Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-06-19
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER
COMMERCE WITH ASIA.


The general interest which has been attracted
toward the Asiatic coasts and islands by our pro-
jected expedition to Japan, has directed our atten
tion to = document which has besn lying on our
table some time--we allude to Mr., BALEsrIER's 3
report 70 the Government Of Is iate mission to
Soutbesstern Asia, v1.ch was Nmunicated TO
Cmgsses apd printed ~ xaer y ~ saaaae. Hi
c1haia1 ~ i ndepoe With va Htas Department
- Others forms q p6ft Of this document and we
propose to give concise view of the whole to our
readers
President TAYLOR and his Secretary of State,
Mr.. CLAYTON, being sensible Of the importance of
giving all the extension possible to commerce,
wherever ships could penetrate sought to facilitate
it's development in the further East, among the
Cochin Chinese, the Siamese, and the Malays, by
remodelling old treaties of commerce, or making
new ones with them. And for this purpose Mr..
BALEsTIER was chosen as being peculiarly well quail
fed by his long residence as our Consul at Singa-
pore.
Mr.. BALEsTIER was directed, after his arrival in
the China seas to proceed in the first place to Cochin
China, or Anam, to offer reparation to the Govern
ment for an act of hostility alleged to have been
committed by the commander of one of our public
ships in 1845 on the subjects of the King of that
country And he was moreover directed to carry and
deliver letter from the President to the King inviting
him to enter into bonds Of friendship and with
the United States This duty performed he next
proceed to Siam to deliver in like letter from
the President to the King, inviting him q remodelling
Of the treaty concluded with him former OCCASION
the altered policy of that country required in order
make it available. Mr.. B. directed then to proceed
to Borneo seek the establishment of friendly relations
and trade with the Raah Sarawak and Brun Borneo
after which he make friendly visits the Islands
of Lombok and Ball. and finally visit the Pepper Ports
the coast of the Island of Sumatra.
According to his instructions Mr. Balester embarked
at Boston in August ls49 for England and thence by
the overland route via Egypt to the straits of Maacca
and to China. Son his passage through Egypt he was
struck with the singular fact after due inquiry that there
direct trade to that country from the United
States and that amidst population Of nearly three mil
lions Egyptians there not a single American resi-
dent engaged in commerce"
On Mr. Balestiers arrival in China, November "a he
disappointed in obtaining conveyance to take him
on his mission the commodore the station declining to
cruise, he daily expecting to be
relieved in his COMMAND by the arrival of his successor
East India station did reach Macao until the 10Th of
February $780, Mr. Balestier lost three months of favor
able wind for his voyage He however, was enabled
sail from Macao the 22d of February, in the United
States ship Plymouth Captain Gedney to the port of
Turong, in Cochin China Mr. Balestier appears to
have been fortunate in obtaining the valuable assistance
Of the Rev Mr.. Dean, American Missionary, well
yersed in the Chinese and Siamese languages his
secretary.
The Plymouth anchored in the spacious harbor of Tu
rone ON the 25th Of the month"; and she was soon
after visited by some inferior officers who to inquire
about the business she upon Having foreseen this
Mr. Balester had had prepared paper in the Chinese
language (which is used in common by the Cochin Chi
nese explanatory Of his mission, whc having carefully
read they departed and declined carry the paper with
them giving assurance however that they would make
known its contents to their superors shore On the
day following Mr. Balestier again visited by other
officers Of higher rank the mission, to whom the
paper shown on the day previous presented which,
on being urged carry shore, they refused saying
that what the eye hath the mouth viii faithfully
report" and they left the ship No further communica
tion was heldand indeed not market boat came near
the ship until the st Of March, when officer Of higher
rank accompanied by the subordinates who had come
before came for the like purpose Of inquiry Expana
tions were given and the Presidents letter to the King
enclosed in sandal wood box, in accordance with the
etiquette Of the Court Of Pekn exhibited after which
they took leave with promise that in few days great
man from Hue the capital would attend upon the Envoy
Their demeanor was Courteous but cautious, for they
said they had been deceived by foreigners in ships of war;
who came and were received friends but destroyed
their ships and people.
In an excursion which Mr.. Baestier made on shore to
the principal town. the anchorage, he was surprised
to see the stiffness and desolaon where but few years
BEFORE the hustle Of prevailed in an eminent
degree And to his inquiries Of the authorities who ac
companed him, IL replied that the Government had
ceased to encourage the industry of the country by with
holding advances Of money to the cutvators OF the soil
and others neither would the King allow oforegn trade
having ordered the shipping which escaped destruction
to be taken into the river which Hue is built.
The Envoy was visited again on the 9th by the same
officers for the purpose Of knowing the contents Of the
Presidents letter At first the request was declined
but reflection that these officers we're mere passive in
srumen in the hands Of their superors and debarred
from the privilege Of presenting their own views on any
serious matter and considering further the time already
lost in unproductve intercourse, and above ALL the adj
vanoed state Of the northeast the intaton
given by the commodore that the Plymouth would have
70 return home before the mission could be completed
All these determined Mr. Baeser to waive
rigid exaction Of propriety and on the same afternoon
he went on Shore and in the town hall he met the prnc
nal officers and informed them that he had consented
to them the translation Of the letter They
listened 70 the reading with great attention, obectng in
the rst place. to the by which their country was