CHINA. 



117 



About two years ago General Le Gendre, 

 United States consul at Amoy and Formosa, 

 had the courage to visit the savages of the 

 southern end of Formosa, with whom he nego- 

 tiated a sort of treaty for the preservation of 

 the lives of shipwrecked sailors. He was led 

 to that undertaking by the massacre of an 

 American ship's crew, including the captain 

 and captain's wife. These savages never 

 spared any who were cast on their shores, and, 

 as vessels are daily exposed to disasters on that 

 island, it was desirable to effect an amicable 

 arrangement with the natives, who could never 

 be reached by armed expeditions. Although 

 it was feared that not much reliance could be 

 placed on the promises which were made to 

 General Le Gendre, the mission was a success. 

 Early in 1871, a junk, under English colors, 

 was wrecked near Tai-la-suh Eiver, with con- 

 siderable loss of life, but the survivors were 

 hospitably entertained by the chief of the 

 eighteen southern tribes, with whom the ar- 

 rangement was made. It was therefore be- 

 lieved that these people would make no breach 

 in the agreement which the consul made with 

 them. They were manifesting a desire to carry 

 out the stipulations agreed on, in their integ- 

 rity. 



A new survey of the Yang-tse Eiver has been 



made by the American steamer Alaska, Cap- 

 tain Homer Blake. By far the greatest portion 

 of the foreign traffic on that great artery of 

 China being carried on by American steamers, 

 it was considered fitting that, when resurveys 

 were needed, the navy of the United States 

 should assume that task. 



The customs returns show the following 

 amount of duties paid : 



Duties paid in Haiknan Tads (ITael equal to $1.52) 

 at 8 Francs. 



The following is the official report of the 

 foreign commerce of China in the years 1869 

 and 1870 the commercial tael at $1.43. It 

 embraces a list of the countries with which a 

 trade was carried on, with the imports from 

 and the exports to these countries ; also the 

 trade at each of the open ports : 



The following table shows the articles of import and export in 1869 and 1870, and their 

 respective values : 



The movement of shipping, in all the Chinese ports (arrivals and clearances), was as follows ; 



