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he had carried out these instructions.
In consequence of further reports from the Governor of Hongkong I found it necessary to instruct Mr. Bax Ironside on the 26th. of April to inform the Yamen that Her Majesty's Government had been most painfully impressed by the recent occurrences at Kowloon and the resistance which had been made to the execution of the provisions of the Convention.
That Her Majesty's Government were convinced that the repeated attacks made on the British force by Chinese troops in uniform could not have occurred without effective concurrence on the part of the Chinese local authorities, and that this view was confirmed by the refusal of the Viceroy of Canton to remove his troops from the territory leased to Great Britain and by the capture of Chinese military flags.
Further, that Her Majesty's Government had seen instructions which had been sent from Canton to the officer commanding the forts on the coast to the effect that if more than three British men of war entered the harbour they were to be fired on.
Mr. Bax Ironside was to inform the Yamen that Her Majesty's Government would be compelled to ask for satisfaction for these grave injuries, and that they reserved their demands pending further consideration of the form which they should take.
Mr. Bax Ironside made a communication to the Yamen in the above sense at an interview on the 29th of April. In reply to his observations the Chinese Minister indignantly denied that the Chinese authorities were responsible for attacks by local mobs on British troops.
Such mobs in the South of China constantly used false flags and military clothing.
On the 30th. of April I further instructed Mr. Bax Ironside to state to the Yamen that, unless proper consideration were given by the Chinese Government to the representations made to them, Her Majesty's Government