CHINA. 



139 



the good offices of the American Government. 

 The Chinese Government accordingly requested 

 the mediation of the President of the United 

 States, and offered to refer the matter in dis- 

 pute to his arbitration. The American Gov- 

 ernment accepted the task, on the condition that 

 proof should be shown that China had not 

 violated the convention. The French Govern- 

 ment refused to accept arbitration on that as- 

 sumption. M. Patenotre met Chinese plenipo- 

 tentiaries at Shanghai in the latter part of July. 

 They maintained the position already taken as 



Admiral Courbet would take reprisals in the 

 Min river. On the 21st of August, when the 

 ultimatum expired, Vicornte de Semalle pulled 

 down the tricolor at the .French legation in 

 Peking and joined M. Patenotre. At the same 

 date Li Fong Pao called for his passports and 

 returned to Berlin. On the 23d and five fol- 

 lowing days Admiral Courbet destroyed the 

 fleet, dock-yard, arsenal, and forts in the Min 

 river. The French, after retiring from Ke- 

 lung, reoccupied and garrisoned it on the 1st 

 of October. They attempted to take posses- 



CHINESE FORT ON MIN RIVER. 



to the principle of an indemnity, but offered a 

 contribution of 3,500,000 francs to assist the 

 sufferers from the Langson affair. The French 

 ultimatum, which expired August 1, was ex- 

 tended to allow the negotiations to come to a 

 conclusion. On the 5th of August Admiral Les- 

 pes bombarded and took possession of the port 

 of Kelung and the adjacent coal-mines in the 

 island of Formosa as a guarantee for the pay- 

 ment of the indemnity demanded, 80,000,000 

 francs, payable in ten annual installments. The 

 vessels steamed past the forts without giving 

 notice of hostile intentions, and took a safe 

 position in the inner harbor. By a similar 

 stratagem Admiral Courbet was in a position 

 to bombard Foochow and destroy the principal 

 Chinese arsenal, having peaceably entered the 

 Min river on July 18. The negotiations at 

 Shanghai were still continued, until at length 

 the Chinese Government recalled the plenipo- 

 tentiaries, being unable to secure the accept- 

 ance of American mediation or of its direct 

 proposals. The French representative then 

 notified the Tsungli Yamen that, if the indem- 

 nity were not agreed to in forty-eight hours, 



sion of Tamsni also, but were repelled. The 

 Chinese fortified Canton and other ports with 

 torpedo-mines, accumulated war material, and 

 improved their naval and military armaments 

 and organization. The warlike spirit spread 

 after the French reprisals, and gained in force. 

 The American minister continued his efforts to 

 mediate the dispute. China was willing to ac- 

 cept American arbitration, but France still re- 

 fused. At one time the Chinese authorities 

 were inclined to agree to the principle of in- 

 demnity if the demand were reduced to a 

 small sum. This proposal was made the basis 

 of direct overtures by the French Government, 

 which asked England to support its demands. 

 The views of the Tsungli Yam en after this un- 

 derwent a change. The Chinese grew more 

 confident of their powers of defense after the 

 victory at Tamsui and other successes, and in 

 consequence of the advancement of warlike 

 preparations under German engineers and naval 

 officers. They also conceived the opinion that 

 the French Government would draw back from 

 a course involving actual war, or would give 

 place to an administration more pacifically dis- 



