Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1861-01-31
5lisrt.laneuus.
How the Chinese treat q Prisoner
STATEMENT or Mr.. PARKEs,

SItiEhESE OF BIZ. PARkES.
The London Gazette Of the 9th Of De
cember publishes all the DOCUMENTS cOnnec
ted with the Peace il China, as brought hom
by MIR. Locke, bearer oi dispatches. Tn
following extracts are from highly nteres
Tin. statement made by Mr.. Commissions
Parkes OF his treatment while prisuner.-
lhe whole statement occupies nearly six col
umus Of the Gazette:
Being exhausted with fatigue and want 0
food, which had not tasted for upwards o
"A hours, fell asleep, but was soon mad,
sensible ol my position by being called uT
and again carried before the Board OF In.
quSitors. 1t was then about midnight. bat
the hour did not prevent the collection Of .
large crowd, composed, however, ia this in
stance, of pUIice-runners, gaolers. lictors and
| the other numerous myrmiduus Of Chinese
law. The mandafinsj as ! was knceing il
my chains before them, warned me that they
wond f"Ice t,e truth from me if | did lot
give 1t willingly: aud in proof Of their car
nestness, they ordered four turturcrs to seize
me, even before they began to put their
| questions, by the ears aud the hair If the
head aud face. They first asked me If were
- Chinese. tod them they had only to
look at my face and hair to See that | was
not The next questions related to my age
and length ol residence III China, how aud
where had been employed, &c. Then pro-
cce,ied follows:
lnquisitor.-State the n.mo Of yonr head
man.
Answer--Which one do You mean, the
Ambassadors, General or AdmraI7
lnquiaitorS ruugrlyl-You have no such
iuuctIouaries. Don't presume to Use such
titles.
Here the toTturers suited their action tc thc
tone Of the mandarins, BY pulling snp-
tarcou,y at my hair, ears &C.
Iuqui=itors- Now give the uamo Of your
head man.
Answel-Which one?
lnqui-itors--'lIe head Of your soldiers.
answer tin Euglsh)-Lieutenaut-Gcueral
Sir Hope Grant.
Inqui-itors-Say something that wo can
understand.
Answer am obliged to us9 English
terms as you will not let me give you these in
Chmesc.
They attemp ptei to write down in Chinese
sounds, Lieutenant Sir Hope Grant" but
not succeeding, they asked me the name of
another head man.
Answ'r (in Englshl hl-Ambassador extra. |
Ordinary tic Earl of Elgin.
Finding it equally impossible to write this |
down in Chinese OF to 90 OH with the exam
nation, they told me | might revert to Chi
nesc names auh titles, and then gave them
those Of tie Ambassador and the CJlnman-
ilers-iH-Chief.
lnquisItoTs-llUw many soldiers have you?
Auswer--Not less than 20 900 fighting
men.
lnqnisitors-that is fslse. CTorturcrs
;lu,chch me as before Repeat how many.
Auswer-Not less than 20 900 fighting
nen, in which do not include the followers
&c. | have stated that once to yJu, and
ave no other answer to give.
Icre was again threatened, both by man ;
larins aud torturers. but, deening it danger- ;
us tD swcrve from aUy statement | had {
uCe made, adhered to tha. wAi.h | had !
lready given them, and 1t WAS taken down.
nquistor-llUw many soldiers have the
'rrncI?
Auswer-l am not acquainted with their s
prcc but thry cannot have less than 10000 ,
ghting men
IuquI,ltoro-You are lying again.
The shrhc question WAS -cfeatcd and en-
breed by tI= tJrlureis. returned the sa me
ltswcr aud It was noted down. then ex-
lained that being myself civilian could
Ut be expected to be familiar with military !
iatters or 10 know all the particulars ut 81
'r2e an army as the present combined force =
InquisI sItUrs-SO large an army d. you call b
hat are 10000 men? They are mere t
,thiug.
They then prccedei 10 examine me in the /