On October 3rd 1864, Harry Parkes, the British Consul at Shanghai reported to Thomas Wade, Chargé d'Affaires to China: "The Taoutae of Shanghai claims the confiscation of the British Steamer Ship "Mercury（麥葛利，莫古利）" for having in June resor ted to various places in the Chusan Archipelago and infringed the 47th Article of the Treaty of Tientsin." The vessel had been engaged with the approval of the Chinese authorities in the protection of the Chusan fisheries. Wade negotiated with the Prince of Kung of Tsungli Yamen about the confiscation of the Mercury. According to the report of Rober t Hart, the Inspector General of China's Imperial Maritime Custom Service, the Prince pointed out a difference between Chinese text and English text of the 47th Article of the Treaty of Tientsin, and claimed that there could be no doubt that the vessel incurred the penalty of confiscation by the English text of the Treaty. Through this case, Chinese Authorities showed a transition of their rhetoric of citing the Treaty, from "Bifu（比附: Decision on the lines of some clause more or less applicable, with increase or diminution of the established penalty）" to "Construction". It might be an early indication of the modernization of the legal practice in China.