The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-26
CHINA AND AMERICA.


Very DisDaraEing Statements.
The Times Paris correspondent writes:-ln an
extract from the shanghae Ne,os Letter, which
find in the New York Times of the Both of July,
/ see the following statement.-
'It is understood that gentleman competent to
the task is busilv eupeped i'm the preparatton of
estng developments not calculated to place the Mis-
sion In a very favorable light may be confidently
looked for"
The Pekin letter from which this is taken
bears date May 26 The above is another of the
insidious efforts which are making to damage
the mission to which l recently called your
attention. Unable to effect anything with the
Chinese Government, which reposes the utmost
conidencein in Mr. Burlingame and his colleagues,
the English and French cliQues in Pekin and
Shanghae, whose interests are likely to be dam
aged by their success, are resOrting to the most
unprncipled means to convey an impression
abroad that the embassy has exceeded its
powers, and that it has fallen under the dis.
pleasure of the Imperial Government. As !
proved TO you in n recent letter. nothing can be
turther from the truth. The most perfect I'M
defstlndlng continues to exist between the mem
Ders OF the Legation and the administration ut
tekln. The object of the pamphlet alluded to
is to create belief that the English translation
OF the instructions given to the Embassy is an
uniaithiul one, and thnt the original document
does not authorize the steps which Mr.. Bur-
Ingame has taken.
The reply to these assertions is very simple
1he correctness of the translation has been certi-
fed to by Dr. Martin, DR.. Williams and Mr.
Brown, three of the most eminent Chinese
scholars of whom Europe or America can boast.
But II their attestation did not exist the fact that
the Embassy is in monthly communication with
the Chinese Government, and that the latter has
been kept regularly posted as to the proceed
ings OF Mr.. Burlngame and his colleagues
and has signifed its cordial approval of
every step that has been taken, would be
sufficient to disprove the assertion that they had
in any way exceeded their Instructions The
object of the caumny whichhas been circulated
through variety of other channels is to throw
obstacles in the way of the mission at
the European courts by creating an impress
sion that the latter have to deal with negOtia-
tors who are acting on their own discretion
and not on their written instructions, and whose
proceedings may be repudated by the Chinese
Government.
The author of the pamphlet announced by
the Shanghae paper is an individual named
Won Gumpach, an Austrian, ! believe, by
birth, who has resided a good many years in
China, and who has become noted there for
his eccentricities. Among the number of
wild theories which have emanated from his
| brain is one which seeks to prove that the
globe is much smaller than geographers COM
| pute it to be, and to this fact he attributes
the many blunders that are made in navigation,
and the numerous shIpwrecks that result from
| them. He possesses about rs much knowledge
of Chinese us he does of Sanscrit and there
fore his assertions on the matter in question are
Just as much entitled to credit as his startling
scientific discoveries. His "mares nests can be
counted by the dozen, but this last one exceeds
| all its predecessors in holiness and impudence