I. G. W. Gooke. — China and Lower Bengaly chap. m

INSTftUCTlOKS DE LOB» ELG!N CODIFIEES 167

king any change in tlie instruclïons under which you arc now RCting.

I hâve accordingly to convey to jour Excellency the views of lier Majcsty's Government as at présent informed.

By Ihe time that jou reccive this despatch your Exccllency will hâve gone to Ihe Pei-ho, or you wil^not hâve done so.

If JOU hâve gone to the Pei-ho, your Excellency will hâve succecdcd in ohtaining the interférence of tlie Emperor to bring Yeh to reason, or you will not hâve done so.

If the Emperor lias sent Yeli orders to yield to our demanda, hc will probably hâve authoriscd us to use force to compe) him to do so. ir he disobeys.

If the Emperor bas refuscd to send such orders to Yeh, wc are at liberty to use force.

If your Eicellency, for whatever reasons. bas not gone lo the Pei-ho, il will hâve becomc too laïc in the year to do so : and you wIU thei) be at liberty to use force at Canton to bring the Local Government to ternis, and your décision to do so will dépend upon the opinion of the naval and mililary commandevs as 10 the sufTiciency of the means at thcir disposai.

If any of thosc cases, except the case of your Excellency having gone to the Pei-ho, and having received froip the Emperor an answer which Justified and required hostile measures against the Impérial Government the hostile measures to be taken should be confined to the autborities of Canton, as it is vcry undesirable to extend the range of the dispute from Canton to olliir parts of China. If the conduct of the Emperor should retidrr hostie measures against him neccssary, then your Eïcellencv will be al liberty to hâve recoursc lo the blockadc of Ihc Peiliu. or of the Yang-tiie-keang, according to the mcans you mm possess for doing so.

Her Majesty's Government bave much regretted the necessilv which bas arisen for detaching to India the military portion of the expcdllion originally destined for service in China : bul thL'^ arc conlident that your Excellency will agrée with them, thaï Ihe slruggle in which the Indlan Government is now engaged Js one of paramount importance, and that the redress of Brilisli wrongs In China must be considered as secondary to Ihe objccl of rcsloring the supremacy of British power in India.

Your Excellency, however. may be assurcd Ihat, as soon as tin.' demands for India arc salisfied, no time will be losl in placing at \our disposai the military mcans for carrving oui the instruc-

l68 ARRIVÉE DU BARON GROS EN CHINE

lions which you hâve received, and for the exécution of which Her Majesty's Government feel that they can confidently rely on your Excellency's discrétion * .

Ces nouvelles instructions rendaient à lord Elgin sa liberté d'action qui était singulièrement entravée par les premières qu'il avait reçues.