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298 against Russia. Immediately he started off, with the Admiral (Sir James Stirling) for Chusan, hoping to intercept the Russian fleet under the command of Count Pontiatin. It was a wild goose chase. The Russians had left for regions unknown. Meanwhile the fear of a Russian descent upon Hongkong grew apace among the residents. Indeed fear developed into panic (June 3, 1854) when the Lieutenant-Governor announced the defenceless condition of the Colony and in hot haste ordered batteries to be erected. Nothing came of it, however, as the combined Anglo-French squadron kept the Russians at bay on the Siberian coast. The port of Petropaulowsky was bombarded (September 1, 1854) but the land attack failed. The allied fleet, consisting only of six vessels, was too weak for any purpose but that of harrassing the Russian outposts. The Governor returned inglorious. But Hongkong patriotism vented itself in a public meeting (February 21, 1855) which resulted in an amalgamation of sundry private subscriptions that had been commenced, and sums of money eventually aggregating £2,500 were forwarded to the Patriotic Fund in London. This was done as a testimony of the admiration felt in the Colony for the heroic deeds of the British Army and Navy engaged in what was called 'the noble struggle against Russian aggression' and of Hongkong's sympathy with the sufferings consequent thereon. In addition to this, a patriotic address to the Queen was dispatched (March 15, 1855) declaring the approval of the community of the war against Russia and of the alliance entered into with 'the great French Empire,' and expressing a hope that this contest so unavoidably taken up would be vigorously pursued. The excitement was renewed when news came that the Hon. Ch. G. J. B. Elliot, in command of H.M. Ships Sibylle, Hornet, and Bittern, having discovered five Russian vessels in hiding in Castries Bay, had sneaked away, to the disgust of his subordinate officers, not daring to engage the Russians. The matter became afterwards the subject of a court martial in England which exculpated the commander of the squadron. The only event in the Russian war that affected Hongkong