My Lord.

No. 7.

The Earl of Clarendon to the Earl of Elgin.

Foreign Office, July 20, 1857. I HAVE received your Excellency's despatch of the 3rd ultimo, respecting the course which your Excellency proposed to pursue in consequence of a requisition which you had received from the Governor-General of India for the assistance of British troops; and I have to acquaint you that Her Majesty's Government entirely approve your course of proceeding with regard to this matter.

I am, &c.

My Lord,

The Earl of Clarendon to the Earl of Elgin.

Foreign Office, July 27, 1857. I HAVE to acquaint your Excellency that arrangements have been made for sending out 1,400 or 1,500 supernumerary marines to be attached to the squadron under RearAdmiral Sir Michael Seymour, and that they may be expected to arrive in China about the beginning of December.

I am, &c.

only to add, to the information contained in that despatch, that having, since en, seen a letter from your Lordship to Mr. Blundell, in which you suggest that rhaps, be expedient that means should be taken to arrest the troop-ships for eir passage through the Straits of Sunda, I have put myself in communication ior naval officer on this station, in order that, with his assistance, I may effect

re the measures which we have adopted for the moment, subject, of course, to in the event of my receiving from your Lordship intelligence that the pressing reinforcements in India, which existed at the time when your Lordship's der acknowledgment was written, had passed away.

only to add, what I am sure it is hardly necessary for me to impress on your at, in diverting from their destination a portion of the troops intended for the General and myself feel that we are incurring a heavy responsibility, and eat sacrifice; and we confidently rely on your Lordship to put us again, at the t, in possession of the full amount of our allotted force, which we believe to be s more than than adequate to the work we have in hand.

(Signed)

I have, &c.

ELGIN AND KINCARDINE.

I have sent orders, by the "Auckland," to Penang, directing the officer the "Simoom," should he touch there,' to proceed at once from that point to

E. AND K.

Inclosure 2 in No. 9.

The Earl of Elgin to Consul Fraser.

Singapore, June 6, 1857.

onourable the Governor of Singapore informs me that he is writing to you on of two letters addressed respectively to the Commanders of Her Majesty's Simoom" and "Himalaya," which he would desire to be delivered in the er or both of these vessels proceeding through the Straits of Sunda, on their

military insurrection in India, addressed to his Excellency the Earl of Elgin, Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary to China, and Lieutenant-General the Honourable T. Ashburnham, C.B., commanding the Expeditionary Force to China, it has been decided to dispatch the 5th Fusiliers and 90th Light Infantry to Calcutta on their arrival at this port. The 5th Regiment (strength not known) is embarked in Her Majesty's ship "Simoom," and can be sent on direct under instruction from the senior naval officer on this station on receipt of orders to that effect from Lord Elgin.

The 90th Light Infantry is embarked on board Her Majesty's ship "Himalaya."* It will be necessary, prior to her dispatch to Calcutta, to disembark the following officers, whom the senior naval officer is requested to forward to Hong Kong by the first opportunity, viz. :-Rev. W. Halcatt, Chaplain; 1st Class Staff-Surgeon Anderson; 2nd Class StaffSurgeon Menzies; Assistant Commissary-General Forster; Assistant Commissary-General H. C. Lewis; Storekeeper Mallan: Assistant Storekeeper Hanymount; Assistant Storekeeper J. Norman.

The "Himalaya" having been expressly fitted up for the China expedition, it is requested that this vessel may be directed to proceed to Hong Kong for service in China, after having disembarked the 90th Regiment, should it be decided to retain that regiment in India. The camp equipment and stores need not, under these circumstances, be disembarked here.

Her Majesty's ship "Transit," having on board drafts of the 59th, 90th Light Infantry, and Medical Staff Corps, it is requested she may be sent on direct to Hong Kong, with all these troops on board.

(Signed)

T. ASHBURNHAM, Lieutenant-General,

and Commanding Expeditionary Force.

*Head-Quarters, about 761 men and 46 officers.

C 2

My Lord,

Inclosure 5 in No. 9.

Captain Sir W. Hoste to the Earl of Elgin.

"Spartan," Singapore, June 4, 1857. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's letter of this date, with an inclosed Memorandum from Lieutenant-General the Honourable T. Ashburnham. And I beg leave to inform you that I have sent orders by the "Auckland" to the commanding officer of the "Simoom," in case of her touching at Penang, to proceed immediately to Calcutta with the 5th Regiment, and, after having disembarked them, to await further orders.

I have, by the same conveyance, forwarded directions to the Commander of the "Himalaya," should she touch at Penang, to disembark the officers mentioned in the Lieutenant-General's Memorandum, and then to proceed with the 90th Regiment to

Calcutta.

As I think this will be expediting matters, I hope it may meet with your Lordship's approval. I have also directed the Commander of the "Himalaya" to proceed to Hong Kong immediately the 90th Regiment are disembarked.

Sir,

The Earl of Elgin to Captain Sir W. Hoste.

Singapore, June 5, 1857. IN reply to your letter of yesterday's date, I have the honour to inform you that I approve of the directions which you have forwarded to Penang, for the Commander of the Himalaya."

My Lord,

"Spartan," Singapore, June 5, 1857.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's letter informing me that you approve of the directions sent by me to Penang for the Commander of the Himalaya."

I have, &c.

Sir,

The Earl of Elgin to Captain Sir W. Hoste.

Singapore, June 5, 1857. WITH reference to my letter to you of yesterday's date, I beg to state, that I think it may be expedient to send to Angier such instructions for the Commanders of the "Simoom" and "Himalaya," as will ensure their touching at this place for further orders, in the event of their taking the route of the Straits of Sunda on their way to China.

I am informed by Mr. Blundell that he has chartered a steam-vessel to proceed to the Straits on this errand; and I shall feel obliged if you will prepare the necessary directions to the officers in question, in order that they may be forwarded by this opportunity.

I have, &c.

My Lord,

Singapore, June 22, 1857. IN pursuance of the resolution which I formed, in concert with Lieutenant-Gener Ashburnham, and which I communicated to your Lordship in my despatch of t 3rd instant, I have ordered to Calcutta Her Majesty's troop-ship "Simoom," whi reached this port on Friday, the 19th instant, with 700 men of the 5th Fusilier Regime on board.

The men are in excellent health, and I have the satisfaction of believing that, even Lord Canning should be able to dispense with their services, a trip to Calcutta and bad at this season will be in no wise injurious to them.

I inclose herewith, for your Lordship's information, the copy of a despatch which requested the Commander of the "Simoom" to deliver to Lord Canning.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

ELGIN AND KINCARDINE

Inclosure in No. 11.

The Earl of Elgin to Viscount Canning.

My Lord, Singapore, June 20, 1857. IN pursuance of the resolution which I communicated to your Lordship in my lett of the 4th instant, I have requested Sir W. Hoste, the senior naval officer on this statio to direct the Commander of Her Majesty's troop-ship "Simoom," which reached this po yesterday with 700 men of the 5th Fusiliers, to proceed at once to Calcutta.

In the hope that you may be able to permit the troops in question to leave India an early period for their original destination at Hong Kong, orders have been given to t Commander of the "Simoom" to await at Calcutta either their re-embarkation, or t receipt of further instructions from his Excellency the naval Commander-in-chief.

I need hardly say that I shall look for their appearance on the coast of China wi great anxiety.

I have, &c.

(Signed) ELGIN AND KINCARDINE.