Year: 1861

The Recent Chinese Treaty


| ..


The China Mail has the following in regard to
the recent treaty made by France and England
with China


Our latest intelligence from Pekfn throws some
doubt upon the settlement Il appears that up
to the last day of October the ETlperor's consent
to the convention had not been received and t.fs
on the cards that Prince Kung and the peace party
may be again thrown overheard. In these creuTn.
stances we refrain from advancing any doubts in SO
far as the position of England is concerned It has
been suggested that the Imperial Government is
influenced by what we write on that subject and
we have no desire, on the one hand, to provide
policy for the Chinese by pointing out d nreb-B
able future or, on the other, to say anything cal
culated to support them in further resistance.


Looking at the distracted state Of China, tile
anarchy WHICH i is every day increasing, the new
rebellion in Shensf, (Which was the main reasons
for the Chinese signing the Convention of Pekinl
and the immense power of the foreign invaders it
ls much to be desired that the present settlement
should, il it possibly can, be faithfully accepted
by the Chinese Government But in order to that
end, it is necessary that the present position
Of affairs should be analyzed and rightly under
| stood, so far as the Chinese are concerned in
order that it may be clearly seen what ID tile
course to be pursued by Britain that will give the
best chance of this ratification and convention
being the COMMENCEMENT of solid and lasting
peace-it being understood that ia discussing that
question we ignore the other question as to what
chance they afford of a satisfactory settlement.


1t is important to notice that the convention of
| Pekln has been wrung from the Chinese govern
ment when our foot was on its neck and our spear
was at its breast. 1t was wfung from them under
pretty plain threat OF sacking Pekin as may be
seen from the close of Sir Grant Homes proclana-
ton of 18th October. 1t had become matter of


life and death, and it is vain to suppose that there
was or is anything like assent Z on the part of
our PROSTATE foe So well was this understand in
Pekln, that there mere rumors among the Catholics
there to the effect that the ceremony Of signing
was Intended as mere trap in which to take Lord
EIgin and his principal coadiutors. Allowing that
to be improbable, 1t is certain that his eNceIieney
guarded against the danger, and that he was pro-s
tected in the hall of ceremonies by a force of
about 5000 men, SO posted as to render treachery
impossible 1t is hardly possible to call this j, d
treaty < or agreement" where large force was
required to secure the safety OF the principal party
The demeanor of Prince Kung was qnlte in aa-


cordance with the position of matters for through
out the ceremony his depression was one of un-$
disturbed sulkiness, and lie appeared 60 repiy with
churshness to all that was said ia him W No
wonder that such was his demeanor, and Lord
E!sin appears to have met him id avery similar
spirit 1t is possible that neither were well pleased
with the situations in which they found themselves
and both had apprehensionsa as to the future. The
Chinese have SO much-let5ns call it obstinaey
pride, or sense of injustice, suffered at cur hands
that they are apt to regard all arnistfces con-
cluded with us as only, to use one of their own
| words, "a temporary arrangement lust for the
present, in order to recover from our Losses ard
| this policy has had some striking success in the
past Thus in the first China war, Cafl5ttt, Law AZ
our 1eet; 1t was Inundated and greatly injured.
yet for more than ten of the succeeding years itt
prospered it was closed against us more than ever,
| and our position there was mere unsafe and humiI-
ating than il had been before. The taking Of the
| Iaku forts was succeeded by the repulse and
almost destruction of an English force. The dis
mssal OF Lord Amherst from pekin was followed
by long respite from obnoxious visits.


| Let rs also bear in mind that the military force
| of China remains unharmed. The Mongol army,
which is the great difficulty in the way of peace
may have lost thousand men, but it is still almost
in its pristine force and the fierce Sang
that mpraetieable man';-is still lowering in
the neighborhood of Pekin, watching an opportu-
nifty for actios. The Paki or Mancha Rannernlen,
the flower of the Chinese army, have not yet
| fought. correspondent in the north mentioned
that they had been seen, but that was all. The
| imperial army, or the military force conseerated
to the preservation of the empire, has held aloof,
| and is not likely to commit itself in hurry.
| In these circumstances the ratified treaty has
| been exchanged, and the Chinese have been all
| along willing to accept the treaty had they been
treated in proper manner. But what as to the
| convention?


The opening of Tien.tsn as port of trade, the
removal of the interdiGt emigration to British
colonies, the session of Kowloong to Hong Kong
are unobjectionable stpulations, which the Chinese
we'll know for their interest as well as for ours
| They are the only points in the convention which
are of real value to England and to China tt is to
be regretted that other points of no Importance
should have been thrust in, so as to endanger the
stipulatons which all wish to be carried out. The
| first article, in which the Emperor expresses his
regret for the unfortunate affair at Taku in 1859 is
pat in felcitous way and all honor is due to those
who have drawn it up. Every one regrets the un-
| fortunate occurrence, for which Mr.. Bruce is
responsible. The ninth article, which provides for
| the immediate evacuation of Chusan shows that
| the Chinese are quite aware how far they commit
| themselves. The Chinese have always entertained
the idea that Chusan is the key to China and if
any intelligent reader examines the history of the
first war, he will that the occupation of Chusan
has been the point to which the court of Pekin has
| ever attached the greatest Importance in matters
| OF foreign policy 1t is singularly curious that
| the Chinese Government-regarding which there
| are not wanting people who suppose it to be
totterng to its fal-shoud fall back upon its old
traditions. Chusan has always been the key to
China. 1t has been occupied by the Japanese, and
it is difficult to regard the stipulation that Ghusan
| should be ceded in any other light than q
| preparation on the part of the Chinese to future
| action.


But the eighth article of the treaty is one more
easily signed than enforced. That article provides
for the PRONUNCIATION of both the treaties through
out the empire. 1t is undoubtedly bad and serious
that the virgin capital of China shonld have heen
violated by the Allies but that the fact should be
advertised to the utmost corner OF the empire rs
something altogether beyond human endurance.
| The signature-in undsturbed suikiness- af susba
provision is one thing; the carrying of il oct is
quite another Bat these things must be allowable
go on to their own eencuson-oRe thing being
certain, that vtme, the creat mediener, viii work
| his own ctfrt tthepEa#what member of the 6e-
ceased co!BpllHatioa will suffer most from his
| purgative doses il a question upon which we de-
cline to hazard any conjecture.


!
! MonF HooL GATHgRiaG- Wool has written
. nuol!iar etter''-the thifd,3o fourth which he
/ has achieved under the present crisis.


The pen is not as mighty as the sword in the
hands of Scott and Wool, and for the sake of past