Intervention mind.Considerations of economy were very important,16 as were considerations of domestic politics.In 1857 the first Palmerston government had won an election precipitated by the outbreak of the Arrow war in China,and Palmerston's second government launched the campaign of 1859-60 after the Taku repulse.For this government to become embroiled so soon in yet another large-scale war in China was likely to prove too much even for John Bull himself to carry off successfully with parliament and the electorate.The possibility of just such a war developing was a main point in the arguments of the numerous critics in England of the policy of intervention,and the govern- ment was always at some pains to insist that it was only going so far and no further. In any case,the British government was not urged to commit its forces deeply by the government it was supporting.The Manchu authorities maintained a decidedly ambivalent attitude on the question of foreign aid against the rebellion.The need for it,within limits the desirability of it,was recognized,but it was accepted with many misgivings as the lesser of two con- siderable evils.After the rejection of the Russian offer at the beginning of 1861 there was no further discussion of the question among high Manchu officials until the beginning of 1862,al- though plans for acquiring foreign arms and vessels were developed.The initiative in reopening the question of direct foreign aid came from the local gentry and officials at Shanghai. The former were particularly active,one of them,P'an Tseng- wei,even writing to Tseng Kuo-fan and travelling himself to Peking in order to urge the need for hiring foreign troops,not only to protect Shanghai but to help recapture inland cities such as Soochow.17 Leading Manchu officials were,however, chary of these proposals for the extensive use of foreign aid in the interior.Tseng Kuo-fan argued that,whereas at ports such as Shanghai and Ningpo Western and Chinese interests were bound up together and should be defended in common,this was not so in the interior.If foreign troops were hired to help recapture cities such as Soochow,Changchow or Nanking, 'failure would lead to ridicule and success to unpredictable difficulties later'.18 Prince Kung raised practical objections to the use of foreign troops in the interior.They moved much more quickly than did the Chinese,yet would be dependent on them 116J9饣 矽召rV召 刀艹 'ε 刀 lIlind。 Considerations of economy were Ⅴery llIlportant,工 6 as were considcrations of domestic poⅡ住cs。 In 1857 the nrst 贽跏 :∶ ∶};;∶;∶∶}甯J觜:虔 1:∶ goverIllrlent1aun0hed the campaign of1859~60after the Taku :l}∶f冫B显瑟摁解盅孺 repuIse。 For tlt]1jis goverIllnent to become embroⅡ ed so soon h yet another hrgeˉ scaIe war Ⅱ1 Chha was like1y to prove too 黜 fl呈l￡:∶ I:∶∶l嚣:捃 嘛 ℃恳 簖 滞 撼 骢 a钅蛰 develop血g was a Inain pointin the arguInents ofthe numerous critics in Eng1and ofthe poⅡcy ofintervention,and the governˉ 茗 毖 $絮 苜 挠 氵叩 ep血 sω h⒍晚 that⒒ was∞圩 g血g 掖 on the question of fore珏 ￡犭f1盅咒奖逮喘 虏器鞯罗默。酝J⒊泔号嚣拇t属娆 买1aid against the rebeⅡion。 The need for it,Ⅵ泛伽 n1i1nits the desirabⅡity of it,was recogn弦ed,but it was accepted Ⅵ`ith many Ⅱ蛀sg⒈没ngs as the1esser of two con- 蕊derable evils。 After the r(:∶ iec砬 on ofthe Rus蛀 an ofFer at the 黜 i蹴 though plans for acquir至 溉捃耦 ng foreign arms and vesse1s were 嚣璐帮犭滗芒蹴扌拶宁 deve1oped。 The kⅡtiatiⅤe 血 reopenhg the question of dkect 苫 舞 苕 强 蓊 邈 瑟 瑙 磷 蘑 邋 :鞲 Pekhg in order to urge the need for hiring foreign troops,not on1y to protect shanghai but to heIp recapture in1and G沈 ies suoh as soochow。 工?Leading ⅣIanchu oflcia1s were,however, chary ofthese proposaIs for the extensiⅤe use of foreign aid h the inteⅡ or.Tseng Kuoˉ fan argued that,whereas at ports such as shanghai and卜 ⅡngpO Western and Chinese interests were bound up together and shou1d be defended in cOIll1110n,this 禚 d皿cu1t⒗ 弼 s1ateΓ 黯、鞴 ,18Prince Kmg rahed practiGtal ouections t。 、f∶i嵌潸琚懈 糨 摧 the use offoreign troops in the interior。 They王noVed Fnuch1nore quickly than did the Chinese,yet wou1d be dependent on them 116