smaller fry, are ordered to India, and will leave on the loth or nth of November. By this Straubenzee 21 remains in command, with myself and Clifford as A.A.G. and A.Q.M.G. respectively, the force at our disposal remaining what it was, viz. 18 guns (field), about 400 European bayonets, and as many Madras native infantry bayonets. With this force, however, we are to co-operate with the navy against Canton in about three weeks from now. So that after leaving a small force from our present strength to protect Hong Kong, we shall have a very tiny force to fight the Chinese with. About 2000 marines will, however, be placed under Straubenzee's orders when we land at Canton, about the same number of bluejackets will be landed to help, and a French naval force of unknown strength, probably 1000. After taking the place, our difficulties will begin; for we shall then have to hold it with a force reduced to the marines and the military, about 2500, which will, of course, be gradually diminishing from various casualties, and with which we shall have to keep military occupation of a city whose walls are 8 miles round, I am in hopes, however, that before very long we may get two entire Indian regiments, and without this reinforcement at the least I do not think we shall be able to occupy Canton long. I hope Lord Canning will do all in his power to help us; he ought, for everything here has been sacrificed for India, and now that he has turned the corner he should make a sacrifice for us. England may possibly be compromised without his help, for we must go on here with what has been so long ago begun.... You must not allow India to absorb the whole of your interest, you must reserve a small portion of your thoughts for China; for I assure you we mean to make a brilliant little affair of this. Another of our difficulties will be taking care of this place in our absence; I have no doubt there will be some incendiaries, I hope nothing more disagreeable. We can't leave more than 200 men behind, and the population of Victoria and the suburbs
must be at least 70,000. The Mandarins on the mainland have great influence over our population, and are constantly sending emissaries amongst them.... All this, however, is most interesting to me, and gives Clifford and me plenty of work, for all the military are almost entirely in our hands now.
Headquarters, Hong Kong, November 14. —,.. Operations... are now postponed, I under- • stand, another month, in consequence of the French being desirous of receiving reinforcements, which I am not sorry for, as we shall ourselves have a greater chance of being reinforced from India, which I am now in strong hopes Lord Canning will be able to carry into effect. He must not forget us. Lord Elgin has received by this mail letters from home, approving highly of the step he took in going to Calcutta, which has pleased him immensely, and I believe he himself is sanguine as to getting some troops, and I have reason to think they will be very necessary,... but all accounts we get through Chinese spies must be received with great distrust; none of these people can be depended upon, even when their best interests are at stake. For all that, I anticipate a good deal of fighting; the approaches to Canton, at least to the part we intend to make for, namely the north, are very difficult; the east side being very hilly and rugged, and the low ground intersected by numerous canals for irrigation, the west side being similar, and moreover the side from which they expect us, and have been making apparently the greatest preparations. The south side is town all the way up to our intended point, and is crossed by two walls parallel with the river; all this would be immaterial with a good force, because then we could take our time and gain ground bit by bit, but with a small force and the difficulty of keeping up proper communication with the fleet we cannot afford to go leisurely to work; we must strike a rapid and decisive blow, trusting to
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