Presents from the King to the Emperor

By George Staunton. An Authentic Account of an Embassy from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China, volume I, 1797.

These gentlemen were received on board the Lion with attention and cordiality. Much of the stiffness which generally accompanies a communication through the medium of an interpreter, was removed by the good humour of the parties, and the ardent desire they felt of making out one another’s meaning. Their discourse by no means partook of the guarded intercourse of strangers suspicious of each other. Sometimes before the explanation was given of the expressions used, the occasion itself suggested what was intended to be said, and gesture often came in aid of words. There was, however, so much employment for the Chinese interpreter, that a trial was now made of the skill of two persons belonging to the Embassy, to whom the Chinese missionaries had endeavoured to communicate some knowledge of their language, ever since they had left Naples together, above a year before. One of these persons applied to this study with the uninterrupted diligence of mature age, but had the mortification of finding that as yet he could scarcely understand a word of what was said to him by these new comers, to whom his pronunciation was equally unintelligible: while the other, a youth, who certainly took less pains, but whose senses were more acute, and whose organs were more flexible, proved already a tolerably good interpreter. Many words, it seems, of the Chinese tongue, of however opposite a signification, frequently differ from each other, in the utterance, only in some slight variation of accent or intonation; and which is susceptible of being more quickly caught, and more accurately rendered by those who learn in early life, than by any who begin to attempt it after being advanced in years. So close is the approximation sometimes in the inflexions of the voice, in uttering Chinese words of different meanings, that it is not uncommon, even among the natives, in order to avoid mistakes in conversation, to add to the principal terms used, the nearest synonyms in sense, by way of explanation. The necessity of doing so arises from the use of monosyllables only in the Chinese language, which must be less distinct as admitting fewer combinations, as well as from the exclusion of some of the harsher sounds of other nations, among which the difference in the pronunciation of words is consequently more perceptible.

The two mandarines inquired if the letter brought for the Emperor by the Embassador was translated into Chinese, and requested at any rate to know the purport of it. A compliance with this request was not urged as an etiquette prescribed by the imperial court; nor yet did it appear to have been asked from the indiscreet eagerness of curiosity; but rather was considered as a matter of ordinary course; and which might enable those mandarines more completely to fulfil the object they had in view, of obtaining and conveying to their sovereign every information relating to the Embassy. It was, however, thought more prudent, and perhaps more decent, to reserve the communication of his Majesty’s letter, at least until the arrival of the Embassador at the capital; and therefore an answer was given, that the original with the translations of it, were locked up together in a golden box, to be delivered into the Emperor’s hands.

Concerning the presents, the mandarines were peculiarly solicitous to inquire; and a list of them was formally demanded, to be sent to his Imperial Majesty. The same demand had, indeed, been made by every Chinese who had intercourse with the Embassador, or with the Commissioners at Canton, on the subject of the Embassy: and it appeared from the beginning how much curiosity had been excited respecting them. A common catalogue, containing the names of those on board the Hindostan, would not convey any idea of their qualities or intrinsic worth, or indeed be understood by any effort of translation. They would, likewise, suffer by being confounded with the mere curiosities sent usually for sale; which, however expensive, or even ingenious, were more glittering than useful. It was necessary, therefore, to make out, somewhat in the Oriental style, such a general description of the nature of the articles, now sent, as appeared likely to render them acceptable; measuring their merit by their utility, and endeavouring even to derive some credit from the omission of splendid trifles. It was accordingly prefaced by observing, that “the King of Great Britain, willing to testify his high esteem and veneration for his Imperial Majesty of China, by sending an Embassy to him at such a distance, and by choosing an Embassador among the most distinguished characters of the British dominions, wished also that whatever presents he should send, might be worthy of such a wise and discerning monarch. Neither their quantity nor their cost could be of any consideration before the Imperial throne, abounding with wealth and treasures of every kind. Nor would it be becoming to offer trifles of momentary curiosity, but little use. His Britannic Majesty had been, therefore, careful to select only such articles as might denote the progress of science, and of the arts in Europe, and which might convey some kind of information to the exalted mind of his Imperial Majesty, or such other articles as might be practically useful. The intent and spirit accompanying presents, not the presents themselves, are chiefly of value between sovereigns.”

Some of the articles were described in the following manner.

“The first and principal consists of many parts, which may be used distinctly, or be connected together, and represents the universe, of which the earth is but a small portion. This work is the utmost effort of astronomical science and mechanic art combined together, that was ever made in Europe. It shews and imitates, with great clearness and with mathematical exactness, the several motions of the earth, according to the system of European astronomers; likewise the eccentric or irregular motions of the moon around it; and of the sun, with the planets which surround it, as well as the particular system of the planet, called by Europeans, Jupiter, which has four moons constantly moving about it, as well as belts upon its surface; and also of the planet Saturn, with its ring and moons; together with the eclipses, conjunctions, and oppositions of the heavenly bodies. Another part indicates the month, the week, the day, the hour, and minute, at the time of inspection. This machine is as simple in its construction, as it is complicated and wonderful in its effects; nor does any so perfect remain behind in Europe. It is calculated for above a thousand years; and will be long a monument of the respect in which the virtues of his Imperial Majesty are held in some of the remotest parts of the world.

“With this machine, is immediately connected another, of a curious and useful construction, for observing, farther and better than had formerly been done, distant and minute bodies in the heavens, as they really move in the great expanse; the result of such observations demonstrating the exactness with which those motions are imitated in the machine already described. Those observations are made, not by looking directly at the object, as in common telescopes, in which the powers of sight are more limited; but by perceiving, sideways, the reflection of such object upon mirrors, according to a method invented by a great philosopher called Newton, and improved by an excellent astronomer called Herschel; and who both have made such discoveries in science, as to deserve that their names should reach to his Imperial Majesty of China. The powers of vision, in particular, have been extended by their means beyond all former hopes or calculations.

“As astronomy is not only essentially useful towards the perfection of geography and navigation, but, from the greatness of its objects, elevates the mind, and thus is worthy of the contemplation of sovereigns; and has, accordingly, attracted the notice of his Imperial Majesty, who has encouraged the cultivation of that science, an useful instrument is added for that purpose, as it may serve to explain and reconcile the real motion of the earth, with the apparent motion of the sun, and other celestial bodies.

“Another article consists of a globe, representing the heavenly firmament, the ground or general colour being azure, imitative of the sky; on which ground, all the fixed stars are placed in their precise relative positions. The stars are made of gold and silver, in different tints, and of different magnitudes, according to the proportional size of which they appear as viewed from the earth; together with silver lines for the different divisions which distinguish the several parts of the firmament.

“Corresponding to this celestial globe, is one representing the different continents of the earth, with its seas and islands; distinguishing the possessions of the different sovereigns, capital cities, and great chains of mountains. It is executed with peculiar care, and comprehends all the discoveries in different parts of the world, made in the voyages undertaken for that purpose by order of his Britannic Majesty, together with the routes of the different ships sent on those expeditions.

“Several packages contain instruments for ascertaining time, with all the improvements and elegance of modern inventions. One of these points out the periods of the new and full, and other phases or changes of the, moon. The other indicates the state of the air, and foretells the impending changes in the atmosphere. A machine is added for removing air, in order to make, in the vacant space, several curious and extraordinary experiments, which prove the importance of the atmosphere to animal life, and its effects on the motion of inanimate substances.

“Likewise a machine, pointing out the different means, or methods, called by Europeans the mechanical powers, which assist the natural strength of man or beast; with contrivances for the exemplification of those powers, applied to the assistance and comforts of infirmity or age.

“The next articles consist of several pieces of brass ordnance used in battles, and howitzer mortars, which are instruments of annoyance, from whence combustible matter is thrown into the towns or fortresses of an enemy. Such instruments were thought likely to be interesting to so great a warrior and conqueror as his Imperial Majesty. To these are added other military weapons, such as muskets, pistols, and sword blades. These arms, tho richly ornamented, are chiefly valuable for their useful qualities; the muskets and pistols for assisting the aim, and assuring the fire, and the sword blades for cutting through iron without losing their edge.

“His Britannic Majesty, who is acknowledged by the rest of Europe to be the first maritime power, and is truly sovereign of the seas, wished, as a particular mark of his attention to his Imperial Majesty, to send some of his largest ships with the present Embassy. He was however obliged to fix on vessels of a less considerable size, on account of the shallows and sands of the Yellow sea, little known to European navigators; but he has sent a complete model of the largest British ship of war, mounting one hundred and ten cannon of considerable calibre. This model shews every the minutest part of such a stupendous structure.

“Specimens are sent likewise of the modes in which the best British artists work, and render valuable, the clayey and stony substances found in their own country. Among those specimens are useful and ornamental vases; some imitative of antiquities, and some in the best modern taste.

“Several of these articles owe much of their hardness and beauty to the operation of common or terrestrial fire; but a degree of heat, vastly more intense, as well as more sudden and astonishing in its effects, is collected immediately from the sun, by means of an instrument, which next follows among the presents. It consists chiefly of two transparent bodies of glass, one of a prodigious size for such a material, and wrought by nice and persevering art into such a form, and so placed and directed as not only to kindle into flame matters easily combustible, when exposed at a particular distance before it, but also to soften and reduce at once into a powder or a fluid, the hardest stones, or most refractory metals, of gold, silver, copper, iron, or even the new-discovered substance called platina, or white gold; which platina is more difficult of fusion in a common fire or furnace, than any of the metals formerly known in nature. The principal parts of this machine being as brittle in their composition, as it is powerful, violent, and instantaneous in its operations, are so difficult to be procured without defect, and so liable to be broken during the attempts of the artist to bring them to perfection, that they are very rarely obtained of a considerable size; and one of the masses of glass now presented, is much the largest and most complete that was ever made in Europe.

“In separate cases are packed up the different parts of two magnificent lustres, or frames of glass, with gold for containing lights to illuminate the great apartments of a palace: such lustres varying in their form and effect, according to the disposition of the innumerable pieces which compose them. In these are placed circular lamps which diffuse, by a method lately discovered, a much grander and more vivid light than art had been enabled to produce before.

“Several other packages are added, consisting of a great number of the productions and manufactures of Great Britain, particularly in wool and cotton, as well as in steel and other metals. In such a variety, there is a chance that some may be found acceptable for their use, their curiosity, or as objects of comparison with a few of the great manufactures of his Imperial Majesty’s dominions.

“To the specimens of such articles as were capable of transportation, are added several representations taken from nature, of cities, towns, churches, seats, gardens, castles, bridges, lakes, volcanos, and antiquities; likewise of battles by sea and land, dockyards or places for building ships, horse-races, bull-fighting, and of most other objects curious or remarkable in the dominions of his Britannic Majesty, and other parts of Europe; also, of several of the most eminent persons, including the royal family of Great Britain; the representations themselves being monuments of the arts by which they are made in their present advanced state.”

This description, beside being translated into Chinese, was likewise very carefully rendered into Latin by Mr. Hiitner, as his Majesty’s letter to the Emperor had been, in order to afford to the missionaries in his service at Pekin, an opportunity of correcting any error which might have crept into the Chinese translation, the style of writing in that language for the court being familiar only to those who are employed about the palace. This Chinese translation was, however, sufficiently intelligible to Chow-ta-zhin and Van-ta-zhin, to occasion their admiration of its contents. A sufficient number of proper junks was provided to convey the whole across the bar, beyond which it was again necessary to tranship all the articles into vessels of another form and construction; the former being unfit to navigate up the river to the neighbourhood of the capital, and the latter too weak and delicate to resist the surge striking upon the bar, or the occasional violence of the sea without it. Other junks were supplied, likewise, for conveying the persons and baggage of the Embassy from the ships into the river, where vessels fit to navigate upon it were ready to receive them; his Excellency having signified his intention of travelling by water, as the method he understood to be the most convenient.

(From the Internet Archive)