'I have;' he
recorded the act at the time, 'directed that all vessels arriving here
with troops for China, shall proceed direct to Calcutta instead of to
Singapore.' They are laconic words, but their place is over the front
door of the British Empire. To it they brought a service, not ordinary in
its annals, as they marked a man willing to put all to the touch. A
nation and a personality are in the incident, and, remembering that, let
us trace it out.
At this date we had a variance with China, and were undertaking warlike
operations in that country, jointly with France. Troops from England were
hurrying to Lord Elgin, who was seeing our affairs through in China. Some
of the transports reached Cape Town, a few days after Sir George Grey
received the Elphinstone message. They needed water and fresh provisions,
and receiving these would have gone on with all haste to China. It was a
throbbing moment for a Cape Governor, accustomed to think in the British
Empire. What should he do?
You can fancy him working out his course, like a master mariner taking
the stars. Nor, must the process occupy longer. He was rapidly
despatching the forces which were at his command in South Africa. This
might prove rash, having regard to the state of the country. Events might
confuse him, and be his downfall.
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