June 29th.—­I have not written for some days, but they have been busy ones....  We went on fighting and bullying, and getting the poor Commissioners to concede one point after another, till Friday the 25th, when we had reason to believe all was settled, and that the signature was to take place on the following day....  On Friday afternoon, however, Baron Gros came to me with a message from the Russian and American Ministers, to induce me to recede from two of my demands—­1.  A resident minister at Pekin; and, 2.  Permission to our people to trade in the interior of China; because, as they said, the Chinese Plenipotentiaries had told them that they had received a decree from the Emperor, stating that they should infallibly lose their heads if they gave way on these points....  The resident minister at Pekin I consider far the most important matter gained by the Treaty; the power to trade in the interior hardly less so....  I had at stake not only these important points in my treaty, for which I had fought so hard, but I know not what behind.  For the Chinese are such fools, that it was impossible to tell, if we gave way on one point, whether they would not raise difficulties on every other.  I sent for the Admiral; gave him a hint that there was a great opportunity for England; that all the Powers were deserting me on a point which they had all, in their original applications to Pekin, demanded, and which they all intended to claim if I got it; that therefore we had it in our power to claim our place of priority in the East, by obtaining this when others would not insist on it?  Would he back me?...  This was the forenoon of Saturday, 26th.  The Treaty was to be signed in the evening.  I may mention, as a proof of the state of people’s minds, that Admiral Seymour told me that the French Admiral had urged him to dine with him, assuring him that no Treaty would be signed that day!  Well, I sent Frederick to the Imperial Commissioners, to tell them that I was indignant beyond all expression at their having attempted to communicate with me through third parties; that I was ready to sign at once the Treaty as it stood; but that, if they delayed or retracted, I should consider negotiations at an end, go to Pekin, and demand a great deal more, &c....  Frederick executed this most difficult task admirably, and at 6 P.M.  I signed the Treaty of Tientsin....  I am now anxiously waiting some communication from Pekin.  Till the Emperor accepts the Treaty, I shall hardly feel safe.  Please God he may ratify without delay!  I am sure that I express the wish just as much in the interest of China as in ours.  Though I have been forced to act almost brutally, I am China’s friend in all this.

[Sidenote:  Articles of the Treaty.]

It may be well here to recapitulate the chief articles of the Treaty thus concluded, which may be briefly summed up as follows:—­

The Queen of Great Britain to be at liberty, if she see fit, to appoint an Ambassador, who may reside permanently at Pekin, or may visit it occasionally, at the option of the British Government;