The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-03
British Assault On tho Burlingame-O.ina
DIlssion.


The London Times led of its issue of YES
terday with a regular old-fashioned sledge and
trip-hammer editorial assault in sweeping
English condemnation Of the Burlingame- China
treaty mission, its inception, intent, progress.
spirit and probable consequences. Our cable
synopsis of the points Of the article, published
in the HERALD this morning, conveys an idea,
which is almost refreshing, Of what John Bun
was In the days of his political strength and
military and naval force and before he had
ceased to be European and became ''an
Asiatic Power" as he ia now described by Mr..
Disraeli.
The London Times claims that England
has been ''more friendly" to and is
more largely interested" in China than
any other nation, and, consequently,
is ''the proper Power for China to employ a.
medium for revising her treaties" As to
the matter of friendship, If an attempt to force
opium and rum down the throats Of the
Chinese, to the utter Generalization of the
people of the empire and in distinct contra
diction to the authority of the executive, at
the point Of the bayonet, by feet and army,
is interpreted in Pekin as a friendly act and
cordial manner Of introduction the London
Times is perfectly correct-England has been
as friendly to the Chinese as she has to most
other foreign countries. The sudden annihila-
ton of feet Of imperial war junks by the
unexpected fire of an eighty -four gun British
ship, at the commencement of the opium war,
was certainly q more demonstrative manner
of initiating relations" with the Emperor Of
China than that which has been observed by
the United States; but it may be that it was
so noisy and attended with such unpalatable
consequences that the ruling Celestials
Of the present year determined to
make trial of the more quiet, modest
and non-obtrusive plan Of Mr.. Burlingame.
The London Times writer asserts that tho
American negotiations tend toward the restora-
ton of ''retrograde system" in China, yet
he alleges, currente calam0, that the United
States have obtained a monopoly of selling
railroad material and telegraph instruments
to the Chinese most extraordinary argu-
ment with which to support his position. We
apprehend that the inclination in the way Of
commercial monopoly" forms the main point
of grievance in England, for China presents
vast field for consumption Of manufactured
articles, as Lord Elgin observed at very
early date, when he wrote from Hong Kong
that eff the Chinese could be induced to wear
cotton nightcaps the mills of Manchester would
never stand idle"
The London Times in conclusion hints mys-
terry, foreign inspiration, the Chinese desire
for return to isolation and the ''concocting"
Of a treaty to suit by Mr.. Burlingame after he
had taken the native ENJOYS to sea. To this
we can only reply that the London Times esti-
mates the American mode of conducting for
eign negotiations by British standard, which
is scarcely fair and perhaps measures the Cabi-
net mind of the China of to-day by that which
prevailed in Pekin when the authorities paid
specie by the wagon load to liquidate the ex-
pense of an English war made on their coun-
try without provocation or cause.
The most sensible portion of the London
Times leader occurs in the prudent words OF
the query :-'Is it wise for England to multi
ply her differences with America on such
grounds ?" Certainly not. Most unwise,
should she do so on ''such" or any other
grounds" The Chinese are the best judges
of their own affairs, of their friends and enc
mics ~.