which we have been favoured, and if Mr. Reed is before me he cannot
complain, as I am here on the very day on which I said I should reach
Shanghae. This is a very strange coast. The sea seems to be filling up
with the deposits of the rivers. We have an island (inhabited) beside
us, which did not exist a few years ago. We have not during all
yesterday and to-day had ever more than eight fathoms of water.

[Sidenote: Shanghae.]

Shanghae had been named as the rendezvous for the Allied Powers. There, as
he had written to the Emperor's Prime Minister, 'the Plenipotentiaries of
England and France would be prepared to enter into negotiations for the
settlement of all differences existing between their respective Governments
and that of China with any Plenipotentiary, duly accredited by the Emperor,
who might present himself at that port before the end of the month of
March.' There he still fondly hoped to find his Hercules' Pillar. 'If I can
only conclude a treaty at Shanghae,' so he wrote when starting from Canton,
'and hasten home afterwards!'

The place was well chosen for the purpose; not only as the most northerly
of the Treaty ports, and therefore nearest to the capital, but also as the
most flourishing stronghold of European influence and civilisation then
existing in China. 'I was struck,' wrote Lord Elgin in one of his
despatches, 'by the thoroughly European appearance of the place; the
foreign settlement, with its goodly array of foreign vessels, occupying the
foreground of the picture; the junks and native town lying up the river,
and dimly perceptible among the shadows of the background; spacious houses,
always well, and often sumptuously, furnished; Europeans, ladies and
gentlemen, strolling along the quays; English policemen habited as the
London police; and a climate very much resembling that which I had
experienced in London exactly twelve months before, created illusions which
were of course very promptly dissipated.'

[Sidenote: Message from Pekin.]

Dissipated too was the hope in which he had indulged, of a speedy
termination to his labours; for he was met by a _message_ from the Prime
Minister, that 'no Imperial Commissioner ever conducted business at
Shanghae; that a new Commissioner had been sent to Canton to replace Yeh;
and that it behoved the English Minister to wait in Canton, and there make
his arrangements.' This, of course, was not to be thought of; and nothing
remained but