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Despatches to Lord Elgin, 1859

 File
Reference Code: GBR/0012/MS Parkes 4/5

Scope and Contents

A folder labelled 'Despatches Mr Parkes to Lord Elgin From No. 96 to No. 109 Omitting Nos 103, 105 & 107' containing copies of 11 despatches from Parkes in Canton to James Bruce, Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, and related enclosures, 4 folios and 77 bifolios (excluding the cover). The despatches are as follows:

Despatch of 7 January 1859, with copies of a letter from Sir Charles Van Straubenzee, Monsieur D'Aboville and James McCleverty, Canton, to the Allied Commissioners in Canton [Parkes, Henri des Chesnez (?) and Thomas Holloway], 5 January; 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; and a memorandum by Parkes concerning reports received from Chinese officials, dated Canton, 6 January.

Despatch of 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.

Despatch of 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.

Despatch of 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, and a copy of a memorandum by Parkes concerning an expedition to distribute proclamations, dated Canton, 15 January.

Despatch of 15 January 1859.

Despatch of 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].

Despatch of 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; 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.

Despatch of 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.

Despatch of 13 February 1859, with a memorandum by Parkes concerning an expedition to Fayuen, dated Canton, 12 February.

Despatch of 12 March 1859, with a corrected copy of a report by Parkes on an expedition to the West River, dated Canton, 12 March.

Despatch of 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, 13 March.

Dates

  • Creation: 1859

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

From the Fonds:

Any person wishing to consult the collection must obtain written permission from Matheson and Co. Ltd. Applicants may submit their request an application form which is available from the Manuscripts Reading Room and via the University Library web pages at https://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/files/jm_application_form_2024_02.pdf. They should state specifically on the form that they desire access to the Parkes Papers.

Extent

1 folder(s) (1 folder)

Language of Materials

English

Bibliography

The second of the two despatches from Parkes to Elgin of 15 January 1859 was published in 'Correspondence Relative to the Earl of Elgin's Special Missions to China and Japan, 1857-1859' (London, 1859) (Command Paper-Accounts and Papers, 2571), p. 475.

Repository Details

Part of the Cambridge University Library Repository

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