The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-11-23
Minister Wards Entrance into the civ eg
Pekin-A Dinner Party, &c.

correspondent Of the New York Journal
OF Commerce thus describes Minister Ward.
entrance into the city of Pekin:
Long before reaching the walls. however,
we were surrounded by crowds whom no man
could number. They did not come there: thev
seemed to have groWn there they did not move:
they only stood-acres and acres and field. AT
| ter Held OF human flesh and bones Contracted
into one solid body, out Of which grew innu-
merable heads, arms, and shoulders Ii added
TO the impressiyeness Of the scene. that moi one
wore hat or cap-not one covered his back
and shoulders with shirt or coat-not one
wore vest 10 protect his bosom. single ar
tieIe constituted the whole of their dress and
wardrobe--a piece of cotton made into an ofi.
entail petticoat, and tied about the loins and
| reaching below the knee. All that met the
eye, therefore, was naked flesh, gIistening with
the sweat which oiled IL as the sun shot down
his burning rays while those thousands and
thousands of piercing, prYing steadyeyes and
upturned faces, all without smile. and solemn
IN their wonder, Indicated that all was not a
mass OF nesh there mlad was there; humanity
was there; our brothers were there; almost thf,
population of a common city was seen outside
OF the walls; nor can any estimate of the
amount OF the population within amaze and
stagger me, when saw what there was around
one gate in one NbYr6 oaty without. Not one
shout was raised not one voice was heard;
not one foot or hand was moved. The last Eu-
ropean embassy was that of Lord Amherst in
lsl6-forty- three years ago, more than the pc
ROD OF generatlon-and most of the living
population of Pekin had never seen white
man. We passed under two imposing portals,
something like triumphal archways, about
halfa mile from the city, which, however,
with the walls, the gates the bastions the
towers, and other objects of interest within
and without the city, must be the subject of
another letter.
Passing through the Russian wall by the
Eastern Gate" Chaoa- yen g-men, we entered
the Tartar division of the city, and moving
along street, compared with which Pennsyl-
0ttga
when we had gone mile and half we turn
ed at right angles to The right, when, proceed
ing quarter or half mile further, we
| reached the quarters which the government
had assigned for our residence A wall ran
along In front, excluding Ill sight of the houses
from the street; for they were cluster, instead
OF one ana were owned aud occupied a few
years since by the Prime Minister who lost
them by coniiscation for the crime of not de-
ieating the rebels. 1t is called "Laukipen-
| tang" or the "Hall of the Loutsz," name
given in hcnor of LoutsZ, who was the found
er OF one of the religious systems and sects of
emma. Firt was the wall on the street, at the
end OF which on the right a gate opened into
stables located in that quarter. Another gate
on the LETT opened into long narrow space
between the strect-wall and a long parallel
building for the use of servants and for offices.
Beyond this was another court. with a wall
separating it from another and larger court, in
which We're several trees, and handsome
building called the Reception Hall in which
MI Ward held his interviews with the 1mpe-
rial commissioners when they called upon
him, and his Secretary and Interpreters their
| interviews with inferior officers when they
come to transact business.
Back OF this edifice was another wall with
| a central gate, which opened into a court 50
| feet by IS. fine building being erected on the
| right and left hand for domestic purposes, and
| in front large edifice, but, like all the Others
! OF one story only, which was the principal
| mouse, and, with its wings, was above l0O feet
| long.
must have been magnificent, according TO Chi
| nese ideas. Nothing met our eyes in Pekin
| superior to it and we found happy home
where the Prime Minister, who built and oc-
| cupied 1t, found the bitterest misery, though
| he held in his hand the power of life and death
| over four hundred millions
DINNER PARTY.
Thursday, AugnSted, the three commission
| ers returned Mr.. Wards call. attended by a
| great retinue of mandarns of different grades
| who had long conference with Mr. Ward in
| the reception hall, where the only subject dis
cussed was Mr.. Wards performance of the
| Ko-toto, against which he was as persistent as
before After long discussion they adjourned
for dinner at O'Clock, which was served in
the spacious and hanGSone dining hall of the
main house occupied by Mr.. Ward. Il was
prepared with all the gastronomic science and
art which the SOysrS at work in the imperial
kitchen could command. have not space to
name the various disheS-birds' nests sharks
fins, heiters' teats, watermelon seeds, &c, &c,
the whole amounting to no less than thirty
courses, and including dishes, apart from those
not agreeable to American taste and fancy,
which the gentlemen upon their return de-
clared were hardly equaled by anything with
in their experience or knowledge. The
| gentlemen of the suite, who have resided many
| years in China, SAID they had never known
| anything equal in sumptuousness, delicacy
and richness and even one OF the commission =
ers. when the dinner was comptimented, said
nothing better could be gotup for the Emperor
himself. Though only the three Chinese COM
missioners and Mr.. Ward, his secretary, and
| two interpreters, were present and sat down
| to it, .he supply was enough for at least a
hundred, and the expense was estimated at
| ST 800.
| table was set at the head of the room, at
| which sat Mr.. Ward at the head kweiliang on
! his left, as the most honorable place, and be-
! longing to the Prime Minister, while the other
| commissioner, Hwashana sat on the right,
| and the third. or deputy commissioner Sleh,
| on the left of kweiliang, the secretary and in
| terpreters occupying positions at the foot OF
! the table. A table was set for the rest OF Mr..
| Wards suite towards the other end OF the
/ room, and at first in a line with the other ta-
ble which an aStute Chinese official ObSery-
| ing, he requested it might be removed out of
| the line little, as it would not be iii harmony
| with Chinese ideas to have Il table placed in a
| straight line with that of the first Minister
| of the State! A crowd of Mandarins came in
! with the commissioners, to whom we offered
| to give up our tables and seats, which was
| not allowed by the commissioners. Even whom
| it was ascertained that the nephew of one of
/ the commissioners was among them. and all
| We're desirous he should sit down TO dinner,
| his uncle peremptorily refused, as it would
| violate the Chinese rites TO have an inferior,
| even OF his rank and relationship, seated at
| table with officers of such high dignity.
| l happened to sit in such position as to
| have fine opportunity to study the faces of
| the Imperial Commissioners, and observe
| their emotions. if emotions Chinese faces ever
show. Kweilang is a venerable man, 20 years
| old, of middling stature and spare frame, and
| without the least air of arrogance and self
| importance. Hwashana is stout, of round,
| heavy face, and light complexion and Man
| choo- He is about 55 years old, and main tanned
| great dignity of department. Al the close of
/ the dinner he ordered his servant to bring his
Chinese smoking apparatus, made of brass,
| and holding enough tobacco to furnish exactly
| four whins, the last of which his Excellency
| always emitted from his nose. Sieh is about
| 45, a stout man. and having a large head, with
| face indicating cunning. The simplicity of
| their dress would astonish the poorest Ameri-
| can clerk, and be thought discredtable for
| those who do not own the coats on their backs;
| but it was neat, and bore the usual marks OF
| authority and place.
1t was hard for US, the lookers-on at the
other table, to divine the result OF the confer
| ence from what We saw and heard for while
| at times there was play of pleasantly III the
| conversation, or Il smile in the countenances,
| or coarse loud laugh, all suddenly subsidized
| into the solemnity of q maker meeting, show
| ing that the pleasantly and good humor was
forced ana not natural. Dfnner being at last
| ended, Mr. Ward and The Commissioners re-
| turned to the Reception Hall, where the dis
| cussions were continued
DELIVERY OF THE PRESIDENTS LETTER.
On the 10th, MIR. Ward, with his Secretary
| and interpreters, proceeded TO the temple
| where again he met the threea Commiss sioners
| and delivered the Presidentsiletter in the fol-
| lowing oriental style: All the party stood; N 0
| business or discussion being allowed till this
| august ceremony was performed. First, Mr.
| Wards Secretary took the letter and handed
| il to him, who raised it above his eyes. signi-
| fying that he was inferior to the President;