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With regard to my recent journey, I will now report that on receiving Your Lordship's Telegram of the 24th August ultims, conveying permission to take my vacation leave, I proceeded, according to my previous arrangement with Sir Harry Parkes, to meet him at Shanghai on his arrival from Japan. His stay at Shanghai was very short; and he gave me pressing invitation to accompany him to Peking, and to become his guest there, as it was, of course, necessary that he should refer to the previous correspondence in the records of the British Legation before he could be in a position to assist me in settling the questions affecting the relations between the Government of China and that of HongKong.
3. In addition to the advantages which will follow our full communications on these matters, Sir Harry Parkes and all other competent judges, agree in believing that it is of much importance to the Queen's service that the two Chinese