PREFACE. JUDGING by opinions expressed both by the Press and by private individuals, there is reason to believe that the narrative of Sir Hope Grant's military services in 'Incidents in the Sepoy War' has been read with some little interest. Sir Hope Grant has therefore once more been persuaded to intrust to me his private journals and his correspondence relating to the China War of 1860, and has allowed me to publish such portions as appeared to me to merit special attention. It is necessary to explain that, in accordance with the General's directions, I have abstained from narrating certain facts, and from inserting certain correspondence, closely affecting public individuals still living; and this reservation has particularly applied to the share taken in the campaign by our French allies. Even with this drawback, however, it has appeared to me desirable to make further public the little-known incidents of the war, and the little-realised successes then achieved by our troops, ere an additional lapse of years shall have entailed on the subject the proverbial indifference belonging to the feats of a bygone age. This book has no pretensions to being a complete history of the Expedition. As in the case of Incidents in the Sepoy War,' the present diary was no after-thought composition. Day after day the events of the preceding twenty-four hours were committed to paper while fresh in the writer's memory. HENRY KNOLLYS, 17 EATON SQUARE, LONDON, February, 1875. CAPTAIN ROYAL ARTILLERY. POSTSCRIPT During the interval between the delivery of the manuscript of this volume to Messrs Blackwood and its publication, Sir Hope Grant died— March 7, 1875. During the month of February, however, he went over with me, carefully, the proof-sheets; and as he was then in the same possession of his mental faculties as though he were in perfect health, it may with certainty be asserted that this book contains precisely the same matter the General would have desired had he lived to witness its publication. HENRY KNOLLYS, CAPTAIN ROYAL ARTILLERY. 17 EATON SQUARE, LONDON, March 15, 1875. CONTENTS. Sir Hope Grant appointed to command China Expedition- Sir William Mansfield declines post of second in command- Arrival at Hong-Kong-Acquisition of Kowloon-Expedi- ent for quieting Canton-Proceeds to Shanghai-War de- clared-Consultation with French concerning plan of opera- tions - Seizure of Chusan-Interview with mandarins- How to allot quarters-The French and the flag-staff- Return to Hong-Kong-Composition of the English ex- pedition-Delay on the part of the French-Their want of transport - English troops sail for Gulf of Pechili- The Sails for Shanghai-Conference with the French-Sir 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 |