upon the subject in question.
In the last paragraph but two of the despatch to the Earl of Rosebery there is a reference to France which one might reasonably have supposed would have shewn the Chamber of Commerce the undesirability of asking the French Minister at Peking and his allies to support their memorial.
Sir N. R. O'Conor, who saw the memorial while passing through Shanghai, informed me that in his opinion the proceeding of the Chamber of Commerce was a most injudicious and doubtful one, and that he did not see on what ground a virtually British corporation should address the Corps Diplomatique directly, instead of Her Majesty's Legation at Peking.
It happened unfortunately that Colonel Denby received the communication of the Chamber of Commerce before their letter reached me; and he, not having carefully read the document, nor considered the point last mentioned, sent the memorial direct to Count Cassini, with a circular, without thinking of first consulting me in the matter.
To send the paper to the Russian Minister was equivalent to communicating it direct to Monsieur Gérard, who at once went to Colonel Denby and very naturally remarked that he could not well support a representation which proved by its own words that its desired objects were contrary to French interests.
Count Cassini and Baron Schenck, to whom the document had also gone, merely signed their names as having seen it.
On Monsieur Gérard's protest Colonel Denby stopped the further circulation of the memorial, and replied to the Chamber of Commerce that the matter would receive his best consideration, but that the moment for urging the opening of the West River was inopportune.
In a private letter to the Secretary of the Association he explained more fully his grounds for not taking action in the matter.
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