REVIEWS OF RECENT BOOKS 17.~> 



The main basis of the early success of American trade with China 

 was the fact that during the Napoleonic wars American shipping 

 became one of the mainstays of the world's carrying trade. China, 

 of course, was then more nearly self-contained than she now is. The 

 "Empress of China" had little but ginseng and silver for her first 

 cargo, but the demand for the root was limited, and as the new 

 nation had little specie to spare, her merchants cast about for tempting 

 articles of barter. It was thus the fur trade on the N.W. American 

 coast began, thus that a trade in camphor wood, and afterwards in 

 beche de mer sprang up. John Jacob Astor was interested in the first. 



One source of criticism passed on British shipping in times gone 

 by was its readiness to use its guns. Our author tells of 600 pirate 

 junks on the China coast at one time, ranging from 80 to 300 tons each, 

 and manoeuvring in squadrons of four or five together, and all this 

 within the waters of the Canton delta ! 



The burning question of extraterritoriality is here traced from 

 the start, the Terranova incident being that which first involved 

 Americans, and the Su Anam case, which occurred just before the 

 Gushing Treaty was negotiated, being the second. Mr. Cushing, 

 American Commissioner, had no doubt what to do. He refused the 

 surrender of the man who was responsible for Su's death, an American 

 jury having decided that the homicide was committed in self-defence. 



There was no fundamental division of opinion between British and 

 Americans regarding what was needed in Canton to put things on a 

 better footing. A larger freedom was indispensable. Greater security 

 for property and person was equally necessary, as was a full under- 

 standing regarding dues, fees, and other official charges. When 

 Cushing came, he was to lose no opportunity of impressing the fact 

 that he was not a tribute bearer. On the other hand, his performance 

 or non-performance of the kotow was left to his own discretion. A 

 most curious document was that brought for presentation to the 

 Emperor. "The letter reads much like a missive to some barbarian 

 prince," says Mr. Latourette, and it is plain to those who have seen 

 it, that the underlying thought of the writer, Daniel Webster, was 

 that the simplest English would be the most easily understood and 

 translated. As an historical document it is, perhaps, unique. 



Mr. Cushing experienced in his own person most of the dilatory, 

 and epistolatory dodges used for the purpose of snubbing the "foreign 

 devil." He waited nearly half a year before negotiations began, and 

 then the President was "abased" in the first communication. We 

 invite the attention of certain critics of Western treatment of China 

 to the Cushing dictum that International Law was only the law of 

 Christendom. That was a statement which Peking would have en- 



