[3] The emperor’s words are: “This was the only proper arrangement to be made (for the settlement of the treaties). We understand the whole question.” In 1854, when the foreign Ministers visited Tien-tsin, the imperial orders were conveyed to the mandarins in the following words:--“At your interview, you must snap short their deceit and arrogance, and foil their malicious sophistry.” Another imperial decree says:--“The barbarians study nothing but gain. Their hurrying backwards and forwards only means [more] trade and [lower] tariffs. When a trifle is granted on this score they naturally acquiesce and hold their tongues.” [4] Nothing is less intelligible to a high-bred mandarin than the desire of foreign females to be introduced to him. At Hong Kong, when English ladies were brought to see the ex-commissioner Yeh, he turned away, and refused to look at them, and on their departure, expressed his annoyance and disgust. He was invited at Calcutta to a ball given by the Governor of Bengal. Inquiring what was meant, he was told by his Chinese secretary, that a ball was a sport in which “men turned themselves round, holding the waists and turning round the wives of other men;” on which, he asked whether the invitation was meant for an insult? There was an amusing scene at Canton, when Chinese ladies were for the first time introduced to some of our British fair. The Chinese kept for some minutes tremblingly in the distance, afraid to approach, when one was heard to say to another, “They do not look so _very_ barbarous, after all;” and they moved a little forward to meet their guests; another whisper was heard, “Surely they have learnt how to behave themselves. Is it not wonderful?” and a third voice replied, “Yes! but you know they have been for some time in Canton!” [5] _Elgin Papers_, p. 175. [6] In the French treaty the discrepancies between the French and Chinese text are yet more striking. The Chinese text places Chinese subjects claimed by the authorities under conditions far less favourable than those provided by the French version. [7] _Debate_, July. [8] In the _Elgin Papers_ many pages are occupied with the details of the correspondence between the commissioners who came to the mouth of the Tien-tsin river and the court of Peking, and which were found in Yeh’s archives at Canton. [9] Speech at Philadelphia, quoted in _North American Review_, No. CLXXXV. p. 503. [10] _American Papers_, p. 417: _Despatch_ dated 27th November, 1857. [11] Keih was one of the most intelligent and honest of the high mandarins of China. He was killed in an action with the rebels soon after his last interview with the foreign ministers. He openly blamed the perversity of Yeh, whom he hoped to succeed in the office of high commissioner. Had his life been spared, and his counsels prevailed, he would have initiated a policy of conciliation and amity. [12] We give one of Yeh’s characteristic proclamations, issued during the siege of Canton:--