, 1880-07-17


and ito garrison sent to Pekin eoio(a The
prisoners previously settled there. 1hese
1agrant breaches OF the treaty Of Nipehe
excited less indignation 10 the nind a TIE
Russian Government because the scens
was 80 remote from their view. but they
so far operated on Peter that be dstss-
mined to send q fresh mission to Pekin.
Nj. Ismalof was appointed Ambassador,
and M. de LANCE. the historian Of The
mission, his secretary. This was the most
graciously received of all the Russisn
embassies. Ismaloff made q very favour
able impression upon the aged Ksnghi.
and when he left De LANCE was permitted
to remain as the representative OF the
Russian Government. The Chinese Min
listers showed by their acts that they did
not approve the affability OF tho Emperor.
De Lange was unable to procure any SON.
cesslons In matters of trade, and to all
his complaints the Chinese officials made
the uniform reply that trade was q mat.
ter of little consequence and regarded by
them with contempt The natural shrewd-
ness of the people showed itself in the as
Sertlon that "these merchants come here to-
enrich themselves, not our people," De
Lange was glad enough to withdraw i'm
the company of the only caravan that
arrived from Russian territory, and in his
last interview he received what NAV be
called the uttimatum of the Pekin Cabinet
on the question of the relations with Rus
sla, which was to the effect that no trans
actions should be carried on between the
Two nations, except upon the frontiers"
The deaths of the twoEmperors Peter and
Kanghi occu rring shortly after the with
draWal OF Nj. de Lange, a favourable Op-
portunity was afforded for reverting to the
amicable consideration of the question,
which had again assumed an unSatiSfactO-
Ty aspect III consequence of events on the
MOngOl frontier and the sudden departure
OF the Cars representative from Pekin,
without having recourse to the extreme
measure from which Russia was then ILL
prepared.
Kanghfs successor, Yung Ching, was q
man OF peace and in 1928 a second treaty
was concluded at Kiachta. In many res
poets this new arrangement only ractiAe0
those already in force, but the mere roCti-
tication was a point gained by the Russians.
There were other concessions, of which
that included in the fifth article wa not
the least noteworthy. By this clause In
the treaty, which was the handiw0rk OF
Count Vladialavitch, Russia obtained the
right to build a church and to have . smaaA
mission consisting of ten persons at Pekin.
The Chinese Government pays most OF tbs
expenses connected with this establish.
ment aud the Russians sent periodically
from Siberia learn the Manchu and Chinese
languages under the easiest and most
favourable conditions. NOminally, all the
members of this resident mission should b0
changed every ten years; but as q matter
of fact. they generally remained ac0nsidera.
bly, longer period. The treaty of Kiachta
was not less remarkable for defining the re-
gulations which were to guide the caravan
trade and the rule was laid down that Q
caravan of not more than 200 persons
might proceed every three years TO the
capital. The trade which is carried on under
the provisions of this treaty has now
become very extensive, although it re-
mains hampered by the fact that the trans.
actions are those of barter, and not pur.
chase. The effect produced by the pro-
visions of the Kiachta treaty On the mind
of the Chinese can be best judged by their
sending a return embassy to st. Peters
burg. Until quite recently this was the
only embassy the Chinese Government had
ever sent abroad and, Of course, manda-
rims OF only the second order were deS-
patched to represent the Bogdo Khan at
the Court of the Emperor of the Oros.
They reached ST. Petersburg in the year
1888, and returned laden with presents. The
Chinese had even then by no means come
to the conclusion that it was desirable that