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No. 119.]

Mr. Burlingame to Mr. Seward.
[Extract.]

SHANGHAI, September 19, 1866. SIR: I have the honor to inform you that, with my family, I this day arrived in China, and have entered upon the active duties of my office.

In California, while waiting for the Swallow, a bark of two hundred and fifty tons, to be made fit for a voyage across the Pacific, I did what I could to awaken an interest in the trade of the east, and I have reason to believe that, with the Pacific mail steamers, there will go out influences by which the current of exchanges may be largely and immediately directed toward and through the United States.

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In Japan I visited the Gorogio, with my esteemed colleague, General Van Valkenburgh.

Rear-Admiral Bell, commanding the East India squadron, was so kind as to take us from Yokohama to Yedo, in the famous ship Hartford, accompanied by the Wyoming and Wachusett. He also landed a company of marines, who escorted us to the United States legation. He subsequently, as one of the general's suite, joined in the visit to the Gorogio I saw during the interview that the Japanese were pleased with this demonstration of force by us in the Japan waters. They were pleased also to see a minister from the United States, and, above all, one who had actually served his country in the late war.

The Tycoon's government, which is the central one, is at war with the great prince or daimio Choshu, who is so far successful as to cause a great deal of uneasiness.

While in Japan I had the pleasure of conferring with United States Admiral Bell and the British Admiral King, with a view of concerting measures for the destruction of pirates in the east, and was pleased to find those distinguished officers prepared to act promptly and in harmony.

Between Japan and China we experienced, on board of the French steamer Duplex, the severest "typhoon" known in the eastern seas for years. The barometer fell to 28.01, and we were only saved by the skill of Captain Noel and one or two of his officers.

In China I find affairs a little more hopeful than formerly. Merchants are recovering from the severe financial crisis experienced throughout the east. Prince Kung is in his former position. Our true friends Wensiang and Tung have both been promoted, one to the presidency of the board of office, the other to that of war. Chinglum and Hangki have also received additional titles. There has been added to the Foreign Office Fan, a gentleman who in the last reign was degraded for writing a geography favorable to foreigners. He is now promoted for the same cause. Altogether the indications are that the Foreign Office is acquiring a greater influence in the affairs of the government. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

ANSON BURLINGAME.

Mr. Williams to Mr. Seward.

No. 43.]

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Peking, October 1, 1866.

SIR: I have the honor to forward to you a short correspondence (marked A, B, and C,) relating to the erection of light-houses along the coast of China, which I commend to your notice. The subject has been often brought before this govenment since the treaties were signed, but hitherto without any noticeable

results, owing partly to the demand for every resource to put down the rebellion, and partly to the drafts on the revenue to pay the indemnities to the allied powers. The present movement is due a good deal to the continued representations of Mr. Hart, the inspector general of customs; and now that it is begun there is reason to hope that it will be followed up with vigor. The sum of 36,000 taels (about $51,000) has been set aside at Shanghai for the purchase of the iron light-house during the present year, and it will, perhaps, be in operation before the end of the next year.

From the custom-house reports for the years 1864 and 1865, it appears that the income from tonnage dues at thirteen ports, during those years, was 301,152 taels, and 284,353 taels, respectively; but owing to the feature of Chinese polity which requires that the resources of each province be appropriated to the expenses of that province, not even the whole of this small sum will be available for beacons at those points where they are most needed. A portion of it is already used in maintaining a few light-ships and beacons; but the proposition has already been made to the government to apply the revenue from the tonnage dues wherever most needed for lights, under the direction of the inspector general, and will, I think, be adopted.

The inertness of this government to originate or accept any improvements seems to be giving way before the advancing pressure of western ideas, and the officials see that they must do something to meet them. A movement of the present sort is, therefore, indicative of more than it exhibits on the surface, and before the people can derive much benefit from many material improvements which occidentals can offer them, their government must make a beginning, that the subjects may see how to use them. The erection of light-houses, &c., being provided for in the treaties, can be urged upon them with great force as soon bringing their own advantages, and when the beneficial results are seen, it will serve as a fulcrum for urging other things. It is on these grounds that I regard this step as highly encouraging, and have therefore briefly shown its bearings. I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant, S. WELLS WILLIAMS,

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

A.

Prince Kung to Mr. Williams.

[Translation.]

Chargé d'Affaires.

OCTOBER 5, 1866, (TUNGCHI 5th year, 8th moon, 27th day.)

Prince KUNG, chief secretary of state for foreign affairs, herewith makes a communication: On the 25th ultimo I received the following report from Mr. Fitzroy, acting inspector general of customs:

"During the month of May last, an American man-of-war was at! Niuchwang, and Mr. Macpherson, the commissioner of customs, knowing that there were many very dangerous sandbanks off the mouth of the river Liau, consulted with her commander [how to indicate them.] Two good and eligible positions were selected, on which two buoys were securely moored. The captain also made a careful survey of the entrance of the river, and drew a chart showing how a vessel must lay her course from the outer buoy to the inner when entering the river, and wrote out directions respecting the marks to be followed when passing up or down. After they were all drawn and finished, the commissioner of customs sent me a copy. It will prove to be a great and lasting benefit to all vessels trading to that port: and I have had several copies of the chart and sailing directions printed, which I now transmit to the foreign office, with the request that they may be distributed."

It appears from the above that the entrance to the river Liau had not been previously surveyed, and many vessels trading to Niuchwang had suffered damage in consequence. The buoys now moored there will, therefore, prove of great advantage to the shipping. A copy of the chart and sailing directions are herewith enclosed for your examination and use.

Hon. Envoy S. WELLS WILLIAMS,

United States Chargé d'Affaires.

B.

Prince Kung to Mr. Williams.

[Translation.]

SEPTEMBER 11, 1866, (TUNGCHI 5th year, 8th moon, 3d day.) Prince KUNG, chief secretary of state for foreign affairs, herewith makes a communication: According to the tenth article of the supplementary treaty, it is provided that the high officer appointed to superintend foreign trade shall establish and distribute lights, buoys, beacons, and the like, the maintenance of which shall be provided for out of the tonnage dues." This stipulation was for the purpose of pointing out the channel to the merchantmen as they went in and out of the ports, so that they might not run on the sandbanks or get into other dangers. In furtherance of this excellent object, I early sent orders to both of the superintendents of commerce for the northern and southern ports, to instruct the commissioners at each port to ascertain the capabilities and requirements of their harbors in view of a speedy erection of the structures.

Reports have been received from Hankau and Kiukiang, Ningpo, Chifu, and Niuchwang, together with Langshan Crossing and Wuhu, on the Yangtze river, for which places estimates and plans for their successive erection have been submitted and agreed to, so that it is thought there will be no serious obstacle in their speedy completion.

Instructions have also been sent to Mr. Fitzroy, the acting inspector general, to take measures first to protect the most dangerous places at the mouth of the Yangtze river, by erecting an iron light-house, which is to be purchased abroad. It is confidently expected, when it is up and in operation, that vessels will not so often run on the sands in that embouchure.

To those other ports not yet provided with these things, orders have been again sent to the same superintendents of commerce to urge upon their subordinates at them to immediately make the necessary estimates for erecting what may be requisite for the convenience of the shipping, so that every port may be similarly provided with whatever shall promote the safety of vessels going in and out.

It only remains, therefore, when issuing these orders, to apprise your excellency of what is proposed, which is the special object of this communication. Hon. Envoy S. WELLS WILLIAMS,

United States Charge d'Affaires.

C.

Mr. Williams to Prince Kung.

LEGATION OF the United States,
Peking, October 10, 1866.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your highness's despatch of the 11th ultimo, in which you state that measures have been taken to place buoys, erect light-houses and station light-ships at the several open ports, in order to lessen the danger to vessels frequenting them of running on shore, and to permanently benefit the commerce of the ports; and likewise of your excellency's despatch of the 5th instant, respecting the buoys which had been placed on the banks at the mouth of the river Liau, which, not having been hitherto surveyed, had often proved very dangerous to vessels; and that a chart had been drawn and printed, with directions to show the marks a ship should follow in her course, all of which would be of great advantage to the shipping resorting to Niuchwang.

It affords me great pleasure to see that the purport of both these communications is quite in accordance with stipulations in all the treaties, and especially with the design of article X of the supplementary treaty, relating to the improvement of harbors; and it will be a high gratification to make known these plans to my government, by whom they will be regarded with the greatest satisfaction.

I may here refer to the mention made in your highness's despatch of the American man of war which was at Niuchwang. It was the United States steamer Wachusett, then in charge of Commander Townsend, who himself took in hand the survey of the channel leading into the river, drew the chart, and prepared the sailing directions. In concert with the commissioner of customs and the United States consul, he superintended the selection of the best spots on the sand banks for the buoys, and during several days spared no pains to lay them down and complete the survey; his only desire in doing it all being to promote the public good. To the great regret of all his countrymen, Commander Townsend was suddenly carried off by a stroke of heat apoplexy, in the month of August.

I have the honor to be, sir, your highness's obedient servant, S. WELLS WILLIAMS His Imperial Highness, PRINCE KUNG, &c., &c., &c.

Mr. Burlingame to Mr. Seward.

SHANGHAI, October 6, 1866.

No. 120.] SiR: I have the honor to enclose an extract (marked A) from Captain Noel's account of the typhoon of the 15th of September on the coast of Japan; also extracts (marked B) from the logs of the British steamers Niphon and Nepaul; also letter (marked C) from Pilot Robert Smith, in relation to the currents and winds between Yokohama and Hong-Kong. From these may be derived facts in the interests of our navigation, and especially useful to the Pacific Mail Steamship Company.

The typhoon was the severest known for years, barometer falling to 28.01. The rarefaction of the air was so great as to affect the passengers painfully. The wind appeared to strike the vessel unequally, in one place breaking strong iron bolts, and in another leaving weak objects unharmed.

Our safety, next to the good conduct of Captain Noel and two or three of his officers, was due to the excellent model of the ship. She was very high out of water and very strong. I think it will be found that in nearly every case of loss of steamships at sea, the result has, as with the London, lost in the Bay of Biscay, occurred from weakness of the deck, or defective arrangements for keeping the water from penetrating by the skylights and other openings into the spaces below. In such cases the shipping of one or two seas will fill the vessel, and she will go down at once, leaving no trace. So, probably, perished last year, on this coast, the steamships Chanticleer and Corea.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

ANSON BURLINGAME.

A.

Translation of extracts from report of Captain Noel, commanding imperial mail steamer Dupleix, concerning a typhoon experienced en route from Yokohama to Shanghai, on 15th September, 1866.

On the 14th, at some distance from Kiusiu, a heavy sea from the southeast, and a slight but continued falling of the barometer, announced the approach of bad weather. In the evening rainy and heavy weather, which did not permit our seeing the land, and which prevented me from heading into Van Dieman's straits before the next morning. In the anticipation of a gale, I took measures to find myself in sufficient sea-room (assez au large) not to fear being dashed to pieces upon the coast.

On the 15th, at 2 o'clock a. m., the barometer at 752, (French measurement ;) violent squalls from the northeast, and a threatening sky made me appreciate the fortunate determination I had made in the evening, all the more as the strong wind and enormous sea from the southeast prevented me from running further out to sea.

At 8 o'clock the barometer was at 745, the seas from the southeast monstrous, and a gale from the northeast. There was no longer room to doubt a cyclone was coming upon us with fearful rapidity; the northeast strengthened, augmenting its force to fury, and from the rate at which the barometer fell, it indicated clearly to me that we should be in the line of progress of the centre of the météore* [cyclone?] which was travelling towards the northwest; and further, that we should be fatally destined to encounter this centre, since we were not able to go on and pass to the other side of the line of its passage (the northeast side,) on account of the strength of the northeast wind and the enormous seas from the southeast; and as for the other side, the neighborhood of the shore absolutely prevented us from running to the southwest, the only movement which could be made to avert the catastrophe which I so justly dreaded.

It was necessary to resign ourselves to it. I immediately ordered all the arrangements requisite to put us as much as possible beyond the reach of a disaster.

At noon the barometer was at 730, a tempest from the northeast with furious squalls, the seas from the northeast and southeast confused.

* The translator has found the technical phrases abounding in this report often difficult to render into effective English.

At 3 p. m., the mercury 728, the northeast frightful, (épourautable,) the sea roaring; but what reassured me was to see the Dupleix behaving admirably well, the machinery working very easily, and keeping herself with this help (à six quasts du bent) within six points of the wind.

All the openings of the deck were securely closed, and I awaited with confidence the fatal hour of the centre.

At 4 p. m. the barometer fell rapidly; at half-past 4 it was at 720; at half-past 5 it fell to 714. From 5 to 7 o'clock p. m. we were exposed to the most frightful tempest which could be imagined. The sea was really horrible on all sides; as for the wind, there were no longer squalls, but frightful howlings. The Dupleix continued her struggle with success, in spite of the redoubled blows which struck her; but injuries succeeded each other rapidly, and gave me a mortal anxiety.

Two small boats and the life-boat were carried away, and their davits torn off, all broken by the wind. The gig and the two other small boats were more or less injured. The main topmast was disabled; the bed (emplauture) of the mainmast was broken.

About half-past 6 we were literally the sport of a whirlwind, which caught up everything on deck, and whirled things in circles to the height of the head of the mizzen-mast. An enormous metallic plate was projected from forward to aft. Our masts bent like reeds. I believed they would be carried away, and I do not really know how they were able to resist such violence. Happily none of us were thrown into the sea, but we had none too much strength to keep ourselves within the railing of the bridge.

In a few moments the centre would have been upon us, and, considering the state of the weather, we should have been forced to perish there; for in my opinion nothing could then have saved our ship from complete destruction.

At this moment, supreme and full of horror, a single chance of salvation offered itself to my mind. This was to try and escape the centre by turning, so that the wind would be behind us. I was so much the more induced to try this last and perilous effort, because each instant that we waited we were in danger of the vessel's going on her beam ends, if the masts continued to hold; and besides, I wished on no account to cut away the masts, because of the screw, which was our only chance of safety; for if in this terrible moment the machinery had failed, all would have been over with us. The machinery was started at an increased speed, and after some hesitation the valiant Dupleix obeyed her helm; at last the wind was behind us, and we were literally raised up and carried on by the whirlwind with dangerous rapidity, without the vessel's suffering from it otherwise than by immeasurable rollings and heavy blows from the waves.

A half hour afterwards the squalls changed rapidly from northeast to north-northeast, north, north-northwest, and northwest. The centre passed behind us. Immediately the barometer commenced rising more rapidly than it had gone down. We commenced to go toward the northwest.

At 9 o'clock we were out of danger, the barometer 722, a gale from the northwest: at 10 o'clock barometer 730, and a heavy gale from northwest; at 11 o'clock 740, and an ordinary gale from the northwest.

At 2 o'clock a. m. (16th) all was finished. The wind was yet strong from the northwest, and the barometer at 748.

C.

Letter concerning winds and currents, from Captain Robert Smith, pilot at Shanghai.

SHANGHAI, September 25, 1866.

SIR: In reply to your request to give you some idea of the set of the currents on the coast of China and Japan, during my passages in the Messageries Imperiales mail steamer Dupleix, I have to state that I joined the said steamer at Hong Kong on the 24th July, 1865, as pilot for the river Yangtze, and to give such information as in my power concerning the islands and harbors on the China and Japan coasts in our route.

During the fourteen months I have been on board we have made thirteen voyages to Yokohama and two to Hong Kong, and have experienced several heavy gales, and encountered a typhoon on the 25th July, 1865, (two days after leaving Hong Kong,) before getting to the Formosa channel. We avoided the strength of this typhoon by heaving the ship too, with her head to the southwest, as we found the centre passing through the Formosa channel. The barometer stood at 751° (French millimetre) equal to 2905 English inches. On the 14th June last we experienced a heavy gale, during which we were hove to for thirty-seven hours, when seventy-five miles to the east of Van Dieman's straits, when the French barometer showed 750 millimetres. This afterwards proved to be the typhoon that the steamship Dumbarton encountered in the China sea on the 13th June, the day previous, during which the lowest point attained was 28°33 on her barometer. As regards the currents along the Japan coast, I have particularly noted the strength of and sets of those which we encountered

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