danger - A surprise — Night attack Gallant defence of the City
-
Repulse of the Chinese - Pursuit and slaughter — Chinese attack Chinhae
-All their plans are frustrated 259
CHAPTER XXXII .
Advance upon Tsekee Horse Artillery — Phlegethon and Nemesis
destroy fire -boats — The Segoan hills — Positions of the Chinese — Tsekee
captured Double attack upon the enemy - Serious conflict — The
heights carried — Flight of the Chinese army - Their retreat harassed
by the fire of the steamers — The Chungkie pass — Return to Ningpo
Chinese kidnappers - Curious caricatures — Remarks on Chinese cha
racter - Discovery of their preparations — Night attack by fire-rafts at
Chusan - Awkward position of the Nemesis— Their plans fail — Dan
gerous accident- Visit to the island of Pooto — Consecrated ground — Its
numerous temples- Beauties of the island - Description - Superstitions
of the people — Remarks on the religions of China 288
CHAPTER XXXIII .
'Evacution of Ningpo— Remarks on that city—Its importance as a
place of trade - Former factory - Why abandoned — Jesuit missionaries
viii CONTENTS .
first landed there _Their character, and great temporary success — Edicts
against Christians at Pekin – Re-embarkation of our troops at Ningpo
Squadron sails for Chapoo — Position and aspect of the city — Re
connoissance in the Nemesis --Preparations for the attack - 18th May,
1842 — Description of Chinese positions -Our troops land to the at
tack from the Nemesis — Positions of our ships — lleights carried
Obstinate defence of a house by the Tartars — Repeated failures -
Distressing scenes — 18th Royal Irish — Prisoners tied by their tails
-Walls of the city scaled by the 55th_Naval brigade — Anecdotes —
Great attention to the wounded Chinese – Elepoo afterwards thanks
Sir Hugh Gough for his humanity– Notices of the Tartar city and
population – Habits of the Tartars - Never distort the feet of women
Devotion of children to their parents — Beautiful country round Chapoo
-Casualties — Chinese prisoners restored 313
CHAPTER XXXIV .
Overtures made by the Chinese - Exchange of prisoners -- Generous
conduct of Elepoo — Anecdote — Our prisoners led through the Chinese
-
camp— Hong merchants ordered up from Canton— Not received - Ren
dezvous at the mouth of the Yangtze river - Reconnoissance of Woo
sung -Junks laden with iced fish — Mandarins going their rounds
-
Anecdote of the Nemesis —Woosung river and its batteries described —
Dispositions for the attack - Ships all towed into action by steamers-
Spirited fire of the Chinese - Positions of the ships — Modeste and Ne
mesis roughly handled — Captain Watson's gallantry_War junks and
wheel boats attacked by the Nemesis - Description Proceedings of
the light squadron— Captain Watson lands and attacks the flank of
- Warm reception - Desperate resistance of the Tar
the long battery —
tars - A check — The enemy give way Sir Hugh Gough lands, and
proceeds to capture Paou -shan Advance upon Shanghai — Descrip
tion of that city - A wealthy commercial emporium — Remarks on the
country and character of the people —Chinese Arcadia — Amusing de
scriptions — Tea- gardens - Ice -houses --Bishop of Shanghai - His history
-Sporting — Steamers proceed up the river — Nearly reach Soo -chow
foo-Our forces are again concentrated at Woosung 336
CHAPTER XXXV .
Remarks on the great river Yangtze Kiang - Stoppage of its trade
- Hope of preventing the grain and tribute from passing up the Grand
CONTENTS . ix
Canal -— Reinforcements at Woosung - French ships of war — Remarks
- Sir Henry Pottinger's important proclamation, addressed to the
Chinese — The Emperor's proclamation concerning passing events —
Reply to Sir Henry by Niew Kien, the viceroy of Nankin - - Alarm at
Pekin — Extent and importance of the rivers of China - Remarks on
the Amoor, or Sagalin - Sail from Woosung in five divisions —Details
— Aspect of the country — Kiang-Yin - Silver Island — And Golden
Island - Falling greatness — Arrival at Chin -kcang -foo — Its capture,
-
21st July, 1842 – Tartar garrison List of troops engaged— Plan of at
tack - Major General Schoedde's brigade scales the walls — Spirited resis
tance of the garrison - Lieutenant Cuddy's gallantry — Sir Hugh
Gough and the third brigade prepare to storm the west gate - Unfortunate
affair of the Blonde's boats — Warm reception — Part of them abandoned
with the guns - Attention of the Chinese people to our wounded— Captain
Peter Richards lands from the Cornwallis with Captain Watson of the
Modeste — They scale the walls near the west gate - Spirited affair
Guard -house fired by aa rocket — Tartars driven in - Outer gate blown in
and forced by third brigade — Sharp encounter with the Tartars in the city
-Self-destruction - Horrible scenes -Death of the Tartar general 378
CHAPTER XXXVI .
Fever breaks out-Its severity — Blockade of the Grand Canal
Description of that great work — Overflow of the river-Distress of the
people— Fleet of three hundred trading junks stopped— Activity of the
Nemesis — Visit from the mandarin of Esching — Curious scenes on board
the steamer-Coal junks stopped - Abundance of coal found in China ,
Description of it and where found — The Dido and Nemesis— Mode of
procuring supplies — Hospitality of the people at Esching - Friendly in
tercourse at one town while fighting at another — Anomalies of war
Anecdotes of Chinese visiters — Emperor's compliment to the family of
the Tartar general - Garrison left at Chin -keang -foo - Gutzlaff's Pagoda
-Cast iron building one thousand two hundred years old — Passage of the
fleet up to Nankin — Arrival of the imperial commissioners — Attempts to
gain time — Decision of the plenipotentiary - Remarks on the city of
Nankin - Dispositions for the attack —Chinese commissioners yield at the
last moment - Interviews and negociations — Necessary delay - Remark
able report sentby Ke-ying — Exchange of visits — Sir Henry enters the
city-Signature of the treaty — Remarks on our future intercourse with
the Chinese 416
х CONTENTS .
CHAPTER XXXVII .
Nankin— Porcelain tower — Description of — Portrait of the head priest
–Tombs of the kings — Colossal statues Figuresofanimals—Antique re
mains —Remarks on the history of the Ming dynasty - Disputes with the
Japanese and Mantchous - How the Mantchous, or Tartars, came to the
throne - Institutions of China preserved after the conquest - Efficient go
vernment - Our forces leave Nankin — Dreadful sickness — Bengal Vo
lunteers - Descent of the river — Forces reassemble at Hong Kong -
-
Riots at Canton - Character of the people — Origin of the outbreak - Eng
lish ladies in Canton — Patriots - Attack upon the factories - English flag
staff - Arrival of Sir Hugh Gough - The Nemesis - Chinese troops oc
cupy the factories — Correspondence between Sir Henry Pottinger and
the merchants - Critical position - Visit of the Prefect and the Hong
-
merchants to the Nemesis — Quiet restored-Departure of our forces 451
CHAPTER XXXVIII .
Departure from Macao — Voyage along the coast towards Hainan - Pi
ratical fishing -boats - Bay of Liengsoy described — Fishing village - Man
darin station — Galong bay —Good shelter - Picturesque country - Yin
lin - kan a beautiful harbour-Entrance into the Lagoon - Discovery of a
river — Excursion into the interior - Appearance of the country— Curi
ous buffalo carts — Cocoa -nut woods — Observations on the people — Vil
lages – Tea -shops – Interesting journey - Party of prisoners and man
darins — An inn by the road side - Stopping the mandarins' chairs and
-
- -
horses— Civility of the peasants — Return to the boats — Hall's river
Coast of Cochin -China— Phuyen harbour - Description of it — Good -
place of refuge— Appearance of the country - Curious burial- ground
New kind of fishing-boats - Odd contrivance — Arrival at Singapore
Malacca — Its fallen condition -Penang revisited - Moulmein - Remarks
on - Frontier of Birmah— Elephant riding-Remarkable caves — Arrival
at Calcutta — Review at Barrackpore — Conclusion 483
APPENDIX .
British Squadron in China, at the termination of the war 511
General Regulations of British Trade in China 513
Supplementary Treaty 519
VOYAGES AND SERVICES
OF
THE NEM ES I S.
CHAPTER XXI.
Chinese fire- rafts at Canton - First alarm — Premature discovery -
Nemesis and boats of advanced squadron -- Fire- rafts sent against the
Wellesley at the Bogue — Night engagement at Canton - Suburbs set
on fire - Shameen battery captured — Narrow escape of Captain Elliot
-Nemesis ordered to chase the Chinese flotilla - Destruction of thirty
five junks and fifty fire-boats by Nemesis and boats of the squadron
Discovery of the landing -place at Tsingpoo, and report thereon by
Captain Herbert, on the 22nd March — Captain Belcher's report on
the following day — Curious scene Sailors with tails — Pillage and
Destruction of the factories by Chinese soldiers and the mob — Account
of the imprisonment of the Americans - Are carried before the criminal
judge — Removed to the ruined factories -- Our troops come to their
rescue —Captain Elliot's proclamation to the Chinese people — Calls
upon them to drive the authorities and the troops out of the city
Arrangements for the advance of our forces from Whampoa.
The intense anxiety which took possession of every
one's mind at Canton, on the evening of the expected
attack upon our vessels by the Chinese, as described at
the close of the last volume, has not by any means been
VOL . II . B
2 QUICK WORK .
exaggerated. The very uncertainty of the plans of the
Chinese served to increase the interest felt, and the ex
treme darkness of the night gave the greatest cause for
apprehension of treachery.
During the early part of the evening complete still
ness prevailed ; nothing whatever betokened an imme
diate attack. It was about eleven o'clock when the
alarm was given. One of the sentries of the Modeste,
which was a little in advance of the other vessels, first
discovered several large dark -looking masses dropping
down with the stream . Being hailed by the sentry, the
Chinese who had charge of them immediately set fire
to the combustible materials which they contained .
The flames, bursting forth suddenly, spread the alarm ,
and pointed out the danger to the other vessels, while
it was still remote. There was a general beat to quar
ters ; steam was rapidly got up on board the Nemesis,
the fires having been lighted early in the evening ; the
anchor was weighed, and , in the short space of NINE
MINUTES from the time the alarm was given, the Neme
sis was under weigh, and under command of the helm.
The premature discovery of the design, before it was
actually commenced, disconcerted the plans of the Chi
nese, and caused them to set fire to the rafts sooner than
had been intended. The derangement of a grand scheme at
its outset embarrasses all the subsequent details, and is
apt to discourage all those who are employed to carry
them into execution . The moment they cease to act in
concert, the failure of every part of the scheme is cer
tain . Thus, on the present occasion, in consequence of
Namely, the Pylades, Algerine, Nemesis, and Louisa cutter.
THE FIRE -RAFTS . 3
some of the fire -rafts being ignited too soon , the greater
part of the rest were not ignited at all; so that, out of
the immense number, about a hundred, which had been
prepared, not above ten or a dozen were set on fire or
sent down against our vessels at Canton . Some, how
ever, were sent adrift against the Alligator, at anchor
near Howqua's Fort.
These fire -rafts were ingeniously constructed to effect
their object, being composed of boats chained together
in twos and threes, so that, drifting down with the
stream , they might hang across the bows of a ship, so
as not to be easily got clear. They were filled with all
kinds of combustible materials. Numerous junks and
smaller boats were barely seen in the distance higher
up the river, said to have a large body of troops on
board, for the purpose of trying to board our ships
during the confusion which it was expected would take
place. But the moment they found that they were
likely to meet with a warm reception, they did their
best to get away again as fast as they could.
The Nemesis ran up at full speed towards the fire
rafts, in order to assist the boats of the squadron in
towing them away.? Many of them , however, drifted
fairly on shore, and set fire to the suburbs of the town,
causing much greater alarm to the Chinese than they
did to those whom they were designed to annihilate.
It was a grand spectacle, in the sullen darkness of the
night, to see these floating masses of fire drifting about
the river, and showing by their own reflected light the
1
Boats of the Calliope, Herald , Modeste, Pylades, and Algerine.
B 2
4 THE ALLIGATOR .
panic -stricken parties of Chinese who had charge of
them, trying to escape towards the shore, which few of
them were destined to reach. Some threw themselves
overboard, were carried down the stream , and their
struggles were soon ended ; others were shot at random
by our musketry, the moment they were discovered by
our men, betrayed by the light of the fires they had
themselves kindled.
So far the Chinese scheme proved a total failure.
Nor was the attempt more successful upon the Alli
gator, off Howqua's Fort. The attack was to have
been simultaneously made upon all our ships in dif
ferent parts of the river, both at Whampoa and at the
Bogue ; but, owing to some error, or more probably the
premature explosion of their plan at Canton , the attack
on the Wellesley at the Bogue did not take place until
nearly midnight of the 24th, three days afterwards. It
was, however,, well concerted, and very formidable, as it
comprised a flotilla of little less than twenty vessels,
chained in twos and threes ; many of these had gun
powder as well as other combustibles on board . It
was not without great exertion of Commander Fletcher
and the few officers and men remaining on board (most
of them being absent on service under Captain Maitland,
with the advanced squadron) that they were towed clear
of the ship, by the only three boats she had left . In no
instance was any damage done to our ships.
But the plan of the Chinese was not limited to their
exploits with fire- rafts. The new batteries before
spoken of, as having been erected by Yihshan, just
above Canton, towards the river side, opened a heavy
NIGIIT SCENE . 5
fire upon our ships just when it was imagined they
would have been embarrassed by the fire-vessels. The
artillery now began to roar on both sides, although,
owing to the midnight darkness, it was solely directed
>
by the flashing of each other's guns.
The Nemesis had now run so close in shore that she
was able clearly to distinguish , by the light of the bat
teries and the reflection of the fire in the suburbs, the
different Tartar officers rallying and encouraging their
men to fight the guns . The two small vessels which
lay off the factories (the Louisa and Aurora ) were at
one time in imminent danger, as the Chinese had actu
ally brought down to the river side a very large gun,
and planted it within good range, to blow them out of
the water. They could not be moved until the tide
turned ; but, by alternately veering out cable and
shortening it in again, so as to alter the range and balk
the Chinese gunners during the darkness, they managed
to escape with trifling damage. In the morning they
were moved out of danger with the turn of tide. At
intervals the firing was kept up until daylight.
All the secretly devised plans of the Chinese were
now fairly disclosed and frustrated, and the chastisement
which awaited them had been commenced ; but it re
quired the light of day to make their discomfiture com
plete, and anxiously was the dawn expected on both
sides.
At length the sun rose brightly upon the scene of
midnight encounter; and now the wrecks of the still
burning fire-vessels, the crumbling batteries on shore,
the suburbs of the town in flames, the deserted river,
6. NARROW ESCAPE .
and some trifling damages on board one or two of our
own vessels, bore witness to what had happened .
The attack upon the Shameen battery was now re
newed, and it was soon silenced by the fire of the ves
sels . A few shot and shell were thrown into the ad
joining suburbs, where the fire had broken out ; but
some of the Chinese soldiers who had already aban
doned their guns, when they found that our men did
not land immediately to take possession of the works,
actually returned and fired another round or two from
the Shameen battery. They were soon, however, driven
out, and eight fine large brass guns were captured .
It was during these operations at Canton that Cap
tain Elliot and Captain Herbert narrowly escaped a
very dangerous accident, which might have proved fatal
to many, had it not been fortunately averted by the
personal coolness and resolution of the captain of the
Nemesis. A Congreve rocket, which had been placed
in the proper tube from which it is fired , and had been
already ignited, accidentally hung within it, instead of
being projected, as intended . In another second it
would have burst in the tube itself, and must have
killed or wounded all those who were standing near it
upon the bridge between the paddle -boxes. With in
stant coolness and presence of mind, Captain Hall put
his arm into the tube and forcibly pushed it out from
behind, although the rush of fire which came out of it
burnt his hand severely and caused intense pain. In
deed it was not done without great personal risk. It is
difficult to calculate what disastrous results might not
have followed , had the rocket burst in the tube, on
IMPORTANT DISCOVERY. 7
board ship. It was long before the use of the wounded
hand was recovered .
Just when all opposition at the Shameen battery had
been overcome, an unlooked-for opportunity occurred of
rendering signal service, by the discovery of the prin
cipal rendezvous of all the fire- rafts and men - of-war
junks, whose place of retreat had hitherto been con
cealed. Every fresh report had confirmed the previous
information that preparations of an extensive kind had
been made by the Chinese higher up the river, but it
was supposed to be at some place much more distant
than was now found to be the case. The first thing
which led to the discovery was the suspicious appear
ance of a large war-junk, which suddenly came out
from behind a point of land some way above the fort.
Having fired one or two distant shots, she again with
drew out of sight.
The Nemesis instantly proceeded in search of the ex
pected prize, under the orders of Captain Herbert, who
was on board. The junk again stole out from her hiding
place, but, the moment she observed the steamer coming
towards her, she made off in all haste up a large creek,
which turned round to the northward. About a mile
or less within this passage, the whole Chinese fleet of
war-junks, fire-rafts, boats, &c., was suddenly descried,
to the number, probably, of more than a hundred.
This was an exciting moment. The Chinese were
thrown into the utmost consternation by the sudden ap
proach of the steamer ; and the more numerous were the
junks and craft of all kinds, the greater was the confu
sion into which they were thrown. The light draught of
8 EXTRAORDINARY SCENE .
water of the Nemesis gave her an immense advantage,
as she could pursue them at full speed, without much
risk of grounding. Every shot now told upon the con
fused mass. The Chinese ran most of their boats ashore,
in order to make their own escape ; others tried to make
their way up the creek , each one striving to pass the
other. Suddenly a small masked battery opened fire
upon the steamer ; but a few round shot, followed by
grape, drove the Chinese from their guns, and served to
disperse a small body of troops, who were drawn up in
the rear . The water soon became too shallow for the
steamer to proceed further, and she, therefore, came to
anchor.
Some boats from the Calliope and Herald and other
vessels now joined, and, together with the boats of the
Nemesis, continued the pursuit, and destroyed or run
ashore an immense number of junks, fire-rafts, and
fishing-boats of every kind.
About fifty boats were found filled with combustibles,
and were joined eight or nine together, having been
destined to drift down with the tide upon our vessels.
Many of the junks had troops on board, from distant
parts of the empire, intended for the relief of the city.
The scene was extremely animating ; numbers of the
Chinese were scrambling ashore, or clinging to frag
ments of their boats or spars, as they floated about in
the water. Some of the junks were burnt, and others
blown up, but the precaution was taken to examine
carefully every one of them before it was set on fire, in
order to rescue any of the panic -stricken Chinese who
might be trying to find concealment in it. But, in
FLOTILLA DESTROYED . 9
spite of this precaution, the structure of the junks
afforded so many little hiding-places for the terrified
Chinese, that, as the fires gradually burnt more briskly,
and took more certain effect upon the vessels, several
poor fellows were observed to rush up from below, and,
then unable to support the heat upon deck, to jump
desperately overboard. Some of these swam easily on
shore ; others, who could not swim, remained clinging to
the outside of the junk or to the rudder, until the heat
became insupportable, or the vessel itself blew up. In
this way, some few necessarily perished, for it was not
possible to save them all, owing to the small number of
boats employed on our side, and the large number of
those destroyed on theirs ; besides which, the heat and
danger were often too great to be able to approach near
enough to render timely assistance. Nevertheless, the
loss of life among the Chinese, considering their num
bers, was inconsiderable, as the nearness of the shore
permitted most of them easily to escape.
Thus, in the short space of three hours, forty -three
war-junks were blown up , and thirty-two fire - rafts de
stroyed, besides smaller boats. Some which had been
run ashore were left untouched .
This important encounter produced one very valuable
result, as it led to the discovery of the most desirable
landing-place for our troops, in the projected attack on
the heights of Canton. This spot was distinctly seen
and remarked upon by the different officers on board
the Nemesis, and was particularly noticed by Captain
Herbert, in his report of this affair to Sir Le Fleming
Senhouse, written on the very same day. This is not a
10 IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.
matter of slight moment, because all allusion to this
circumstance was omitted in the public despatch of Sir
Le Fleming Senhouse. In Captain Herbert's report, dated
on the 22nd of May, on board the Nemesis, that officer,
after having described the destruction of the numerous
boats and fire-rafts, distinctly said : — “ their wrecks
are lining both banks of the river nearly close up to
Tsingpoo, the landing -place, from which a good ap
proach appears to lead direct to the north gate of the
city wall, not more than four miles distant, with dry
footing the whole way.” He also intimated that artillery
might probably be brought there. Moreover, while
Captain Hall was lying in bed with pain and fever from
his disabled hand, the general himself and other officers
subsequently came down into his cabin, purposely to
make inquiry concerning the landing -place and the
country about it, such as it had been seen from the Ne
mesis.
On the following day, the 23rd , the Sulphur, under
Captain Belcher, having with him the Druid's Launch,
and several other boats, proceeded into the same creek,
in which Captain Herbert had found the landing-place
the day before, and destroyed one or two junks and
rafts which had been left the previous day, and some
others which had returned after their first escape. Five
junks and thirteen small boats were destroyed . The
practicable landing - place at Tsingpoo was also reported
on by that officer, and he added that he got himself
hoisted up to the mast -head of a junk, sextant in hand,
to get a look at the country, and observed the enemy
>
encamped on the verge of a hill, but that he “ had not
RETURN OF THE NEMESIS . 11
the slightest doubt that they would have fled , had he ad
vanced towards the hill .” As it was, however, he was
content with landing at the temple at Tsingpoo, and,
throwing into the river the five guns of the little masked
battery which had opened on the Nemesis the day be
fore, and had been silenced by her fire, but which Cap
tain Herbert had not thought it worth his while to de
stroy, as the war-junks and fire -rafts claimed his more
>
immediate attention.
Captain Belcher hastened down to the Blenheim the
same evening, and reported what he had done to Sir Le
Fleming Senhouse, “ who,” he says, (see voyage of the
Sulphur, p.184 to 187) “ had been sitting up for him, and
seemed delighted beyond measure at what he heard. ”
To return to the Nemesis, as she came back towards
the factories, from the scene of her exploits at Tsingpoo
on the previous day. The remarks of a gentleman who
was at Canton at the time are curious enough. Speak
ing of what occurred , he says : - “ From time to time
loud explosionswere heard in that direction [Tsingpoo) ;
dense volumes of smoke rose up continually, both black
and white, and announced some terrible work of de
struction. After some time a general cheer burst forth
from all those who were near me, as the Nemesis came
in sight, just rounding the corner on her return , towing
several boats after her towards the Macao passage. It
was an interesting and even ludicrous sight, as she ap
proached, to observe the boats, as well as the vessel
itself, decked out with Chinese flags, the men exhibiting
their trophies with evident pride, some rigged out in
every variety of Chinese dress, from mandarins down
12 PILLAGE AND DESTRUCTION
wards ; some with Chinese caps, and others with Chi
nese tails, with which a whole boat's crew were decorated .
Itappears that, when they took prisoners, they merely
cut off their tails, (a mark of deep disgrace to a China
man ) and let them go again about their business.” But
the novelty of the thing was highly amusing to our
Jack Tars, and the idea of wearing a tail a yard and a
half long seemed quite as preposterous, and , of course,
as ridiculous, as if they did not know that tails were
once worn by our own countrymen, and even cherished
with a vast deal of self -satisfied care by our own sailors
and soldiers, though not quite of the true Chinese
length.
But the day was by no means ended yet ; and, indeed,
the business had commenced so early (at dawn) that even
at this time it was little more than eight o'clock. And
now comes a scene of a very different kind. I have
before stated, that the guard of marines had been with
drawn from the factory, and the flag struck on the
previous day. A vast quantity of property had already
been removed, but much still remained, of considerable
value, and much more was supposed to be left behind of
still greater importance. All this became an object of
longing to the mob,, to say nothing of any natural feel
ing of hostility, which was ready to vent itself upon
something or other. Pillage now became the order of
the day. It is said even that a party of Chinese soldiers
were first sent down expressly to search for arms. Of
these they found none ; but there were still enough of
other things to tempt their avarice. They had certainly
the first choice of the booty, although the general mob
OF THE FACTORIES . 13
speedily joined in the general ransack . Several of the
officers, or low mandarins, were seen to be quite as busy
as the rest of the people, some even carrying away
plunder upon their horses, and others who had none
sending for them on purpose.
Readers who can picture to themselves the long,
gloomy labyrinths of passages, and alleys, and stair
cases, which are comprised within the piles of buildings
called the factories, can well imagine the terrible scene
of riot, destruction , and pillage which was going on ;
yet probably not worse than would have been committed
by an English mob under similar circumstances ; as
Bristol, Birmingham , and other places can testify. There
was a reckless destruction of property which could not
be removed, even after every article of furniture as well
as merchandize had been carried away . Doors and
windows were soon disposed of, and the very staircases
and stone floorings broken up and destroyed .
In the Old Company's or British Factory, the con
fusion was most terrible, because in it there remained
a greater number of valuable objects to destroy. The
beautiful chandeliers and fine looking -glasses were soon
annihilated and carried off piecemeal; and the noble large
marble statue which stood in the great hall served as an
object of especial vengeance, as if it contained within
itself the very germs or symbols of all the barbarian
nations of the earth, and could communicate to them a
portion of the insults now heaped upon it as it lay
prostrate in the hall.
During the whole day, the same mad scene of destruc
tion was continued ; and whatever still defied the hands
14 THE CHINESE CIVIC AUTHORITIES .
of the infuriate mob was at length made to yield to the
consuming power of fire. Not all the thirteen Hongs,
however, were visited with this terrible pillage ; many
of them escaped altogether'; which is somewhat remark
able ; but all those situated between the limits of Hog
Lane and a small creek which runs into the river at the
other end were entirely destroyed , except the bare walls.
Within this space were included the British, together with
the Dutch and the Creek Factories, a very fine and ex
tensive range of handsome buildings.
Towards the close of the day, when the work of de
struction was nearly completed, down came, at length, the
Prefect of the City in person, attended by a large party
of police. He now succeeded in driving away the main
body of the mob, and then gave charge of the factories
to the Hong merchants, to whom all the buildings be
longed, and who took possession of the little that
remained, with the assistance of a number of their own
hired labourers armed for the occasion .
The account given of this day's proceedings by a
highly respectable American merchant, who imprudently
remained behind the night before, is extremely valuable.
Without going into minute details, it will suffice to
mention that Mr. Coolidge was taken prisoner, after
being in great danger of being cut down , and was with
many insults carried into the heart of the city. As he
was marched along, he passed several bodies of soldiers
and coolies, or day -labourers, hurrying down towards
the factories, and dragging guns along with them. As
soon as he came near the head-quarters of the Tartar
general, the crowd and movement increased ; officers of
AMERICANS TAKEN PRISONERS. 15
every grade, grooms and messengers on horseback hur
rying to and fro, executioners and city-guards, together
with strange troops from distant provinces, in every
variety of costume— these were all huddled together,
and jostled in the greatest bustle and confusion .
After some delay, he was carried, with every possible
insult, before the criminal judge, and there, to his horror,
he discovered several of his countrymen , who had been
wounded and captured as they were trying to escape in
a boat down the river. The sufferings and indignities
they now underwent were extreme ; nor did their asser
tion that they were Americans prove of much service to
them, for they were told that, in that case, they “ ought
to speak a different language, and wear a different
dress .”
It is very certain, however, that the Chinese generally
at Canton know perfectly well the difference between
an American and an Englishman, politically. But, on the
other hand, when an Englishman gets into trouble there,
he most commonly declares himself to be an American ;
and how could the Chinese prove that he is not so ? But
the national distinction is perfectly well defined, even in
their own language, as is commonly known ; the Ameri
cans being called the “ people of the flowery flag,” from
the number of stars on it, while the English were known
as the “ red people,” or “ red -haired people,” an appella
tion originally applied to the Dutch traders.
The American prisoners remained in the condition I
have described, exposed to every possible suffering in
the common prison, for nearly two days, when they were
at length turned out, and carried in chairs to the ruined
16 ELLIOT'S PROCLAMATION .
factories, where they were planted among the ruins, just
as if they had been portions of the marble statue which
had been destroyed .
It was just at this time that our troops landed, namely,
the Cameronians, under Major Pratt (as will be presently
seen ), and, of course, every attention was paid to the
unhappy sufferers ; and, as Mr. Coolidge observes, “ I
cannot tell you with what feelings of good-will we looked
upon every one of those redcoats. "
To return , however, to the Nemesis. Soon after mid
day, while the work of destruction was going on at the
factories, she was ordered to convey Captain Elliot and
Captain Herbert with all speed down to Whampoa, in
order to make arrangements for the hasty advance of
the whole force, which was nearly all there assembled ,
not far from Whampoa. Captain Elliot, however, could
not forego the pleasure of giving a parting proclamation
to the Chinese, even then . He told the people of Canton
“ that their city had twice been spared, but that his
agreement with the three Commissioners had now been
violated by them, by the arming of their forts, and by
their secret preparations to attack the English, who were
the real protectors of the city .” IIe called upon them
“ to remember the hour of battle, and to consider whe
ther the troops of the other provinces now among them
were not the real scourges of the inhabitants ;" and, after
a little more in the same compassionate strain, he wound
up by calling upon them “ to turn out the Commissioners
and their troops from the city within twelve hours,
otherwise that the English would be obliged to withdraw
their protection from the city, and take military posses
THE STORM GATHERING . 17
sion of it, confiscating all the property to the Queen of
England .”
This must have sounded highly gratifying to the Chi
nese ; quite in the oriental style ; and it was exceedingly
probable that the mob of Canton would have the power,
even had they the will, to turn out about twenty thou
sand troops, together with the high authorities, all in
the twinkling of an eye, by a sort of talismanic “ Open
sesame.”
At Whampoa, a conference was held with the senior
naval officer, Sir Le Fleming Senhouse, and the general,
concerning the immediate steps to be taken ; and, before
dark the same evening, the Nemesis again rejoined the
advanced squadron near Canton , in the Macao passage.
The storm was now gathering thicker and thicker
every hour ; our forces were all by this time concen
trated within a few short miles of the city ; delay was
no longer possible ; and the moment appeared inevitably
come, though long delayed, when the Chinese authori
ties must yield to force, where “ reason ” and negociation
had been tried in vain, and written instruments had
failed .
VOL . II . с
18 CANTON .
CHAPTER XXII.
Canton and its neighbourhood—City walls—Palaces of the Mandarins—
Forts upon the heights — Preparations for the advance of our troops
from Whampoa - Important general order - Browne's passage, or the
main branch of the Canton river Chinese boats collected to convey
the troops - Chinese trade stopped - Departure - Flotilla towed by
Nemesis — Right column lands at the factories — Left column towed
-
up to Tsingpoo — Importance of iron steamers - Advantage in landing
troops — Reconnoissance by Sir Hugh Gough— False alarm — Naval
operations on the 24th, 25th, and 26th May, before Canton - Shameen
Fort attacked — Narrow escape of Captain Herbert and Captain Be
thune — Arsenal captured — French Fort and other works stormed .
A few remarks upon the city and neighbourhood of
Canton, before which our troops are now for the first
time about to appear, ( the previous operations of the
18th March having been entirely limited to the naval
forces) will contribute to the interest of the subsequent
narrative. The city of Canton, or Kwantung, is situated
upon the northern bank of the river usually known by
the same name, though sometimes called by Europeans
the Pearl river, from its Chinese name, Choo-keang.
Its distance from the Bogue is about forty miles.
The scenery around the city is extremely diversified .
On the northern and north - eastern sides it is com
manded by hills, the possession of which by an enemy
CANTON . 19
must of necessity place the city at his mercy. In other
directions it presents the aspect of a low and abun
dantly -watered plain, cut up by canals and little rivers,
which serve both for irrigation and for communication
with the interior. So numerous are they, that in some
parts nearly a third part of the whole surface is occu
pied by water. The appearance of the country is rich ,
and at most seasons beautifully green, being divided
into rice -fields and little gardens, with here and there a
clump of trees or a small village, or the country resi
dences of some of the wealthier inhabitants of the city,
to diversify the prospect .
About three or four miles to the westward of the city,
and curving round at the foot of the hills which com
mand it, runs the creek or river in which the war -junks
and fire- rafts had been destroyed by the Nemesis and
boats. The excellent landing-place at Tsingpoo, which
had been discovered on that occasion , was very conve
niently situated for the debarkation of troops destined
to attack the heights above the city, which are in fact
the key to its occupation .
The city and its suburbs occupy the whole space be
tween the hills and the river ; the suburbs, however,
being little less extensive than the city itself. The lat
ter is surrounded by a high wall, which has twelve en
trances, and it may be about six or seven miles in cir
cumference . On the south, or river side, a portion of the
suburbs extends down to the water-side ; and in the
western corner of these are situated the foreign facto
ries, and the principal packhouses of the Hong mer
chants, which are partly built on piles on the river's
C 2
20 CANTON .
bank. On the northern side, the wall rests directly
upon the brow of the hills ; and, indeed, there is a hill
of moderate elevation actually within the walls, the
possession of which would in fact give the command of
the entire city, and which could have been held by a
small force against any troops the Chinese could bring
against it. Another wall divides the city into two un
equal parts, running from east to west, and called the
Old and the New City, the latter being much more mo
dern than the former, but differing from it very little
in appearance. The residences of all the high officers,
the Viceroy, Lieutenant-Governor, Tartar General , and
others, together with a public arsenal, are situated in
the Old City ; but the moment we got possession of the
two forts, called the Dutch and French Follies, we
could command the whole of these places, withont in
any degree endangering the factories, which are at a
considerable distance to the westward in the suburbs.
It is unnecessary to say any thing concerning the
interior of the city, which is believed to contain nothing
very remarkable, except two fine pagodas. The streets,
as usual, are extremely narrow, being mere lanes or
alleys ; and those in the suburbs are in most respects
superior in appearance and cleanliness to those within
the actual city. As Canton lies just within the tropic,
it is subject to great heat in summer ; while , on the
other hand, the cold blasts which come from the high
ranges of mountains in northern Asia are severely felt
in winter.
The heights above the city were crowned with four
strong forts, built principally of brick at the upper part,
INPORTANT GENERAL ORDER . 21
but of stone below. They mounted altogether forty-two
guns of various calibre, together with a great number
of ginjals and wall-pieces. Between them and the city
walls, the distance of which varied from one hundred
and fifty to two hundred and fifty paces, there was an
irregular and in some parts deep and broken ravine.
The hill before described as within the circuit of the
walls was also within range of the heights ; and so im
portant was this position afterwards considered by Sir
Ilugh Gough, that he distinctly declared that, with
“ this in his possession, he would have been responsible
that the city should have been spared, and that not a
soldier should have entered the town farther than this
fortified height.”
With these few preliminary observations, we may
now return to the point at which our combined naval
and military forces were all concentrated , below Wham
poa, on the 22d and 23 March, having sailed from
Hong Kong on the 18th and 19th of that month .
An important general order was now issued by Sir
Hugh Gough, preparatory to the advance of our troops
upon Canton. It betokened the true feeling which ani
mated the expedition ; and, while it goes far to refute
the belief that wanton cruelty was inflicted upon the
Chinese, it does honour to the expedition, as primâ facie
evidence of the forbearance with which our power was
exercised . After first alluding to the novelty of the
Chinese system of warfare to the British soldier, as one
making up in cunning and artifice what it lacks in
discipline, and, after recommending extreme caution
against surprise and stratagem , and, above all , the ob
22
BRITISH CLEMENCY.
servance of the strictest discipline, Sir Hugh Gough
proceeds to remind his soldiers that “ Great Britain
had gained as much of fame by her clemency and for
bearance as by the gallantry of her troops. An enemy
in arms is always a legitimate foe ; but the unarmed , or
the supplicant for mercy, of whatever country or what
ever colour, a true British soldier will always spare.”
Such was in reality the feeling which animated the
whole expedition ; although the desultory attacks of
the Chinese, and the refusal of many of them to surren
der when all further resistance was useless, sometimes
occasioned aa loss of life which was to be deplored, but
which could not be prevented .
The channel through which our forces were now about
to advance upon Canton was one which had been not
long before examined for the first time, one may even
say discovered, by Mr. Browne, the master of the Calli
ope, Lieutenant Kellett, of the Starling, Mr. Johnson,
the master of the Conway, and other officers. It came
to be called Browne’s Passage, although Mr. Browne him
self called it the “ main branch of the Canton river.” It
runs to the southward of French Island, towards the Macao
passage, and is a much more important branch of the river
than that which runs along the northern side of that
island,which was first explored in the Nemesis by Captain
Herbert and Captain Elliot, and along which our vessels
had proceeded to the attack of the Macao Fort, as before
described . A glance at the accompanying map will suf
fice to render intelligible the course of all the branches
of the river in the neighbourhood of Canton.
In Captain Herbert's report to Sir Gordon Bremer,
CHINESE DEFENCES . 23
in the middle of March, referring to some of these pas
sages, he stated that “ boats from the Calliope, Herald ,
Hyacinth, Sulphur, and Starling, had on several occa
sions explored the channels in the south branch of the
river, from Danes’ Island upwards, and that they had
found a safe and deep passage for vessels drawing six
teen feet water up to the city of Canton, except two
bars, which it required high water to pass . ” Mr. Browne
and Lieutenant Kellett, with the boats, had proceeded
along the channel between Danes' and French Islands,
and then entered the passage, which runs along the
southern side of the latter.
The Chinese had commenced preparations for the
defence of these channels at several points ; there was a
battery of ten guns, another of fourteen, and one of four
guns, in the passage between the two islands, or French
river, which was too small for ships to pass through it.
Other batteries were also found in the so-called Browne's
Passage, one of which was calculated to mount thirty
seven guns . Indeed, in all the branches of the river, batte
ries were found, some partially, some completely, finished .
At one of these, a little above the last mentioned , there
were not less than forty guns ready for mounting, newly
cast, and with quite new carriages. But the Chinese
offered no resistance ; and, on one occasion, Lieutenant
Kellett invited the mandarin in charge of one of these
forts to come and breakfast with him, presuming that
he had more appetite for food than for fighting.
Mr. Browne and Mr. Johnson made a good rough sur
vey of the whole of this important channel, in which
there was found to be depth of water sufficient for our
24 PREPARATIONS FOR ATTACK .
largest transports, to the distance of about ten miles.
Even a line-of -battle ship, the Blenheim, was carried up
nearly as far as the transports ; and hence the beginning
of the passage along the southern bank of Danes' Island
obtained the name of the Blenheim Reach . It is here that
our largest merchant ships have since usually anchored.
The 23rd of May was occupied, as might be expected,
in completing the necessary preparations for the con 2
veyance of our troops, marines, small-arm men, and
camp -followers, up to the city of Canton . It was the
general wish of the officers of the expedition that the
attack should take place on her Majesty's birthday, in
order that a salute might be fired in honour of the occa
sion from the heights of Canton , and that the roar of
our artillery should announce the success of our arms,
and the avenging of our honour, while it celebrated our
loyalty, and the love of our country. Captain Herbert
even assured Sir Le Fleming Senhouse, in a letter dated
the 22nd, that “ he had no reason to doubt that, if the
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