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Rh cession of any portion of Chinese territory, or the formation of a British Colony in the East, was not included. This was no doubt agreeable to Captain Elliot who, as we have seen, was averse to the notion of appropriating Hongkong or any other island for the purposes of a Colony and merely looked for a safe trade station on the coast and preferably at Macao.

The Indian Government suggested to the Plenipotentiaries that, immediately upon the arrival of the expedition in China, the Bogue forts should be razed to the ground, and the Island of Lantao (V. of Hongkong) occupied as a commissariat depot, with might at some future time answer as a trade station. But, as the first object of the expedition was peaceful communication with Peking rather than war at Canton, the two Plenipotentiaries agreed to abstain from any demonstration involving bloodshed as long as possible. However, to prevent any misunderstanding at Canton, Commodore Bremer was directed to give notice (June 21, 1840) that a blockade of the port of Canton, by all its entrances, would commence on June 28, and further, in order to have a point d'appui for the expected negotiations in the North, Commodore Bremer proceeded at once with an advanced force to take possession of the Island of Chusan, which was accordingly done (July 5, 1840) by the occupation of Tinghai.

Admiral Elliot and Captain Elliot, following (June 30, 1840) in the wake of Commodore Bremer with the remainder of the expedition, endeavoured first to induce the Authorities of Chehkiang (the province to which Chusan belongs) to forward to Peking a dispatch signed by Lord Palmerston and addressed ito the Imperial Authorities at Peking, but eventually they proceeded, to Tientsin where the dispatch was delivered to the Viceroy of Chihli, called Kishen. According to Chinese history, Lord Palmerston's dispatch, after making certain statements intended to enlighten the Emperor as to the doings of the Cantonese Authorities, made the following demands, viz. (1) payment of an indemnity for the value of the opium extorted by Lin, (2) the opening of five treaty ports (Canton, Amoy, Foochow, Tinghai and Shanghai), (3) terms of official com-