Rupture with China page 3

Towards the end of the year, Lin, who styled himself " Imperial High Commissioner, and Yang, Viceroy of Wan-tung," issued a decree against the importation of any British goods, concluding thus: - "We, the High Commissioner and Viceroy, are at no loss for skilful translators and interpreters, so that it will be still more easy for us to ascertain the country whence they come. Let, then, every foreign merchant beware! Do not, for a trifling advantage, lose a much more important object, thus involving yourselves in the same unpleasant consequences." Captain Elliot, hoping to mollify the Viceroy by soft words and a submissive manner, petitioned him in the following humble terms: - " England having already enjoyed commercial intercourse with the heavenly dynasty for about 200 years, all that I now beg at this time is the continuance of our legal commerce as of old; and that everything be done in respectful submission to the statutes of the great pure dynasty, while at the same time the laws of my native country be not opposed, thus causing that both may exist and remain together."

Lin's reply is a model of haughty condescension. After enumerating the crimes of the English, he said, " Having already closed the port against you, properly speaking, we ought to hold no further communication with you; but seeing that you have addressed a duly prepared petition, begging and praying for certain favours, we, out of pure indulgence, now take up the reason of our conduct, and with the utmost clearness make the same known unto you, causing at the same time that all the people of your country, as well as yourself, may equally and alike know the cause why this port is now shut against you."

Some concessions were, however, made, and the trade was resumed below the Bocca Tigris, until an unfortunate occurrence caused further complications. Captain "Warner of the Thomas Coutts, having arrived from Singapore, instead of repairing to Hong Kong, broke through the regulations of the British superintendent, proceeded direct to the Bocca Tigris, and signed the required bond of consent to the new laws involving the infliction of capital punishment by Chinese forms of trial. In consequence of this, Lin required that all other British ships should enter only on the same terms. Matters now proceeded to hostilities. On the 3rd of November a Chinese squadron of twenty-nine sail anchored close to the British vessels, when the Chinese demanded that an Englishman should be delivered up to them. Captain Smith resolved to compel them to return to their former anchorage. At noon, therefore, the signal was made to engage, and the ships then lying hove to at the extreme end of the Chinese line, bore away ahead in close order, having the wind on the starboard beam. In this way, and under easy sail, they ran down the Chinese line, pouring in a destructive fire. The lateral direction of the wind enabled the ships to perform the same evolution from the other extreme of the line, running up again with their larboard broadsides bearing. The Chinese answered with much spirit, but the terrible effect of the English fire was soon manifest. One war junk blew up at pistol-shot distance from the Volage, three were sunk, and several others waterlogged. In less than three quarters of an hour the Chinese admiral retired in great distress to his former anchorage. The Chinese authorities at Canton sent a boat-load of poisoned tea packed in small parcels to be sold to the English sailors; but the boat happened to be captured by Chinese pirates, who sold the cargo to their countrymen, many of whom died in consequence. Rewards were also offered on a graduated scale for the ships and heads of the English; 20,000 Spanish dollars for an English man-of-war, 3,000 for an English commander, and so on. The proof required of having destroyed a ship was her board with her name - of having killed an Englishman, his head; either of which, on being delivered to any district magistrate, entitled the dearer to receive the promised reward. Englishmen sailing or pulling in small schooners or boats were ordered to be attacked and exterminated. The proclamation said, Honours, rewards, and happiness will be the lot of him who kills an Englishman." An attempt was also made to burn the British shipping, which was happily frustrated. On a very dark night a number of fire-rafts, constructed of very old fishing boats filled with combustible materials and ignited, were set afloat towards the vessels, but the danger was perceived in time to be avoided.

But the crisis was now at hand. On Sunday the 5th of July, 1840, the English captured the island of Chusan, and for the first time wrested from his Celestial Majesty a portion of his dominions. On the previous day the Wellesley, the Conway, the Alligator, the Rattlesnake, and two transports arrived in the anchorage of Chusan harbour, the ships of war taking up a position, in front of a hill upon which there was a large temple or "joss house." A summons to surrender was answered by the appearance of the Chinese admiral and two mandarins on board the Wellesley, who acknowledged their inability to resist, but attempted to evade the requirement. They were told that if the city did not surrender by daybreak next morning, it would be attacked. In the morning the hill and shore were crowded with troops, and from the mast heads the city was seen at the distance of a mile with the walls well manned. On Temple Hill, about the landing place, and on a round tower adjacent, were planted twenty-four guns of small calibre, while a number of war junks hovered near our ships. Major-General Burrell, however, determined to land his troops. A fire was immediately opened upon them from the batteries on shore, and from the war junks. These were soon silenced by broadsides from the British ships. The invading force was then placed in position before the city, when a fire was opened from the walls, which was kept up till midnight without doing any execution whatever. Early on the morning of the 6th ten guns were got into position within 400 yards of the walls, on which the flags were seen floating as they had been on the preceding evening. But no sound was heard, no human being was visible; all was as still as a city of the dead. A reconnoitring party advanced to see whether it had been evacuated, and scaled the walls by means of a ladder which was found outside. Then was given a touching proof of the great truth that God has made of one blood all the nations that dwell upon the earth, and that however different portions of our race may stigmatise one another as barbarians, in times of emergency and danger they mutually recognise the instincts and sympathies of a common nature. Two unarmed Chinese appeared above the gate, and hung a placard over the wall, on which was inscribed this appeal - " Save us for the sake of our wives and children."

A company of the 49th Regiment took possession of the principal gate, and the British flag was planted on the ramparts of the city of Ting-Hae. The walls were built of granite and brick, and were about six miles in circumference, with numerous bastions, surrounded by a ditch or canal about twenty-five feet wide, so that the place could have been easily defended by good troops.