FOOTNOTES:
[21] This rocket was fired by Captain Belcher, of the Sulphur.
DETAIL OF H.B.M.'S MILITARY AT CHUSAN, ON 1st JANUARY, 1841.
| Rank and file | |
| 18th Regiment, Royal Irish, Lieutenant-Colonel Adam | 487 |
| 26th Regiment, Cameronians, Lieutenant-Colonel James | 291 |
| 49th Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Bartley | 326 |
| Bengal Volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Lloyd | 402 |
| Madras Artillery, Lieutenant-Colonel Montgomerie, C.B. | 185 |
| Madras Sappers and Miners, Captain Cotton | 227 |
[CHAPTER XV.]
The famous conference which took place between Keshen and Captain Elliot, some miles above the Bogue, close to a pagoda on the banks of the river, at what is called its Second Bar, has attracted very great and deserved attention. Although its results were, in a political point of view, really of little moment, there is reason to think that Keshen, as well as Elliot, was anxious to adjust the pending difficulties without further resort to arms. The advantage, however, which delay of any kind would afford to Keshen, and the ultimate interruption of the negotiations, followed, as it was, immediately by the capture of the Bogue forts, have led many to conclude that Keshen had all along no other object than that of putting us off our guard, in order that he might complete his still imperfect arrangements for defence, and then throw down the gauntlet to us in defiance.
This view of the matter appears to have been a good deal exaggerated; and we shall perceive, as we follow this narrative, that Keshen was thoroughly sensible of his own weakness, and really did desire to avert the storm, but was fairly driven into extreme measures, and the suspension of all amicable intercourse, by positive orders from Pekin. Indeed, he was afterwards accused of treason, bribery, and incapacity, because he even condescended to confer at all with Captain Elliot, instead of advancing boldly upon him, and driving him and all his troops and ships away from the coast. Keshen saw the imbecility of such conduct, and although he knew the hopelessness of an attempt to defend the river, he had no other alternative but to obey; he had already been deprived of some of his decorations for having listened to terms at Chuenpee, and his only hope of saving himself from ignominy, and even death itself, was by striving hard to exhibit greater zeal in the defence of the Bogue, which, nevertheless, he scarcely hoped to be able to maintain.