d have the advantage of personal communication with Lord Canning, and
of learning for himself at what time he might expect to have any troops at
his command; and where, moreover, his appearance might have a moral effect
in support of the Government greater than the amount of any material force
at his disposal.

[Sidenote: Sails for Calcutta.]

_H. M. S 'Shannon'--July 19th._--I wonder what you will think when you
receive this letter; that is, if I succeed in despatching it from the
point where I wish to post it. Will you think me mad? or what will
your view of my proceedings be?... Here I am actually on my way to
Calcutta! To Calcutta! you will exclaim in surprise. The reasons for
this step are so numerous, that I can hardly attempt to enumerate
them. I found myself at Hong-kong, without troops and without
competent representatives of our allies (America and France) to
concert with; doomed either to _aborder_ the Court of Pekin alone,
without the power of acting vigorously if I met a repulse, or to spend
three months at Hong-kong doing nothing, and proclaiming to the whole
world that I am waiting for the Frenchman; i.e. that England can do
nothing without France. I considered the great objections which
existed to either of these courses. _Sur ces entrefaites_, came
further letters from Canning, begging for more help from me, and
showing that things are even worse with him than they were when I
first heard from him. It occurred to me that I might occupy the three
months well in running up to Calcutta, taking with me what assistance
I can collect for him and obtaining thereby an opportunity of
conferring with him, and learning from him what chance I have of
getting before the winter the troops which I have detached to his
support. Sir M. Seymour approved the plan warmly. It occurred to me on
Tuesday evening, and on Thursday I was under weigh. Alas! _l'homme
propose, mais Dieu dispose_! The monsoon is against us, and as this
ship is practically useless as a steamer, as she can only carry coals
for five days, we are beating against the wind, and making little
progress. Perhaps my whole plans may fail, because I have the
misfortune to be in one of H.M.'s ships instead of in a good merchant
steamer, which would be going at ten miles an hour in a direct line,
while we are going at six in an oblique one. Howev