It being considered important that possession should be taken of an
island on the eastern coast, to facilitate the blockade of the great
river Tang-tze, the chief artery of China--an object Captain Elliot
had strongly advised--Chusan, opposite to the city of Ningpo, was the
island fixed on.
Commodore Sir Gordon Bremer, with his broad pennant flying on board
the 'Wellesley,' having established the blockade of the Canton River,
left Macao Roads on the 24th of June, accompanied by Her Majesty's
schooner 'Young Hebe' and four transports, and being joined on the
way by the 'Atalanta' and 'Queen' steamers, reached the anchorage
under the Buffalo's Nose, on the 1st July, where the squadron under
Captain Bethune, of Her Majesty's ship 'Conway,' as Senior Captain,
had before assembled.
The fleet consisted of the 'Wellesley,' 'Conway,' 'Alligator,'
'Cruiser,' 'Algerine,' 'Rattlesnake,' and 'Young Hebe;' and
'Atalanta' and 'Queen,' steamers.
The next day the fleet proceeded to an anchorage off Chusan, when
Captain Bethune, accompanied by the Master of the 'Wellesley,' in the
'Atalanta' steam-sloop, reconnoitred the harbour, and sounded the
passage up it.
The next day, the 4th, the 'Wellesley,' towed by the 'Atalanta,' and
followed by the whole fleet, proceeded up the harbour; and when the
flood made, the 'Wellesley' anchored abreast of the town of Ting-hai;
12 Chinese war-junks following from the lower anchorage.
On her passage the 'Wellesley' took on board two fishermen to act as
pilots. The simple fellows had no idea that she was a ship-of-war,
and told the crew that their mandarins would treat them with
kindness, and allow them to trade a little. On being informed that
the English were going to drive away the mandarins, and take
possession--raising their hands, with a look of horror, they
exclaimed, "You cannot! you cannot."
The appearance of the harbour of Chusan is very picturesque; and both
the shore and the heights near the sea seemed to be thickly
inhabited. The suburbs extend some way along the water's edge, with
a wharf in front of them, near which were moored a large number of
trading-craft.
As the British fleet entered the harbour, eleven war-junks bore down
upon them, but put about and retired as they sailed on, ultimately
forming a line in front of the trading-junks, as if to protect the
shore from being invaded.
On the right was a rugged hill 200 feet high, with a joss-house on
the summit, where some 800 men were posted, with six guns; while some
30 guns were placed along the wharfs; and on the left was a small
Martello tower, mounting eight more.
About 600 troops occupied this space, who, aided by a large number of
the inhabitants, were busily employed in fortifying the ramparts.
The 'Conway' and 'Alligator,' as they came in, took up positions in
front and flank of the hill with the joss-house on the summit.
The Commodore entertained hopes that the overwhelming force of the
British would induce the Chinese to yield without striking a blow.
He accordingly sent a summons to the Chinese Vice-Admiral, who was
present in his junk, by Commander John Vernon Fletcher, of the
'Wellesley,' and Lord Viscount Jocelyn, attended by the Rev. Mr.
Gutzlaff, the interpreter, demanding the surrender of the town and
island within six hours.
The war-junks, which carry about 50 men each, are easily
distinguished by their flaunting streamers, red-muzzled guns, and
painted poops; that of the Admiral was known by its more numerous
pennons, and three tigers' heads painted on the high stern. Captain
Fletcher's party were received with perfect civility; and tea was
handed to them. In half an hour, the Admiral, an old man, arrived;
and, after some conversation, agreed to go on board the flagship. On
reaching the 'Wellesley,' and the objects of the expedition being
explained to him and his officers, he complained of the hardship that
the people of that district should be made answerable by the English
for wrongs they had received at Canton. "We see your strength," he
observed, "and know that opposition will be madness, but we must
perform our duty, though we fall in so doing." The Commodore on
this, earnestly entreated them to spare an immense effusion of blood
by yielding at once, and gave them till the following morning to
consider the matter.
Their last words, before quitting the ship, were, "If you do not hear
from us before sunrise, the consequences be upon our own heads." We
quote partly, from Viscount Jocelyn's very interesting account of the
affair. During the night, by the light of thousands of painted
lanterns, one of which is carried by every Chinese who moves about
after dark, crowds were perceived throwing up embankments, and
placing gingalls and fresh guns in position, while the sound of
gongs, and other warlike demonstrations, showed that the people were
resolved not to yield without fighting. "The merchant junks were
faintly seen through the shades of darkness, heaving up their heavy
anchors, and stealing silently through the fleet, laden half-way up
their masts, with goods and merchandize; and crowded with women and
children. These were allowed to pass, although in their cargoes many
a captain might have made his fortune."
As the morning of the 5th dawned, the quays and shore appeared lined
with troops in considerable force, while, from the mastheads, numbers
were seen on the plain between the suburbs and the city walls. The
war-junks were hauled on shore, in line, with their rudders unhung,
and, in addition to the guns before mentioned, presented 34 guns and
45 large gingalls.
At 8 A.M., the signal was hoisted to prepare for action; but the
Commodore, anxious to save life, did not give the order to engage.
The flood-tide, at noon, brought the mass of the transports in; and
the Commodore, hoping that, when the Chinese saw the troops preparing
to land in full force, they would negotiate, still waited till 2
P.M., before he began the attack. The troops then left the
transports, in the boats of the squadron, and took up their position
in two lines, in rear of the men-of-war, to land under cover of their
fire. At the same time a shot was fired from the 'Wellesley,' at the
Round Tower, falling, as was intended, at the foot of it, without
doing the slightest injury. This shot was instantly answered by the
whole line of the Chinese defence, and was returned with terrible
effect by the squadron; and the crashing of timber, falling houses,
and groans of men resounded from the shore.
The cannonade lasted but from seven to eight minutes; though a few
shots were heard from the junks, which were unhurt. When the smoke
cleared away, a mass of ruin appeared; and on the place lately alive
with men, a few wounded only were seen, among whom was the brave old
Admiral, borne from his ship by a faithful few, with the loss of his
leg, from a round shot.
The troops had fled, four junks were knocked to pieces, and the
battery on the Custom-house wharf was destroyed. Before the last
shot was fired the right wing of the 18th Royal Irish regiment, under
the command of Major Adams, and the Royal Marines of the squadron,
under the command of Captain Ellis, of the 'Wellesley,' forming the
advance, landed, and were immediately followed by detachments of Her
Majesty's 26th and 49th regiments of the Madras artillery, and
sappers and miners, and the Bengal volunteer corps, and the remainder
of the troops: and at 50 minutes past 2 P.M., the British flag
floated on the first military position in the Chinese empire
conquered by Her Majesty's forces. On the troops reaching the summit
of the Temple hill, they discovered an inner town, on the ramparts of
which appeared numerous banners, and crowds of soldiers beating their
tom-toms and gongs, and beckoning the English to the attack, while
they opened a fire from their wall-pieces which did no damage
whatever. The Commodore and Brigadier Burrell, fearing from this the
dreadful necessity of a breach and escalade, resolved not to attack
the place till the following day. Fortunately for the cause of
humanity, after a few shells had been fired into it, the Chinese
troops evacuated the place during the night, and, with many of the
inhabitants, fled into the country. The civil magistrate, with some
of his officers, were killed, and the governor of the town drowned
himself in despair.
By the fire of the ships, the Commodore expresses his thankfulness,
in his despatch, that 25 persons only were killed, all fighting men.
The old Admiral died in a few days at Ningpo, after honours had been
heaped on him for his bravery. Though the ships of the squadron were
frequently struck, no damage of the slightest consequence was done to
them, and one man of the 'Conway' only was wounded.
The Commodore speaks of the zeal and activity of Capts. Bethune,
Maitland, and Kuper, of Her Majesty's ships 'Conway,' 'Wellesley,'
and 'Alligator;' Commanders Giffard and Fletcher, of the 'Cruiser'
and 'Wellesley;' Lieut. Mason, of Her Majesty's brig 'Algerine;' Mr.
Brodie, R.N., commanding Her Majesty's troop ship 'Rattlesnake;' and
Mr. C. E. Hodgkinson, mate, R.N., commanding Her Majesty's schooner
'Young Hebe;' of the Commanders and officers of the Honourable East
India Company's steam vessels of war, 'Atalanta' and 'Queen,' as also
of every officer, seaman and marine in the squadron--remarks that the
Royal Marines under Captain Ellis maintained the high character of
their corps for steadiness and soldier-like good conduct--and he
thanks Viscount Jocelyn for his readiness on all occasions, and
expresses his satisfaction at the zeal, intelligence, and
perseverance of the masters of the transports, and the regularity of
their conduct throughout.
Chusan being thus easily gained, was held till the 24th of February
in the following year, when it was evacuated that the troops and
ships employed in its defence might take a part in the hostilities at
that time more formally commenced against China. On the 7th of July,
Admiral Elliot arrived at Chusan. On the 10th, a blockade of the
China coast was established from Ningpo to the mouth of the Keang
river. Captain Elliot, however, was employed for some time, though
to little effect, in negotiating with the Chinese, and for this
purpose entered in a steamer the river Peiho, which flows past
Peking. A conference was held on shore, August 30th, below the town
of Tientsing, between Captain Elliot and Keshen, the grand
Commissioner, who superseded Lin. This town is at the head of the
Great Canal of China, and the chief communication for trade with the
north, and at its mouth was a large fleet of junks, so that had the
Chinese turned restive, in a few hours the British squadron, by
burning the town and fleet, might have struck a blow which would have
speedily brought them to terms. Keshen showed himself a good
diplomatist by obtaining time, which the Chinese employed in
increasing their fortifications. The squadron sailed north, and
visited the great wall of China, which was seen extending for a
considerable distance along a plain, and terminating in a
strongly-fortified town close to the sea. On the passage the boats
of the 'Pylades' corvette, Captain Anson, were on the point of
boarding three junks, when as they ranged along side one of them,
upwards of a hundred men who had been concealed started up and
commenced firing and hurling spears and stinkpots upon the crews.
The British shoved off to a short distance, with two men killed and
five wounded, and poured in some well-directed volleys which killed
half the pirates; the remainder jumping overboard, and making for the
shore, though many were drowned on their way. The other two pirates
effected their escape.
During this time the 'Conway,' Captain Bethune, surveyed sixty miles
of the course of the Yeang-se-Keang river, up which a line-of-battle
ship might sail. During the survey, Mr. Harvey, a young midshipman
of great promise, was sent on shore with a party to obtain cattle and
vegetables, when they were set on by a body of natives. In the fray
one seaman was killed, and Mr. Harvey was so dangerously wounded,
that he died on the return of his ship to Chusan.
The 'Algerine,' 10 guns, Lieut.-Commander Mason, on passing the town
of Chapoo, a place of great trade with Japan, was fired on from a
strong fort, mounting a large number of guns. He immediately ranged
up under the batteries which he engaged for three hours, during which
time the Chinese kept up a heavy fire, and he had almost expended his
ammunition before he silenced them. A mandarin on the ramparts
showed much courage, by freely exposing himself, and directing his
soldiers, while the shot from the brig was falling round him in all
directions.
The soldiers, kept without employment in Chusan, suffered much by the
poisonous exhalations from the paddy-fields, from the effects of
which numbers died, while the seamen of the 'Melville,' which was
hove down, having got part of her keel torn away, perfectly kept
their health for the six weeks she was under repair. It was a
favourite exploit of the Chinese to kidnap the English; and Captain
Anstruther, an officer of Madras artillery, was thus carried off
while taking a survey within a mile of the encampment at Chusan. The
crew of the 'Kite' wrecked on the coast, and Mrs. Noble, the
captain's wife, were also captured, but they were all ultimately set
at liberty on Chusan being given up to the Chinese.
We now bid farewell to Chusan, and have to describe another important
exploit performed by Captain Smith.