New-York daily tribune., 1858-10-14

| our sister kePuDhc vi Ian'c uiiuci'o'h W ''"'
with us in the days of the French Directory-a
precedent which We should be sorry to see followed;
| though if il must be done, Mr.. Cass is perhaps
about SIS fl sort of a man TO do it as could be sc.
lected.
The provisions Of the British treaty with China
are of the greater interest because they must be
considered sort of supplement to our treaty, by
virtue of the provision in it under which we are TO
stand on the same level with the most favored ma
tion An abstract Of the English treaty has at last
been published, but, as to several of the most In
teresng and important articles, the amount OF In
formation which this abstract conveys is very hm-
ited We merely learn from it the subject matter
Of the articles-the precise stipuations entered
into upon which, practically speaking, everything
must depend, do not appear. Thus, the third arti-
Gle is stated in the abstract to contain provisions
for the permanent establishment Of a British Min
ister his family and suite at Pekin, and the
forms TO BE- observed in his communications
with the Imperial Government. But what these
provisions are or what those forms are, precisely
the matters upon which the whole practical value
Of this provision must depend not informed.
BY the 18th article il is provided that all civil con-
troyerses arising in China between British subjects
shall fall under the jurisdiction of the British au-
thorities while by the 10th article the right IL re-
served to the Chinese of arresting and furnishing
Chinese subjects charged with criminal acts against
the British What the provision is for the case and
very important one too of criminal acts committed
by British subjects against Chinese does not ap-
t. Z, hat bN mi elp
relates TO this subject but the abstract
given Of its contents does not convey any
precise information. II is to be noted that, OF
the ffysix articles contained in the treaty, by far
the larger part relate to the mere details of trade.
The principal articles of e more general character,
are |. Those in relation to an exchange OF EN-.
bassadors; .. The provision for the tolerance Of
the Christian religion, both Catholic and Protes-
tant: g. The privilege to British subjects OF travel
ing in the interior, under passports to be granted
by the Consuls and countersigned by the local su-
thorities; d. The right of residence and OF
purchasing landed property at the open ports; D.
The right, without any restriction, Of employing
Chinese subjects in any lawful business; and, 6
The opening of certain new ports, and especially
of the river Yang-tse. This latter conces-
sion does not, however, as yet amount 10
much, its going into effect is postponed (wth
the exception of the single port of Chin'klang,
which is TO be opened within year., TIL after
the rebels are expelled from the holds which they
now possess on that river. 1t is also specially pro-
vided that no passports shall be granted for travel
ing to Nankin, or any other city in the hands OF
the rebels. The principal provisions in the treaty
for the benefit of the Chinese are: /. The prohibi-
ton 10 British yessels-except ships of war, which
are to have free entrance everywhere-to enter
any Chinese port other than those declared open,
unless driven in by stress of weather, an accident,
we spprehend, which may be likely to occur pretty
often; and ?, Authority to the Chinese to make
what regulations they please to prevent smuggling,
snd 10 confscate all vessels which may violate
those regulations, or may unlawfully enter any
Chinese port.
Both parties stipulate to give up absconding
criminals and to compel, so far as possible, ABB
scondiDg or other delinquent debtors to pay their
debts. Provision is also made for joint measures
for the suppression of piracy. We ought to have
enumerated, perhaps, among the articles NOT
specially relating to trade, the provision that
official communications shall henceforth be
made on the part of the British, in the
English Language, accompanied for the pres
ent by Chinese translation; but, in case
of any contrsriety Of meaning between the text
and the translation, the British to be bound
by the English text only-a rule which is made
applicable to the present treaty tits also provided
that the Chinese, in their official papers, shall not
characterize the English by the term signifyins
barbarian, but shall use some potter phraseology.
The indemnity provision, which is contained in
separate article, comedies to the British sum OF
two million taels-equal to about three million
dollars-for the expenses of the war, and like
sum for losses. sustained BY British subjects at
Canton; but this payment is only to be made BY
the province in which Canton is situsted according
to such an arrangement as may be hereafter entered
into with the authorities Of that province. As to
the privilege conceded to the British OF retaining
Canton TIL they get their pay, that Is rather cold
comfort, as the keeping Of that pledge WILL IN
very short time, eat up the whole indemnity.
Tn this land OF schools the textbook long ago