sh
camp. A terrible retribution might have been inflicted upon Peking had
not a promise of its safety been given if the gate were surrendered. But
the emperor's rural retreat lay at the mercy of the troops, and Lord
Elgin gave orders that its palaces should be levelled with the ground.
The French refused to aid in this act of vandalism, which they strongly
condemned,--a verdict which has since been that of the civilized world.
But Lord Elgin was fixed in his purpose, and the work of destruction
went on.

Soon flames appeared above the devoted structures, and long columns of
smoke rose to the sky, increasing in width and density as the day waned,
until the canopy of smoke hung like a vast storm-cloud over Peking, and
the sorrowful eyes of those on the walls saw the flashing fire that told
of the swift destruction of what it had taken centuries to build. For
two days the work of ruin in the imperial grounds went on, the soldiers
carrying away what they could from the burning buildings, though a vast
amount of property was destroyed, the loss being estimated at a value of
over ten million dollars.

Threats were now made that unless compensation should be paid for the
British subjects maltreated and murdered, and the treaty signed within a
fixed period, the palace in Peking would be seized and other steps of
violence taken. There was no redress for the Chinese. They were in the
grasp of their foes and were obliged to submit. On the 24th, Lord Elgin
was carried in state in his green sedan-chair through the principal
street of the city, attended by a force of about eight thousand
soldiers, while multitudes of Chinese viewed the procession with curious
eyes. Prince Kung awaited him in a large hall, and here the Treaty of
Tien-tsin, to obtain a ratification of which the allies had come to
Peking, was formally executed. At the close of the ceremonies the prince
tendered a banquet, but the British declined the proffered honor,
fearing that they might be poisoned by the Chinese cooks. A similar
banquet offered to the French on the following day was readily accepted,
and none of them suffered through their faith in the honor of their
host.

Since the date of this war the process of opening China to the nations
of the West has gone unceasingly on, the policy of exclusion of that old
nation slowly but steadily giving way. In 1873, on the young emperor
Tung-chi attaining his majority, the long-refused audience with the
emperor wit