680
Review of Public Occurrences
DEC
16th All the terms of peace being agreed to, a conference be- tween the plenipotentiaries was arranged for the 20th.
20th. An interview was held on board the Cornwallis between the imperial high commissioners, and H. B. M.'s plenipotentiary : this was their first meeting, and one merely of ceremony.
24th. The visit of their excellencies, Kiying, I'lípú, and Niú Kien, was returned by sir Henry and the commanders-in-chief sir Hugh Gough and sir William Parker. This interview, one of mere cere- mony, was in a temple on shore.
26th. An interview was held within the city between the pleni- potentiaries of the high contracting powers, for purposes of business. 29th. Treaty of peace between China and Great Britain signed by their excellencies, the plenipotentiaries, on board H. B. M.'s ship Cornwallis.
By this treaty, the Chinese are to pay $21,000,000; to open the ports of Shanghái, Ningpo, Fuchau, and Amoy; and to cede to the queen of Great Britain the island of Hongkong. p. 514.
Captain Cecille of the French frigate Erigone arrived in a junk from Wúsung, just in time to witness the ceremony.
September 3d A party of British officers and others acting the barbarian in right good earnest, visited the "Porcelain tower." They went, (so the abbot testified,) with hatchets, and chisels, and hammers, and cut off and carried away large masses, doing no in- considerable damage. For the reparation thereof the plenipotentiary ordered a sum of money to be paid.
8th. A rescript of H. I. M. to Kiying's memorial regarding the terms of peace, and assenting to them, was published to the empire. p. 629.
9th. News of the treaty of peace arrived at Hongkong by the Sesostris, from Nanking.
12th. The river at Nanking, for several days, overflowed its banks, inundating the country far and wide.
14th. This being the birthday of his imperial majesty Táukwáng, a royal salute was fired by the British fleet before Nanking-with the Union Jack at the fore, the Yellow flag at the main, and the British ensign at the mizzen.
15th. Dispatches arrived at Nanking from the emperor, giving his assent to the treaty of the 29th ult. The steamer Auckland left at daylight the following morning, carrying major Malcolm, the bearer of dispatches to the court of St. James.
16th. A slight shock of an earthquake was felt at Macao, four- teen minutes past 4 o'clock r