had obtained at the cost of war. November 17, 1856, two
American ships were fired upon by the Bogue Forts, but in
spite of the hostilities which resulted, the representatives of the
United States appeared to find more favour with the Chinese
than those of any other power in the negotiations at Tien-tsin
in 1858, and their treaty was signed a week before those of the
French and the British. Article X provided that the ``United
States shall have the right to appoint consuls and other commercial
agents, to reside at such places in the dominions of
China as shall be agreed to be opened''; and Article XXX
that,

``should at any time the Ta-Tsing Empire grant to any nation or the
merchants or citizens of any nation any right, privileges or favour connected
with either navigation, commerce, political or other intercourse which is
not conferred by this treaty, such right, privilege and favour shall at once
freely inure to the benefit of the United States, its public officers,
merchants and citizens.''


In the settlement of damages, the Chinese agreed to pay to
the United States half a million taels, then worth $735,288.
When the adjustments with individual claimants left a balance
of $453,400 in the treasury, Congress, to the unbounded and
grateful surprise of the Chinese, gave it back to them. Mr. Burlingame,
the celebrated United States Minister to China, became
the most popular foreign minister in Peking within a
short time after his arrival in 1862, and so highly did the
Chinese Government appreciate his efforts in its behalf that
during the American Civil War it promptly complied with his