Chef d'Etat Major-Général-Lt.-Colonel SCHMITZ. Commandant de l'artillerie-Colonel de BENTZMAN.

Commandant du Génie-Lt.-Colonel LIVET.

Chef des services administratifs-Sous Intendant BUBUT.

Prévôt-Capitaine TANISSAT.

Payeur Général-M. LAFFAGE.

Troupes.

Commandant la 1ère Brigade et commandant en second de l'Expédition-Général de Brigade JAMIN.

2ème bataillon de Chasseurs à pied, environ 850 Iolème Régiment de ligne,

1550

142

140

1600

1500

5782

(y compris 2 compagnies du génie qui figurent

dans la première brigade pour le combat.)

33

CHAPTER II.

SAILS FOR SHANGHAI-CONFERENCE WITH THE FRENCHSIR HOPE GRANT'S AND GENERAL DE MONTAUBAN'S

RESPECTIVE PLANS OF ATTACK-DELAY ON PART OF FRENCH-DEPLORABLE CONDITION OF CHINA-GENERAL IGNATIEFF-VISITS WEI-HEI-WEI AND CHE-FOO-THE NEW FRENCH GUN-DISEMBARKATION OF BRITISH TROOPS AT TA-LIEN-WAN-ARRIVAL OF LORD ELGIN-SIR HOPE AGAIN URGES ON GENERAL DE MONTAUBAN THE NECESSITY FOR QUICKLY BEGINNING ACTIVE OPERATIONS SPLENDID CONDITION OF OUR TROOPS-INSPECTION BY FRENCH GENERAL DE MONTAUBAN ABANDONS HIS ORIGINAL PLAN, AND RESOLVES TO ACT WITH US IN ATTACK ON PEH-TANG-EMBARKATION OF TROOPS FOR PEH-TANG-STRENGTH OF FORCE.

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ON 11th June I sailed from Hong-Kong for Shanghai. After we had proceeded about 500 miles on our journey, we came upon the last division of our ships at anchor behind a little island called Lam-yit. They had been detained there by a wind blowing so strongly from the north-east that the towing steamers could make no way against it. We had reason to suppose, however, that the monsoon would soon change to another

C

quarter. We therefore sailed on, and reached. Shanghai on the 16th June; and I immediately went on shore, and arranged with Mr Bruce for a conference with General de Montauban the following day, that we might concert plans for our further proceedings. Colonel St George Foley,1 the English Commissioner with the French, Major Reboul, and Monsieur Bourboulon, were likewise present at the conference. General de Montauban laid before us his plan of attacking the Taku defences. He proposed to land at a spot 25 miles south of the large fort which had done so much damage to our fleets the previous year, and then to march up along the coast through a wretched semi-barren country, taking with him. his light guns only. For provisions and water he would rely upon his ships. This scheme appeared to me very hazardous. The difficulties of landing would be great; heavy winds might very probably arise, and prevent communication with his ships for days; and, above all, it was most unlikely that the large fort, which was armed with about sixty very heavy guns, could be compelled to yield to the fire of light field-pieces only.

1 Now Major-General Foley, C.B., Lieutenant-Governor of Guernsey.

Before attending the conference I had consulted with Admiral Hope, and we both came to the conclusion that our most judicious course would be to proceed up the river Peh-tang, eight miles north of the Peiho, capture the town of Peh-tang, and there establish a base for future operations. The Taku forts were four in number, two small upper, and two large lower works-a large and a small fort being on each side of the river.1 In front of the lower forts, near the mouth of the Peiho, were fixed two very strong chain-barriers, impassable for ships under fire; and on each side. of the river was a salt-marsh. The plan which I proposed to the French general was first to attack Peh-tang, the defences of which were, so far as we could ascertain, of a less formidable description. Here, too, there was, it is true, a fort on each side. of the river, but there were no barriers thrown across; and by landing near the town of Peh-tang we could attack in rear the Taku forts, which would thus probably fall after a short resistance.

General de Montauban remained wedded to his opinions, and proposed that we should each of us carry out our own scheme independently, as far as possible. To this I readily agreed. I 1 See plan.