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deserted dining-room, is scarcely the best way of opening a friendly acquaintance with him; but the performance possessed at least the merit of being logical, for in one of the intervals of his punishment the Viceroy had been incidentally required to throw open the city, and on his refusal the British proceeded to demonstrate that they could open it for themselves. Not having force enough to retain it, however, they evacuated the place, whereafter the Chinese repaired the breach and burned the foreign Factories by way of reprisals. More captures of forts followed; but Viceroy Yeh remained immovable, and at last the British, having exhausted all the potentialities of the small force at their disposal, sat down to await the coming of reinforcements from England. It was thus that the Second War commenced.