Page:Eminent Chinese Of The Ch’ing Period - Hummel - 1943 - Vol. 1.pdf/400

Rh the English. A month later I-li-pu was ordered to proceed to Chekiang with the title of Imperial Commissioner to ascertain why Tinghai was lost so easily, and to strengthen the defenses on the mainland. The defense of Kiangsu was entrusted to, then governor of that province. I-li-pu arrived at Ningpo on August 23, and began to rally the troops. In mid September he was ordered not to attack Tinghai because peace negotiations were in progress (see under ). From late in September 1840 to February 1841 he corresponded many times with the British at Tinghai and conferred with Captain Elliot (see under ) before the latter left for Canton. A truce was signed on November 6, 1840, providing for the temporary occupation of Chusan by the British, pending further negotiations by at Canton. The conferences at Canton proved a failure, and early in January Emperor Hsüan-tsung decided to yield no more. However, the British acted first, occupying the fort of Chuenpi (January 7) where Ch'i-shan was forced to sign a convention granting the cession of Hong Kong in return for Chuenpi and Tinghai. But Emperor Hsüan-tsung was determined to resist forcibly. On January 26, two days before and  were sent to Canton as commanders of the troops, I-li-pu was ordered to advance on Ting-hai. He replied that he could not advance without more troops and guns. On February 10, 1841 the emperor received another report from I-li-pu that the attack on Tinghai had to be postponed until the troops from Hunan and Anhwei could arrive. The emperor was so incensed that he ordered I-li-pu to return at once to his post at Nanking, and made Yü-ch'ien Imperial Commissioner to supervise the attack on Tinghai. Before Yü-ch'ien arrived at I-li-pu's headquarters at Chenhai, Chekiang, Tinghai had already been returned (February 24, 1841) by the British, in accordance with the terms of the peace of Chuenpi. Nevertheless, the emperor punished I-li-pu (March 6) for his reluctance to attack the British at Tinghai by depriving him of his ranks (Associate Grand Secretary and governor-general) but ordered him to remain at his post as governor-general of Kiangsu, Kiangsi, and Anhwei. The emperor was then collecting evidence against I-li-pu and Ch'i-shan, probably thinking that they had made some secret agreement with the British. In May I-li-pu was ordered to Peking where he was tried for disobedience and for having exchanged presents with the British. On July 31 he was sentenced to banishment.

In March 1842 the troops under suffered many reverses in Chekiang, and the governor of that province, Liu Yün-k'o (see under ), recommended I-li-pu as capable of making peace with the British. Early in April I-li-pu was made a seventh rank official and was sent to Chekiang. A month later he was given the rank of a fourth grade official and was appointed acting assistant military lieutenant-governor at Cha-p'u. His predecessor in that office had died of wounds received while resisting the British attack. As Cha-p'u was still occupied by the invaders, I-li-pu had to stay at Hangchow or Kashing. In the meantime the Court had learned from various sources that the British respected I-li-pu and wanted him as a negotiator. When the British advanced up the Yangtze River, the emperor ordered and I-li-pu to Soochow where they could be at hand to make peace when the time came. In July Ch'i-ying and I-li-pu went to Soochow, and a month later they joined the governor-general, Niu Chien (see under ), at Nanking. I-li-pu was given the rank of a first grade official to sign the Treaty of Nanking (see under ). He was then very ill, advanced in age, and suffering from heat, exhaustion and mental anxiety.

In order to negotiate about the tariff and other details in accordance with the Treaty of Nanking, I-li-pu was made Tartar General at Canton and given the title of Imperial Commissioner. Soon after his arrival at Canton he took ill and died. He was given the posthumous name, Wên-min 文敏 and the title, Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent. The negotiations at Canton were carried on by Ch'i-ying.

I-li-pu was one of the early diplomats who later were condemned as traitors. Fortunately he died early and so escaped the wrath of the Court that later fell on Ch'i-ying. I-li-pu was criticized also for upholding the British protest on the maltreatment of British prisoners of war in Formosa (see under ). The British found him cordial and polite in his dealings with them, both at Chusan and at Cha-p'u.

I-li-pu had a servant, named Chang Hsi 張喜 (also known as Chang Shih-ch'un 張士淳, T. 小滄), who served him in Yunnan and then assisted him at Nanking and at Ningpo in 1840. Chang Hsi carried messages between I-li-pu and the British at Tinghai. When I-li-pu was tried in Peking (1841) Chang was also severely interrogated. And when I-li-pu returned to Chekiang (1842) to resume negotiations he requested Chang to assist him. Chang was active in the 388