Star.
London, England, 1817-08-26 00:00:00

LORD 41.11111:11ST'S I,IIY4GE TO CHINA

FUA7•PiEIt RARTICULARS.
Lord A:•ttuaisr sailed from Portsmouth on the 9th
of February, 1816. on an enibasiy to the Coen of
Pekin. cm board his Majesty's frigate Alceste, Cap
taia M. MAXWat.L.; acc..mp•it►icd by the Lyra brig
of tsar, Captao B. HALL, and the General Hewitt
lisdiaman, Captain CALintaLL.
His Lordship touched at Madeira, Riojaneiro, the
Cape of Good H"pe, and Batavia ; and the voyage
was extraordinary for its rapidity, the ships having
traversed 14,000 miles in 92 days under tail. In the
beginning of July the embassy arrived on the coast
of China, and proceeded up the Yellow Sea: having
been joi.led by Sir George amnion, at the Gre..t
Lemma, Sir George having been sent down to say
the embassy w uld be received with every attention.
Oil the 9 b of August the embassy disembarked
safely in the Gulph of Pe Cloth, which is not tar dis-
tant from the capital. Whilst on the journey every
effort was made by the Mandarins to induce his Ex-
cellency to comply with the Taitar ceremony of the
Ka-ton—•which was resisted on the ground of the pre-
cedent ..1 Lord Macartney i but every demonstration
of respect, consistent with the dignity of his Sovereign
and the honour of his nition, was freely u Ifei••d by
his ExcAle, el. This degrading ceremony of kneel-
ing and inoegog Me head (the !oriel expression in
se) nine tunes against the ground. is not only
cl •man ell Iroise the A►nbassa.lots of all tributary
Kii.gs (as every Sovereign cif the world is indiscri-
niiinstely cal'.t•d) when in the Imperial presence, but.
likew'se, on receiving any message from the Empe-
ror, and on broken victuals being sent to them from
his t..bie : a. d this was actually submitted to by the
Dutch in 1795.

The Clt,nc'.e. 'or obvious reasons, were extremely
anxious tor the performance of this ceremony by a
British Ai..bassador ; and threats, Batteries, and lies
in abundance, were used, in order to induce compli-
ance— but all M. •ain. The Emperor, a man of
mous and capricious disposition, increased by a
ILI hit of constant inebriation, seemed, in his cooler mo-
ments, afraid of the consequences of his abrupt dis.
missal of the Embassy, as appeared by his sending
after it, to request some exchange of presents, and ex-
pressing himself satisfied of the respectful feelings of
the King of England, who had sent so far to pay
homuir, attributing the whole blame of the
affair to the unmannerly conduct of the Ambassa-
dor, who reiused to hawk head, as in duty bound, and
according to the common rules of politeness. The
Embassy, on the tour tbr .ughout China, experienced
the most perfect respect. The Alceste and Lyra, after
landing the Embassy, were employed in surly) b ;
the former taking the Gulf Leatory and coast i.f
Corea, the latter the south-western coast of tat
Gulf. Thr Alceste went as far as the junction u.
the great wall of China with the sea, which was seen
from ship. Both ships joined company at Che-a•
Tou. Ze-a-Tou islands.

The I rue positions of the coasts and isl Inds of Chi.
nese Tartary, and much useful hydrographical know-
ledge w re iibtained, whereby former errors are cot-
recte.l. Ste ring afterwards for the Caftan shore.
they t• and former geographical descriptions of it,
miserably defective, and an archipelago of islands,
hitherto unknown to exist, were discovered. Many
mete christened with particular names, and correct
charts made of the true position of the whole. The
sh;; s then proceeded to the southward of Japan. and
arrived at the Lienn Kieon Islands. More hydro-
graphical knowledge was obtained, and an intimate
acquaintance formed with the natives, of whom hi-
therto little was known, and themselves scarce know-
ing any thing about the rest of the World. At Grand
Leuchen, the chief of this kingdom of islands, the
ships refitted, among a race of people as extraordi-
nary for their diminutive size as for their general
character. They are of great antiquity and conside.
rade civilization—possess much of the rigid natural
jealousy and reserve of their neighbours, the Japanese
and Cninese. On further acquaintance, they were
found an interesting people, in the highest degree
kind and hospitable. and, after a stay of six weeks,
both parties separated, with evident proofs of mutual
regret.
The Alceste and Lyra arrived at the mouth of the
Tigris, in November, and were nested with every
tiodignity by the Viceroy of Canton, who refused a
p tsc for the ships to enter the river, as bad been
granted to the Lion, on a former occasion ; thus at.
tempting to cot off the supply of fresh water and pro-
visions, which could only be brought on board by
stealth, after dark ; and various other insults Were
offered. Captain Maxwell, justly considering that
the honour at the flag must suffer by a tame submis-
sion. promeded up without a pass. The Mandarins
strongly manned the forts (containing 110 pieces of
cannon) at the Bocce Tigris, and sent out a message,
as this ship advanced, that they would sink her (the
Akene), she attempted to pass through. She
nevertheless pushed en, and a sharp firing com-
menced from the forts and war junks. which was int-
inediately returned by the Alceste, which getting
within pistol shot of their largest fort, a well-aimed
broadside was poured in, which laid a number spraw-
ling, and fairly drove the rest heels over head out of
the battery : the ship now proceeded up to her safe
and paper anchorage, followed, but unmolested, by
the war junks. Next day the Viceroy (having been
now treated the right nay), sent down a high Man-
darin to congratedais the Captain on his arrival in the river,
this Mandarin having passed Captain M. in his way
down, who, in the mean time, had gone up to Can-
ton, to demand further reparation for the insult of-
fered to the King's ship.
Oe Tuesday, the 28th of January, his Majesty's
ships Alceste and Lyra sailed from Macao Roads ;
the former having nil board his Excellency and suite,
returning from his mission front the Court of Pekin.
On the Sd of February the Alceste arrived at Manilla,
and the kyra on the sth, when she was sent with his
Excellency's dispatches is Bengal.
The Alceste was proceeding into the Straits of
• Sunda, thruugh the Straits of Gaspar, when she un-
fortunately struck on a coral reef, on the morning of
the lfith February, and shortly filled. No lives
were lost pa this occasion. The Ambassador and his
suite, with some of the crew, were immediately put
on shore on the island of Polo Leat, a short distance
from the wreck.
It was decided, after Lord Amherst's remaining
one night on theidand, that his Lordship and suite

should attempt to make Batavia (di:Aant 200 miles)
in two boats, attended by Lieutenaat lioppner, end
Messrs. Mayne, Cook, and Blair, and they arrived,
after tour days of ninth fatigue and hardship, from
want of water, at Batavia. His Lordship, without
a moment's delay, dispatched the Company's eruizer
Ternate, with air. Ellis, the Secretary of Embassy,
volunteer, to the assistance of those left behind. She
beat against the wind and current for a considerable
time, and at lastgot sight of the Island.
The party left obtained some provisions, which
had floated up, and by c ireful management they made
sok to live there (having obtained by digging s' me
fresh water) from the 18th of February to the ith
of March. During tisk period they were beset by
the savages in the neighbouring islands, who, after
Iplundering and burning the ship, blockaded the party
ran shore ; they, with a very few regular arms, ktpt
them at bay. In an attempt to seize the remaining
I boats, tea of them, one morning, were variously dis-
posed of by Lieutenant Hay ; some were shot and
ethers were drowned. Their adventures in the island
were rather rit a romantic and unusual cast. The
conduct of Captain Maxwell, in his general manage-
ment of affairs, as well as means of defence, is
spoken of in high aoniration by his Officers—it dis-
played coolness and powerful reflection, tinder a sud-
den pressure . f diffizulties and a combination of
dangers, more than sufficient to have overwhelmed
an ordinary mind.
At Batavia, the Crsar was taken up to bring home
his Excellency and suite, with the Officers and men
of the Alceste ; she touched at the Cape, St. Helena,
and Ascension, on her way to England.
Concerning the interior of China, we have been
able to obtain but little information. The People
appear to manifest the same di-terioined mind to suffer
no innovation in their accustomed habits; but, on
the contrary, they boast of not having gone nut of
the beaten track of their forefathers: they are grossly
ignorant and sensual. The country in general ap.
peered well cultivated. They have no caravans,
road waggons, or any establishment similar to our
post ; consequently, in the interi r, the People had
not heard of the Nepaul war, nor, indeed, did they
appear even to know where that country was situate.
It appears impossible to estimate the population, as
the People ate not enrolled, nor has a census ever
been taken. But few soldiers were seen; the greatest
number of any one body did nut exceed 600. They are
composed of four descriptions of m n, viz. Match/ocia
(usually in a bad state), Archers (whim occasionally
act as cavalry), Specimen, and i yrs of War, who
are the Emperor's body guard: they are aimed with
a short sword and a target, and covet ped in a yel-
low mantle, gorgeously decorated wish tiger's heads,
to render their appearance formidable. The King's
internal revenue is collected in kind, atter the manner
of our tithes: the collecting Junks, which are said to
amount to 20,000, set off for the turthet parts of the
Empire, and with the change of the monsoon trom
toe westward, they all return and unlaid their car-
goes „1 all species of grain into the public granaries,
Irons whence it is sold to the Public ; this, and the
customs from the export of their manufactures at
Canton, comprise the entire source of their revenue,
excepting only the sale of the Governorships, which
emolument goes into the Emperor's private purse.

THE EVENING STAR.

-
LONDON.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1817.

PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT TWELVE O'CLOCK*
Reduced sill—Consols 8011—Do. for Oet. 811
4 per Cent. 111111—Navy, 105;1—India Bonds 121 128 pr.
Exchequer Bills, 295. 82s. pr.

The Paris Papers of Saturday arrived this morn-
ing.--The Count de ROPPIN (King of Payne) dined
on Thursday with the Duke of WiLLINOTON• The
whole of the Diplomatic Corps, the Duke of Ric:le-
t-nu, Duke of Reooto, &c. were among the com-
pany invited to meet the illustrious guest.
The Papal Nuncio, M. BRANCADORO, was on Fri.
day presented to the KING, when after addressing his
Majesty in a Latin harangue, he delivered into his
hands the Cardinal's Cap, destined for the Grand
Almoner, TALZ.EYRAND PERIGORD* The New Car-
dinal was afterwards introduced, and the Cap trans-
ferred to him by his MAJESTY, with all the customary
ceremonies. The two other Cardinals elect, Luanne
and Beau:err, were to receive their caps in a similar
manner on Tuesday (to-day).
2.
Prince ALEXANDER KODRAKDS, Privy Counsellor
of the Emperor of RUSSIA, with the two Princes his
sons, has arrived from Carlsbad at Paris.

French Funds, 224 August, 68f. 40 c.

By the Jamaica packet letters have been received
from Vera Cruz, of eourse from Royalist sources,
dated May 7, from which the following is an extract:

" Within the last seven mouths the revolution in this quarter
has greatly declined. so that &Om this place to Mezieo the poet
goes regularly nader an escort of fifteen or sweaty men, that is,
from hence* Xalapa, for from that place to the capital no escort
ls necessary. An the points in this neighbourhood formerly held
by the insurgents are now In our paneled*. The only existing
assemblage of them is between Gunixoato and Queretaro, con-
I doting of 5500 men, and to disperse them General Cauz has left
Meeks with WOO infantry and 550 cavalry, hoping to jolts 3000
more collected from the Capt. Generalship under his eemmand•"
Letters also were received from Lima, dated 6th
March, but they contain no interesting particulars,
except a •ery animated picture of the great conster-
nation that bad been caused in Peru by the capture
of Chili by the Patriots. The Royalists who had
escaped from Valparaiso, and other parts of the coast,
had arrived at Callao.

Extract of a letter f...0n St. Thoptaa's, dated
July 14:
" Last evening a vessel arrived here from Aogustura, province
of Guayana, which, on leaving the port beheld the fortress of,
this place in lames, and conjectured that the City bed seem-
tiered. They farther added, that the Independent Chief PIAR,
has had another encounter with General NioataLca, near the city
of Calaboa, in which be was again triumphant; which, it is
said, made General MOIIILLO determine 10 retire on Cameras,
but which be relinqui.bed on learning the arrival of the rein-
, fercemnist from Spain, consisting of I,eqp men. They furth,r

state, that his Britannic Majesty's ship *me at •N, of 18 pas,
Captain frat.ix, arrived here on Saturday last from Jamaica, and
conveyed hither •0 privates of the 7th West India Resin, tii • ,
natives of this colony, who enlisted in that Corps when it wits
sta•ioned here. Brigadier-Major Nor c, under whose orders these
men were, has informed us, that on his discharging them, each
individual receivi el one month's pay, sod that he had also orders
to furnish them with rations for the same period, should circuits.
stances have rendered it necessary. They also state, that It was
reported that Bo UTAK bad gained a complete victory over the
Royalists, on the Orunuko, hut the particulars they had not heard
at St.Thomasis, nor either frem him since hr sailed for the above
neutral place, but expected dispatches daily. All provisions were
very dear at St. Thomas's, and the Island not very healthy."