434 DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH PEKING. Chap. XXII. 



the Cantonese, if our trade is to be carried on 

 peaceably, and if the lives and property of our 

 countrymen there are to be secured, the pride of 

 the Chinese officials must be humbled, and the 

 rabble mob in that city must be taught that they 

 cannot insult us with impunity. In the last war 

 this guilty city escaped, while we punished . the 

 unoffending inhabitants of the cities to the north, 

 such as Amoy, Ningpo, and Shanghae. We can 

 scarcely commit such an error a second time. If 

 we must punish it seems but just that the chief 

 part of that punishment should fall upon the 

 guilty. 



It appears to me to be useless, and only a waste 

 of time to attempt negociations with a man like 

 Commissioner Yeh. Even if he had the will to 

 agree to our terms he has not the power. We 

 must communicate directly with the Court of 

 Peking ; and to have influence there we must be 

 backed with an imposing force to compel a com- 

 pliance with our demands. 



The best and easiest way to accomplish the 

 object in view would be to reoccupy the island of 

 Chusan. This island might be taken without 

 much loss, and while the city of Ting-hae and the 

 adjoining suburbs would afford shelter to our 

 troops, our fleet might rendezvous in its beautiful 

 and commodious harbours. This island is more 

 healthy than Hongkong or any other of the 

 northern ports, and this fact is one of very great 

 importance to the welfare of our troops. It has 



