22
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city was calming and civilian foreigners were cautiously venturing within the city walls. But confidence had hardly returned. As for their partner in the co-operation, the Governor Po-Kuei, the allies certainly did not trust him. In fact the French suspected that Po-Kuei, despite his apparent willingness to co-operate, was secretly working to undermine their authority,
The long summer of 1858
As mentioned above, despite the relative peace of the first weeks of the occupation, a calm which has often been assumed to have continued throughout the city's occupation, the allied forces soon found themselves caught up in a full-fledged resistance movement which lasted throughout the summer of 1858.
Especially common during the spring of 1858 were attacks on isolated individuals in the environs of the city. The assaults were serious and frequent enough for the French to carry out reprisals against those natives living in the vicinity of the attack. At first it was thought that such a show of force would be effective, but within weeks Cantonese anger had become so obvious that consideration was seriously given to re-establishing the blockade. Harry Parkes, despite his language skills, was, for example, reported to be no longer safe walking the streets without an armed guard. Assassination attempts against allied sentries and others had become commonplace.
3.7
Growing alarmed, the allied commissioners met with Po-Kuei and demanded any information he had on potential Chinese attacks against the city. They also protested against anti-foreign proclamations which had appeared advertising rewards for the heads of foreigners or Chinese collaborators. To their frustration Po-Kuei's attitude seemed to be one of indifference. The commissioners insisted that the searches for arms, already begun by the military commanders, be endorsed by Po-Kuei.
As for the regular commercial life of the city, by May it was winding to a stop as tensions continued to increase. By June it was obvious that the provincial authorities were encouraging the Cantonese in their resistance. The new governor-general of Kwangtung and Kwangsi, Huang Tsung-han, issued a long manifesto reminding the locals of their
22
*
city was calming and civilian foreigners were cautiously venturing within the city walls. But confidence had hardly returned. As for their partner in the co-operation, the Governor Po-Kuei, the allies certainly did not trust him. In fact the French suspected that Po-Kuci, despite his apparent willingness to co-operate, was secretly working to undermine their authority,
The long summer of 1858
As mentioned above, despite the relative peace of the first weeks of the occupation, a calm which has often been assumed to have continued throughout the city's occupation, the allied forces soon found themselves caught up in a full-fledged resistance movement which lasted throughout the summer of 1858.
Especially common during the spring of 1858 were attacks on isolated individuals in the environs of the city. The assaults were serious and frequent enough for the French to carry out reprisals against those natives living in the vicinity of the attack." At first it was thought that such a show of force would be effective, but within weeks Cantonese anger had become so obvious that consideration was seriously given to re- establishing the blockade. Harry Parkes, despite his language skills, was, for example, reported to be no longer safe walking the streets without an armed guard. Assassination attempts against alled sentries and others had become commonplace.
3.7
Growing alammed, the allied commissioners met with Po-Kuei and demanded any information he had on potential Chinese attacks against the city. They also protested against anti-foreign proclamations which had appeared advertising rewards for the heads of foreigners or Chinese collaborators. To their frustration Po-Kuci's attitude seemed to be one of indifference. The commissioners insisted that the searches for arms, already begun by the military commanders, be endorsed by Po-Kuci.
AJ
As for the regular commercial life of the city, by May it was winding to a stop as tensions continued to increase." By June it was obvious that the provincial authorities were encouraging the Cantonese in their resistance. The new governor-general of Kwangtung and Kwangsi, Huang Tsung-han, issued a long manifesto reminding the locals of their
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