The Second China War, 1856-1860. Edited by f6,572,984 D. Bonner-Smith
and E. W. R. Lumby. (The 39,523 THE materials for this new volume in the Navy Navy Records Society, 45s.) Records series were collected by the late 1,159 Admiralty Librarian Mr. Bonner-Smith, and 25,993 37,269 have been excellently edited and provided with notes and explanatory introductions by Mr. 99,227 Lumby. The story begins with the Arrow incident, goes on to a vivid account of the capture of Canton, and concludes with Elgin's 2,919,404 negotiation of the Tientsin Treaty and the naval actions in the Pei Ho in 1859 and 1860. These virtually ended the naval side of the war, and the subsequent military advance to Peking £9,163,042 is only summarily noticed.
The second Anglo-Chinese War was indeed, as Mr. Lumby well says. 'a war of religion—the religion of free trade,' though with a less dedicated and irascible high-priest than Sir John Bowring as British representative (and a less pig-headed man than Commissioner Yeh) open conflict might have been avoided.
2,539,117 The book has good maps and a well-made index, and the substantial collection of docu- ments it contains will be of great value to all those interested in the modern history of the Far East.
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