edal was struck in honour
of his marvellous achievements, and this he accepted and brought home;
but it was soon missing. He thought more of the starving poor than of
any medal; so he sold it, and sent the cash it realized to the Lancashire
Cotton Operatives, who were then literally starving. The Imperial Decree
of China conferred upon him the rank of "Ti-tu," the very highest honour
ever conferred upon a Chinese subject. Also the "Peacock's feather,"
"The Order of the Star," and the "Yellow Jacket." By these he was
constituted one of the "Emperor's Body Guard." In a letter home he says,
"I shall leave China as poor as I entered it, but with the knowledge that
through my weak instrumentality from eighty to one hundred thousand lives
have been saved. Than this I covet no greater satisfaction."

Before he left China, as a proof of the estimation in which he was held,
a grand illuminated address was presented to him, signed by more than
sixty of the leading firms of the Empire, and by most of the bankers and
merchants of the cities of Pekin, Shanghai, and of the principal towns
throughout China.

It read thus:--"Honoured Sir,--On the eve of your departure to your
native country, we, the undersigned, mostly fellow-countrymen of your
own, but also representing other nationalities, desire to express to you
our earnest wish for a successful voyage and happy return to your friends
and the land of your birth.

"Your career during your stay amongst us has been, so far as we know,
without a parallel in the history of foreign nations with China; and we
feel that we should be alike wanting towards you and towards ourselves,
were we to pass by this opportunity without expressing our appreciation
and admiration of the line of conduct which you personally have pursued.
In a position of unequalled difficulty, and surrounded by complications
of every conceivable nature, you have succeeded in offering to the eyes
of the Chinese Empire, no less by your loyal and thoroughly disinterested
line of action than by your conspicuous gallantry and talent for
organization and command, the example of a foreign officer, serving the
government of this country, with honourable fidelity and undeviating self-
respect.

{Chinese Gordon: p45.jpg}

"Once more wishing you a prosperous voyage, and a long career of
usefulness and success."

Signed, &c.

There is truth in this as applied to Gordon:--

"He strove not for the wealth of fame,