The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-11-05
HOW MINISTER WARD VISITED THE GOV
ERNOR- GENERAL In CuINA

A.
The Journal Of Commerce has a letter dated "U.
). flagship POwhatan, July l5,' in which is an
account OF the visit of Minister Ward and Commo-
dore Tatnall to the Governor General of a Chi
nese province on the Gulf of Pechele, at the north
entrance of the Peiho. The party steamed up to
the river in the Toey-wan and were transferred to
junk, in which they sailed to the landing place.
The correspondent saws
at the Jetty carriages were found in readiness for
Mr.; Ward and his party; and such carriages! 1t
added to their righteousness that we had been told
they would be chariots 1t was tolerably patent
that they were not such those of Olden time in
which warriors fought and royalty and nobility
rode. The body about feet long by wide
and high from the floor to the top inside The
entrance was in the front, the Minister, Commo-
dore and all, being obliged to climb over the shaft
and then climbing in head foremost, adjust body
arms and legs, according to the space they had to
occupy. However brave Commodore had
shown himself in Mexico, bearing upon him the
honorable scars he received there, and however sa-
gacious and "semper purdtus" our Minister in what
ever unexpected positions he may be placed, here
was position in which courage and diplomacy
were lmpotent-a real fix, from which there was
no movlng-a complication which the genius of
Metternich could neither create nor disentangle
Then crawling in upon all tours, the Hon. Am
Dassador, with his portfolio full of documents and
the Presidents autograph letter to his imperial
majesty llien-fung, ''the Son of Heaven" and our
gallant Commedore after him at his side, encum-
oered with sword, epaulettes and chapeau! What
could appear more undigni6ed and ludicrous if not
designed for the keenest insult? But not only are
there more things in heaven, but more on earth,
than either our western philosophy or fancy has
dreamt of. This butchers cart of a vehicle was y
chariot in the eyes of the Chinese alike of the gov
ernors, mandarlns, and peasants, though not I'M
like the one in which Sisera fought, and ROYALTY
gong on excursions, was wont to conceal itself from
the gaze of mortas. The reception was designed
to be most honorable to Mr.. Ward and the Commo-
dore, and will make, doubtless a brilliant mare in
the annals of the Ceestias.
Our Minister and Commodore would have parted
win their heads, as every one knows, sooner than
practice the ko-tou, or knocking their heads nine
times on the floor when admitted to the presence
OF the Emperor; but when it was a mere matter of
usage and convenience and not of dscourtesv in
suit, they had too much magnanimity to take ex-
ceptions and enjoyed the novelty if not the
squeezing. As there were no seats in the vehicles
they were content, or rather obliged to seat them
selves on the floor, which, however, comfor-
tally cushioned, with BODY and legs right angles
10 addto the remembrance of these state coaches if
not to the pleasure of their motion the shafts rest
on the axle without springs, and the tires of the
wheeis, instead OF the even surface of the Ameri-
cam have projections like the cogs in a wheel! The
constant jolting of such vehicle is of course any,
thing but agreeable. 1t was drawn DIV mule in
stead of horse, which, however, was in good con-
diton, and harnessed in European and American
style, and whose driver walked by his side
There was one popularity in the construction of
the vehicle from which our own draymen might
derive hint favorable to their own interests as
Wen as 10 their horses comfort and service. From
the top of the carriage, and in line with it, an
awning projects over the whole length of the mule.
the front end being upheld by wooden stanchions
resting on the shafts, thus protecting the poor
mule from the fervor of the sum- as we'll as the oc-
cupants of the carriage he draws.
The gentlemen tumbled and crowded iuto these
dens, as they might well be called, amidst great
crowd of Chinese men and boys, there being not a
woman to be seen, many of whom very probably
were gazing upon white men for the first time 1t
must be added to their credit, that intense as was
their interest and curiosity, all conducted with ex-
treme propriety. 1t was pleasant to observe the
kindly forbearance OF the police officers. armed
simply with bamboos, when the crowd and espe-
cally the boys, pressed a little beyond the pre-
scribed line of approach. They struck the ground
on each side of the transgressor, but carefully
avoided inf1icting blow on him. Indeed. good
nature, and if we consider the class composing the
crowd, good manners pervaded the whole, proving
that, notwithstanding the violent antipathies all
foreigners at first contract when they come in con-
tact with the Chinese there are fine innate quail
ties which would command admiration had they the
appropriate culture and scope for development.
Arrived in the august presence of the Governor,
an interview was had, which resulted in the deci-
sion to wait ten days for the commissioners who
might arrive from Shanghae and them in default
OF their coming, Mr.. Ward should proceed to Pekin,
and there await the arrival of the commissioners
AT the close OF the interview, the Americans re-
turned to the Powhatan.