40 281
Confidential.
Sel
My Lord,
No 286
3202
72
327
Peking. Dec 29. 1871.
At the close of my long despatch No 280 of this date, I observed that in the event of a misunderstanding with Russia she might do us serious injury at Hongkong. Capt Hewett told me when I was on-board the "Ocean" last August that, had the late demands of Russia in Europe led to war, the Russian Iron-clad was prepared to run into Hongkong, and levy
Earl Granville KG.