The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-09-18
BALTIMORE.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER Is, 1858.

Whether we have, or have not gained important
diplomatic and commercial concessions by the
terms of the treaty recently negotiated with China
will depend very much upon the future disposition
of the Chinese Government, to observe in good
faith the stpulations it has entered INTO In the
twenty-nine articles comprised in the present
treaty, many of the stipulations embodied in the
treaty of 1916 have been reproduced. This was.
however, to have been expected, in an instrument
covering the same ground and designed to pro-
mote similar ends--protection to American COM
merce in the Chinese SEAS and the recognition of
the nationality of American citizens engaged in
that commerce. The most important points con-
coded by the new treaty, are those which relate
to our future diplomatic intercourse with the
Chinese Government. These provide for "the
'othclal publication of the treaty at Pekin, and in
1.-THE provinces by Imperial authority; for ''direct
correspondence of the Minister of the UNITED
ESTATES with the Prvy Council, or Prime Minister
Fat Pekn," and by the fifth article it is agreed
that the UNITED STATES Minister shall have the
right to make an annual visit to Pekin, and So
Journ there without limit as to time but restricts
his Official intercourse 'to the Privy Council, or
Ito one OF its members deputed for that purpose"
The remainder of the articles refer principally to
the commercial intercourse between the two ma
tons, and regulate the manner in which it shall
be carried on. All claims for pecuniary indemni-
ty are to be adjusted at Canton The ports of
Swatow and Taewan, in the island of Formosa,
are thrown open to the commerce of all nations;
but no new ports are opened on the mainland nor
do we find that the unrestricted right to trade
with any part of the Chinese Empire has been
conceded in the treaty negotiated by Mr.. REED I'M
lessitis embraced in the twentyninth article which
provides that ''all the rights, privileges and powers
'granted to any other nation shall at once inure to
"the benefit of the UNITED STATES" The recogni-
ton and absolute liberation of Christianity and
the protection of Chinese converts forms the text
of the twentyeighth article, but this can scarcely
be said to be an innovation upon old customs, in
asmuch as the Chinese Government has rarely been
guilty of interfering, either authoratively or ar
bltrarly in matters of religious belief Still, on
the whole the terms of the treaty bring us into
somewhat closer relations with the Chinese Gov
ernmant than existed previously, and while they
simplify commercial regulations, which by the
treaty of 1915 had been left obscure or complicat-
ed, they establish the exclusive jurisdiction of the
"UNTED STATES authorities over the rights and in
"tercourse of its own citizens" These, it must be
admitted, are concessions of some Importance,
though they can scarcely be said to equal
public expectation. Direct official communica-
ton with Pekin, with the right to make an
annual visit to that capital, and the opening of
two ports on the island of Formosa-these are the
only advantages which the Allies have derived
from battering down the gates of Canton, and
blowing up the forts on the Pei-ho, and our Min
lster Mr.. REED, could not be expected to gain
more by diplomacy than England and France OBJ
tanned by force of arms. One of the chief condi-
hons insisted upon by the Allied powers-that of
resident Minister at Pekin-has been denied
them, and they have been constrained to limit
their intercourse to high officials of the Empire,
instead of making known their demands TO the
Emperor in person. The five ports on the main
land were opened by the treaties of 1912 and 1915.
but the presence of foreigners within the walls
was inerdicted nevertheless, and it is at least
doubtful whether even now, after the withdrawn
of the Allied fleet, they would be able to
traverse the streets of Canton without placing
their lives in jeopardy. We fear, moreover that
the opening of the two ports of Swallow and Tae-
wan to foreign commerce, will not he productive
of any very extraordinary benefit, either to our
merchants or to those of Europe. The island is
by no means n large one; and only the Western
half oft is densely populated with Chinese colo
nist but of the Eastern portion of the island there
is very little KNOWN beyond the fact that its nhab-
itants are semi-barbarous people of Malay or
Polynesian extraction. Taewan is the capital of
the island but the entrance to the harbor is now so
much choked up that there is barely depth of wa
ter sufficient to float the vessels of light draught
engaged in trading with the mainland. If the har-
Dor of Swallow presents similar obstacles to the en-
trance of ships of burthen, the two ports might
just as well have remained closed for any advan-
tage that they would present to foreign merchant