Lord Jock desires me to request that in laying statement before the Lords of the Admiralty, you will state to their Lordships that "He is of opinion that, as one of the Ports opened under treaty to British Commerce and as the seat of an extensive British trade, Canton must be protected just as much as Hongkong; and that the portion of his Military and Naval Forces which may be withdrawn from Shanghai and Japan may properly be employed for the protection of Canton against a sudden attack on the same principles on which Shanghai was protected from a similar attack.
By Lord Russell's directions I have addressed a similar Letter to the War Dept and will by the next mail make a Communication to the same effect to Mr Wade at Pekin, and also to B. Harvey Consul at Canton.
Lord Russell abstains for the present from saying anything on the subject of the defence of Amoy, or to what extent that place is susceptible of being defended by British force against a rebel attack; but on the receipt of a despatch from B. Harvey Consul at Canton, stating that Amoy was threatened, three junks were at once sent to be it from my...
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