"June 18.—This day the Russian minister concluded his treaty. A Russian courier starts to-morrow for St. Petersburg with dispatches."
"June 26th.—At 6 P.M. to-day the treaty with England was signed. Went in procession to the town. All the shipping dressed with flags, and manned yards. The festivities went off in the Yamun. Lord Elgin sat at the middle table, with a Mandarin on each side of him. I hear their names were Wa-schu-nau and Kwei-liang. The first-named is a strong, corpulent man of about 45; the latter is much older, and seemed very much dejected; he has however just recovered from sickness, which may account for it. After the ceremonies of signing and sealing had been gone through, they all partook of refreshments provided by the Mandarin. Lord Elgin proposed a toast to the health of the Emperor of China, and to the future friendship of the two nations, which was responded to by the Mandarins. Shortly after the assembly broke up, and we all marched home to the excellent music of the flag-ship's band and the bugles of the marines. The whole affair lasted about three hours and a half. It was full moon, and a splendid night.
"June 27th.—This afternoon the treaty with the French was signed. Returned to their ships by torch-light, port-fires, &c. &c. Ki-ying, the Mandarin who assisted in bringing about the treaty, was sentenced to be decapitated, as he was blamed for opening the door to the barbarians, but he has since been pardoned."
"July 3rd.—News came from Pekin that Ki-ying has committed suicide by cutting his throat."
"July 4th.—Thermometer 96° on board, despite awnings and sprinkling the roof of the wheel-house with water!"
"July 6th.—Left Tien-Tsin. After a long, tedious, and tiresome passage of 15 days we reached Shanghai once more on 21st July, all well.
"Price of provisions at Tien-Tsin, as contracted for on 28th May, for the supply of the English fleet:—
| Oxen (average weight 4 piculs, or 533 lbs.), | the carcase | $10 |
| Sheep, | " | 2 |
| Hens, | per dozen | 1 |
| Geese and ducks, | " | 2 |
| Eggs, | per thousand | 3 |
| Vegetables, | picul = 133 1⁄2 lbs. | 1.50 |
| Rice, | " | 5 |
| Sugar, | " | 6 |
| Yams, | per dozen | 1 |
| Pears, | per hundred | 1 |
| Apples, | " | 1.50 |
| Ice, | per lb. | 16 |
"All articles to be delivered of the best quality. The prices are reckoned in American dollars. Every morning a boat was sent off to the Coromandel, on board which the purchases took place."
[151] The Táu-Tái, whose authority extends over the three prefectures of Soo-Chow, Sung-Kiang, and Tai-tsing in the north-east of the province of Kiang-ti, is under the governor of Soo-chow, and has resided at Shanghai ever since that port was thrown open to trade. His salary by law is only 4000 taels (£1445), but the various perquisites and emolument attached to it make his actual income about 365,000 taels or £105,000 per annum; out of which he has, however, to defray all expenses of subordinates, &c.; so that the net annual income of this post is estimated at from 25,000 to 30,000 taels (£7000 to £8700). Besides the Táu-Tái there is only the Tschi-hien, a sort of magistrate who lives in Shanghai, and trades with the foreigners.