Intervention beyond thirty miles from the Port'.35 Neither the Foreign Office nor Bruce ever took the initiative in directing that offen- sive operations beyond the ports be undertaken,and they were agreed in rejecting a suggestion that the whole of the silk district around Shanghai be occupied.36 At Ningpo also,service action outran Foreign Office instruc- tions.On July 7 Russell told Bruce that Ningpo ought to be recovered by the Imperialists'.37 In fact it had been recovered for the Imperialists as early as May 10 by the combined action of British and French naval forces.Friction with the rebels in occupation of Ningpo had quickly developed over their refusal to give up a claim to jurisdiction over the foreign settlement area,which had been hastily defined and proclaimed by the foreign consuls there soon after the Taiping capture of the port, apparently without any prior reference either to Manchu or rebel authorities.The situation was greatly aggravated when the rebels began strengthening the defences on the city wall opposite the foreign settlement.This was interpreted as the prelude to a rebel attack on the foreign settlement,though it could as readily have been interpreted as a purely defensive measure,for the foreign settlement area was unfortunately placed in the direct line of fire between the city and any forces advancing up river to attack it."Incidents'over firing from the wall by the rebels endangering foreign ships and residents naturally occurred.Altogether it was a thoroughly explosive situation,especially since the foreign settlement area was crowded with refugees from the city. Early in May the Imperial forces,based on Chusan Island, were ready to attempt its recapture,and the British and French naval commanders thereupon issued a remarkable warning to the rebels to the effect that 'we maintain a perfect neutrality, but if you fire the guns or muskets from the battery or wall opposite the settlement on the advancing Imperialists,thereby endangering the lives of our men and people in the foreign Settlement,we shall feel it our duty to return the fire and bombard the city'.3 This was certainly a very peculiar kind of perfect neutrality'.After the inevitable shots from the wall had been fired,the city was bombarded by the two British and the one French naval vessels there,between 10 a.m.and 4 p.m. with a two-hour break for lunch,according to Capt.Dew's 122r功rcrv召 刀r氵o刀 beyond thirty mi1es from the Port’ .85Nother tho Foreign omce n。r Bruce ever took the initiative in directing that ofFenˉ sive operations beyond the ports be undertaken,and they、 Ⅳere agreed in r苟 ecting a suggestion that the who1e of the sⅡ k district around Shanghai be occupied。 a6 Atl、丁i⒑ gpo also,service action outram Foreign of】1ce instrucˉ u。ns.On July7Russe1l toId Bruce that1Ningpo ought to be recovered by tⅡe ImpeⅡalists’ .37In fact it had been recOvered for the Imperialists as early as⒈ 疲ay10byt缸e combined action of British and French naⅤ a1forces。 Friction lvith the rebe1s in occupatio且 ofl叮ingpo had quick1y deve1oped over their refusaI to g亓e up a claim to jurisdcton over the fore跑 ns⒍uement area,lvhich had becn hasti1y de且 ned and prOc1ai1ned by the foreign consu1s thcre soon after the Taiphg capture ofthe por屯 apparently、 vithout any prior reference either to ⅣΙanchu or rebel authoⅡ t始s.The蕊tuaton was greatly aggravated when 曲e rebe1s began strengthe血 ing the defences oⅡ the city 、vaⅡ opposite the fore珏 wl settlement. This was interpreted as the prehde to a rebeI attack on the fore1gn se锐 1ement,though⒒ cou1d as rcaclily have been hterpreted as a purely defenshe measure, for thc foreign settlement area was unfortlJ肛 nateIy placcd in伍 ed虹ect lhe offire betweeⅡ the oty and any forces advancjJr1g up rivcr to attaCk it。 ‘Inodents’ over且ring frona the wal1 by the rebe1s endangering foreign ships and residents natural1y occurred. A⒒ ogether it was a thoroughly expIosive s⒒uation, especiaⅡy shce the foreign settIement arca was crowded wi伍 rcfugees from the c1ty. Early in ⅣΙay the Imperia1forces,based on Chusan Is1and, Were ready to attempt its recapture,and the British and French nava1co1nlnanders thereupoll issued a remarkab1e、 Ⅳarning to the rebels to the eⅠ 1ΙDct that‘we maintain a perfect neutra1ity, but if you Iirc the guns or muskcts fr♀ n1t纽e battery or wa11 opposite the settleme血 t on the advancing Imperialists,thereby e血dangering the1ives of our men and people i狃 the foreign setdement,we sha11feel it our duty to return thc壬 1re and bombard the city’ ‘ 。鹅Ths was certa血 ~a very peculhr kind of perfect neutra1ity’ 。After the inev妩able shots from the wa11had been nred,the city was bombarded by the t、vo Brit豆 sh and the one French nava1vesse1s there, bet、 vee血 10a,m。 and4p.1n。 Ⅵ注th a twoˉhour break for1unch, according to Chpt. Dcw’ s 122