until the comparatively
defenceless shores of Japan could be strengthened and sea forts could be
erected. Orders were sent to the Daimios to muster the full strength of
their retainers and munitions of war, for "if Japan does not conquer, it
will be a great disgrace."

[Sidenote: Taipings capture Nanking]

[Sidenote: Peking threatened]

In China, the Taipings, having captured Kinkiang and Gurking, closely
invested Nanking. After a fortnight's siege, the city surrendered to an
armed rabble. The Tartar colony of 200,000 threw themselves upon Tien
Wang's mercy, but not a hundred of them escaped: "We killed them all," said
one of the Taipings; "we left not a root to sprout from." The acquisition
of Nanking, the second city in the empire, made the Taipings a formidable
rival to the Manchus, and Tien Wang became a contestant with Hienfung for
imperial honors. It cut off communication between north and south China.
Chinkiangfoo, at the entrance of the Grand Canal, and Yangchow, on the
north bank of the river, also fell into their hands. Tien Wang proclaimed
Nanking, the old Ming city, his capital. At a council of war it was decided
to provision and fortify Nanking, and then march against Peking. By the
end of May the Taiping army numbered 80,000. They attacked Kaifong and were
repulsed, but continued their march toward Peking. After crossing the
Hoang-ho, they were again repulsed at Hwaiking. Passing on, they defeated a
Manchu force in the Sin Simming Pass, and in September added the province
of Pechili, and came to Tsing, twenty miles south of Tien-tsin, less than a
hundred miles from Peking. The fate of the Manchu dynasty trembled in the
balance. The Mongol levies at last arrived under their great chief,
Sankolinsin, and the invaders retired to their fortified camp at Tsinghai
and sent to Tien Wang for succor. At Tsinghai they were closely beleaguered
for some time to come.

[Sidenote: American declaration as to Cuba]

The recurrence of American filibustering expeditions to Cuba appeared to
the governments of England and France as evidence of an American purpose to
secure Cuba and the West Indian Islands. To avert this, they suggested to
the United States Government to make a treaty which should secure Cuba to
Spain. The American Government was asked "to decline now and forever
hereafter all intention to obtain possession of the island of Cuba and to
discontinue all such attempts in that direction on the part of any
ind