1861 
but, on the part of the former, as 
an act of condescension, grace, and 
mercy to other nations, who came 
in quest of some porticn of the 
good things of China. The Am- 
, bassador was not unwilling to nego- 
tiate, even on these terms. On 
the day of the Ambassador’s pre- 
sentation to the Emperor, most of 
his family attended. The tributary 
princes, those of the Imperial fa- 
mily, and the great mandarins of 
the court, formed together no in- 
considerable groupe, while they 
were waiting in front of the great 
tent erected for the Emperor in the 
garden of Zhe-ho!. Each was de- 
corated with distinctive marks of 
the rank bestowed on him by the 
Emperor. Before the Emperor's 
arrival, the Ambassador’s small tent 
was filled with a succession of visi- 
tors. Soon after day-light the 
sound of several instruments, and 
the confused voices of men at a dis- 
tance, announced the approach of 
the Emperor. He soon appeared 
from behind a high and perpendi- 
cular mountain, skirted with trees, 
as if from a sacred grove, preceded 
by a number of persons busied in 
proclaiming aloud his virtues and 
his power. He was seated in a sort 
of open chair, or triumphal car, 
borne by sixteen men, and was ac- 
companied and followed by guards, 
officers of the household, high flag 
and umbrella bearers, and music. 
He was clad in plain dark silk, with 
a velvet bonnet, not much different 
in form from that of the Scotch. 
On the front of it was placed a 
large pearl; the only jewel, or or- 
nament, he appeared to have about 
him. 
For the purpose of correspond- 
ing with Chinese ideas and man- 
ners, the British Ambassador was 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 17932. 
clad in a richly embroidered suit 
of velvet, adorned with a diamond 
badge and star, of the order of the 
Bath ; over the suit he wore a man- 
tle of the same order, sufficiently 
ample to cover the limbs of the 
wearer. The Secretary of Lega- 
tion, and Minister Plenipotentiary, 
being an honorary Doctor of Laws 
of the university of Oxford, wore 
the scarlet gown of that degree, 
which happened also to be suitable 
in a government where degrees in 
learning lead to every kind of poli- 
tical situation. ‘The Ambassador, 
instructed by the President of the 
Tribunal of Rites, held a large and 
magnificent square box of gold, a- 
dorned with jewels, in which was 
inclosed his Majesty's letter to the 
Emperor, between both hands 
lifted above his head, and in that 
manner ascending the few steps 
that Jed to the throne, and bending 
on one knee, presented the box 
with a short address to his Imperial 
Majesty; who, receiving it with 
his own hands, placed it by his 
side. ‘Throughout the whole day 
the Emperor was very attentive to 
his European guests, and expressed 
the satisfaction he felt at the testi- 
mony which his Britannic Majesty 
gave to him of his esteem and good- 
will in sending him an embassy, 
with a letter and rare presents ; 
that he, on his part, entertained 
sentiments of the same kind to- 
wards the sovereign of Great Bri- 
tain, and hoped that harmony 
would always be maintained among 
their respective subjects. 
His Imperial Majesty, after a 
little more conversation with the 
Ambassador, gave, as the first pre- 
sent from him to his Majesty, a 
gem or precious stone, as it was 
called by the Chinese, and ac- 
counted 
