HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
the. former were six small brass 
field-pieces, fixed on light car- 
riages, and each firing several times 
in a minute. The deputy, or legate 
from the Emperor, gave it as 
his opinion, that the field-pieces 
should be left behind, as the Em- 
peror was to return soon to Pekin ; 
yet the same man had before shewn 
great anxiety that all the presents 
should accompany the Emperor to 
Zhe-hoi. The gunpowder too, of 
which there were as many small 
barrels as might be used occasionally 
in salutes, and in exercising the 
field-pieces and musquetry of the 
guard, kad become an object of 
suspicion. He desired that it might 
be given up; which was immedi- 
ately done. His whole conduct 
seemed to indicate an apprehen- 
sion lest the Chinese should enter- 
' tain a higher idea of the prowess 
of the English nation than of his 
own. 
The Ambassador, attended by 
the usual number of Chinese, and 
most of his European suite, set out 
from Pekin on the 2d of Septem- 
ber, 1793, and proceeded to Zhe- 
hol; where he was received with 
military honours, amidst a crowd 
of spectators on horseback and foot, 
The suite of edifices destined for 
the embassy, was situated near the 
southern extremity of the town of 
Zhe-hol, which lay betwixt it and 
the palace-gates. The ambassa- 
dor was desirous that the ceremony 
of reception should be explained 
and settled before it might be ne- 
cessary for him to make his appear- 
ance at the palace; while the 
_ Grand Vizier of China, or Colao, 
wished to see him there without 
delay, that he might learn from 
him the purport of his Majesty’s 
letter to the Emperor. His Excel- 
[185 
lency, inthesecircumstances, deter- 
mined to send the secretary of the 
embassy in his room, with a copy 
of the King’s letter, and a memo- 
rial relating to the business of re- 
ception at court. The etiquette of 
the Chinese court not permitting 
the secretary to hold, in that capa- 
city, any conversation with the 
prime minister, nor even to sit 
down in his presence, it became 
necessary to make use of the com- 
mission of Minister Plenipotentiary, 
which his Majesty had granted to 
him, to act in case of the Ambas- 
sador’s absence or indisposition.— 
It was announced to the Ambassa- 
dor, thathis Imperial Majesty would 
be satisfied with the same form of 
respectful obeisance from the Eng- 
lish, which they had been accus- 
tomed to pay to their own sove- 
reign; and the day before the birth- 
day of the Emperor, the 17th of 
September, was appointed for the 
reception of the British embassy. 
In the interval, such of the presents 
as had been brought to Zhe-hol 
were carried to the palace; and 
very civil messages, implying the 
satisfaction they gave to his Impe- 
rial Majesty, were conveyed to the 
Ambassador. His Excellency now 
paid a private visit to the Colao, 
who received him with frankness 
and affability; but he found it ne- 
cessary to use great tenderness, as 
well as very qualified expressions in 
conveying any idea that a connec- 
tion between Great Britain and 
China could be of any importance 
to the latter. Such were the real 
or affected notions entertained by 
the Chinese government of the su- 
periority and independence of the 
empire, that no transaction with 
foreigners was admissible by it, on 
the ground of reciprocal advantage ; 
but, 
