The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-11 00:00:00

The Chinese Auxiliary Force,

The following is the correspondence relating to
the disbanding of the European Chinese naval force
under Captain Sherard Osborn

No. 1.
°: PRINCE SONG'S LETTER OP INSTRUCTIONS TO INSPEC •

TOlt-GENERAL H. N. LAY.
" Pekin, Oct. 24, 1862.
" The Prince of Kong, charged by Imperial

authority with the superintendence of foreign affairs,
addresses a communication to the Inspector• Gen-
eral, Mr. H. N. Lay.
" The official records show that at the interview
which the Acting Inspector-General had with me
in the autumn of 1861, he represented that, in order
to render our navy efficient, it was absolutely neces-
sary that foreign vessels and foreign guns aho'ild be
procured. He subsequently addressed me in writing,
begging that orders might be issued to the 'custom
houses to contribute towards the purchase of foreign
vessels and guns. The Foreign-office thereupon
memorialized the Emperor on the subject, and his
Majesty's assent having been obtained, orders were
issued to the custom houses to pay into the hands
of the Acting Inspector-General the amount
sanctioned for the above purpose, and the Acting
Inspector-General was desired to act without delay.
" The Acting Inspector-General has now come to
the capital, and apprised us that all the arrange-
ments connected with the purchase of vessels and
guns he has officially handed over to the Inspector-
General, Mr. Lay, to carry out on his behalf in
England, and that he has remitted the moneys paid
by the custom houses to the Inspector-General Lay,
who is proceeding in the matter with the utmost
despatch.
" Mr. Hart has stated further that the ability of
the Inspector-General Ley is great, and that he
possesses a mind which embraces the minutest de-
tails; that he is. therefore, fully competent to make
the requisite arrangements with more than a satis-
factory result, and he has accordingly requested us
to address a daspatch to the Inspector-General Lay
to serve as his authority.
"In any arrangements which the Acting Inspec-
tor-General might have made with respect to the
purchase of vessels and guns, there is no doubt he
would have taken the greatest pains and would have
left no point unconsidered, but as he has now re-
quested that the management of the whole affair
should be intrusted to the Inspector-General, this
will be, of course, still more satisfactory.
" I therefore address this despatch to the Inspec-
tor-General and transfer the management of the
affair into his hands.
"There are three important points :
" 1. The purchase of the vessels, guns, gunpowder,
coal, and the miscellaneous articles for the use of
the vessels.
"2. The engagement of officers, gunners, and
seamen, and others fur services in the vessels ; and
the arranging the terms and conditions of every de-
scription of agreement.
" 3. The retention, as proposed, of a sum of money
to meet the salaries and wages that may be settled by
the agreements, and also to provide for the payment
of compensations and other items in time to come.
" The above three points we leave the Inspector
General to dispose of as in his discretion he may
see fir.

" The money already collected from the custom
houses has been transmitted through Mr. Hart to
Mr. Lay, and that still due should be, as collected,
handed through Mr. Hart to Mr. Lay, who is alone
charged with the responsibility of its disbursement ;
and we leave it to Mr. Lay to appoint, if he think
fit, a person to help him, and also to make whatever
arrangements may in his judgment seem desirable,
with a view to the successful carrying out of the
objects in view.
" China is in urgent need of the vessels and guns:
effort should therefore be made to effect with the
least possible delay their completion and despatch
to Shanghai, there to await orders. The work (put
into the vessels) should be strong, the materials
genuine, both of super-excellent quality, that so the
high trust we have confided (to Mr. Lay) may be
fulfilled.
" In the event of the Inspector-General's
returning to hia post before these ships and guns
are ready and despatched to China, and if any
other circumstances, which we cannot here foresee,
shculd arise, let the Inspector-General report
thereupon to us himself, and recommend a person
trustworthy in all respects to act in his room—so
that, in respect of the arrangements subsequently
made, the reapo:laibillty may bo definitely fixed."