The Victorious has joined the ships lying in the harbour. She returned on the 17th inst, Op that day several of the British officials came oft the ships and, headed by a band and escorted by a few marines and bluejackets, they entered the city and had conference with the Chinese officials re the incident of the stealing of the materials of the barracks. The headmen of the villages around had been summoned and they b for pardon and signed a paper promising that nothing of the sort should again occur. I understand that a formal notice was read in.the hearing of all those present, and translated sentence by sentence, to the effect that the English were here by arrangement with the Emperor, that they were now masters and intended to act up to that character. extends as far as 121°40' east longitude. It includes Wenteng and Yungcheng hsiens, a part of Ningbaichou and part of another Asien—perhaps six to eight hundred square miles in all. Ifthe "neutral zone" means what it did in the case of the Japanese, then Chinese troops will not be permitted to locate in this district, and it certainly will prevent the hoisting of another flag on any part of the Promontory, the latter probably being the point aimed at, as I understand England claims suzerainty over that district. One would expect that, with the above limitation, matters will proceed as before, under Chinese magistrates. Yet some active intervention may be found necessary as time goes on.
23rd June.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.