A dispute had arisen out of circumstances even more trivial than the question of custody of the Holy Places, which led to the Crimean war. A vessel termed a "lorcha," lying in the Canton river in October 1856, was boarded by Chinese officials, who took away twelve men accused of piracy, although the lorcha _Arrow_ was flying the British flag. The British Consul at Canton demanded the release of these men, according to the treaty of 1843; but the Chinese Governor Yeh declared that the _Arrow_ was not a British vessel but a Chinese pirate, and refused to comply with the Consul's demand. It was proved, however, that the _Arrow_ had been duly registered as a British vessel, though her registration had actually expired ten days before the arrest of the men. Mr. Parkes, the British Consul, appealed to Sir John Bowring, British Minister at Hongkong. Bowring was determined to stand no nonsense from the Chinaman: nor was he going to trouble himself whether the _Arrow_ was entitled to fly the British ensign or not! As a matter of fact, he wrote to Parkes that the expiry of the registration had deprived her owners of the right, but that as the Chinese did not know that, they must be held responsible for insulting the flag. Anyhow, it was enough for Bowring that Chinese officials had dared to take men by force from under that flag, whether it had been hoisted rightfully or wrongfully. He sent an ultimatum to Yeh, demanding the release of the men and an ample apology within forty-eight hours, or he would begin hostilities. Yeh released the men, and promised that greater caution should be observed in future, but he refused to apologise, maintaining that the _Arrow_ was in fact a Chinese vessel. Incredible as it may seem that such powers should be vested in a British Minister, and still more so, that he should employ them in such a miserable quarrel, nevertheless Bowring ordered up the fleet and Canton was severely bombarded for several days. Yeh made the tactical blunder of offering a reward for the heads of Englishmen. He got no heads, but he forfeited the respect which England always pays to an honourable foe. [Illustration: _From a Photograph_} {_by Thiele, Chancery Lane._ INTERIOR OF THE GUN-COTTON FACTORY AT WALTHAM ABBEY. The picture represents the Pulping and Moulding Room. Gun-cotton consists of cotton-waste subjected to the action of nitric acid, washed, boiled, chopped into pulp, and pressed into blocks.] [Illustration: _From a Photograph_} {_by Eyre & Spottiswoode._ BARREL-ROOM AT THE SMALL ARMS FACTORY, ENFIELD.] [Sidenote: Defeat of the Government, and Dissolution.] [Sidenote: Palmerston returns to Office.]