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had we still known Hindostan only by trading to its coasts; we might perhaps have been satisfied. without aspiring to any more intimate political relations to the Chinese. Our establishment in India, in dominions almost touching on the interior confincs of China, has produced a necessity, that we should attempt to cultivate their amity, if we would not rashly press into contention with them as foes and rivals. And, as Asiatic merchants striving to engross the whole country trade of the cast, we have an interest to increase our commercial relations to China, which would be much less urgent if our trade were only to to sell the manufactures and supply the wants of Europe.

For such causes, it had for many years appeared exceedingly desirable to open a regular diplomatic correspondence between the British and the Chinese governments. Various obstacles had prevented any direct attempt from being hitherto made. Not the smallest of these, consisted in the difficulty of finding an ambassador of fit prudence, personal dignity and graciousness, knowledge of the oriental languages and manners, firmness and insinuation, skill to accommodate his conduct to the prepossessions of strangers, and patriotic spirit of enterprise to do justice to the discharge of so high a trust. A man was wanted who should give the best possible representation of the grandeur, of the equity, of the beneficence of the British character; a man, whose conduct should be so engaging, as to overcome all the wonted prejudices of the Chinese against strangers

and Europeans. Common talents may suffice for the ordinary continuance of a diplomatic connection : but, a great man only should be employed to open it for the first time.

entrusted with any On the 3d of May

In the beginning of the year 1792, events occurred which renewed the solicitude of the East-India Company and the British government, to send an ambassador to the court of China. The choice was easily fixed; for, the design of the embassy was no sooner proposed, than the voice of general opinion marked out Lord Macartney, as almost the only man to whom this charge might be strong probability of its success. 1792, therefore, he was nominated ambassador from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China. He was admitted, that same day, to the honours and trust of a Privy Counsellor. On the 28th of the same month, he was farther graced by his Sovereign by a patent advancing him to the dignity of Viscount Dervock, in the county of Antrim in Ireland. He proceeded, without delay, on his embassy. Sir George Staunton, his friend and former secretary, was again in this embassy, his secretary and companion. A suitable train of servants and followers were appointed to attend him. A ship of war, under the the command of Sir Erasmus Gower, was, with certain smaller vessels, assigned for his voyage. Many rich presents were sent by the ambassador from the British to the Chinese sovereign. He arrived in safety in the Indian seas. When his approach was notified at the Chinese court, the Emperor and his

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minister agreed, though not without hesitation, to receive the ambassadors and presents of a monarch so great and so remote. To approach Pekin the northern capital of the Chinese empire, his Lordship was obliged happily to direct his voyage round the south-east coast of China, by a tract hitherto almost unknown to European navigation. The advantage even alone of exploring that track might have been enough to compensate for all the difficulties and expence of the embassy. He entered the Chinese territories. Mandarines of the highest rank were appointed to conduct him to the imperial court. His presents were graciously accepted. He was entertained, with his secretary and all his train, in a manner the most hospitable and sumptuous which the state of the Chinese court would easily permit. With great address Lord Macarteney contrived at once to comply, in his obeisance with the wishes of the Chinese sovereign, and to assert the dignity of his royal master by procuring that Chinese nobleman of the same rank with himself should, in the same representative character, perform before a portrait of the British monarch, those ceremonies of respect, which Lord Macartney himself paid to the living presence of the Emperor of China. His own conduct and that of his attendants were at the same time regulated, so as not to give offence to the prejudices of the Chinese. Permission for the permanent residence of a British ambassador at the court of China could not, indeed, as yet be obtained. A commercial treaty would have constituted a new connexion with a foreign power of which

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which Chinese prejudices could not yet favourably conceive the nature. But, in every other respect, the best purposes of the embassy were happily accomplished. The ambassador, with his train, returned over land. On the 19th of December 1793, he made his entrance into Canton. After being there splendidly entertained by the viceroy of that government, he proceeded to Macao. From that port he sailed on his return to Europe, on the 17th of March 1794. On the 5th of September, after an absence of nearly two years, he arrived at Portsmouth in safety. While he was on his return, his sovereign had graciously testified his approbation of his services, hy exalting him to the dignity of Earl of Macarteny. Their importance has been since more and more proved by new facilities opening to the British trade in China, and new respect to the rights and persons of Britons wherever they have access to the Chinese territories. The Earl of Macartney was on the 8th of June 1796, farther advanced to the dignity of a British Pecr, by the title of Baron Macartney of Parkhurst, in Sussex.

He has since crowned his public services by the administration of the viceroyalty at the Cape of Good Hope. In this high station, as in the other offices which he has filled, the Earl of Macartney has displayed qualities which do infinite honour to his head as a statesman, and to his feelings as a man.

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THE EARL OF HARRINGTON.

AMONG the many distinguished military characters which have graced the present reign, it would be difficult to select one, who, during a period of nearly thirty years, has evinced more zeal for the honour of the service, and of his country, than the Earl of Harrington.

This nobleman was born March 20, 1753. In 1770, he obtained an ensigncy in the foot guards, and in 1774, he was advanced to the command of the light company of the 29th regiment of foot.

In the beginning of 1776, Lord Harrington, then Viscount Petersham, exchanged his light company for the grenadier company of the 29th. In February that year, this regiment embarked at Chatham, for Quebec, on board the Isis, Surprize, and Martin ships of war, and four transports, under the command of Lieutenant-colonel Patrick Gordon. The three men of war, commanded by Commodore Douglas, arrived on the 6th of May in the bason of Quebec, which city was at that time besieged by the Americans, under the command of General Montgomery. The troops on board, consisting of Lord Petersham's grenadiers, part of two battalion companies, and the marines, effected a landing. The remainder of the 29th arrived a few days after, and did duty in Quebec, till the arrival of the army from Europe, under the command of Major-general Burgoyne, when the whole was ordered up the river St. Lawrence, in pursuit of the Americans.

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