There seemed nothing left for him to do but to pursue much the same course of conduct as his predecessor. Commodore Perry having placed at his disposal the Susquehanna, one of the newest and best vessels of the navy, he proceeded in her to the port of Shanghai. He found the state of affairs there even worse than on Mr. Marshall's visit the previous year. The imperialists and Taipings were confronting each other in and around the foreign settlement. The Chinese city of Shanghai had been captured by the rebels, and only the presence of the American, British, and French war vessels prevented the foreign settlement from being occupied by them. The foreign merchants had refused to pay duties to the imperial government on the goods imported which it could not protect, and it was reported that the merchants were taking advantage of the disordered situation to import large cargoes without duty.
While at Shanghai Mr. McLane put himself in communication with the viceroy E-liang, whose headquarters were in the interior of the province, and was granted an interview by him. Like Mr. Marshall, he was much pleased with the reception accorded him, but in the real business sought to be dispatched he was similarly unsuccessful, and he declined under the circumstances to intrust the President's letter to the hands of the viceroy for transmission to the emperor.
After a stay of four months he returned to Hongkong. Here he conferred with Sir John Bowring, the British governor, whom he found in the same state of mind as himself respecting Commissioner Yeh. During
