Canton, August 10, 1859. —... Your disgust and that of everyone else in England must now be complete at the thrashing we have had at the Taku forts, and
1 859] FAILURE OF TREATY 243
at the complete failure of Lord Elgin's much-vaunted treaty. The American Minister who started for Pekin immediately after the action, by a river a few miles north of the Pei-ho, has not yet been heard of, by which I conclude he has got to his destination all right. If such be the case, and it should turn out that we could have got to Pekin by that route as well, there will, I think, then be grounds for a very grave charge against Bruce or the late Government, though I cannot think that any Government would, at such a distance from home, give binding orders to any Minister to go to Pekin by the Pei-ho and, if necessary, to force his way up, but under all circumstances to take that route, without leaving him some discretion how to act in the event of obstacles being thrown in his way which he had not the power to overcome. No political news of any kind has reached us from the north. The Emperor has as yet made no sign, and except that it is rumoured that he has declared the whole affair to be a mistake, and that he is quite willing to receive Mr. Bruce if he will only come by another route, there has been no communication made to Bruce as yet. In the meantime all is quiet in the rest of China, and except a kidnapping row which took place the other day at Shanghai, but in which there was nothing political whatever, things are going on as before.... Now what I want you very much to let me know is what steps the Government will take in the matter.... The French and English Governments between them ought to send out 12,000 men; without that, in addition to what is here, we ought not to try to get to Pekin, indeed, 15,000 would not be a man too many.... It is now two years and a half since this force left home, and yet to this day it is not settled by the War Office what pay and allowances we are to receive.... I want sadly some books; would it bore you to make a nice selection for me, and send them out overland by the first opportunity? I should like a volume or two of good sermons, and a good work upon the Communion — Bishop Wilson or Wilberforce, but that I should leave to you. I should like one or two other books of a solid, substantial kind, and one or two more of lighter reading, such as any good novel that has lately appeared. There are also two military books I am much in want of " Simmons on Court Martials " and " Regulations for Conducting the Musketry Instruction of the Army." Half a dozen bark tooth brushes would be very acceptable. I am also in much need of a small case of cutlery containing a good pair of nail-scissors, a nail rasp, and a small penknife with two blades. Maria gave me a very nice little case when I went to the Crimea of this very kind. I hope you will not mind all this trouble, which I am afraid is a great deal....
Canton, August 22, 1859. —... Since my last letter little or no news has reached us except that the American Minister who started for Pekin by the back way, immediately after the affair of the 25th June, has been well received by the Emperor, and is probably at Shanghai again by this time, where it is very probable he will try and make matters square between Bruce and the Emperor; and I have every reason to believe that if an opening offers itself by which he can decently get to Pekin without compromising the honour of the country, Bruce will take advantage of it and go on there after all. But what a painful position this success of the American Minister places Bruce in 1 and what an argument for the peacemongers! However, unless a good strong force is sent out here which will enable us to go to Pekin straight without a check, and by the Pei-ho forts in the course of the spring, we shall never regain our prestige in China. Our future dealings with China will no longer be the same that they have been hitherto; other influences will prevail which will prevent us from having it all our own way, and going to war with China when we like and on any pretext. The progress Russia is making on the Amoor with a future view to a portion of this Empire, and her in-
1 859] MEN SACRIFICED FOR SHIPS 245