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13 Apr 59 Peter Hong Kong Father 5, Hyde Park Place West ______________________________________________________________________________________________

13 April 1859

(1s/ Extra postage)

My dear Father

I send you a ‘Friend of China’* in which is a correspondence of mine under the cognomen of ‘Red devil’, the term applied by the Chinese to the English. The fact was, my first letter was not intended to reflect on Ld. Elgin at all, but merely as something amusing for the Editor to fill up his paper with, for it is a very difficult matter in a small place like this & with so many newspapers to find any thing to fill up. However when in first number I was attacked as having ‘animadverted on Lord Elgin’s policy’ I felt bound to defend myself & thinking my case to be so clear, took little pains to do so.

There is no doubt Ld. Elgin’s right to have gone to Pekin & if I had been prepared for such an abject denial of the notion on the part of the ‘Friend of the Chinese’ I should have armed myself better for the combat. However it is very little use fighting against newspaper Editors for they always have the last word so I let the latter drop altho’ all his 5 arguments are easily refuted.

The last one is rather rich. He says that if Ld. Elgin had gone to Pekin, the Emperor would probably have bolted & left him. This is rather good, because what’s to prevent him doing exactly the same when Wm. Bruce* arrives.

On the whole however I think altho’ we disagree & altho’ Tarrant as he observes thinks I have not made the most of my case, which I have already explained to you, still I think his criticisms are rather complimentary on the whole.

In fearful haste, your affect. Son

Peter G. Laurie

* 'Friend of China’ – China’s earliest newspaper, the first edition having appeared in Hong Kong on 17th March 1842. By 1850 the editor was William Tarrant, under whom the content was lively and controversial

* Wm. Bruce – Frederick William Adolphus Bruce, (1814-1867) younger brother of Lord Elgin (James Bruce). He accompanied his brother to China in 1857 and in 1858 was appointed envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to China