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316 was then too late in the year for operations in the North. A further delay was necessary to await the arrival of the French Plenipotentiary, Baron Gros, and his forces, as the French, under the pretext of having the murder of a missionary to avenge, desired to co-operate in the humiliation of China. Meanwhile the Canton River had been blockaded (August 7, 1857) by the British fleet and a Chinese coolie-corps of 750 Hakkas had been organized. When all was ready at last, fully a year had passed by since the British retreat from Canton. At last the formulated demands of the Allied Plenipotentiaries were forwarded (December 12, 1857) to Yeh. After ten days' consideration, Yeh calmly replied by a lengthy dispatch, full of what even his friend Lord Elgin characterized as sheer twaddle. He promised nothing but was willing to go on as of yore. An ultimatum was now presented (December 24, 1857) giving him 48 hours to yield or refuse the demands of the Allies. Meanwhile 5,000 English and 1,000 French troops moved into position in front of Canton city without opposition. Yeh had notified the people that, as the rebellious English had seduced the French to join them in their mutinous proceedings, it was now necessary to stop the trade altogether and utterly to annihilate the barbarians. But this appeal to a people without popular leaders was fruitless. Yeh replied to the ultimatum by a reiteration of his trite arguments. So the bombardment of Canton, or the 'Massacre of the Innocents' as Lord Elgin termed it, commenced (December 28, 1857). The fire was, as on former occasions, exclusively directed against the (untenanted) official buildings and Tartar quarters and against the city wall and forts. Lin's fort blew up by accident. Yeh quietly continued ordering wholesale executions of Chinese rebels. Next day (December 29, 1857) Magazine Hill, which commands the whole town, was captured and the city walls occupied without much loss. Yeh remained obstinate. At last, after a strange pause in the proceedings, detachments of British and French troops entered the city simultaneously from different points (January 5, 1858) and, after a few hours of unopposed search, Yeh as