A folder labelled 'Despatches from Mr Parkes: Occupation of Canton. January 7th 1859 to March 13th 1859' containing a table of contents and copies of 14 despatches and related enclosures sewn inside, 160 folios (including blanks and the cover). The despatches are as follows:

Parkes, Canton, to James Bruce, Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, 7 January 1859, with copies of a letter from Sir Charles Van Straubenzee, Monsieur D'Aboville and James McCleverty to the Allied Commissioners in Canton [Parkes, Henri des Chesnez (?) and Thomas Holloway], 5 January, certified by Theo. Sampson; a letter from Thomas Holloway, Canton, to the Honourable St George Foley, 5 January; a letter from Thomas Lemon, Canton, to Thomas Holloway, 5 January; a letter from the Allied Commissioners in Canton to Sir Charles Van Straubenzee, 6 January, certified by Theo. Sampson; and a memorandum by Parkes concerning reports received from Chinese officials, dated Canton, 6 January, certified by Theo. Sampson.

Parkes, Canton, to Lord Elgin, 11 January 1859, with copies of a memorandum by Parkes concerning an expedition to Shektsing, dated Canton, 11 January, and two proclamations issued by the Allied Commanders in Canton, 9 and 12 January.

Parkes, Canton, to Lord Elgin, 13 January 1859, with a copy of a memorandum by Parkes concerning reports and information relating to the expedition to Shektsing, dated Canton, 13 January, certified by Theo. Sampson.

Parkes, Canton, to Lord Elgin, 15 January 1859, with a copy of a memorandum by Parkes concerning an interview between the Allied Commissioners in Canton and Pih Kwei [Po-kuei], dated Canton, 15 January, certified by Theo. Sampson, and a copy of a memorandum by Parkes concerning an expedition to distribute proclamations, dated Canton, 15 January.

Parkes, Canton, to Lord Elgin, 15 January 1859.

Parkes, Canton, to Lord Elgin, 27 January 1859, with a copy of an English translation by Parkes of an undated memorial of the Fayuen commissioners in reply to a secret imperial edict of 7 November [1858].

Parkes, Canton, to Lord Elgin, 27 January 1859, with copies of a letter from Sir Michael Seymour, Sir Charles Van Straubenzee, and Monsieur D'Aboville, Canton, to the Allied Commissioners at Canton, 18 January; a letter from Parkes, Canton, to Sir Michael Seymour, 19 January, certified by Theo. Sampson; a letter from Parkes, Canton, to Sir Charles Van Straubenzee, 19 January; a memorandum by Parkes concerning an interview between the Allied Commissioners at Canton and Po-kuei, 22 January; a memorandum by Parkes concerning a proposed visit by the Allied Commanders to the village of Tai Liek, 24 January; and a memorandum by Parkes concerning an interview between the Allied Commissioners at Canton and Po-kuei, 24 January.

Parkes, Canton, to Lord Elgin, 28 January 1859, with a copy of an English translation by Parkes of an instruction from the General Committee of Kwangtung for military supplies and militia organisation to the officer in charge of the Department of Issue at Fatshan, Hwuychow(?), 3 January, and a copy of English translation by Parkes of an unofficial statement said to have been made by the officer in charge of the Department of Issue for the information of the Committee of Supply, with a note by Parkes.

Parkes, Canton, to Lord Elgin, 4 February 1859, with a copy of an English translation of a circular letter from Lo, Lung and Soo, Fayuen Commissioners, to the various authorities in Kwangtung, 27 January.

Parkes to Lord Elgin [Canton, 5 February 1859], with copies of a letter from Sir Charles Van Straubenzee to the British Commissioners at Canton [Parkes and Thomas Holloway], Canton, 31 December 1858; a letter from the Honourable St George Foley, Canton, to the Allied Commissioners at Canton, 26 January; a letter from Thomas Holloway, H. Martineau des Chenez (Henri Martineau des Chesnez?) and Parkes, Canton, to Sir Charles Van Straubenzee, 29 January; an undated memorandum concerning the distribution of British police in Canton; and a table of the monthly and total cost of the Allied Commission in Canton from January to December 1858, including a note by Parkes, Canton, 31 December 1858, certified by Theo. Sampson.

Parkes, Canton, to Lord Elgin, 13 February 1859, with a memorandum by Parkes concerning an expedition to Fayuen, dated Canton, 12 February, certified by Theo. Sampson.

Parkes, Canton, to Lord Elgin, 13 February [1859], with a copy of a letter from the Honourable St George Foley, Canton, to the 'British Allied Commissioners' in Canton, 7 February.

Parkes, Canton, to Lord Elgin, 12 March 1859, with a copy of a report by Parkes on an expedition to the West River, dated Canton, 12 March, certified by Theo. Sampson.

Parkes, Canton, to Lord Elgin, 13 March 1859, with copies of an English translation of a letter from Hwang [Huang Tsung-han] to the Allied Commanders at Canton, 10 March; an English translation of a proclamation by Huang concerning the punishment of fabricators of an imperial edict, 9 March; and a letter from Parkes, Canton, to Sir Charles Van Straubenzee, Canton.