Per "your Lordship's previous telegram" of the 20th August ult., conveying permission to take my vacation leave, I started to meet Sir Harry Parkes on his arrival from Japan at Shanghai. His stay at Shanghai was very short, and he pressed me to accompany him to Peking, and to become his guest there, as it was, of course, necessary that he should study the previous correspondence in the records of the British Legation, before he could take any steps in assisting towards settling the so-called Blockade question, and other questions affecting the relations between the Chinese Government and the Government of Hongkong. I naturally was unable to see that there could be any objection in any quarter to the acceptance of this invitation from the British Minister; and, accordingly, I accompanied Sir Harry Parkes to Peking.
5. On the receipt at Peking of your Lordship's telegram of the 15th September, I consulted Sir Harry