Intervention year,for they were begun well in advance of any Foreign Office approval or instruction.At the beginning of 1862 British policy,as understood by the Foreign Office,did not go beyond the defence of the foreign settlement areas save at Shanghai,while negotiation with the rebels where necessary was still an accepted part of it.'It is true that the accounts we receive on all sides show the Taepings to be little better than Banditti organized on a large scale and bent on free quarters and plunder',a Foreign Office memorandum of February 22 read,'and we have abundant evidence of the destructive nature of the insurrection and of the blasphemous and immoral character of the superstition on which it is based;but our efforts in the various interviews which our agents have held with the Rebel leaders have been directed chiefly to securing the persons and Property of British subjects,and maintaining our rights to trade as secured for us by Treaty.'28 A few days after this was written Rear-Admiral Hope's report telling of the refusal of the rebels to extend the agreement not to approach the treaty ports was received,and early in March his instructions were extended to provide for the defence of all the ports not already in rebel hands by the naval forces under his command. There was no instruction about the use of military forces,and any need for action beyond the ports was not yet envisaged by the Foreign Office.29 At Shanghai,however,action beyond the walls of the city had already been taken and more was being planned even before these instructions were sent.Early in February consul Medhurst had urged the need for action by British forces beyond the walls on the ground that it was necessary to clear a belt of country around the city in order to maintain supplies for its population, now swollen by refugees.He saw such action as essentially defensive,and quite consistent with a policy of strict neutrality.30 On February 21 Hope used naval forces to co-operate with Chinese troops under Ward in clearing the rebels from the immediate vicinity of Shanghai and to recapture the towns of Woosung and Kaokiao(which commanded the river approaches to the port).He also urged upon Bruce the need for more extensive action,and suggested clearing the country within a line running through towns approximately thirty miles out. Bruce thought this project'within the scope of the intentions of 120JPc莎 纟rV召刀莎Forr year, for they were begun we11 i殂 adVance of any Foreign Om。e appr。val or instruction. At the beghnhg of 1862 Bri伍sh po⒒cy,as understood by the Foreign omce,did not go beyond the defence of thc forcign settlement areas save at shanghai, whi1e negot至 ation Ⅵ泅th the rebels where necessary was stⅡ l an accepted part of it.‘It is true that the accOunts we receive on a11sides show t受1e Taepi【1gs to be litt1e better than Band⒒ti organized on a large scale and bent on free quarters and pIunder’ ,a Forcign omce1mem。randum of Fcbruary22 read,‘and we have abundant evide且 Ce of the destructive nature of the insurrection alld of the blasphemous and 虹nmoral character of the superstition on which it is based; but our efForts in the various interviews which our agents have held Ⅵ砬th the Rebe11caders have been directed ohieny t。 securing the persons and Propcr1;∶ ,厂 of BⅡ tisb sul[)1iects,and m狨 ntajl111j[111g our rights to trade as secured for us by Trc敲 y。 ’28A few days after this was writtcn Rearˉ AdRlliral Hope’ s rcport te11hg of the refusa1of the rebe1s to exteェ 1d the agreement not to approach the treaty ports was received,and carly in R淫 arch his klstructions were extended to provide for the defencc of a11the ports not a1ready in rebe1hands by the nava1forces under his command。 There was no instruction about the use of【 nⅡ⒒ary forces,and any need for action beyond the ports llzas not yet eIlvisaged by the Fore迦” OmcC.29 At Shangha廴 howCⅤer,ac伍on beyond the waⅡ s ofthe city had already been take】 △and moFe was behg planned even before these instructions were sent.Early in February consu1bΙ edhurst had urged thc need for action by British forces beyond the wal1s on the ground that it、 Vas necessary to clear a be1t of country around the city i血 0rder to rnaintah supplics for its population, noⅥ⒎sWo11cn by refugees, 【Ie saⅥ/such action as essentiaⅡ y defensivc,and quite cOnsistent v吐 th a policy ofstrict neutrality。 80 On February 21 Hope used nava1forccs to c。 ˉoperate Ⅵ注th Chhese troops under Ward i【 l clearing the rebels frO1n the Ⅱnmediate vicinity of Shanghai a珏 d to recapture the tOwns of Woosung and Kaokiao(、 Ⅴhich coln1nanded the riⅤ er approaches to the port,。 ]He also urged upon Bruce the need for more extensiⅤe action,and suggestcd c1earing thc country withh a line runnil111g through towIls approx妞nately tllirty lnⅡ es out。 Bruoe thought this pr° jcct‘Ⅵ泅tkin the scope of the intentions of 120