Denton Examiner, Audenshaw, Hooley Hill and Dukinfield Advertiser. — 1877-02-17 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

THE CHINESE ENVOY. (From the "Times.") The Court Circular contained an announcement of dramatic interest. The "Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipoteatiary of the Emperor of China" was introduced to the Queen by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and presented his credentials in due form. " Quo-ta-Zhan " appears to be the official rendering of the name of Kwoh-Sung-tao, the two concluding syllables being a designation of diplomatic rank. With the Minister Kwoh were present the members of his suite and Sir Thomas Wade, her Majesty's Minister in China. Every formality exacted by the etiquette of diplomacy was precisely observed, and the Chinese Envoys have at least no reason to complain of being slighted. Let us hope that they will not forget the obligations of reciprocity, and that the Foreign Office will no longer be troubled with the ingenious efforts of the Tsung-li-Yamen at Pekin to treat the representatives of the European Powers as the humble petitioners of contemptible foreign States. The events of the past generation have compelled the Chinese Government, and possibly to some extent the people of China, to recognise the outer barbarians as persons not subject either in fact or in theory to the " Dragon Throne." But all the craft of the Mandarins, and it is well-nigh inexhaustible in expedients, has been exercised to preient the masses of the Chinese from arriving at a knowledge of the truth, or from suspecting that the Government at Pekin has ever condescended to treat On a footing of equality with the "foreign devils." These efforts ha-1 hitherto been wonderfully successful. The repeated 'Concessions of the Pekin Government under pressure of defeat or menaces have been carefully disguised and presented to the Chinese people as free motions of Imperial grace. The missions of Pin and Mr. Burlingame, which were used to throw dust in the eyes of the Western Powers were exhibited in China as evidences of the vast Powers, in dignity between the Lord of the Dragon Throne and the -insignificant princelings of the barbarian world. It is certain that few among the many millions of Chinese have been allowed to know that twice within the last seven years the Imperial Government has been compelled to make formal raparation for murderous Outrages. The Embassy which was sent to France a few years ago bearing an apology for the Tien-tain massacres was understood by the vast majority of Chinamen, so far as they heard of it or comprehended it at all, to be a favour conferred for certain inscrutable, but doubtless excellent, reasons of policy upon the barbarian West. Chinese subtlety of intelligence was flattered by the thought that the foreigners had been again and again deceived, and had welcomed inferior personages as high official representatives of the Imperial Power. Even now, when the "Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Emperor of China" is a statesman of recognised rank, it is to be noted that the pretence of an offensive distinction is 'kept up. A Chinese nowspaper, lately, started as the organ, of Li-Hung-Chang himself, the all-powerful Viceroy of Chihli, speaks habitually, we are told, of Sir Thomas Wade and his colleagues of the diplomatic body at Pekin as "foreign messengers," while it gives the high-sounding equivalent of " Ambassadors " to Pin and Chung Horn, as well as to his Excellency Kwoh, who was introduced on Wednesday to the Royal presence, and who witnesSed the opening of' Parliament, in company with Mr. Pierrepont and Count Munster.  £5OO