The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-07-19
Feasibility of British Steamers Reaching
fsekia.

Iron my Last Cruise by Lieutenant usborsham,
pIted states Nav,
There was great talk in Hong. Kong about this
time Qs54) as 70 the possibility Of q commissioner
gsing to Pekn in person and obtaining an In tervew
With the brother of.the sun and moon-She celes-
tial Heiniuns, the Emperor Of all tn. China,
TO put into the imperial car Ger tain pro
posas, &c, which could never reach IL In
writing, or which, reaching. would never he acted
upon, from the fac. that the mandsrins or rebels
wonld stop the desps.ches, that the former would
influence the celestial mind against the proposals. Of
the encroachiDg ''fanqui" OF bsrbarians az all TO
reigners are contemptnously called in China.
Many we're the scenes projected and abandoned
20 attain this important interview, until Il was
finally determined 70 try and reach Pekin By waer.
Pekin was situated bear the PHO river, and tue
PHO river emptied into the Gulf OF Pichii and the
Gulf of Pchilli in turn implied into the Yellow
Sea; Why might not vessels Of war 70 to the mouth
OF the PHO, and from there despatch boats even
smaller vessels, upon visit 10 the great capi.aI2
and vhy might not the Commissioner 80 In those
boafsy
No one could object 20 this arrangement, becanse
no one had ever been 70 the mouth of the PHO:
and 80 Mr.. Robert Mclean, Of the United States,
and Sir John Bomring, Of England, gave u ont a.
their intention TO attempt TO reach Pekin BY
water"
The next thing 10 be done now was to find the
vessels and Commodore Perry, Commander Rogers,
and Admiral Sterling were each called apon 10 asst
the cause. The former placed the steam frigste
gave the "old John and the little Cooper, while
the latter furnished Sir John Bovr ng with the
screw steamer Rather and hired lorcha--e vessel
about the size Of the Cooper but drawing much less
water. II was hoped tina. the two latter might be
able to scend the river with boats IN toy, and thus
give an air OF greater force than could have been
attained with boats only. These arrangements
having been made, we were ordered TO pre- Dare
for pea with all despatch. We were 20 20 "a
Sbanghae, via the river Min, and await the
arrival OF Mr. M'LoAn in the powhatan, and 10 take
advantage Of All opportunities for making surveys
Arriving AZ ShaDghse, after q fesrfuly stormy
passage, they found the Pekin party aRxiously
awaiting their arrival. and on they went, over the
Yellow Sea. round the Shantsng prsmentory aud in.
20 the Gulf Of Pichli, until they sighted the los
Land at the month a The PHO river Mr.. Hsber
The "old John" nov began 10 fee, herself OF vast
importance we only drew twelve ioet OF water
and could consequently 20 much nearer the ry
than the others steamers 40 We took the lorchs
ard Cooper in tow and stood in for the land. We
ran into thirteen feet water, and then cast on the
vessels, which continued on before light breere
the lorcha getting safely. into NE river
and the schsco @sra,,v which aeg s.ot loot
lie mouth. We were q week getting he inr after
| that-some Of the hardest work ever engaged 10.
Then, after both she and the lorcha were safely
chored inside Of the mud forts, the secretaries Of
the Commissioners took up their residence on board
| and communications commenced.
lDe CnDese seemed very ayerse 70 have any
thing 70 say TO ~ at all and humbugged us TO such
an extent that some Of us advocated the idea OF
| forcing our way up TO Pekin and demanding an
| interview IN person. Aswe were not the coBf1en
| tial advisers OF the ministers, however our opinion
\ had little weight-nOne at all, 4 fear.
Thus passed sevefnl weeks; and while the hplo
matists wae nskln4 themselves hoarse with talking
| We made Q beautiful survey Of the locality-the
schooner attending TO everything inside OF the river
ard our ship the bar and adjoining coasts. The
| schooner had Carnes-ODr sailing master-and his
| boat TO assist her; and upon one occasion, when
they were trying 10 ascend the river as hiph as nos
sible, they came TO a barrier of junks with only q
passage way Of some twenty feet Wide between the
two tiers, and, upon their attempting 70 20 tbrvugh
il, they were assaled by crowds Of Chinese armed