For a very brief space appearances were favourable, but fresh troops soon began pouring into the town; and some of the natives have since admitted that they even knew that, in secret, fresh cannon were being cast, and extensive preparations, of every description, urged on in the quietest possible manner, evidently with a view to some sudden and unwarned explosion. Immediately before leaving Canton, on the 17th April, Captain Elliot seemed resolved to take some steps against the continuance of the trade in opium within the river. He applied to Sir Le Fleming Senhouse to prevent any small vessels from passing into the river within the Bogue, unless provided with a passport signed by the plenipotentiary. These passes were to be issued to those alone who could afford him assurance, to his own satisfaction, that the boats or small craft should _only_ be employed in the conveyance of passengers, letters, or supplies. They were to be obtained by foreigners through their own consuls, who would apply to him for them. But he reserved to himself the right of cancelling them whenever he should see cause to determine that such a course "should be necessary in _discharge of his engagements_;" and, moreover, every ship or vessel was to be forcibly expelled from the river, if it were proved to his satisfaction that she was engaged in "_dangerous pursuits_" calculated to disturb the truce and interrupt the general trade. This could, of course, only allude to the trade in opium, and the whole proceeding seems expressly to have been arranged between Captain Elliot and the Chinese authorities, for he actually obtained from the Kwang-chow-foo, or prefect, _licences_, bearing his official seal, which he could himself distribute to those vessels to which he issued his passports, and which were to have the effect of exempting them from _all visit or examination by the Chinese officers_, whether connected with the customs or any other department.