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7.
106
At this
out, returned and gave him an interview. interview Mr. Brenan demanded an apology from the officer commanding the Whampoa forts, punishment of the offenders and compensation for the damage done to the ship. General Li professed entire ignorance of the affair and asked for three days in which to make inquiry and give an answer. Mr. Brenan agreed
to this and then returned to Shameen.
2.
On the afternoon of the same day Mr. Southorn left Canton in s.s. "Lungshan" on her return voyage
to Hong Kong. Before the ship left, Mr. Brenan came on board and informed Mr. Southorn that, if at the
7
end of three days no satisfactory reply was received he proposed to renew his demands with a short time-
limit and to ask the British Naval Authorities to
take action, if necessary, at the end of the time- limit. He further suggested that the Naval Author-
ities at Hong Kong should make their dispositions in
case it became necessary to take punitive action, and he urged that a British cruiser should be sent at
once to lie off the scene of the outrage, and that
British aircraft should fly over the Whampoa forts;
but he did not wish any actual reprisals to be taken
without prior reference to him, in view of his nego-
tiations with General Li Chai-sum.
3.
H.M.S. "Cicala" conveyed the s.s."Tungshan"
past Dane Island on the afternoon of the 16th May,
with instructions to return fire if the river-steamer
was again fired at; and the master of s.s. "Lungshan"
reported that, on approaching the scene of the morning's
outrage, he observed Chinese soldiers by the river-
bank apparently ready to open fire, but that on seeing
H.M.S. "Cicala"
2