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prepared for action, for the last

three weeks; and the Chinese are

daily strengthening their Forts and works on shore. The French Admiral (Courbet) is said to feel Keenly his forced inaction, __

especially.

as the Chinese appear

it. It would in

emboldened by it.

seem, however, from Sir H. Parkes ' telegram, that some decisive

action will now

begin forthwith..

Open warfare could hardly be mone damaging to English and German trade in this quarter of the

globe

globe than the prolonged suspense

of many months past. France can afford to regard with a light heart the question of the interruption of trade; for it appears that, while England has not far from 70 per cent, and Germany and the United States have some 25 per

cent, France has seareely

even

one per cent of the trade of China. Enclosure The annexed statement, published in the local Press, shows that the recent proceedings of the French at Keelung have already led to

interference

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