CO129-217 - Governor Sir Bowen Administrator Marsh - 1884 [7-10] — Page 163

160

3

the honour to report that negotiations

late at

have been carried on of Shanghai with the view of arriving at a peaccable settlement, between the Chinese Plenipotentiary Iseng huo. Chuan, assisted by Sir Robert Wart, the English Head of the Chinese Imperial Customs; and M. ___ Letenôtre, the Frengh Minister. The

main difficulty appears to have lain in the

the amount of the indemnity

demanded

as cxcessive

by

France, and resisted.

by

China, for the

resent affair of Langson (or Lang-

Shan) in Tonquin.

During the progress of

the negotiations, the Chinese have continued their warlike preparations, and especially the creation of heavy batteries to protect the approaches to their principal cities. In the opinion of the English, and of the other — foreign Naval Officers, the French ships will have very difficult. work before them, if hostilities begin, and the Chinese stand to their guns,

they did, for

as

example, in 1857, when the Allied

Shan

Squadrons