[ 4 ]
SCHEDULE continued.
No.
25. Governor-General of India to the Secret Committee of the Board of Directors.
DATE. 22 Mar. 1842
SUBJECT.
PAGE.
Two Regiments of Madras Native Infantry added to the Force under orders to proceed to China
A
36
26. Sir Hugh Gough to Lord Stanley 24 June 1842 That the Belleisle and Apollo, and
greater part of the Transports, have arrived at Chusan; and they will be directed to follow him immediately up the Yang-tse-Kiang
86
27.
28.
Return of Regiments or Detachments of Native Troops sent to China from India in 1841 and 1842, &c.
Return of a Detachment of Royal Artillery sent to China from the United Kingdom in 1840 -
44
37
87
29.
Return of a Detachment of the Royal Artillery sent to China from the United Kingdom in 1841 and 1842 -
37
30.
Return of Regiments and Detachments sent to China from India, or from the United Kingdom, in 1841 or 1842, &c.
38
31.
Return of Ships of War sent from the United Kingdom to China in 1841 and 1842
39
32.
Return of Ships and Vessels employed on the Coast of China in 1840, 1841 and 1842
40
33.
Principal Events in China, from June 1840
41
[ 5 ]
-No. 1.-
247
(No. 15.) COPY of a LETTER from Captain Elliot to Viscount Palmerston.--(Received 3 June 1841.)
My Lord,
Macao, 28 March 1841.
No. 1.
I HAVE now the honour to transmit the Minute of a conference held yesterday at my residence, between their Excellencies the Major-General, the Commodore, and myself, and I hope the conclusions reached will be satisfactory to your Lordship.
(signed)
I have, &c.
Charles Elliot,
Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary,
Enclosure in No. 1.
MINUTE OF CONFERENCE between Major-General Sir Hugh Gough, Commodore Sir J. J. Gordon Bremer, and Captain Elliot, held at the house of the latter, in Macao, on the 27th March 1841.
CAPTAIN ELLIOT submitted to their Excellencies the scheme of future operations already reported in his despatch to the Right honourable the Governor-General of the 24th instant.
Attentively considering the remarkable turn of affairs at this point, induced by the recent operations, it was obvious that it might at any moment be necessary to assume a decisively commanding military and political attitude at Canton itself.
The prostration of the strength of the Provincial Government, the shock it had received in the sight of the people, the exposed condition of the city, the long connexion of the province with the foreign trade, the well-known necessities and dispositions of the people upon that subject, the effects of our late forbearance in the strengthening of their confidence in ourselves;-these (with the ignorant and injudicious violence of the Court, upon the other hand) are all considerations which seem to render it of indispensable necessity that the whole land force should be kept ready for suddenly taking such a position over the heights of Canton, as to enable us at once to break up the Provincial Government, and ensure the complete and safe control over the city and its supplies, both by land and water.
With these and other impressions of cogent force (of which the watching and powerful protection of the trade is one), Captain Elliot proposed in his despatch to the Governor-General, that the movement upon Amoy should be purely naval; and he will only modify that proposition now, by suggesting that the officer charged with that service shall be instructed to secure any point in the harbour, which may leave him a complete control over the city and the trade.
If the occupation of Canton or its near neighbourhood become necessary, there can of course be no hope of assistance from the land force for the proposed operations in the Yang-tse-Kiang; but if the trade here can be carried through successfully and quietly by the actual degree of pressure (and it will take about two months to run off the main body of it), it is hoped that his Excellency the Major-General will be in a situation to help us with a handsome disposable force for the blow in that quarter.
His Excellency the Major-General agreed in the probability of an occupation of the heights over Canton, and was not, without regret (as we had approached so near) that the occasion had not been seized to accomplish that object.
In his view, movement upon Amoy had better be deferred till we were in a situation to carry forward the whole course of our operations to the grand point of attack; and if circumstances did not engage the entire attention of the land force here, he certainly must agree that the Yang-tse-Kiang was a line well suited for the main blow of our ensuing season's campaign.
The Commodore took occasion to represent that the steam arm of the expedition (which was of cardinal importance) was in a shattered condition; and looking to the actual situation of things here, to the necessity of a very strong and watchful attitude upon the spot, most particularly during the progress of the trade, he had come to the conclusion that he should best advance the public interests by proceeding without one moment's loss of time to Calcutta, for the purpose of full communication with the Right honourable the Governor-General, and particularly to accelerate the steam reinforcements.
The Major-General having suggested that he thought it possible the Madras Government might spare Her Majesty's 94th Regiment from Cananore, the Commodore added, that the "Jupiter" should be despatched to that port to await the orders of the Supreme Government; and if the regiment could not be spared, she would be available to bring on the recruits for the other corps, and provisions from Ceylon.
It was finally determined
1. That not a moment should be lost in the firm and permanent establishment of the depôts and of the British authority at Hong-Kong.
2. That a very watchful attitude should be observed at this point; and that every thing should be kept in readiness for the sudden assumption of complete military and political authority over Canton.
3. That ...
[ 4 ]
SCHEDULE continued.
No.
25. Governor-General of India to the Secret Committee of the Board of Directors.
DATE. 22 Mar. 1842
SUBJECT.
PAGE.
Two Regiments of Madras Native In- fantry added to the Force under orders to proceed to China
A
36
26. Sir Hugh Gough to Lord Stanley 24 June 1842 That the Belleisle and Apollo, and
greater part of the Transports, have arrived at Chusan; and they will be directed to follow him immediately up the Yang-tse-Kang
86
27.
28.
Return of Regiments or Detachments of Native Troops sent to China from India in 1841 and 1842, &c.
Return of a Detachment of Royal Ar- tillery sent to China from the United Kingdom in 1840 -
44
37
87
29.
Return of a Detachment of the Royal Artillery sent to China from the United Kingdom in 1841 and 1842 -
37
30.
Return of Regiments and Detachments sent to China from India, or from the United Kingdom, in 1841 or 1842, &c.
38
31.
Return of Ships of War sent from the United Kingdom to China in 1841 and 1842
39
32. .
-
Return of Ships and Vessels employed on the Coast of China in 1840, 1841 and 1842
40
33. -
Principal Events in China, from June
1840
41
[ 5 ]
-No. 1.-
247
(No. 15.) COPY of a LETTER from Captain Elliot to Viscount Palmerston.--(Received 3 June 1841.)
My Lord,
Macao, 28 March 1841.
No. 1.
I HAVE now the honour to transmit the Minute of a conference held yesterday Captain Elliot to at my residence, between their Excellencies the Major-General, the Commodore, Viscount Palmer-
ston, 28 March and myself, and I hope the conclusions reached will be satisfactory to your
1841. Lordship.
(signed)
I have, &c.
Charles Elliot,
Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary,
Enclosure in No. 1.
MINUTE OF CONFERENCE between Major-General Sir Hugh Gough, Commodore Sir J. J. Gordon Bremer, and Captain Elliot, held at the house of the latter, in Macao, on the 27th March 1841.
CAPTAIN ELLIOT submitted to their Excellencies the scheme of future operations already Encl, in No. 1. reported in his despatch to the Right honourable the Governor-General of the 24th instant."
Attentively considering the remarkable turn of affairs at this point, induced by the recent operations, it was obvious that it might at any moment be necessary to assume a decisively commanding military and political attitude at Canton itself.
The prostration of the strength of the Provincial Government, the shock it had received in the sight of the people, the exposed condition of the city, the long connexion of the province with the foreign trade, the well-known necessities and dispositions of the people upon that subject, the effects of our late forbearance in the strengthening of their con- fidence in ourselves;-these (with the ignorant and injudicious violence of the Court, upon the other hand) are all considerations which seem to render it of indispensable necessity that the whole land force. should be kept ready for suddenly taking such a position over the heights of Canton, as to enable us at once to break up the Provincial Government, and ensure the complete and safe control over the city and its supplies, both by land and
water.
With these and other impressions of cogent force (of which the watching and powerful protection of the trade is one), Captain Elliot proposed in his despatch to the Governor- General, that the movement upon Amoy should be purely naval; and he will only modify that proposition now, by suggesting that the officer charged with that service shall be instructed to secure any point in the harbour, which may leave him a complete control over the city and the trade.
If the occupation of Canton or its near neighbourhood become necessary, there can of course be no hope of assistance from the land force for the proposed operations in the Yang- tse-Kiang; but if the trade here can be carried through successfully and quietly by the actual degree of pressure (and it will take about two months to run off the main body of it), it is hoped that his Excellency the Major-General will be in a situation to help us with a handsome disposable force for the blow in that quarter.
His Excellency the Major-General agreed in the probability of an occupation of the heights over Canton, and was not, without regret (as we had approached so near) that the occasion had not been seized to accomplish that object.
In his view, movement upon Amoy had better be deferred till we were in a situation to carry forward the whole course of our operations to the grand point of attack; and if eir- cumstances did not engage the entire attention of the land force here, he certainly must agree that the Yang-tse-Kiang was a line well suited for the main blow of our ensuing season's campaign.
The Commodore took occasion to represent that the steam arm of the expedition (which was of cardinal importance) was in a shattered condition; and looking to the actual situation of things here, to the necessity of a very strong and watchful attitude upon the spot, most particularly during the progress of the trade, he had come to the conclusion that he should best advance the public interests by proceeding without one moment's loss of time to Calcutta, for the purpose of full communication with the Right honourable the Governor-General, and particularly to accelerate the steam reinforcements.
The Major-General having suggested that he thought it possible the Madras Govern- ment might spare Her Majesty's 94th Regiment from Cananore, the Commodore added, that the Jupiter" should be despatched to that port to await the orders of the Supreme Government; and if the regiment could not be spared, she would be available to bring on the recruits for the other corps, and provisions from Ceylon.
It was finally determined
1. That not a moment should be lost in the firm and permanent establishment of the depôts and of the British authority at Hong-Kong.
2. That a very watchful attitude should be observed at this point; and that every thing should be kept in readiness for the sudden assumption of complete military and political authority over Canton.
596.
A 3
3. That
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