§ In reply to a question from Mr. DUNLOP,
SIR GEORGE LEWISsaid, the Admiralty had received a letter from Sir James Hope, from which he would read an extract. The letter was dated—
On board the Coromandel, Feb. 25, 1861.…. You will be pleased to acquaint the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that I 2052 left Woosung on the 9th inst., and after some detention, occasioned by the grounding of the Centaur in a difficult part of the river, I arrived at Nankin on the 20th, after having located the Consul at Chin-keang-foo on my way up. From the communications I held with the chief authorities of the Taepings, I have reason to expect that every point necessary for the unmolested passage of British vessels up the Yangtse will he readily granted, but I have refrained from coming to any distinct arrangement on the subject until I should have the assistance of Mr. Parkes. On my return down the river for the purpose of taking up the Centaur I was joined by Mr. Parkes, whom I forwarded to Nankin, where he will put matters in train and wait my arrival. I propose to-morrow to proceed up the river, and foresee no difficulty in completing the arrangements for opening the Yang-tse, detailed in my letter of the 2nd inst.