(1812-1882) commander of the Asiatic Squadron, and FREDERICK LOW

(1828-1894) American ambassador to China. Also present are the signatures of: SAMUEL WELLS WILLIAMS

(1812-1884), American charge d'affaires in Beijing and a translator on Commodore Perry's voyage to Japan; JOHN E. PILLSBURY

(1846-1919), sailing master aboard the squadron's flagship, USS COLORADO; EDWARD T. NICHOLS

(1823-1886), chief of staff for the Asiatic Squadron; WILLIAM K. WHEELER

(1859-ca. 1876), flag secretary for the squadron, who signs as "Lieut Comdr, Col, Major, General Wm. K. Wheeler US Navy, That didn't go to the Great Wall"; admiral's secretary H.G.B. FISHER

; General A. VLANGALY

of the Russian Legation; and Deputy Commissioner for Imperial Customs J.M. LEAVY BROWN

. Also included with the group are eleven Chinese signatures, most accompanied by short poetic verses. Two of these are identified as "Shen" and "Tung"; this latter is likely TUNG HSUN

(1807-1892), official of the Tsung-li Yamen (Office of Foreign Affairs), who was one of the chief Chinese ministers in the Burlingame Embassy of 1868. Shen is likely his fellow minister, who accompanied Tung to the U.S. to sign the treaty. Three further Chinese signatures are identified as belonging to Y. Kway, N. Tao, and C.M. Teh, all of Peking, along with six further unidentified six further Chinese inscriptions, likely other ministers and students traveling with the embassy delegation. Also present is the pencil signature of Olive Risley, who may have been the owner of the autograph book from which these signatures were taken. The U.S. Korean expedition was launched ostensibly to ascertain the fate of a merchant ship, the General Sherman, but which carried a diplomatic delegation which intended to establish a treaty for the protection of shipwrecked sailors and to open the country to American trade. Korean forts fired on the American ships as they sailed up the Han River, and the American forces retaliated by capturing five forts and killing 243 Korean soldiers, including the commanding general, EO JAE-YON

(1823-1871). The Americans, in turn, lost only three men. Korea would remain closed to Western trade until 1876. The Burlingame Embassy was led by U.S. minister to China ANSON BURLINGAME

(1820-1870), who upon his retirement was asked by the Chinese government to lead a diplomatic mission to the United States and the principle European nations. This mission included two Chinese ministers, including Tung Hsun, several students from Peking, and a considerable retinue. While there, Burlingame used his Republican connections and his oratory skills to advocate a welcoming stance towards Chinese citizens. The resultant Burlingame Treaty included a clause allowing Chinese persons to become American citizens, which had previously been forbidden by law. It was the first equal treaty between the U.S. and China since the Second Opium War. That figures from these two momentous events in U.S.-Asian relations should coincide on these pages make this a superb document of the era. The pages are chipped at the left edge, where they have been removed from the autograph book, and bear slight toning at the edges, else very good.