Effects of the War of 1858 at Ilong-kong. 357 



400,000,000, occupying 78 degrees of longitude and 38 of lati- 

 tude, has it been developed into the most important business 

 centre of China. It became an emporium for all European 

 manufactures, as well as for all produce from the interior, which 

 is shipped hence to the various marts of the world. Unfortun- 

 ately the period at wliich the flag of the gi^eat Mandjing, or 

 Double Eagle, as the Chinese call Austria, was for the first 

 time unfurled on the shores of the Celestial Kingdom proved 

 most unsuitable for scientific observation. While in the 

 interior a variety of circumstances seriously threatened the 

 stability of the throne of the reigning djmasty, the flames 

 of war were once more breaking out along the coast also, 

 and adding to the confusion and distress of the Chinese 

 diplomatists. In the present war the English were for the 

 first time in these waters fighting side by side with the 

 French, while the Russians and North Americans were 

 cautiously maintaining an observant, but none the less on 

 that account menacing attitude. The hatred and animosity 

 of the Chinese populace, stirred up by their own authorities, 

 was continually goaded to increasing fuiy with each new 

 victory of the "red-haired barbarians." The Chinese bakers 

 in Hong-kong had devised the cruel exj)edient of poisoning 

 the bread purchased by the English, and thus avenging them- 

 selves on the foe more fatally and more certainly than by 

 Chinese weapons. Even while walking in the neighbourhood 

 one's life was not safe, and even the usually not very easily 

 terrified Englishman was now begirt with " revolvers," when 



