehtang about 9 o'clock,
going nearly due west across the vast plain, which
stretched away as far as the eye could reach, un-
broken in its level by house or hillock, except the
conical graves near the town. The soil of this plain
is alluvial and saline, so that it was not till we
nearly reached Kiun-liang thing, about 16 miles,
that any crops were seen. At this village, the
Minister was met by Wanhiuli, the provincial trea-
surer, who courteously entertained him f he also
recommended him to remain there till morning, as
the next stopping-place was less commodious. eeve•

ral officers Of-rank-came in to pay their respects to
Mr. Ward and the Treasurer, among whom nu, the
prefert of Tien-tsin, a venerable man of GO, was one
of the most engaging for his unaffected politeness.
The company moved on at an early hour the next
morning, and reached the town of Pehtanm, on the
banks of the Peiho, about 5 p.m., after at'hot ride
across the same unbroken plain, rendered more
wearisome at this time by the miry condition of
the roads. The distance from the last resting-place

was about 30 miles, and most of it ran through a
highly-cultivated country, covered with crops of
millet, beans, hemp, sesamum, Indian corn, and
other vegetables, whose flourishing condition proved
the fertility of the soil. The ride was relieved by
a rest of an hour or two at Si-ti-tu, where we were
served with a collationl/4. A bridge near this village
crosses the small ditch-like stream which connects
the Pciho with the Pehtang river, but no brats
were in sight, and the water at this time would
hardly float a ship's gig.
At Pehtang, 10 miles from Tier -tsin by the
river, five boats of different sizes had been pro-
vided for the Embassy, in which the gentlemen
found good accommodation, the escort occupying as
many more. The trip up to Tung-chau occupied
five days, and for the whole distance, 40011, the
boats were drawn by trackers. The banks of the
Peiho or White River, are well cultivated, and
during the passage up the people living um

thronged the landing or followed along the margin
to catch a glimpse of the "far-travelled strangers;"
their curiosity was doubtless stimulated by the re-
port of the occurrences of the 25th\ of June.
The city of Tung-chou lies at the head of the boat
navigation-; one, if not two, affluents join the Peiho
near it, and only small craft can penetrate further.
The escort, whose attention to our comfort was un-
wearied, had provided the same sort of carriages to
take us to the capital ; but the stone road was so
broken up that after a short trial we all left the ex-
cruciating machines to walk or ride on horseback.
There could be no more appropriate commentary
on the indifference and mismanagement of the
Chinese Government than the existence of a road
of such " unutterable depravity" leading to its capi-
tal; and the answer of Tsung when asked why the
authorities did not mend it, " that the road would
soon get out of order again," was rather an apt com-
ment on most of the political as well as the natural
ways of the Manchu dynasty.
The near approach to the capital by this thorough-
fare leads through a wide street lined with well-
built shops, extending about half a mile to the Chau-
yang Mun, or. Morning Sun Gate ; their size and
show present such a contrast, indeed, to the mean
and and dingy shops in the same street within
the walls, that there is probably some great ad-
vantage to tradesmen in living without the gate.
The wall of the city near this gate was in good order,
about GO feet high ; aid the five-storied tower rising
40 feet above that presented an imposing appear-
ance. The avenue inside of the gate is over 100 feet
wide, and unpaved ; the recent rains and constant
travel had rendered the centre of it a quagmire,
through which carts, horses, and drivers floundered
in great confusion. The sides of the street at this time
were lined with a solid array of spectators, the men
and women of the better sort standing in groups be-
hind the front rank ; and all exhibited the quiet
Curiosity and good order for which Chinese crowds
are noted, though the policemen made a show of
authority in the occasional use of their whips. The
way to the lodgings prepared for the Embassy,
situated in Thirteenth-street, about a mile and a half
from the gate, led to the northern part of the old or
Manchu portion of the city. On arrival at the house,
at 3 o'clock on the 27th July, it was met by two
high officers deputed from the fu-yin or Mayor of
Pekin, whom he had appointed to attend on the
visitors.
The next day p. notice
,was sent to the Imperial
Commissioners Kw,eiliang and Hwashana, who had
been in Pekin about a week, that the American
Minister had arrived, and was ready to confer
with them. It was deemed by Mr. Ward as
only a suitable mark of respect to the Chinese
Government that until he had seen the Commis-
sioners the members of his suite should not appear
abroad. The letters brought up from the coast for
the Russian Legation were sent, and an acknow-
ledgment received the same evening.
The next day, Friday, Sieh, the provincial judge
of Kiangsn, came to confer respecting the meeting
with the Imperial Commissioners, and to speak of
the higher audience with the Emperor. Like a
genuine son of Ham, he began to extol his Sove-
reign, and then to praise himself for his expertness
in settling knotty questions, from which he pro-
ceeded to dilate npon the honour in store for us, its
unusualness, and its "distinguished consideration."
After suitably impressirg his views he gently turned
to the mode in which we, a few far-travelled stran-
gers, whose country lay on the outskirts of creation,
and had just sent her dtizens to the Middle King-
dom, and after great travail had at last reached the
capital, should show oar sense of this "Heavenly
favour:" He was told very briefly that when the
Plenipotentiaries of the two nations came together
on the morrow they would discuss this matter, and
as their subordinates could do nothing definite, it
was better to drop its consideration.
He then informed us that in consequence of the
part taken by the Toeywan in the battle at Taku,
the Emperor was in some doubt as to the sincerity
of the peaceful professions of the Americans; and
their mo :ements on that day only corroborated the
hostile expressions used in one of Mr. Reed's de-
spatches of last year, in which he spoke of being
forced to
,join the allies; but he was not disposed to
press those equivocal sayings and doings. This ob-
servation furnished an opportunity to state just
what was done by the commodore on that day, and
also to tell the judge the serious consequences which
had arisen to his own Government from its ne-
glect in not stationing a proper officer at the mouth
of the Peiho, to meet the other Ministers, as well
as the American,but turning them off to the unknown
port of Pehtang by the mouth of a mere underling,
for whose veracity there was no guarantee. It ap-
peared from his further remarks that the idea was
prevalent among the Chinese that the Americans
landed their own men from the boats towed up by
the Toeywan, and this impression had been
strengthened by the assertion of one of the
English prisoners, that he was an American, and
had landed in the boats. The charge was declared
to be unfounded ; and it was added, that though
the man might be a citizen of the United States,
who had shipped as a sailor in the English ships,
just as there were English subjects in American
men-of-war, yet the Toeywan had never, fired a gun
nor landed a man; the American Minister had
nothing to do with the prisoner, and could never
claim him. After making arrangements respecting
the number of Mr. Ward's suite to accompany him
to the approaching interview, and giving orders
for horses to he brought, the judge took his leave,
again reminding us how fortunate it was for our
interests that he was in Pehtang !
About 11 o'clock the next day Mr. Ward, at-
tended by only three of his party, went to the pub-
lic hall, where the Imperial Commissioners met him,
surrounded by a crowd of officials of every shade
of button, all dressed in their easy summer costume.
Kweiliang looked more hale than when at Shanghai,
and said that his journey of 36 days had been on
the whole pleasant. lie soon began, however, upon
weightier matters, and vindicated the late acts of
his Government in respect of its plans for the ex-
change of the three treaties. Ile declared that the
Emperor had a right to obstruct the channel of his
own rivers, and had done so at the mouth of the
Peiho to prevent foreign ships ascending to Tien-
tsin ; that he would have been blameworthy if all
ingress had been closed, but on the contrary every
arrangement had been made for conducting all the
Foleign Ministers to Pekin by way of Pehtang.
The English Envoy, however, had not gone to that
place, but had tried to force his way through the
barriers at Taku, even when warned of the come-
quences ; and that by so doing the English had
broken the treaty and not the Chinese, upon whom
the responsibility of the violation did not-rest. He
then went on to compare the refusal of the Eng.
lish and French Ministers at Shanghai to see
him and his colleague, after having waited in
that region many months for that purpose, with
the visits which had taken place between them
and the American Envoy, and his offer
of a ship of war to bring them up the Gulf,
which the regulations of their own Government
prevented them from accepting ; and concluded his
harangue with the remark that the hostile feeling's
of the English were also seen in their bringing as
large, if not a larger, force to exchange their treaty
than they had to make it, while the peaceful de-
signs of the Americans were proved by their coming
in only one vessel.
This aged statesman could certainiy be excused
for this expression of his feelings and views on the
recent events,in which he had borne so large a part at
any place ; but it appeared to his foreign auditors
that he was at the time talking rather to his coun-
trymen in the room. The sang field of some of
them in taking off their hats and seating themselves
at side tables, led to tho inference that they were
much higher in rank than their crystal .buttons in-
dicated, and the Premier must explain tits gets be-
fore them in unmistaken terms. He then proceeded
to state that, as the Emperor had a regard to the
Americans, he wished to do them honour by grant-
ing them an audience, and it only remained for the
parties then present to settle upon the manner of
approaching the throne. Without going into need-
less details upon the interesting conversations which
ensued on this topic at this and subsequent inter-
views, it will be better to recapitulate the main
arguments used by the Chinese functionaries in ex-
plaining and urging their views, as these show most
clearly the real nature of the ceremony used at the
Chinese court.

The different estimation in which the Emperor re-
garded a friendly and equal nation like the United
States, whose chief magistrate was in every respect
equal to bimself, from tributary nations like Siam,
Corea, Lew chow, or A nnam, was repeatedly referred
to by Kweillang. He sometimes styled the Presi-
dent " ta-hwangti," or Great Emperor, and some-
times "President" (a word which he has learnt),
and occasionally " kiun-clm," or Princely Ruler, to
prove his respect for him. Such being the
relationi between the two countries, the
ko•tau or regular farm of obeisance required
of envoys from these nations, namely san-kwei-
kiu-boh, "three kneelings and nine knocks," would
not be expected ; "but," said the judge, " one
kneeling and three knocks will do for a friendly
Power." This remark was not taken up by the
Commissioners, nor was the ceremony even in this
mitigated form again referred to, so that it cannot
b.: said that the ko-tau in any shape was demanded
of Mr. Ward by the Chinese as a preliminary to his
audience of their Sovereign.
To this Mr. Ward replied, that while he enter-
tained the greatest respect for his Majesty, and in
pasreisieseNdv Lnitdhie.eletter
aunf
a whichu
d ie
that only felt what the President himself had ex-
wis
dheeedmt:d it declare
un under
eirn
the
eethesmt
that,apbnoeera highly
etrsac important
he
a stilleshe
he had never asked it, and
the treaty said uatbin
pp
rl
ea
si
en,
nlehcts eet terms,vt
and.asu.

about it ; but he would not kneel when he came
before the throne ; he could only salute his Majesty
as he did his own ruler, and as Ministers of the
United States did the Sovereigns of all other
nations when they saw them; he knelt only as an
act of worship before God, and would never do so
before any man. They were subjects of the Empe-
ror, and they must obey his ritual, but he repre-
sented a nation whose dignity he could not compro-
mise by such a compliance ; and, furthermore, true
respect must always proceed from the heart, and if
the outward ceremony was not voluntary it was
hypocrisy. He would bow very low, and even nine
times, if that would add to the solemnity in their
view ; or he would stand uncovered during the
whole audience, while the Emperor sat. More than
this he would never willingly perform. While this
form of salutation exhibited all the respect he felt
towards the President, which they must themselves
acknowledge was quite as great as he could feel
towards the Emperor of China.
" The Commissioners answered that if they were
in the United States they would conform to any re-
quirements made of them at an audience with the
President, and that the American Minister ought
to act on that principle in their country ; that
they could not show respect to their Sovereign
otherwise than by kneeling, for anything short of
that was absolutely nothing in their estimation,
and would be deemed so by the Emperor. He would
regard it as an indignity for a Minister from a
friendly nation to come to his capital and refuse to
see him when he required so much less of him
than he did of his own courtiers, besides which, the
President would be offended with him for not show-
ing proper respect to his Envoy. In some Euro-
pean Courts, even in the English, persons knelt be-
fore the Sovereign when presented to him, and it is
no more derogatory to do so here than there. They
did not hesitate to say that they regarded the hom-
age paid their monarch as of the same sort as that
given to gods, and would even burn incense to the
President, as well as make the ko-tau to him, if re-
quired at Washington, in order to manifest entire
respect. " You are a plenipotentiary," said Hwa-
shana, turning to Mr. Ward, "and certainly have
full powers to-do such an act."
" I am not invested with powers sufficient to en-
able me to change the laws and usages of my coun-
try, and cannot do anything to degrade it," was Mr.
Ward's reply.
The discussion had now continued for two hours,
and the Commissioners waved any further debate
until they returned the visit. They invited the
party to a sumptuous repast in an adjoining apart-
ment, where the novelty of knives, forks, and nap-
kin was seen, as well as the foreigners to use them.
fo Mr. Ward's request to have horses sent to the
legation, so that the members of the suit could have
exercise about the city, had taken place, everything
of interest in the city and suburbs would be shown
them with the utmost pleasure. Such we know is
the usage at Pekin in relation to foreign embassies,
and it was referred to in one of the letters received
from the Russian Minister. The conversation turned
on a variety of topics, and at the conclusion of the
visit all parted in the best of humour.
The same three officials returned Mr. Ward's
visit on the 2d of August at the legation, coming in
the same sort of carriages that are in use at the
capital, and had been furnished the Embassy on its
journey. There was no military escort, nor was the
number of attendants upon the Prime Minister
large ; it was a plain and unpretending visit, cha-
racteristic of the little display usually seen among
high Chinese officers.
The subject of the audience was resumed after all
had taken their seats, and nearly the same ground
again gone over. The Commissioners adhered to
their former argument, that as kneeling was prac-
tised at some European Courts, and Mr: Ward had
agreed to do at Pekin whatever he would do at any
of those courts, he was bound to kneel at the
Chinese, and referred to the usage at Rome of those
who had audiences in the Vatican. This brought
up areferense to the similarity in the religious sense
given to the kneeling before the Emperor of China
and the Pope ; but it was shown that the Commis•
sioners had made a mistake in their reasoning, for
no foreign Ministers, American, English, or any
othes, ever kneeled to the Pope when presented to
him. The explanation evidently was not altogether
satisfactory to them, and they recurred again to the
practice of kneeling before the Queen of England,
-which had been already shown was only practised
by her own subjects when they received an order
of knighthood or some other honour, and had never
been demanded or accorded by foreign envoys.
They wished Mr. Ward to embody an account
of the ceremony he was willing to perform in a
communication to be sent to them ; and the draught
of such a paper was made up before they left, but
it was too straightforward and explicit. They
said it would be useless to take it. They concluded
the discussion by saying that they had better report
to his Majesty that the customs of the two countries
were so unlike it was better that no audience took
place, much as lie desired to do honour to the Ame-
rican nation in its representative.
An agreement Was made with the Commissioners
that the business which had brought the Legation
to the capital should all be finished, so that it could
return on the 11th; and they entirely disclaimed
all restraint upon the movements of the American
Minister while at the capital. The policemen had
been stationed about the neighbourhood, indeed,
merely to restrain the crowds of natives who would
otherwise throng it. 'But,' asked Sieh, 'pray what
reason can we have to stop a few peaceable foreigners
like you from goine. abroad ? There is no guard of
soldiers stationed to keep you in the house.' The
facts about this matter are perhaps more easily ex-
plained by a reference to the ideas entertain ad by the
Chinese respecting the dignity of an embassy that
its members should notconcern themselves about the
trivialities of trade, especially until public business
was over, and its chief head had seen the Emperor.
However, the Chinese were afraid of our seeing the
Russians ; and a letter which came to hand that
evening; from his Excellency General Ignatieff
proved' that' they had detained his correspondence
six days.
The Chinese Commissioners were obliged to go
out 12 miles to the summer residence of Yuen-
ming-yuen to report to his Majesty, who was pass-
ing the hot weather there, and no reply was ex-
pected from them till the 4th ; but the next morn-
ing the judge, with countenance anything but.joy-
ful, unexpectedly appeared. He had come from
the summer palace, where he and the Commission-
ers had bees all night, with a plan which he
thought would succeed. This was that they should
address Mr. Ward a letter, stating that the Em-
peror intended to honour him with an audience to
receive the President's letter; he should then reply
that he was willing, if granted the honour, to make
his respects to his Majesty in the same manner that
he would before the President, neither diminishing
nor addin.. thereto. There was of course no objec-
tion to this procedure, and the draughts of both
documents were made out, and the judge took
copies away with him. .The detail of the expedient
to be observed•was also explained, which was, that
when the Minister came towards the throne, the
table on which the President's letter was to be
placed standing between the two, he should bow as
low as he had represented, and then two Chamber-
lains would approach and raise him up, with the
exclamation, "Don't kneel !" He would then pre-
senti the letter by placing it on the table, whence it
would be taken by another Chamberlain, who on
his knees would hand it to the Emperor.
The judge went away with a happier visage than
he came with, and the next despatch from Kwei-
lisng was looked for with impatience. Instead of
the expected document Sieh himself returned next
morning to tell us that the Commissioners had been
outvoted, and his Majesty's decision was, that un-
less the American Minister would either touch one
knee or his fingers to the ground he would not see
him. While this concession was refused as being
.much more than an American representative ever
performed before his own or any other ruler, it was
again declared that in this persistance of our usages
there was no disrespect intended to the Emperor,
who must of course be the final judge of what he
deemed suitable to his own dignity. The question
of an audience was thus settled, so far as the Ame-
rican embassy was interested, after five days' ear-
nest discussion. During the whole of it the Chinese
Commissioners made use of nothing but fair argu-
ment. They never even alluded to the helpless po-
sition of 20 foreigners, as a reason for their comply-
ing with a ceremony which seemed to them, doubt-
less, the extreme of liberality. It is impossible to
decide the question satisfactorily, but the final ob-
stacle to the audience seems to have been the con-
viction in the minds of the Chinese, that Mr. Ward
would not do what was really done at European
Courts ; and what they declared the English Mini-
ster had promised last year he would do—viz., per-
form the same ceremony- before the Emperor which
he would before the Queen. The judge remarked
once, that he was certain that the Ministers had
come to VI understanding at Tientsin last year re•
specting the proper ceremony at an audience, but
he was assured that Mr. Reed had never come to
an agreement on this sul)ject with anybody. It is
unfair to the Chinese, in reporting this discussion,
to take up the idea that they were -insincere or dog-
matic in all their assertions, and had no scruple in
what they said; for in their position erroneous ideas
might easily be firmly believed, and it was known
to us that Lord Amherst did agree to kneel before
the Emperor as he did before his King, but neither
we nor the Chinese alluded to that embassy.
The next despatch from the Prime Minister was
very characteristic of Chinese diplomacy, for in it
he referred to the unsatisfactory discussion about
the ritual, and then asked the American Envoy
what he had come to Pekin for; he took the whole
argument for granted, that every Minister expected

to see a Sovereign when ho came to his capital, and
that as he would not see the Emperor the Presi-
dent's letter could not be received; and then what
was the next step ? There was a deadlock, for,
until this was over, how and where could the
treaty be exchanged? The reply conveyed
to Kweiliang a brief recapitulation of the circum-
stances under which Mr. Ward had accepted his
own invitation at Shanghai to come up, and quoted
the Emperor's rescript as communicated by the Go
vernor-Oeneral at Pehtang, permitting him to do
so ; and then proposed to deliver the President's
letter to him, after which the treaty could be ex-
changed. The answer of the Chinese came late on
Saturday night. It was short, and stated that the
Commissioners were awaiting his Majesty's rescript
fixing the place for exchanging the treaty ; but
added that, as the audience could not take place, so
the letter could not be received, and that it would be
unsuitable to exchange ratifications in the capital.
A delay of 36 hours took place before answering
this communication, and the reply was ready to go
forward when Judge Sieh came in to learn the cause
of the silence. He said that if Mr. Ward would ask
the Commissioners to receive the letter the request
would be granted, and likewise, if he would express
his preference for a place at the north to exchange
ratifications, it would be acceded to. Both propo-
sitions were declined. The Commissioners had said
the letter could not be received; and the Emperor
would of course fix on the time and place for the
exchange. However, expressions were introduced
into Mr. Ward's reply, regretting that the customs
of China and America pravented au audience, but
that this had no effect upon the real regard felt both
by the American Plenipotentiary and the President
towards his Majesty. The Chinese were now some-
what apprehensive that they had persisted too far,
and wished to learn whether the Government at
Washington would be angry at this non-reception
of its Envoy.
The next day (Tuesday) a courteous response was
received, enclosing the Imperial rescript, ordering
Kweiliang and Hwashana to apply the Great Seal
to the treaty of Tien-tsin, and then receive the letter
from the President for transmission to the Em-
peror. Hangfuh, the Governor-General of Chihli,
was designated to exchange the ratifications of the
treaty at Pehtang.
The troublesome points were now arranged,
and Wednesday was fixed by Kweiliang for receiv-
ing President Buchanan's letter. It was taken "bjy
him with much respect, lifting the box above his
eyes as he delivered it to an attendant and gave
orders for a guard of honour to be placed over it.
An entertainment was served in a style which would
have done honour even to Soyer himself, and the
Prime Minister appeared, as he usually had done, a
mild and courteous gentleman. He informed Mr.
Ward during the interview that his functions as
Imperial Commissioner and those of his colleague
Hwashana, would now cease, and they would soon
return their seal of office to his Majesty. It is im-
possible not to feel a high degree of respect for a
man like Kweiliang, although he may have the vices
and failings of a pagan, not only from his high po-
litical position as the first statesman in the king-
dom, but from his venerable age and the unaffected
urbanity and kindness of his demeanour.
During the evening of this day preparations were
made for departure on the following morning, and
some of the gentlemen went out in the afternoon to
view the city walls. Letters were received from the
Russian Minister, with a file of the Times newspa-
per to May 19, but no personal intercourse took
place with any member of that Legation. Several
tradesmen came in with their wares and curiosities,
but the shops were mostly situated in the New City,
about three miles from Thirteenth-street, and the
assortment consequently was small. The state of
currency in the capital is deplorably bad, and much
of the traffic is carried on with paper money, which
is now taken at a great discount. The Mexican dol-
lar was almost unkown, and at first was refused.
It was reckoned at 58 cantereens of sycee, and ex-
changed for 470 copper cash, while a bank bill of
1,000 cash is worth only about 170 copper cash.
The new iron-copper coin called tang-shill, or 10-
piece, has deteriorated till it is worth only two of
the common cash ; and a tael of pure silver can buy
1,500 paper cash, The supply of copper and silver
is inadequate even for the wants of the capital, and
nothing indicates a prospect of improvement in
trade or increase in the metallic currency.
Two of the gentlemen in the embassy, Dr. Sand-
ford, of the Powhattan, and the Rev. W. Aitchison,
one of the interpreters, were too weak from illness
to ride in the carriages, and our kind-hearted escort
provided two mule litters for their conveyance to
Tung-chau ; and not only to that spot, but sent
them on to Pehtsang, so as to be ready on arrival
there to carry the invalids across the country to
Pehtang. To the deep regret of all who knew him
Mr. Aitchison yielded to the violence of his disease,
and died in his litter a few hours after leaving the
boats at Pehtsang. Dr. Sandford improved daily
on the road, and reached the ship stronger than
when he left Pekin.

The return to Pehtang was by the same route
and in the same boats as the journey to the capital,
and the assiduous attention, especially of Tsunghau,
could not be exceeded, while his gentlemanly conduct
won the regards of all. The trip was made in five
days, and the only interruption of the pleasant
weather experienced during the whole expedition
of four weeks occurred the evening before reaching
the Toeywan, when it rained violently and flooded
the roads. In the alluvial soil of this plain the high-
ways are soon cut up by the carriages, and when the
embassy reached:Pelitang about 2 o'clock on Tues-
day its streets were already ankle•deep with mud.
The Governor-General and Treasurer of Chihli,
Hangfugh, and Wanhiuh, were already in waiting,
surrounded by a large retinue of officers, whose
numbers were now increased by our escort, and
they proposed to wave all ceremony of preparation
and exchange the ratified treaties at once before
going on board ship. This was accordingly done,
and certificates of the exchange signed before even-
ing. After the exchange was over the Chinese pro-
posed to deliver one of the two prisoners taken
from the English, who had declared himself to be
an American, to the Minister, and brought him
forward for that purpose. He proved to be a Cana-
dian by birth, and it required some time to explain
to the two Chinese officials the political difference
between Canada and the United States and their
geographical proximity, the more so as no maps
were accessible. After a full explanation of all the
points of the case they concluded to deliver the man
over to Mr. Ward entirely on grounds of humanity,
and he was thus received.
The next day, Aug. 17, the Toeywan returned to
the outer anchorage, where her arrival was gladly
hailed by the Commodore and his officers, and on
the evening of the 18th the Powhattan sailed for
Shanghai.

SAVING LIFE DURING THE LA7E
STORMS.

Yesterday a meeting of the Royal National Life-
boat Institution was held at its house, John-street,
Adelphi, Thomas Baring, Esq., M.P.,
chairman of
the society, in the chair.
There were also present—Admiral Sir Thomas
Herbert, K.C.8., Sir Edward Perrott, Bart., Mon-
tague Gore, Esq., Admiral M‘Hardy, Admiral Bul-
lock, and Captain Ward, R.N., Inspector of Life-
boats to the society.
Mr. Lewis, the secretary, read the minutes of the
previous meeting.
A reward of £l4 was granted to the crew of the
institution's lifeboat stationed at Filey, for putting
off in the night and rescuing the crew of three men
from the sloop George and Mary, of Hull, which,
during the fearful gale of the 25th ult., was stranded
off Filey.
A reward of £6 108. was also voted to the crew
of the Rhyl tubular lifeboat, which belongs to this
society, for going off and saving six men from the
schooner Oriental, of Lancaster, which, during the
heavy gale of the 25th of October, was wrecked
near Rhyl.
A reward of was also given to the crew of the
society's lifeboat stationed at Aberdovey, for putting
off in her and rescuing four persons from the
schooner Endeavour, of Portmadoc, which was seen
in a sinking state off Aberdovey during a gale of
wind on the 26th ult. It was said this lifeboat had
only been a few months on her station ; the officer
of customs who reported the case said " this service
and the last quarter's exercise have created un-
bounded confidence in the new lifeboat. Having
been myself in the boat on both occasions, I can
testify to her behaviour in a heavy sea." When-
ever the new class of lifeboats of this institution
have had fair trials, and have been handled by able
and willing crews, they have on all occasions per-
formed noble service. The Dean of Norwich also
reported to the meeting that he was the other day
at Wapner, and had been himself told by the cox-
swain of the institution's lifeboat on that station
that her behaviour on the Goodwin Sands during a
recent shipwreck had been marvellous. _ _

A reward of £7 10s. was likewise voted to the
instituLion's lifeboat at Berwick for rescuing the
crew of five men from the schooner Majestic, of
Dundee, which, during a hurricane on the 25th ult.,
was wrecked off Spital Point The crew of the
lifeboat expressed their admiration of her behaviour
on that occasion.

A reward of £5 10s. was also voted to the crew
of the society's new lifeboat stationed at Tenby, on
the Welsh coast, for going off and saving the crew
of three men from the sloop Brothers, of Milford,
which was wrecked off that place during a gale of
wind on Tuesday last.
The Lowestoft lifeboat, which is in connection
with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, suc-
ceeded, on Tuesday last, during a heavy storm, in
rescuing the crew of 11 men from the steamer Sham-

rock, of Dublin. The sea at the time was breaking
over the mastheads of the wreck, and it was orq
by the greatest skill and daring that the poor fel:
lows were rescued from the boiling elements which
were yawning to engulf them. During the Pais"
month this lifeboat has performed most valliab'e
services in saving the crews of other vessels.
The society's lifeboats stationed at
Pakefield, and Yarmouth, and other places, had als°
put off to the rescue of shipwrecked crews during(
the late heavy gales. In some places the crews °f
the boats had als) been assembled, so as to be real,
for instantaneous service, but the reports of toes
valuable services had not as yet reached the society
r;
The reports which had reached the institution
from many of its branches on various parts of tile/
English and Welsh coasts, describe such a gene,ro.
disaster of the late storms as was perhaps never
uuse
fore witnessed by. the oldest person living. T°,
Appledere,
the words of the inspector, Lieut. Hippisley,
of the coastguard, at Dungeness, "It was a perle_
hurricane at times, as dark as pitch, and such a s"'
that 20 vessels might have been lost before allf.
one could have reached the institution's lifeb°44
In fact, I expected that the lifeboat houses ha
been blown down, for it blew sometimes s° ler
that the buildings along this coast shook necks
me. Had the poor crews of the numerous w„,a
on this coast made signals before dark, and resolv%
to quit their vessels, I doubt if any boat could ka__Y,
reached them." It is impossible to state With afue-I
degree of accuracy the number of these dre,ad all
disasters; for too many vessels have sunk with
it
hands on board that will never be heard of. •fia
cannot, however, be doubted that the late terrlw.
gale proved fatal to upwards of 800 of our fell°
creatures, from more than 350 wrecked vessels. toci
Several rewards, amounting to £35, were graTon-
to various crews of boats for their courageolls cent
duct in rescuing shipwrecked crews on differlp
parts of the coast during the recent boisterous wvh,
they. One of these, a fishing boat in the neigith
bourhood of the wreck of the Royal Charter, whaa
a crew of eight men, to whom was voted 1:12, a
striven for upwards of an hour to save life fronto
wrecked schooner, and after having.been drive the
shore four times, succeeded at last in reaching in,
wreck, and bringing the poor fellows on sh°l: be
a most exhausted state. Another boat's erell'by $
received .£3O from the society, had remained
wreck all night, watching for a favourable °13,,1"00.
tunity to snatch her crew from a watery gra,ctiel
the Goodwin Sands. At last it occurred, and
were brought to MargatP the next morniug.4. out
gentlemen of England, who sit at home
think of these castaways, and consider whetn,e,sac-
of your abundance, you cannot spare a little ",t be
cour in the hour of distress, sailors who mig"aii
shipwrecked on the Scotch coast. It log0:0g,
possible to conceive a more suitable tbankrireal
and one which is more calculated to confer 1,40
boon on the cause of humanity in its most be'rdate,
state, than the presentation of a lifeboat to a
gerous locality. p 5 Waal
The gold modal of the institution and '",,-iouret'
ordered to be presented to Joseph Rogers, a °""brad'
man, who, when the noble ship was thrown ~,erecl
side on the rocky beach, had bravely v°l°lll 'oe t°
to battle with the boiling surf and convey al
were
the shore. By this means several perae°'„d oa
rescued from the watery grave, which ei°'"
450 others. L ifeboo
A report was read by the Inspector of „
to the Society, on his recent inspection of 1'94,100d.
boats on the north coast of England and in SO' £6O
A benevolent military officer offered to giriones
to the Lifeboat Institution, if five other ge,.ll,'„,esta-
would contribute the like amount towards
blishment of a lifeboat station. la ifc'
An urgent application had been made far
boat to be stationed at Folkestone. ghat
was reported that the institution was - cora'
forward lifeboats to the Lizard and FoWei)
wa
Payments,
and Skerries, near Dublin. i. Alf 10°'
amounting to £l,lOO for °aeca
transporting carriages, and boathouses, having
made, the proceedings closed.