The New York herald., 1868-05-26
CHINA AND THE CHINESE.

outline History Of European Trade In the
East-Pertusuese, H0llandish, English, IL us
sian and American Diplomacy at Pekin-
From 143S % 1880, Four Centuries Of
Diplomatic Review.
The inception Of the Burlingame Mission has been
everywhere interpreted, and justly as the opening
act Oh new era In the commercial history and diplO
matte annals OF Eastern Asia and especially OF the
hitherto jealous and exclusive nationality OF which
he reappears In America as the representative. 1t
has been four hundred, and thirty-six years since
the ancient Kathai was closed to European trade
py the overthrow Of the Byzantian en-
pire In A33. BY this event European communication
with Eastern Asia was so completely obstructed as
to put temporary stop to the East Indian and East
ern Asiatic trade, which continued for sixty-three
years. Portugal was just at this time in the zenith Of
commercial importance and has the honor of having
been the first to double the Cape of Good Hope
thereby opening new passage to the regions of the
East This was effected in 1896, at the same period in
which the great Italian navigator fixed in his belief o
the spherical shape Of the earth was seeking to open
the same regions to European trade by the project Of
circumnavigation; and in 1895 the Portuguese took
possession of the Malabar coast and also Of the
peninsula Of Maacca. The project of opening trade
with the Kathai Of the ancient Romans was imme-
diatey set on foot, and in 1915 Portuguese adven-
turer named Raphael Perestrello leaving Malacca in
a Junk, effected landing in the dominlOns of the
Son OF Heaven after brief voyage. Perestrelo,
having been successful In his reconnaissance re-
turned and reported to the colonial authorities at
Maacca, and upon his representations an
expedition was fitted and placed under the command
OF FernaO Peres de Andrade This expedition con-
sisted Of eight vessels and had board ambassa-
dor named Pres, the first European ambassador
who was ever admitted to the imperial city
of Pekin. The expedition was permitted to
proceed as lar as st. John, being held in
close surveillance by the imperial authorities,
but finally effected landing, contrary to imperial
permission, at Ningpo, where an attempt was made
to found Portuguese colony and trading station and
several vessels were loaded and sent to Malacca.
Ningp0 was, however, speedily invested by the i'm
peral forces, by which the colony disiodged in
1871 and compelled to return to the Malay peninsula
FIRES, the ambassador in the meantime had not been
very successful in eecting the object OF his embassy
Having waited three years at Canton, that function
ary was at last permitted to proceed to Pekin, when
at this juncture OF the negotiations the death Of the
relgnlng emperor happened, and kea-ting
ascended the celestial throne. Keating was at first
minded to strangle Pires and suite by way of
appeasing the names of the deceased, but finally
altered his mind aud sent the embassy back under
close guard to Canton where the whole retinue
avenging some depredations committed by POrtu-
guese marauders. The following year Meiho Con-
supersede him, landed at Ming PO and by strata
gem, being decoyed from the vicinity of his vessel
was strangled, with about two.thirds Of the
crew or the vessel Thus ended the first
two embassies and their negotiations the
imperial authorities having as an excuse for
the strangulaton of these functlonares the alleged
lawlessness Of the Portuguese traders who were
mostly made up OF villains Of the worst Glass;
marooned to Malacca as convicts The Malay penin-
Sua, IN TACT, was at this date sort OF Portuguese
Botany Bay, and continued for nearly or quite
century, though Kea-tlng was undoubtedly an
enemy or foreigners, and was but too delighted
with any excuse for strangng any Europeans who
might be caught on Celestial SOIL
In 142O, century previous to the destruction Of
these embassies, more liberal policy had prevailed
This commenced with the reign OF Yung-lo, who
was the first to send forth an embassy OF similar
intent to that which s at present quarered at the
Westminster Hotel to the nations OF the Western
Ocean; and during the reign of his successor Seuen
tih, several officers of the palace accompanied for
egn travellers to distant courts for the purpose of
negotiating treaties Of commerce. One OF these, a
mandarin named Shing-ho, made over
land trip with several hundred men TO the
bay Of Bengal and thence to Arabia Felix
concluding treaties Of tribute rade) with the several
bassy from the empire to the adjoining nations OF
which history furnishes any authentic record and
was for long time the last.
Between the years 1521 and 1884 the Portuguese
had rather informally succeeded by bribng the
darins in opening considerable trade at Teen-paK,
a small town west OF Canton though their operations
were scru;nized with exceeding Vigilance by the
imperial authorities and an intrigue was speedily
set on foot to dlslodge them. In 1904 tne
aim OF this intrigue was consummated, and
the centre Of trade was transferred to MacIO,
q small peninsula eight miles in circuit and
narrow neck OF land; and in 1857 the Portuguese
were permitted to erect sheds here for the drying Of
goods WetteQ by the accidents or q sea voyage. A
second settlement or trading station was attempted
at Ning-po IN 1540 and the Portuguese were again
expelled from the mainland, being only permitted to
settle at Macao on condition OF nve hundred taes
rental, payable to the Emperor. In 1912 they were
prohibited through the intriguing of the mandarins,
from the erection OF buildings at Macao-a
prohibition which the mandarins turned to financial
account by winking at the ransgressOn Of tine
on payment OF a liberal fee from the builder. In
1882 the authorizes who had hitherto been content
with barter, made all duties payable in silver, and
eXaced duty ol six per cent on ali goods exported.
Two years previous TO tins date Canton had only
been opened once q year to traders from Macao,
VINO were In the habit OF sending a deputatiOn
thther once year with an annual tribute OF $1,000
for the privilege OF trading. In 1885, by special
permission, Canton opened twice year 10 the
deputation, and this continued to be the rule for
several centuries.
Macao was at this time commercial town of con-
siderable importance, and might SO nave remained,
but for the shortsighted and plundering policy OF
the Portuguese who had held for nearly quarter Of
century the key Of the Eastern Aslatic trade. In
1914 Macao lost the trade OF the Japanese by series
OF impostons rather subverslve or coinmeScai
morais and thence dates the decade OF Macao as q
trading station.
Eight years after Holland, having been successful
In long war with Portugal, was beginning to as
suIne considerable importance as commercial
power and in 1872 made an attempt to get possess
sion OF Macas, thus commanding the eastern Asatlc
mart of the word. This attempt to seize Macao was
made by Admiral Reyersz0n, and was defeated only
by the most sturdy and gallant resistance the part
oi the Portuguese. second effort In 1927 met with
no better success and IN l64i the contested penin
sula was annexed TO spain and became part OF the
Spanish dominlons. 1he fall OF the Ming dynasty
i'm 1850 gave the last coup to the commercial import
ance OF Macao which fingered on for some years
(unti 1861, when the English and Holland traders
preceded the Portuguese In the Canton market and
Portugal was compelled to abandon all pretetslons
to excluslveness In this direction. In 1850 an event
occurred which marked an era III the history of tIs
trade-Kang-he declaring the ports OF the empire
open to all foreigners, an edct which continued In
force for nearly or quite quarter OF century. In
1717 an opportunity was given to the Portuguese
a Macao to recover something of their lost prestige
In an offer made by Kang-he " make 1t the general
emporium OF all foreign trade which offer was most
repeated In 1882 and again rejected by the short
sighted Portuguese and from this date Macao ceases
to figure as station Of Importance In the trade Of
the Eastern seas AT this date Its shipping numbered
twenty five vessels engaged In trade with Canton,
while ten years after II was hardly mentioned as y
trade station of any particular note.
The attempts Of Holland to gain possession oi tne
was not until 1927 that the expedition OF Admiral
Rcyerzou was lifted out by the last India Company,
win instructions to open an avenue for trade by
force. n necessary. The expedition finally founded
stations at Kee-long on the north coast, Of
.f.n and 2r- mr.