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        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
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        "document_key": "CO129-001 - Sir Hug Cough-s China Military Correspondences - 1841-1843",
        "page_number": 36,
        "title": "CO129-001 - Sir Hug Cough-s China Military Correspondences - 1841-1843",
        "content_text": ". \n\nConny dyn \n\n& Missing & Chartering for \n\nHouse & Ritter, wounded \n\nSelectionary Land Free \n\nFremarks \n\n20 The whole of these Fund have been destroyed \n\nReturn of Ordnance mounted \n\non the Walls of Chinkcangfor Capturedy \n\nDiscription \n\nthe 21th July 184624 \n\nNames to officers Wellen \n\ngrey 200 \n\nAfs Com \n\nStroke of the sum / \n\ni Grever / fell deart on the \n\nI. B. H. Freese \n\nCattan Collinso. \n\nArtillery. \n\n+ M. M. S \n\nHilled. \n\nSlightly wounded. \n\nCouto 6. D. Maddall Severely wounder. \n\nWeveraly WaterARD. \n\nlient Parnard, Slightly \n\nSlightly wranded. \n\nDuperior slightly wounded. \n\nBaddely, Kangerar by \n\nWounded \n\nWonen Severly Wounded. \n\nBuddy Sevenly Boaded \n\ngreply wo \n\nEnsign RockT \n\nOrdnance \n\n12. Founder \n\nSounder \n\n& Founder \n\n5 Founder \n\n4. Founder \n\n& Founder \n\n9 Founder \n\nTotal \n\n22. A \n\nBarat 3 \n\nN.B. In addition to the above, a large number of Eujalls, matchlocks, Swords, Speurd and Arrows, about- 3,000 the of Gnux-powder, and a variety of Military appointments were Store Rooms in the City. \n\nCampy Chuckiangfoo 3 \n\n# July 1187123 \n\nIrue Copy \n\nHreinn St Mirren Freult Colonch \n\nDeputy Adjutant General \n\nPExpeditionary \n\nForce \n\ndestroyed \n\nin the differents Magazines ande \n\n[Signedy/ \n\nP. Montgomerie St Col. 13 Commns & Arty Porigade Eastern Expedition \n\nGuns \n\nFron \n\nTotal \n\n",
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        "id": 216588,
        "series_id": 27,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine",
        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
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        "document_key": "CO129-001 - Sir Hug Cough-s China Military Correspondences - 1841-1843",
        "page_number": 72,
        "title": "CO129-001 - Sir Hug Cough-s China Military Correspondences - 1841-1843",
        "content_text": "G. \n\nB \n\nIf Shanghai. \n\nThe Cassman anders in Chif refly to the de kabitens \n\nFun Evetleni \n\nRosinision to \n\nthe High Officers Commanding the combined British Forces, have received, the communication & of the Gentry and Merchants of the City of \n\nVang \n\nfie \n\nhow lyy-yew. \n\nAnd in reply theirts, hereby notify that they \n\nthe Random- \n\ntrillion \n\nof \n\nof Vangshow, at \n\nDollars, \n\nمریخ \n\nto the British Officers, \n\nhalf \n\npayment of which account of their \n\notc \n\ngovernments, the City will not be obenpied \n\nmolested by \n\nthe British Forces; unless \n\nکریم \n\nit shall be ascertained that Chinese Troops have assembled \n\nfsembled in the City; \n\nکر کی \n\nthat any \n\nhostitity is offered, therefrom to the British \n\n„Zorces. \n\nDatex ats Chinktangfor, August 1 #1842 \n\n[igners \n\n/ \n\nM. Parker \n\nVice Admiral \n\nNaval Commander \n\n4. Chirp \n\nTrue Copy \n\nEssigned of H. Cough Lt Gent \n\nComniander in Chief Madras Armyh \n\nComm 7 Expeditionary \n\nSome Lieutenant Colously, \n\nZ \n\nL'Defruity & Adjutant Gennals. \n\nExpeditionary \n\nForce, \n\nuncl",
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    {
        "id": 224587,
        "series_id": 27,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine",
        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
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        "document_key": "CO129-018 - Others - 1846",
        "page_number": 493,
        "title": "CO129-018 - Others - 1846",
        "content_text": "436\n\n45\n\n44\n\nREPORT ON\n\nment, cattle might be cured and fattened in great numbers. The milk and butter of the cow and of the buffalo is very rich, and sells at moderate price. The flavour of the Chusan mutton is excellent; goats are numerous; hams are well cured, and nearly equal in flavour to those of England. Deer and hares are in season during the winter months. Beef and pork might be cured to any extent in winter, for the supply of the navy, and kept in ice-houses till required. Bullocks are about forty shillings each. Salt is made in great abundance on the coast of Chusan, and on the neighbouring islands. Poultry are plentiful, moderate in price, and of fine flavour. The Chusan fowls are larger than any that are to be seen in England; geese are excellent. Ducks are hatched by steam, and reared by thousands; one boy has charge of many hundreds; they feed in the rice-fields and canals. Eggs are very abundant, usual price 150 for a dollar. Of game, there are pheasants, snipe, quail, woodcock, teal, duck, wild geese (large and good), wild swans (very beautiful), &c.\n\nBread and confectionery, prepared in the English style, are well made by the Chinese. Sixteen-pound loaves of excellent white bread may be bought for a dollar. Wheat is grown on the hills, and rice and millet in the valleys; cauliflowers, peas and beans, cabbages, spinach, cucumbers, onions, turnips, carrots, sweet potatoes, bringalls, gourds of different descriptions, French beans, radishes, celery, &c., are brought to market in season. European potatoes are now being introduced, and every English vegetable and fruit, when cultivated, thrive in perfection. The tea-plant grows on the hills, and is sent to Ningpo and Chapoo to be manufactured for the beverage of the higher classes. The wild raspberry and strawberry are in abundance; melons and oranges are excellent; the peach, grape, apple, pear, apricot, cherry, and plum, only require careful cultivation for their improvement (at Shanghai the peaches are large and excellent). Walnuts and Spanish chestnuts come to perfection at Chusan. The tallow-tree and varnish-tree are among the most valuable productions of the island; from the tallow-tree a great abundance of candles of a waxy consistence are prepared; the varnish-tree yields a wood-oil of great use in furniture. The bamboo and dwarf oak abound. Cotton of excellent quality is largely cultivated; silk, as yet, is of limited production. The tobacco of Chusan is much prized. The hop (humulus) grows on every hill.\n\nThe shores around Chusan abound with fish, some of excellent quality, such as the pomphlat, sole, seer, salt-water trout, herring, rock-cod, sturgeon, mackerel, and eel; oysters and cray-fish are in perfection. It is stated that 40,000 fishing-vessels arrive annually from different parts of the coast of China, and remain three months fishing off Chusan. The \"Yellow Mandarin\" fishery is analogous to the herring fishery of Great Britain or of Holland. About 300,000 dollars capital is invested in this lucrative trade. Ice-boats attend the fishing-boats off Chusan, and as soon as the fish are caught they are packed in ice, and sent to the most distant parts of the empire*.\n\n* The following extracts from Dr. Gutzlaff's \"Retrospect of two years' Peace,\" written at Hong Kong, November, 1844, entirely confirm my previous report:\n\n\"Chusan will hold a very prominent place in the history of our commerce\n\nCHUSAN.\n\nCommercial Advantages of Chusan.--The external commerce of Chusan, on our occupation of the island, consisted chiefly of salted and\n\nand intercourse with this country, whatever the political events may be in future. As a mere territorial possession, its advantages will be considerable. The tea that grows on the island is fit for exportation, though not carefully prepared for a foreign market; it is merely sold at Loo-choo, and other places in Keangsoo. There is space enough, unoccupied by any other cultivation, which could be carefully planted with tea shrubs; and the proper tea men invited for this branch of trade from the Sungho hills, about seven days' distance from Ningpo.\n\nWith a small expense of capital, Chusan and the neighbouring islands might produce, instead of ten or twenty boat-loads as at present, the same number of ship-loads of green tea.\n\n\"The silk worm thrives in the island; but is now merely kept by a few females, who take an interest in weaving home-spun dresses. People brought up from their childhood in this branch of industry, could be brought from Loo-choo (one day's sailing distance from Chusan).\n\n\"The island is fertile, and contains a dense, industrious, agricultural population, who, though more than ten times the number of the Chinese inhabitants of Hong Kong, require not one-fifth part of the police establishment for keeping them in order.\n\n\"As a fishing station, Chusan possesses great advantages.\n\n\"The catching of the Mandarin fish during the spring months, is a very extensive and lucrative business to the inhabitants, and employs a large capital and many boats.\n\n\"For the whale fishery Chusan presents great facilities; for, during summer, the fish go to the Japanese seas, and along the coast of Korea, whither they have never yet been pursued. Vessels, therefore, fitting out in the island, would be just in the track.\n\n\"As a commercial emporium, few places in Asia can vie, in point of situation, with Chusan, On the opposite main are the most flourishing cities, as respects manufactures as well as commerce. In its neighbourhood the largest rivers in China disembogue, and these will always be the highroads of commerce. It is only two days' sail from Japan--the same from Korea; and though the former country still remains hermetically sealed, and the other has always kept aloof from contact with the whole world, they cannot always maintain this exclusion of national intercourse. Chusan is a half-way station between the northern and southern provinces; and was, as such, visited by large numbers of junks before the conquest.\n\n\"Inasmuch as it ought now to be an object of our constant endeavour to open new outlets for British manufactures, no spot on earth presents such facilities as Chusan at the present moment.\n\n\"As a station for European troops the climate is most favourable; it is congenial to the European constitution, and the soil would produce all the fruits and vegetables to which we are accustomed at home, if properly planted and cultivated. The imperfect attempts made for that purpose have well succeeded; and the mountains might be clad with the vine, instead of with the dwarf fir which now cover their sides.\n\n\"On account of the great rise and fall of tide, docks might be constructed on Tea Island, or on the north coast of Chusan, for the repair of vessels; and it is worthy of remark, that the neighbouring Korean islands produce firs and oaks of the best quality, excellently adapted for the use of carpenters and shipwrights.\n\n\"In a political point of view, Chusan appears in the most favourable light. The great political maxim, always as much as possible to keep the peace with the Celestial Empire, can never be so well attained as by retaining possession of this island.\n\n\"The neighbourhood of a British force so near the great canal, and only about five days' sail from Pekin, will always make the great emperor very careful to adopt any measures that may wound the feelings of the neighbouring foreigners; and in case of such an event, the appearance of a few steamers at Kwachoo or Chinkeangfoo, would soon change the views of the great monarch.",
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    {
        "id": 224590,
        "series_id": 27,
        "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine",
        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
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        "document_key": "CO129-018 - Others - 1846",
        "page_number": 496,
        "title": "CO129-018 - Others - 1846",
        "content_text": "50\n\nREPORT ON\n\nThe proximity of Chapoo (the seat of the China-Japanese trade) to Chusan is of considerable importance, as the merchants engaged in it would doubtless prefer making their purchases of foreign goods at Chusan, free from duty, to proceeding out of their way to Shanghai, to buy them at an enhanced cost.\n\nThe Japanese three centuries ago made Chusan their entrepôt. With 30,000,000 inhabitants—the finest climate in the world—rich in various commodities, and abounding in gold and silver,—Japan is within two or three days' sail of Chusan, and accessible at all seasons of the year. Our occupation of Chusan would sooner or later bring about an intercourse with that exclusive people, the Japanese, on the ground that we had formerly a factory in 1613, at Nangasaki, in Japan; that we were unjustly expelled; and that we have an equal right with the Dutch to trade on free and just terms with the Japanese.\n\nThere are several other places with which a trade might be opened with Chusan, viz., with Corea, which contains about 12,000,000 inhabitants; with the Loochoo islands; the coast of Mantchouria; the Kurile islands; and even with Kamstchatka, &c. In fact, a new and large commercial world would be opened to England.\n\nThe whale fishing is now being extended into the Northern Pacific, Chinese, and Japanese seas. Driven successively from the northern and southern polar regions, this gigantic and useful animal is seeking refuge in seas hitherto little frequented, from his untiring pursuers. To the whale-ships, Chusan would be an invaluable port for recruitment.\n\nIn viewing Chusan as a commercial emporium, it is important to bear in mind, that although the largest class of ships in the British navy may with as perfect safety reach Chusan, as any other part of the world, yet the navigation to the northward of Chusan is difficult, even for small-class vessels of 200 tons burthen; few of which reach Shanghai without getting on shore on a mud or sand-bank. It would be hazardous for large-class ships to navigate the Woosung river, on which Shanghai is situated.\n\nThe same remark applies to the gulf of Petchely, the Hwango or Yellow river, the Peiho, and the other ports and rivers to the northward of the Yang-tze-kiang.\n\nThis circumstance would give us a great advantage by enabling merchants to send goods direct from England in large ships to Chusan, where they would be transshipped direct to the English coasting craft or Chinese junks, without further expense. At present, goods are sent to Hong Kong or Canton, there warehoused, considerable expense incurred, and then re-embarked in small-class schooners or brigs for the northward; thus materially enhancing the cost of the goods, and delaying their transmission to the place of sale, namely, the richest and most populous districts of China which lie contiguous to Chusan, and render its possession in a mercantile view so important.\n\nEre long the valuelessness of our Consular stations, except Canton and Shanghai, will be fully perceived; it will then be acknowledged that the present stations were hastily and injudiciously selected; that other places, such as Suchoo, at the head of the Woosung river, Chinkeangfoo, near the Grand Canal below Nankin, and Tienstien, the port of the Peiho, were much better adapted for our trade. The annual expense of our Consular establishments on the China coast, of 30,000l. to 40,000l. a-year, without any corresponding advantage, will be severely felt, should the Chinese Government resolve to open no other ports.\n\n51\n\nCHUSAN.\n\nThe intrinsic worth of Chusan as a British port will then be more manifest; our possession of the island will force the Tartar Government of China to the adoption of a less exclusive system: for the natural and apparently instinctive love of a Chinaman for trade would make him the conveyer of our merchandise to the numerous ports and wealthy districts around our settlement; thus bringing about practically a free trade with Chusan, which ultimately the Tartar Government would be forced to recognize, protect, and encourage*.\n\nMaritime Position.—The navigation of the China Sea up to Chusan is perfectly safe and easy on all occasions. The difficulty of reaching\n\nSir James Urmston, who presided for some years over the East India Company's establishment at Canton, says, \"The island of Chusan is situated at a very inconsiderable distance from that part of China which avowedly comprises the most fertile and productive, as well as the most flourishing and opulent provinces and districts of the empire, where the most extensive trade and manufactures are carried on, and in a climate well known to be the most salubrious of any part of China.\n\n\"Chusan is not only most advantageously placed for general trade, but is, in fact, close to those districts which are more immediately connected with the British and foreign trade, that is, at no great distance from the tea and silk districts, and from those marts where British merchandise is required and diffused, as well as those articles which are exported to China from our dominions in India.\n\n\"It may be observed also, that Chusan is well situated for communications with Japan, should we ever be enabled to open a negotiation and establish a trade with that singular country.\n\n\"It may, moreover, be stated, that Chusan is particularly well adapted for offensive or defensive naval and military operations, as well as for interrupting the Chinese coasting trade, which navigate the whole coast of China to an immense extent and amount.\n\n\"It lays, in fact, in the very track of that trade, and the junks which trade with Manila, Cochin China, Siam, Batavia, Singapore, and other places to the southward of China.\n\n\"Viewing the question of a settlement on the coast of China in all its bearings, it appears unquestionable that Chusan possesses advantages infinitely superior to any other of an insular nature along the whole coast of China; and were we so fortunate as to be established there, there is every reason to believe that a most extensive and valuable trade would soon arise, largely benefiting the Chinese of all ranks and classes in that quarter, and proving, as it doubtless would, most advantageous and important to British enterprise and commerce.\" \"Nautical Magazine\" for 1841, pages 44 and 45. [Remarks by Sir James Urmston, in a pamphlet on China published a few years ago, and seen by me for the first time this day in the Straits of Gaspar, August 4, 1845. R. M. MARTIN.]\n\nLindsay's Journal of the voyage made up the Coast of China, has the following remark relative to the insular places: \"Superior to all is the island of Chusan. The advantages of a central situation on the coast, communicating with the very heart of China; of anchorages, harbours, fertility, population, climate, are here all united: Ningpo, Hangehow, Shanghai, and Japan, are distant only a few days' sail. Among these numerous islands (the Chusan group) there are almost as many valuable harbours or places of security for ships of any burthen. This advantage, together with that of their central situation, in respect to the Eastern Coast of China, and the vicinity of Corea, Japan, Loochoo, and Formosa, attract considerable commerce.\" \"Nautical Magazine\" for 1840, p. 302.\n\n£ 2\n\n439",
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        "id": 224605,
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        "series_slug": "histsyn-co129-engine",
        "series_title": "CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案",
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        "document_key": "CO129-018 - Others - 1846",
        "page_number": 511,
        "title": "CO129-018 - Others - 1846",
        "content_text": "78\n\nBRITISH POSITION\n\ncut off, and finally the Chinese Government was compelled to sue for peace, and to pay the whole of the then estimated expenses of the war; to permit resort to four other ports as well as to Canton; to reduce their customs duties and port charges; and to cede an island to Great Britain, on which a colonial establishment could be maintained for the protection of British commerce, for the development of civilization on the frontiers of the Chinese empire, and which would not only serve as a guarantee for the future, but which would aid in preserving peace between the two countries.\n\nBritish and Chinese loss, &c.-(continued).\n\n  \n    Date.\n    Name of Action.\n    British and Indian force.\n    British.\n    Chinese.\n  \n  \n    Brought forward\n    -\n    -\n    -\n    -\n  \n  \n    1842 Mar. 9\n    Ningpo, night attack\n    1\n    5\n    about 500\n  \n  \n    Mar. 10\n    Chinghai, ditto\n    5\n    about 6\n    Very great\n  \n  \n    Mar. 15\n    Tsekee (Segoan)\n    Ma ny.\n    800\n    1000\n  \n  \n    May 18\n    Chapoo\n    -\n    3\n    1000 to 1500\n  \n  \n    June 16\n    Woosung batteries\n    22\n    25\n    92\n  \n  \n    June 19\n    Shanghai\n    13\n    52\n    65\n  \n  \n    July 21\n    Chinkeangfoo\n    30\n    126\n    156\n  \n  \n    Total\n    -\n    2118\n    69\n    451\n  \n  \n    -\n    -\n    89\n    520\n    32\n  \n  \n    -\n    -\n    to 200 to 250\n    Unknown.\n    Slaughter terrific.\n  \n  \n    -\n    -\n    Estimated at 18,000 to 20,000\n    -\n    -\n  \n\nREMARKS.\n\n(1 and 2) The general tone of the despatches during the war may be illustrated by the following words from the official reports on the actions: The Chinese have suffered severely; their loss, including that on board the war junks, cannot be estimated at less than 500 to 600, out of a force calculated at 2000 men. slaughter in the lower fort, when carried by storm, was considerable.”\n\nThe loss of the enemy, from the number of killed lying in every direction, must have been most severe.\n\n* \"The service has been performed with trifling loss on the part of Her Majesty's forces.\"\n\n* * \"The loss on our side has been small, and would have been less but for the explosion of an expense magazine in the fort, after capture.\"-(General Orders, Fort William, February 24, 1841; and Sir Gordon Bremer's despatches.)\n\nThus it will be seen that the British forces, army and navy, had not one man killed, and but for the magazine explosion, which was accidental, there would not have been a dozen wounded, even slightly. The killed alone of the Chinese is supposed to have been at least five hundred men in the action! This may be viewed as a fair sample of the whole Chinese war.\n\nAND PROSPECTS IN CHINA.\n\n79\n\nEnglish interests are now therefore irrevocably interwoven with those of China; we hold the largest stake at issue as regards her peaceful prosperity and national independence; and whatever strengthens our power, extends our commerce, and permanently enlarges our influence, is equally beneficial to China and to England. Other nations have since come forward to claim a participation in the concessions obtained by Britain: treaties have been arranged with the United States and with France; and China for the first time has entered into the social compact which kingdoms, as well as individuals, find necessary for their protection, and which, rightly understood, is indispensable to their tranquillity and to their improvement.\n\nThe far-seeing politician must therefore admit, that sooner or later China (whose inhabitants it is estimated number one-third of the human race) will exercise an important influence on the affairs of Europe. How this influence will be primarily manifested, whether through India or through Russia, or by reason of European nations contending for a dominant power in this immense empire, it seems impossible to predicate; but this much is evident, that no nation is so deeply interested in the \"Chinese Question\" as Britain; that this interest must daily increase, on political, maritime, and mercantile considerations; and that a solemn responsibility has devolved on Great Britain in relation to China, which cannot be neglected without involving serious and perhaps irretrievable calamities.\n\nThere probably never was a period in our history when greater civil, intellectual, and moral efforts were necessary for the preservation of our position among competitive surrounding nations. And it is advantageous for us that these efforts should be made. Britain cannot remain stationary; she must either retrograde or advance: happily her advancement, rightly directed, is beneficial to all mankind, by enabling her to maintain the peace of the world, to promote civilization, to reclaim the savage, to till the waste regions of the earth, and to fulfil her high vocation by a wide-spread dissemination of the inestimable blessings of Christianity.\n\nA republic of nations is as utopian in the existing selfishness of mankind as a republic of individuals, and the elevation of one kingdom sufficiently supreme to protect weaker kingdoms, to preserve order, to uphold the reign of law, and to inculcate by precept and by example the duties which the possession of great power involves, is essential to the steady and triumphant progress of true civilization.\n\nNo nation is so well adapted for this supreme control as Britain; by reason of her insularity, her tolerant religion, her free institutions, her distant and varied colonial possessions, her non-alliance with continental intrigues, her obvious policy to maintain peace, and her maritime superiority, which leaves no desire for continental aggrandizement in Europe.\n\nWhether these views be acquiesced in or not by other nations, it is equally the duty of Britain to maintain this supreme control.\n\nTo do so she must take fair advantage of every circumstance which may contribute to its maintenance, by extending her commerce, and by establishing her influence in new and distant regions.\n\nTo this course of policy Britain is also urged by domestic considerations, namely, by the increasing pressure of population on the means\n\n504",
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