The Capture Of Yeh Completed The Effect Of The Occupation Of
Canton, And The Disappearance Of The Most Fanatical Opponent Of The
Foreigners Insured The Tranquillity Of The Canton Region, Which Had Been
The Main Seat Of Disorder, During The Remainder Of The War.
The government
of Canton was then intrusted to Pihkwei and a commission of one Frenchman
and two Englishmen, and the Chinese admitted it had never been better
governed.
Yeh himself was sent to Calcutta, where he died two years later,
and, considering the abundant evidence of his cruel treatment of
defenseless prisoners, he had every reason to consider his punishment
lenient.
Having thus settled the difficulty at Canton, it remained for Lord Elgin
to carry out the other part of his task, and place diplomatic relations
between England and China on a satisfactory basis by obtaining the right
of direct communication with Pekin. A letter dated February 11, 1858, was
sent to the senior Secretary of State at Pekin describing what had
occurred in the south, and summarizing what would be required from the
Chinese government. The English and French plenipotentiaries also notified
that they would proceed to Shanghai for the purpose of conducting further
negotiations. This letter was duly forwarded to Pekin by the Governor of
Kiangsu, and when Lord Elgin reached Shanghai on March 30 he found the
reply of Yu-ching, the chief adviser of Hienfung, waiting for him.
Yuching's letter was extremely unsatisfactory. It was arrogant in its
terms and impracticable as to its proposals.
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