Hong Kong, March 14, i860. —... The arrival of Sir Hope Grant ^ and staff yesterday will be the means of effectually occupying all the spare time I had calculated upon before the departure of the mail. We hear of great preparations being made for us by the Chinese in the north. They now talk of 200,000 men being collected in the neighbourhood of the Taku forts (I told William 1 50,000 round Pekin, but what I now state is the latest information), also that they have means of laying the whole country under water for some miles inland. All this may be very probable, but reports of an enemy's disposition and strength must always be received with caution; they are very often spread abroad by the enemy himself to create alarm. With the Chinese this is most especially the case, and we have had numerous proofs of it. With regard to the men, the more they collect the better; they cannot employ beyond a certain number, and it may entice them to meet us in the open field, which would do more than anything to bring the campaign to a close....
i86o] PREPARATIONS FOR GOING NORTH 255
Hong Kong, April 14, i860. —... We yesterdayreceived the news that the Ultimatum sent in by Mr. Bruce and M. Bourboullon,*^ the French Minister, had been rejected by the Chinese, and an insolent answer returned as well, so nothing now remains but to give them a lesson they won't forget. Lord Elgin and Baron Gros are both expected out here by the next mail, though what on earth they will do when they are here is more than I can say. They surely will hardly make fresh overtures to the Chinese after the insolent manner in which they have rejected the last — that would be rather too undignified a proceeding.... I am very well, thank Heaven, and write more to tell you this than for any other reason.... I suppose if two mails were to pass without your hearing from me I should never be forgiven....
Hong Kong, April 25, i860. —... Our force is now collecting rapidly, French as well as ourselves, and by the middle of May we ought to be off. Bruce, however, is trying, they say, to patch up the rupture, and has sent in, so report runs, another ultimatum in a milder form. If this is true it is a great pity; it cannot prevent hostilities and will only be misinterpreted into fear by the Chinese.... Sir Hope Grant, who went up to Shanghai the end of last month, returns to-morrow; our troops will in the meantime have occupied Chu-san, of which he will bring us down the details. Our General seems an uncommonly nice person, quiet, good tempered, decided, and a thorough gentleman; I am sure everyone will get on well with him, though experience warns me against compromising oneself by too premature an opinion. Our chief of the staff. Colonel Haythorne of the Royals, is a first-rate officer and as good a fellow, and as the same can be said of Colonel Mackenzie, 92nd Highlanders, and Deputy Quartermaster-General, you will see that my connection with the staff promises to be an agreeable one. The Sikh Cavalry, about 200 of whom have already arrived, seem a verj'^ promising body of men, and will, I think, do us good service. They are a
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fine, wild-looking set, dark, with well-marked, prominent features, which are admirably set off by an ample red turban. They look as if they could fight, and I believe they can; they have, at all events, the reputation of being first-rate horsemen and swordsmen. A battery of Armstrong's guns has arrived and excites great interest. I do not care much about the long range; it may be useful now and then, but it will never influence very much the result of an action, I think — the shell is the formidable part and the accuracy of fire, and I expect great things from them.... I think too much about home, and feel sometimes as if I could in desperation burst the bands that tie me down here and rush away. However, this can't last for ever, and so, with another wish for our speedy meeting, I will once more say good-bye. — Ever your affectionate son,
Fredk. Stephenson.
To his Brother
Hong Kong, May 22, i860.