CO129-574-8 Centenary anniversary of the occupation of Hong Kong 13-9-1938 - 10-1-1939 — Page 24

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than one case offending British subjects found themselves

in Chinese hands. In November, 1839 the Emperor decreed

that trade with the English nation should cease for ever

and in 1840 a Naval expedition against Canton became

necessary.

The Viceroy accordingly put a price on

There

River

Captain Elliott's head and offered a scale of rewards for

the seizure of English men and their ships.

followed a successful fleet bombardment of Chinese defences

near Macao and a Chinese plenipotentiary consented to open

negotiations with the British representative with the

approval of the Emperor. These were interrupted for a

few days by Captain Elliott's need to present an

ultimatum to the Chinese with a subsequent successful

operation against the two Chinese batteries in the Canton!

Following this, he was able to announce on January the 20th

1841, the completion of preliminary arrangements between the

Imperial Commissioner himself involving inter alia the

Cession of the Island and the whole of Hong Kong to the

British Crown in return for the restoration to China of a

northern Chinese port which had been occupied in the

process of bringing the Peking authorities to reason.

There is some historical doubt as to whether, in fact, the

Cession of Hong Kong had been intended by the Chinese

Imperial Commissioner or whether he had only meant to allow

the British to take refuge in Hong Kong unmolested until

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harbour

the