§ VISCOUNT JOCELYNsaid, he wished to put to the noble Lord (Lord J. Russell) a question upon a subject of much importance to the people of this country. In the course of the last few weeks statements had appeared in the public prints to the effect that a rebel force, which had for some time been harassing the Chinese dominions, had met and defeated the armies of the Emperor. According to the latest news, that force was proceeding to attack the capital of China. It was stated likewise, that the Emperor had applied to the representative of Her Majesty's Government in China for aid in suppressing the insurrectionary movement. He wished to ask the noble Lord whether Her Majesty's Government had received any papers upon that subject, which they would be prepared to lay before the House? Whether any such application as that to which he had referred had been made to the Governor of Hong Kong; and if it had been made, what was the course which Her Majesty's Government deemed it advisable to pursue in the matter?
§ LORD JOHN RUSSELLsaid, he would 437 state all he knew of those occurrences. It appeared that the force in rebellion against the Emperor of China had advanced a considerable distance; and, according to the last report, the city of Nankin had fallen into their hands. It was not certain that that was the case; but at all events that city was menaced, and the rebels were still advancing. Under these circumstances the Prefect of Shanghae, by order, as he said, of the Governor of the province of Nankin, had made an application for assistance to Sir George Bonham, Her Majesty's representative at Hong Kong. Sir George Bonham was about to proceed to Shanghae, with the view of protecting British interests in that place; and a confident expectation was entertained that the existing means would be sufficient to protect British persons and property at Shangahe. The orders which had been issued by the Government were, that sufficient precautions should be taken for the protection of the lives and of the property of British subjects, but that the forces of this country should not interfere in the civil war. He could not say that the Government were at present prepared to lay the papers connected with the subject before the House, and neither could he state the precise course which they might deem it advisable ultimately to adopt.