ROBERT HART IN CHINAS HISTORY THE ANGLO-CHING PARTNERSHIP the entire Soochow incident,including his understanding of Li Hung- cant role in the recovery of Ch'ang-chou,and Hart had a front-row chang's proclamation.This is quite evident in Hart's long-winded seat for the spectacle.In an episode that brings home to us the rela- journal ruminations that follow his discussion of Mayers's rebuttal in tive intimacy of small-scale operations during the nineteenth century the North China Herald.At all events,Hart achieved his main object,to and the dramatic evolution of methods of warfare thereafter,Hart's the relief of nearly everyone-Chinese and foreigners alike-with the niece later described the battle for Changchow as she had heard it obvious exception of Mayers.Even Bruce,who continually stressed from him.Gordon,it seemed,invited Hart and a few other acquain- the need for negotiating matters with the Ch'ing central government tances to be present at the taking of the city,fixed for 11 May;it rather than the provincial authorities,was pleased with the local would be a sight worth seeing,he promised-the culmination of his arrangements. entire campaign.Hart left Shanghai on 28 April,and in due time In late February,Gordon began mobilizing his forces,together moored his small flotilla on the Grand Canal outside Ch'ang-chou, with imperial troops under Kuo Sung-lin and others.On 1 March he next to Gordon's headquarters.The largest vessel of Gordon's fleet forced the submission of I-hsing,and on 9 March,Li-yang.Later in became the common dining room,which "owed its excellent ventila- the month,however,Gordon suffered severe repulses at Chin-t'an, tion to two holes opposite each other torn out close to the ceiling by where he was wounded(21 March),and at Hua-shu(30 March).In a shell while Gordon had been lunching a few days before."33 the meantime,imperial troops under Ch'eng Hsueh-ch'i had cap- On 10 May,Gordon took a small party including Hart and his tured Chia-hsing on 25 March,and the forces of Tso Tsung-t'ang and bodyguard out to reconnoitre but was recognized and fired upon-as Gordon's French counterpart,Paul d'Aiguebelle,had occupied Hang- usual,without injury.The attack on the llth was scheduled for noon, chow on 31 March. and all morning Gordon had his guns bombard the city.At noon, In mid-April,Gordon advanced on the city of Ch'ang-chou,which when he gave the order for a cease-fire,he explained that"the beggars had been under siege for some time by Li Hung-chang's troops.By inside"would conclude he had"finished work for the day."Snatching this time,Hart had become very actively involved in the Ever- a hasty lunch,at 1 o'clock he gave the signal for attack,while Hart Victorious Army's affairs.He corresponded regularly with Gordon and Li Hung-chang stood together on a hillside to watch operations. and continued to serve as a mediator between Li Hung-chang and Three rushes were made simultaneously-two feints and one led by the British commander.He urged Li to pay the force more regularly, Gordon himself.Typically,Gordon was first through the narrow and gave material assistance to the Ever-Victorious Army-not least breach,and the dramatic moment was over. in supplying an interpreter from the Customs Service (Herbert E. Ch'ang-chou had fallen,and Gordon was duly rewarded.3 But,by Hobson)in order to help Gordon communicate more effectively with this time,the EVA had clearly passed its prime,and both Li and Gor- the Chinese authorities.His only stipulations were that Gordon don hastily made plans for disbandment.Hart,on the other hand, should pay Hobson no more than the 100 pounds salary he received felt that the force should not be disbanded too precipitously;and in from the Customs administration and that Gordon should see to it fact he argued that at least part of the Ever-Victorious Army should that Hobson did not get shot!31 be "kept up permanently."In a letter to Gordon,dated 17 May 1864, In scattered action from 23 April to 27 April,Gordon's forces Hart addressed the various objections raised to retaining the Ever- pressed upon Ch'ang-chou.The fall of this stronghold,the British Victorious Army,including Li's view that the force was too expen- commander believed,would carry in turn Tan-yang and Chin-t'an, sive,too ineffective,and too "local"in its loyalties,and Gordon's thus isolating Nanking.Repeated efforts to storm the Taiping-held belief that the Anhwei Army was a superior and sufficient instrument city failed,however,leaving 27 of Gordon's officers dead or wounded. for the protection of Kiangsu province.As to Li's objection that the Commenting on this failure,Li Hung-chang wrote:"Gordon could Ever-Victorious Army could not be employed outside of Kiangsu see for himself the ineffectiveness of the Ever-Victorious Army."It because the Western commander might not get on well with the was after this repulse,according to Li,that Gordon asked for his officials of other provinces,Hart rejoined (with more conviction than troops to be placed behind the Anhwei Army in recognition of the he probably possessed)that "an Imperial Decree could at any superiority of Li's forces.32 moment authorize the force to act elsewhere."35 Eventually,on 11 May,the Ever-Victorious Army played a signifi- In the end,a compromise was reached whereby a portion of the 44 45
ROBERT HART IN CHINAS HISTORY Ever-Victorious Army would be retained as the nucleus of a foreign- CHAPTER TWO training program in the vicinity of Shanghai,at Feng-huang shan(see chapters 5 and 7).Meanwhile,imperial forces under Li Hung-chang and others'went on to capture the cities of Chin-t'an and Tan-yang, contributing to the eventual fall of Nanking to Tseng Kuo-ch'tan's Journal forces in July of 1864-a denouement far from Hart's expectations 6 DECEMBER 1863-15 MAY 1864 eight months before. 6 DECEMBER 1863:News came in today that SooChow was taken yesterday morning at 8 a.m.The Moo Wang was previously beheaded by a frightened faction in the city.1 [Between this entry and the next is written, in a different ink,"Sacrament Sunday." Sacrament Sunday 7 DECEMBER 1863:Rec'd Brown's letter of the 27th Nov.today: telling of the monies given to Lay,&c.Last night a letter from John Mea- dows advising me not to resign.? Today recd four despatches from Ts.Le Yamun,of 10th m.[lunar month] of 12th d.[day]and one from Le Footae [Governor Li Hung-chang]of the 10th m.25th d.about the Fleet a/c,&c.and payments to Lay. 9 DECEMBER 1863:Lay arrived from Peking.News in to the effect that Le Footac beheaded seven Wangs [Taiping"kings"],and that his troops went into SooChow,slaughtered right and left,burning,ravishing and pil- laging.Sun tells me the Wangs refused to disband their men.Public opinion blames the Footae strongly,and Gordon,it is said,has retired with his men, for whom he vainly sought a two-months'gratuity,to Quinsan.3 10 DECEMBER 1863:The Genl.goes up to the front to make enquiries arrangements.I beg him not to be in any way precipitant,to avoid greater complications. 11 DECEMBER 1863:Lay has handed to me the a/c of the fleet;but I fear I shall find it no easy work to get through them.s 12 DECEMBER 1863:The last of the ships,the "Keangsoo,left with Osborne today for Bombay.Please God!I'll carry out my plans yet. 46 艺
JOURNALS 6 DECEMBER 1863-15 MAY 1864 I wanted to effect the following ends with the fleet: 17 DECEMBER 1863:[a red curlicue over this entire entry]Genl. 1 to place a strong easily moved force at the disposition of the govt.at Brown called today;he has ordered Gordon to remain in Quinsan,and to Peking,in a measure centralize as far as the system of Chinese govt.wd do nothing but act on the defensive-protect SooChow,other places if allow of it; threatened,but he fears the Footae may refusc to pay the troops,and he 2°，to clear the Chinese coast of pirates; wants my advice.I say,as a Chinese official,I can do nothing;but I tell him 3.to remove one of the incitements to piracy,by giving boats such a protec- the consuls,if they find the Footae likely to endanger the neighborhood by tion as shd.enable the govt.to disarm all the heavily armed traders; refusing to pay,thereby leading to a mutiny at Quinsan,can write a letter 4.to protect the revenue,put down smuggling,&c.; to H.E.informing him they will call on foreign merchants to pay duties into 5.to put down rowdyism on the Yangtsze; a foreign bank,pay the force and hand him the surplus.[By this passage 6 to defend all ports places accessible by water,from the rebels; Hart has written the Chinese characters for "foreign bank,"wai-kuo yin-hao, 70.to prevent rebels from crossing the Yangtsze; in the margin. 8 to take Nanking. I tell him that I think to keep Gordon idle at Quinsan is not good policy:for, Lay's reticence has smashed everything-himself too,to wind up the se- 1.the cause for which the British govt.was lending its aid for which Gor- ries of disasters.His disappearance,however,will not grieve our service don was working was not to support an admired [?Footae in reducing his much;for his want of tact,and his arbitrary way of doing things,made province to quiet;but, every one feel unsafe and unsettled.Osborne,-thank him for his good 2 was in support of general interests the Imperial cause; will!-thinks that I shall find them all in revolt!We'll see.I shd.like to see 3 if that cause these reasons were worth fighting for before,they are still; one of them try it.I'll read him such a lesson that none will dare to follow 4 the Chinese pay the troops,have a right to their services; his lead:by Jove!I will.I am,however,very sorry for Lay;for he has served 5.one object in view of disciplining the men was to teach the Chinese,with the Chinese long,and has,I believe,acted very conscientiously throughout: a view to the better govt.of their own Country,the utility of having a proper working hard,and in all that he did believing he was acting for the best of military organization to fall back upon;and,inasmuch as the good will all concerned.But conscientious action requires good sense and judgment support of the provincials is necessary to induce the people at Peking to act- in the pilot,and tact [advising?word unclear]in the man at the helm!He the Lords Commons-twould be well not to make the provincial now dis- was deficient in tact;he would not give them-the Chinese-time he cut like this force;now,from the first Le has feared it,and now he will,finding off the branch of future management by his own doings. it will not obey his orders,try to put it down; I have lived too much apart during the past;I must now mix more with 6 if Gordon will not take the Footae's orders,Le will "tsan"["impeach"] others,and assert myself a little more.I fear I have too much of the Seang him,and an insult to a most deserving officer will result;now such a step cd. jang taou-le [principle of yielding to others]in my composition:must try not be stood;10 and remedy that.6 7.I think the force ought to go on,put down as much rebellion as possible, then be disbanded or divided,-and trust to the future for regeneration [?] I shall write to the above effect to Gordon,but more at length:not advis- 16 DECEMBER 1863:Have been busy with the a/c commence ing him,not suggesting,but merely ventilating the matter from other to see land. points of view than he in his excitement is likely to stand on.The General Prince Wittgenstein called today,wishes me to write to Gordon;he goes to Hongkong tonight. says he saw horrid work,-women ill-treated children thrown into the Woosieh was taken a few days ago without a fight:I think Taepingdom is flames,&c.7 on its last legs:I hope for the integrity of China things may quict down here Mayers showed me a couple of letters this morning,one from Sir.F.[Fred- before the arrival of [Pa;Parkes].11 erick Bruce]and the other a reply from Gordon.Sir F's letter commences in a very diplomatic manner:says his previous one was not intended to ask G. to resign,but to support him if he wished to do so.On the whole,it is very 18 DECEMBER 1863:The Footae's conduct in beheading the seven complimentary,and asks him to hold on for the present,until the wish of the Wangs is somewhat inexplicable.I have never before heard of cold-blooded govt.,on hearing of the flotilla break-up,is known as regards the Neutrality or treacherous murder of men that had given in their submission. Act.Gordon's reply is good,and carries through feeling for the people. It is said that the Wangs,when they visited the Footac refused to disband Mayers was deliberating about going to Tsang Kuo fan:I said:"If you do their men,and they attempted to force upon him sundry conditions,- good,Sir F.will be glad;if you gain nothing,he will be furious.Better have conditions which it wd.have been dangerous for him to have objected to,so his action [word unclear]!Besides,T.K.F.can do nothing."9 long as their men were together,while his own had not mastered the posi- 48 49
JOURNALS 6 DECEMBER 1863-15 MAY 1864 tion,the more especially as Gordon's force had returned to Quinsan.It seems to me that on the refusal of the Wangs to disband their men,the Footae: official made no objection.I said their explanation was unsatisfactory;but the fact of there being other boats there,of the local official giving permits 1.feared to consent to their proposal; accepting taxes,tied my hands.I released their boat,but refused to give 2.thought it dangerous to refuse consent,and at the same time allow them them permission to move freely on the river,applied for on the 12th.I must to reenter SooChow; 3 that he thought safety lay in putting them to death without delay; look after Tsung Ming,regularize the doings of foreign owned craft in the Chinese waters.14 4.that he feared to keep them in custody,lest their nonappearance shd. Wrote to Rameau about Bovet Bros.who neglected to send their goods cause suspicions and troubles in the city: 5 that having decided on their death,a either he thought it best to forestall for examination to the jetty.Confound it!China is so weak,we can do nothing:and where one can't bite,a wise dog ought to avoid the superfluous the Taepings,by letting his men at them,orD they heard of what had oc- trouble of barking.s curred,and were commencing trouble;& Saw Stewart of Linnies [?today about sending Tae Pings to Col.Phayre 6.the slaughter,if any pillage,&c.were only what follow the capture of [?]the Footae wd.,I'm sure,gladly get rid of the SooChow set:but Phayre every city,and are doings of which even the civilized warfare of the West is only wants a thousand,the Footac has 20000 to dispose of.Besides,the not incognizant. delay of communicating with him is a hindrance.16 I think that the plan now wd.be for Gordon to go on vigorously,and end the rebellion with all speed.The force shd.then be disbanded,or sent to Invitation to dine with the Lays on Monday.The mail seems to have got in:Heard two guns at eight o'clock. India,as a British force,so rid China of a body of men which Chinese Out of sorts this afternoon.[Chinese character Mei;Meritens]letter officials cannot control.Le Footae is a long headed man,his objections to upset me.17 this force,recruited in such a way,have been sound from the first,counts now prove him right:the people at Peking ought to have taken my advice and drilled only Tartars-Sir F.Bruce was right too,in writing them to drill officers.12 20 DECEMBER 1863:I was somewhat puzzled,when talking with Yesterday took some 600 stand of arms in a cargo boat that was placing Dick last night about Christianity.18 His idea is that Christ was merely another Confucius or Mohammed,and he disbelieves the history of the mir- them on board an American Lorcha,the "Jupiter"[?]for Chefoo,below the acles.I drew on the conversation myself,for I wish to state firmly that I am anchorage. Mail in by the "Yangtsze". a Christian,and to talk usefully when I have an opportunity;but my tongue was tied,and I was not fit to go on with the argument which I myself orig- Getting on with the Fleet a/c. inated.However,I pointed to four things as corroberation of the divine nature of the Savior,and the divine nature of the Christian revelation: 19 DECEMBER 1863:The other night I read some of my Essays 1.the fulfilment of the prophetical sayings contained in books known to written in'53 at Belfast:good Heavens!I could not write such pieces now! have existed before Jesus appeared; I am sinking into utter mental stagnation:what shall I do? 2 the peculiarity of his teachings,in giving such pictures of the life a dis- I recd a note from Meritens today dated the 16th informing me that the ciple had to expect to lead as wd.be most likely to deter people from follow- ing Him; authorities had communicated to him,at FooChow,Lay's"resignation"and my appointment;he thinks it will-&says it already has a bad effect at Foo- 3 the high morality purity of conduct required-so unlikely to attract followers; Chow other places;advises me to organize the Service on a safe basis- "seniority merit",enquires about my successor at Shanghai,says he is 4 the conduct of his Apostles,who gave up all,suffered everything, to preach his Gospel. coming up in the"Fohkien"to arrange matters,say goodbye to Lay.I But I am not satisfied with myself atall,must try to make myself more must be careful here;one thing's flat,I shan't stand any interference:he, able to give“"a reason for the faith” everyone else,will have to obey,or they shall go.1s Dent and Co.'s case of the "Heron"rather perplexed me today:they Tonight heard a stranger preach:his text was from Corinthians,"Godly sorrow"&"worldly sorrow".He had previously read a chapter from engaged she shd.not carry cargo,got a special permit to send her on a plea- "Samuel"relative to Nathan's rebuke of David when he took Uriah's wife sure trip,brought up cotton-producing the local permit proof of pay- and Herod's act in beheading John to placate the daughter of Herodius.The ment of tax,from Tsung Ming,a non-treaty-port,said in excuse,their shroff found other foreign boats loading cotton and that in consequence saw no rea- latter he took as illustration of worldly,the former of godly sorrow:the idea was good,but he did not work it out well,his discourse was rather tame son why the "Heron"shd.not do likewise,the more especially as the local on the whole. 50 51
JOURNALS 6 DECEMBER 1863-15 MAY 1864 The mail in this morning.Lord Elgin dead!"Such is life!"Hale is dead 24 DECEMBER 1863,CHRISTMAS EVE!a most lovely night:a too,and Mongan married to Hewlett's sister.Parkes to leave home on the dark blue sky without a cloud:a bright pale moon,nearly at the full,and a 4th Jany next.19 few tiny twinkling stars,whose little deathlike-steady gleams rather draw the eye into the far-off depths,than send light down to carth. Great God!Christmas Eve!Nearly nineteen hundred years ago the shep- 21 DECEMBER 1863:Dined at W.Lay's:pleasant party.20 herds watched their flocks by night:the angel of the Lord appeared,the mes- sage of goodwill was spoken,and the star moved towards Bethlehem!Ah me!When is there to be peace among men? 22 DECEMBER 1863:Curious correspondence with Dent Co.rel- I feel sad and dispirited:and why?My life has been singularly successful: ative to the "Heron".That lugger got permission to go to the light ship on not yet twenty-nine,and at the head of a service which collects nearly three a pleasure trip:then,however,took treasure to Tsung Ming and brought millions of revenue,in,-of all countries in the world!-the exclusive land of cotton back.I looked on the occurrence as a breach of good faith,hinted China,and in a position which can be easily abused for evil,but which too as much;H.W.Dent now requires some explanations,thinking the tone of may be so taken advantage of as to cause great good.Sad,I say,and dispir- my letters "particularly peculiar"and"not wanting to be placed in a false ited:and why?Simply because looking back on the past,notwithstanding position” my success,I plainly see time wasted,energies wrongly directed,opportun- With Lay this morning,going through his private a/c;he is,as far as the ities for improvement neglected,evil indulged in,the reverse of a good exam- a/c show,deficient by about 1200 Taels:Campbell,his secretary,did not ple set,and after all little achieved and many failures!I must change;:"Lives leave things in proper order.21 of Great men all remind us,we may make our lives sublime!"And yet I seek Called on the Taoutae,whose language I have great difficulty in under- not fame or praise:I like to be well thought of by my friends,and I love to standing:Lay refuses to meet him to settle the flotilla a/c,but the Taoutae make them happy.But what I long for is the approbation of myself:I see my says the Footae has ordered him to look into them.22 shortcomings,I see what stains the doings for which others praise me,I see Mrs.L.had a miscarriage before leaving Peking:it seems to have done what might have been done and yet has not been done;I see how little fit I her no harm,as she was able to travel immediately after.Lay is now in no am for making the best of my present position!and yet,God knows I pray great hurry to get away. to act right,-pray for guidance,-and pray to be useful! Cd.not get the Taoutae to talk about SooChow:he pretends to know God help me!I am weak,and,perhaps,a bit of a humbug:and yet,I have nothing of what goes on outside-the old humbug! got on without aid,without interest,and without asking for anything!My The "Hellespont"sank yesterday by the "Hydrafie"[?] aim at school was to be first of my class:at college to be first too:and in China, since I entered on public life,my aim has always been to understand and fit myself for the head work of whatever department fate attached me to. 23 DECEMBER 1863:Lay again in with me today.While together, I started from home nearly ten years ago,to commence life with an I thought I had got to the bottom of his private a/c;but now that he is gone, appointment for which I had none to thank but myself-my determined, I cannot make things come straight.I don't know whether to call myself an patient,plodding at school at college-of some f170 a year,allowing for ass for not being able to make them out,or a fool for attempting them from deductions:I now have f4000 a year,could get as much more,I believe,as such materials. I liked,am independent,and am the Chief of the Service.Not a bit proud .A Letter from the Tsung Le Yamun today about the ground Kirby and I am!I am more conscious of defects-I am sensible of more deficiencies Co.bought at Ningpo,which Brown claimed.23 than is anyone that chooses to criticize me.Well:I must just go on doing my Also long and polite letter from Li Footae about SooChow,&c.:written best;but I must now begin to take broader views of things than I have ever in a somewhat deprecatory tone,and saying Gordon has listened crrone- done before;and I must,too,assert myself somewhat more.Indeed,one of ously to the [yen;character for talk]of other folk. my great defects is my want to self-assertion:I don't fear responsibility,and I saw a note today from Gordon to Mayers,which says there has been a I am cool and unflustered;but I keep to myself,and am content to be French priest thrashed at SooChow.Does the Padre tell the truth,I wonder? unknown,and I always yield.Now what objects have I to live for,to act for Corresponding today with Rameau about Savelle boat.Nothing more officially in China?24 from Dent Co. 1.I must whip the Foreign Inspectorate into shape,getting good com- Ground white with snow tonight! missioners,good office men,and seeing that all do their work properly;the duties must be properly collected;office work must be thoroughly per- formed;the merchant not only must have no cause to grumble against the 52 53