Chinese authorities. They answered, that they were much obliged to him, but that having transmitted them to their astronomical board at Pekin, they found his deductions to agree with their own within a few seconds.

According to promise, a message was sent to say that one of their high chiefs was on his way to visit Sir George Bonham, and shortly after a large stateboat was seen making for the steamer. On coming on board he proved to be a chief of the name of Lae, and of the rank of second minister, or secretary of state.

Mr. Meadows, the interpreter, states in his report that Lae at once apologized for the tone of the mandate of the preceding day, saying it had been drawn up by persons ignorant of the fact that 'Wacheung-te' (foreign brethren) could not be addressed in the same style as native brethren. It was distinctly explained to him that while the English had, for nine hundred years, adored the Great Being, whom he called the Heavenly Father, they on earth acknowledged allegiance to but one Lord, the Sovereign of the British Empire; and that under no circumstances whatsoever, would they for an instant admit fealty to any other, though they were quite prepared to recognize as the Sovereign of the Chinese, whomsoever the Chinese themselves might

"A MANDATE.

"Commands are hereby issued to the brethren from afar, that they may all understand rules of ceremony.

"Whereas God, the Heavenly Father, has sent our Sovereign down on earth, as the true Sovereign of all nations in the world, all people in the world who wish to appear at his court must yield obedience to the rules of ceremony. They must prepare representations, stating who and what they are and from whence they come, after previous presentation of which only can audience be accorded them. Obey these commands.

"24th day of the 3d moon of the 3d year of the Heavenly State of Tae-ping (28th April, 1854.)

"Note-No seal is affixed, because your petition of yesterday had none."

Owing to the improper mode in which the above document was couched, it was returned to them with a strong expression of dissatisfaction, at the very objectionable manner in which it was written. It was further stated to them in plain terms, that productions of this nature could not for an instant be tolerated by the British authorities, and I now wished it to be conveyed to the chiefs that the British Government had a treaty with the present dynasty, and that to enable them to learn the conditions of that treaty, and the true position of the English nation, I sent to the

chiefs a Chinese version of that treaty. After having thus conveyed my sentiments in a courteous, but unmistakeable manner, these two chiefs retired, and said we should hear from the shore next morning.

29th. Again the decks were crowded with visitors; some, on going down amongst the men, observed some Josses (idols), that the men had picked up as curiosities, some of them from Rangoon, and intimated by gestures that these were very bad and useless. They gladly bartered jade-stone ornaments, or Cycee, for some double swords that the men had taken out of some piratical vessels that we had captured. I observed, on more than one occasion, when a youngster has asked to look at some ornament that a man was wearing, he has presented it to him, and has been most reluctant to take any article in return; money they did not seem to value much.

I saw one respectable-looking man with a box of silver, perhaps £15 worth; this he was offering for a musical snuff-box, if any one had such on board. I fancy he was unsuccessful, as I do not think there was anything of the kind on board.

Hundreds were amused by looking through our spyglasses, and if not allowed to look, would goodhumouredly take the glass out of our hands. Some went aloft, and all were more or less inclined to make

choose or submit to as such. After this had been fully assented to by Lae, "I stated to him," continues Mr. Meadows," at considerable length, the circumstances of our desire to preserve neutrality, of our having no connexion with the vessels in the employ of the Mantchoo Government, &c., as had been done to the Northern and assistant Prince on the first interview.

After this it was arranged that Lae, or a lesser officer, Leang, who accompanied him, should be in attendance at the landing-place on the following day, at 11 A. M., with a sufficient number of chairs and horses to convey Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, his suite, and some naval officers, to the residences of the Northern and Eastern Princes.

The next morning the weather being boisterous, Sir George Bonham apprehending that some difficulties in the way of ceremonial might interfere with the good feeling then apparently existing, sent an excuse.

The following communication was then prepared and sent by Mr. Meadows, accompanied by Mr. Woodgate, myself, and an officer of the Hermes.

"Hermes, off Nankin, April 30, 1853.

"I received yesterday your message conveyed through the ministers, sent on board for that purpose, to the effect that you were willing to receive me in the city,

in the event of my being desirous of paying you a visit. It was at first my intention to see you on shore, but the weather and other circumstances prevent my doing so, and therefore, I have to convey to you in writing the sentiments I should have communicated to you verbally, had I visited you. These sentiments are to the following effect:

"Our nation, the British, have had commercial dealings with the Chinese at the port of Canton for upwards of two hundred years; and about ten years back a Treaty of Peace and a set of commercial regulations were agreed on, whereby British merchants and other British subjects are entitled to erect houses and dwell with their families at the five ports of Canton, Amoy, Foo-chow, Ningpo, and Shanghai, and, on due payment of the tariff duties, to carry on an unrestricted commerce without let or hindrance. At each of the five ports, British Consular officers are stationed, specially charged with the authority over British subjects; and I have had the honour to receive instructions from my sovereign, whereby I am stationed at Hong Kong, with the general control of British subjects and affairs at the five ports, and it falls within my province to arrange all international questions that arise between the two States. This state of things has continued without change for more than ten years. Recently,