PARKES, Sir HARRY SMITH, b. in England about 1812. After receiving a good edu cation lie went out to China, in the British civil service, at the time of the opium war in 1S40. Rapidly rising, by reason of his energy and knowledge of the Chinese language, he was appointed British consul at Canton. The Chinese constabulary force seized the British lorcha Arrow, Oct. 8, 1856, and took therefrom 12 Chinese sailors. The action. of Mr. Parkes in demanding from mandarin Yell their return to the British consulate, and his speedy notification of the act to the British naval commander, led to the born bardment of Canton and the capture of the forts and city, Dec. 28, 1857. In July, 1860, he left Canton to join lord Elgin in the n. of China, where the large naval forces of Eng land and France were assembling off the Pei-ho. After the capture of Tientsin, Aug. 24, and while the allied forces were moving on to Peking, a conference with the Chinese was attempted at Tungchow. Consul Parkes, with 25 men, were sent forward with a flag of truce, but were seized by the Chinese, and kept prisoners in cages. Thirteen
were barbarously murdered, and the remainder tortured and nearly starved. While a prisoner in a cage, Parkes sent word to lord Elgin not to delay or in any way compromise on his account. The treatment of Parkes and his companions left the allies no course but to proceed to Peking, before which they arrived Oct. 6. Parkes and the survivors of his party were delivered to the British forces Oct. 0, but in retaliation for the cruelties and murders inflicted the imperial summer palace was destroyed and pillaged. For his clump and skill, Parkes was rewarded with the title and appointed minister to Japan, arriving at Yokohama .June 30, 1865. With characteristic insight, lie soon learned the truth that the mikado and not the "tycoon" was the sovereign of Japan. Ile was the first foreign diplomat to recognize the new government of Japan as it rose out of the revolution of 1858. Besides serving actively in his official duties, he has been several times elected president of the Asiatic society of Japan.