Star.
London, England, 1824-10-26 00:00:00

TO *CHINA.

IT M. KLAPROTH.
(Ryas *be Cialliart imirnaL)
Russia concluded, in 17'28, a treaty with China, by
which the frontiers between the two empires were defi-
nitively settled, and .a reciprocal commerce was esta-
blished.between them. on a solid basis. After the pe-
rusal of this treaty, Which contains nothing humiliating,
f
to Russia, we should deceiv: ourselves if we were to,'
suppose that that Power is vegartled by China as its:
equal. Even in the trcaty itself there is nothing. that
can induce us to presemb that China arrogates to rtsel
a supremacy over Russia; but if we read the description
of that empire in ihe qfficial geography of Me Mend,
shout, we shall find that the monarchy-ot the Czars is
seated as a State that has submitted to the l'rince who
governs the Central Empire. *Eves the custom by
which they are to receive the ambassadors, and the
"fustian tribute, is there specified according to the
Chinese regulation.
Diplomatists will, perhaps, reply, that as China has
never received the smallest mark of submission from
Russia this ridiculous vanity of the Chinese ought to be
treated with the contempt which every pretension that
cannot bo maintained ought to be treated. But these
'diplomatists would be in error, according to the
Chinese, and in the eyes of Europeans capable of judg-

hag the question. •
for according to the opinion prevalent with the Chi nese,
every Foreign Power that sends to them an eintrassy,recog-
MiSCS Ey suca an act their submission to the Emperor.*
In Chine4e this act of submission is described by the
words Tai tchhao, "to come and render homage." This
expression is generally applied to the first embassy of
any Power ; the embassies that succeed are designated
by the terms tel bung, " to come and bring tribute."
If we consult the Chinese annals, we shall see, that in the
166th year of our era, the Roman Emperor Antoninus
(larcusAureliirs) sent an embassy that offered tribute
to Honcia-ii, of the dynasty of the Han j that in the
year 281 another brought it to the Tsin, and that the
same event happened in 637, and in 719. It will be
founi also, that Spain has submitted ever since 1576,
Holland ever since 1653, and the Pope ever since 1725.
In the explanation of a map of the world, oblished
at Peking in 1794, we read : "in the 53th year of
Khian Loring (1793), the English, who are situated at
the north-west extremity of the world, and who in tos.
met, times had never penetrated to China, crossed the
two oceans, to come and render hostage to the Emperor."
The second sitputation of the English will be treated in
the antrats,of China, as having brought tribute.
Thus it is seen, that the mission of au embassy is *
stalk of submission, and that the presents which they
bring are considered as due to the Emperor; so that
they are called koung, vectigalia, tributa." Koons
signifies gene, ally, everything that an iujiriar lifers to 11
natural superior.
We are aware that many think, that for political or
commercial interests we may be allowed to shut our
eyes at the arrogant vanity of the Chinese, provided'
the embassy obtains proposed object. We might,
iudeesi be induced to be of this opinion, if it were not
an incontrovertible fact, that an embassy to China can
never accomplish its object. The Chint,e, far (torn ne-
gociating with the embassadOri Of foreign Powers, con-,
sider them as messengers curse, on: the behalf c f the*
masters, to present his respects and the tribute doe to
his superior.
The Axed and immutable mode of 0,4011 with the
Chinese governments, is that of transmitting in to iting
the demands to be made, to the governor of the pro-
vince to which the embassy has access. He sends it to
Peking, to Li
.fan-youon (the college or foreign affairs),
which never fails to give an aniwerg.. BO there is no
isotonic, wherein the Chinese haste treated with an am.
bassadov, unless he commanded ait army. The Aland-
thous have, indeed, made some concessions:to niissitt,
because at the time they feared them, and because they
haymow that the commerce at the frontier of Siberia,
and the Russian caravans which journeyed to Peking,
would be of service to the Aatka Mongols, ruiced by
long wars with the Guldens of the Eulcuts. In other
eitcumstances, and in other times, the Court of Peking.
would not probably have shewn itself so tractable.
The most useless thing then that can be dour is, to
send embassies to China, since they will invariably ter-
Minna without a result, and only save to place Euro-
pean Governments in a humiliating situation. Let the
ambassadors perform, or omit to perform, the ceremo-
nies prescribed by the regulations of the celestial empire
it is of no consequence. The evil that we would avoid,
in refusing to submit to the nine genuflections before
the Emperor, or before his throne, is already performed
by the arrival of the mission.

J., G. JACKSON.

Sceaux, March, 1824.
• The same ridiculous vanity prevails at Morocco: a late Em-
peror declared war against every European Power that did not
send an Ambassador or a C(1114111 with a present to Tangier. These
presents-are considered as homage ; and it is a common observation
among the people of that country to say, that the Christian Power
snake presents in homage; or in other words, not voluntarily, but
(bisinosithusse) by compulsion.
ItoYAL HIEESINI AN SOCIETY.—Monday, the 18th inst.
being the feast of St. Luke, the Royal Hibernian Aca•
denty, incorporated to promote the arts of painting,
sculpture, and architecture in Leland, held their annual
meeting for the election of Officers and other Academic
pnrposes, accot ding to their Charter, on which occasion
the following Gentlemen were unanimously elected :
WILLIAM JOITN3TOII, Esq. President; WILLIAM CUNI-
NINO, Esq. Treasuter ; NS'ILLIAist Mosso'', Esq. Se-
cretary; THOMAS J'. 11uLvissv, Esq. Keeper. The
election for. Associates, and persons to fill up the va-
cancies amongst the Academicians, caused by the deaths
of Messrs. ASHFORD, ROBERTS, and WILLIAMS, was
adjourned to the period of the annual exhibition, which
is intended to take place in May, 182.5.—1 n the evening
the Academy dined together at Monaissos's, and on
the announcement of the health of our distinguished
countryman, MARTIN ARCHER SITE; Esq. R.A. a letter'
from that able artist was read by one of the Members'
of the Academy, expressing his admiration of the pa-
triotic munificence of Mr. JOHNSTON, in erecting the
noble building of Abbey-street, devoted to the Fine
Arts of his native country, and promising the iupport
of his own powerful talents to the
.exhibition of the
ensuing year. ,

So fully employed are the people of Devonshire, that
hands to work at the granite quarries are Tell scarce.
la 1491, corn was so dear in England; that a quarts:
of wheat sold at it. 4s. Sd.

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