Chap. I. 



BUT NOT ACCORDED. 



11 



speedy advance of the vessels which have not yet 

 arrived, and their successive departure for Nan- 

 king, in order to sweep away every remnant of 

 rebelhon, and give tranquilHty to the country, to 

 the great happiness of myself, the Chinese officials, 

 and people. For this I earnestly pray and ear- 

 nestly entreat." 



A polite answer was sent to this " earnest " 

 communication ; but as Sir George Bonham had 

 made up his mind to remain strictly neutral in the 

 affair, the poor Taoutai's request for foreign aid 

 was not complied with, and Nanking, with Ching- 

 kiang-foo, soon fell into the hands of the insur- 

 gents. 



About this time the United States steam-frigate 

 " Susquehanna," with his Excellency Colonel Mar- 

 shall on board, made an attempt to reach Nanking 

 by the Yang-tse-kiang, but, finding some difficulty, 

 owing, it was said, to the shallowness of the river 

 and the numerous sandbanks, returned to Shanghae 

 without having accomplished the end in view. 

 Afterwards this vessel was more successful. 



Meanwhile the excitement amongst all classes 

 of the community at Shanghae daily increased, 

 and all sorts of exaggerated reports were pro- 

 mulgated. At one time it was reported that the 

 insurgents were within thirty miles of us, and 

 might be upon us at any moment. In addition 

 to the means we had taken for the protection of 

 the foreign settlement, the Taoutai, after his own 

 manner, was most indefatigable in taking measures 



