[Illustration: Tombs of the Kings, and sculptured Monsters]
NARRATIVE
OF THE
VOYAGES AND SERVICES
OF
THE NEMESIS
FROM 1840 TO 1843,
AND OF
THE COMBINED NAVAL AND MILITARY OPERATIONS IN
CHINA:
COMPRISING A COMPLETE ACCOUNT OF THE
Colony of Hong-Kong
AND
REMARKS ON THE CHARACTER & HABITS OF THE CHINESE.
FROM THE NOTES OF
COMMANDER W. H. HALL, R.N.
WITH PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS,
BY
W. D. BERNARD, ESQ. A.M. OXON.
SECOND EDITION.
LONDON:
HENRY COLBURN, PUBLISHER,
GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
1845.
PREFACE
TO
THE FIRST EDITION.
The design originally proposed, when the following work was undertaken,
has been somewhat departed from during its progress towards completion.
Not only did the interest awakened by the various subjects treated of
greatly increase, as the Author proceeded in his attempt to describe
the scenes in which the Nemesis bore so distinguished a part, but the
introduction of much collateral matter seemed to be called for, in
order to enable him fully to illustrate the current of passing events.
Hence the narrative of the adventures of the Nemesis gradually expanded
itself into a complete history of the origin, progress, and termination
of all the recent interesting occurrences in China, including a full
and accurate account of all the operations of the war, and of the
complicated difficulties from which it originated, as well as of the
peculiar features that marked its progress.
In addition, therefore, to her own interesting tale, the Nemesis
supplied a valuable foundation upon which to build up a more enlarged
history. The Author had long taken a deep interest in all that
concerned our relations with China; and with a view to study personally
the character of the people, and to obtain accurate information by
observation on the spot, he paid a lengthened visit to that country in
1842. He there had the good fortune to fall in with the Nemesis, and
through the kindness of Captain Hall, he subsequently proceeded in her
to Calcutta in the beginning of 1843. He has thus been enabled to add
to the history of the operations copious notices of the various places
visited by the expedition; and has given a full description of the
New Colony of Hong-Kong, with remarks upon its vast importance as a
possession of the British empire upon the threshold of China.
Incidental observations have been introduced upon the character of
the Chinese people, and the new prospects which have been opened to
us, through the extraordinary changes which have taken place in our
intercourse with them, in a social, moral, mercantile, and religious
point of view. These will be met with according as they were suggested
by particular occurrences, or prompted by localities described in the
work. The Maps and Illustrations will also contribute to give interest
to the Narrative.
The Author owes some apology to naval and military readers for
the apparent presumption with which he has ventured to handle so
many details of a professional character; nor indeed would he have
undertaken the task without the able advice and correction of officers
who were themselves actors in the scenes described. The valuable
assistance and co-operation of Captain Hall, who was actively employed
in China during the whole period of the war, and whose services in
command of the Nemesis need no extraneous encomium, were indispensable
to the completion of the work. The Author also gladly avails himself
of this opportunity of acknowledging the kindness of Capt. Sir Thomas
Herbert, R.N., K.C.B., who obligingly permitted him to have access
to his plans and documents; and to numerous other naval and military
officers the best thanks of Captain Hall and himself are due.
Those readers who are alive to the important progress of steam
navigation cannot fail to take a deep interest in the history of the
first iron steamer that ever doubled the Cape of Good Hope. In the
narrative of her curious and protracted voyage will be found many
notices of the places she visited, and in particular of some of the
Portuguese slave settlements on the east coast of Africa, at Delagoa
Bay at Mozambique, &c. The description given of the Comoro Islands will
probably be quite new to most readers.
At the end of the work will be found an account of a visit to some of
the harbours of the important island of Hainan, which must acquire
greater importance through the progressive increase of our commercial
intercourse with China; and in the Appendix have been added the
new regulations concerning trade in China, and an abstract of the
supplementary treaty recently concluded.
With much diffidence, but entertaining a hope that the numerous
subjects touched upon in these volumes have not been hastily or crudely
handled, the Author commits his Narrative to the kind indulgence of his
readers.
W. D. B.
OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE CLUB,
_March, 1844_.
PREFACE
TO
THE SECOND EDITION.
The rapid sale of the first edition, and the unexpected favour which
the work has met with, have induced the Author to put forth a second
edition, in a somewhat condensed and cheaper form. While no passages
have been omitted which appeared essential to the completeness of the
narrative, and none curtailed which seemed calculated to keep alive
the general interest in the current of events, it is hoped, that
the condensation of the whole into one volume, will be considered
advantageous to a numerous class of readers.
The woodcuts have been all retained, and an additional map of the
east coast of China, comprising all the recent improvements, has been
added. A few corrections in the detail of facts have been made, at the
suggestion of officers engaged, and it is hoped that this edition will
be found to possess some advantages over the first. The Author gladly
takes this opportunity of thanking the naval and military officers
concerned, for their indulgence, and also a considerate public for the
friendly reception which has been accorded to the work.
The Author is willing to believe that he owes more to the interest of
the subject itself, when simply handled, than to his own individual
efforts, however conscientiously directed.
LONDON,--1844.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
ENGRAVINGS.
Tombs of the Kings, and sculptured Monsters Frontispiece.
The Nemesis to face p. 1
Battle of Woosung 396
Portrait of the Chief Priest of the Porcelain Tower 451
WOODCUTS.
Plan of a Temporary Rudder 14
Plan of Lee-Board 16
New Method of strengthening Iron Steamers 31
Plans of Repairs of Nemesis 32, 33
Plan of Naval Operations before Canton, 18th of March 198
Bridge of Boats at Ningpo 332
Chinese Caricatures of the English 367
MAPS.
Track Chart, England to China 56
Hong-Kong 246
East Coast of China 448
Canton River, and its branches, with Plan of Operations at Canton
end of the vol.
[Illustration: The Nemesis]
VOYAGES AND SERVICES
OF
THE NEMESIS.
CHAPTER I.
The year 1839 will long be remembered by all those who have taken any
interest in Eastern affairs. The harsh and unwarrantable measures of
Commissioner Lin, the imprisonment of Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary
and all other English subjects, and the wild but brief career of
uncontrolled violence which marked his reign, called imperatively on
our part for stronger measures than had yet been resorted to; and such
measures were at once adopted by the Court of Directors of the East
India Company, as well as by the government of the country, their
direct object being to ensure the speedy departure of an adequate force
for the protection of British subjects and British trade in China, and
to demand proper reparation for the violence and insult offered to Her
Majesty's representative.
It was scarcely to be expected that, under these circumstances,
hostilities could be altogether avoided; and, as the principal scene
of them, if they occurred, would be in rivers and along the coasts,
attention was directed to the fitting out of armed vessels, which
should be peculiarly adapted for that particular service. Iron, as
a material for ship-building, had been already tried, and found to
answer; and this was considered an extremely favourable opportunity
for testing the advantages or otherwise of iron steam-vessels; and the
numerous rivers along the coast of China, hitherto very imperfectly
known, and almost totally unsurveyed, presented an admirable field
for these experiments. If successful there, it might be readily
inferred that their utility in the fine rivers and along the shores of
Hindostan, and other portions of the Company's territories, would be
demonstrated, and by degrees a very powerful steam fleet would become
an invaluable addition to the already vast resources of the Indian
government.
Orders were therefore given for the immediate building of several stout
iron steamers, to be constructed with peculiar reference to their
employment in river navigation. They were all to be adequately armed
and manned, and no reasonable expense was to be spared in fitting
them out in a manner best adapted to the particular object sought to
be attained by them. No iron steamer had ever yet doubled the Cape of
Good Hope; their qualities, therefore, remained yet to be tested in the
stormy seas about Southern Africa; and various questions respecting the
errors of the compasses, the effects of lightning, &c., upon vessels
of this description, remained still imperfectly solved, particularly
in reference to those tropical regions, where the great phenomena
of nature are exhibited in a more intense and dangerous degree. In
fact, no experience had yet been gained of their capabilities for the
performance of long and perilous voyages; and it was a bold conception
which suggested that they should be sent round the Cape, to the
eastward, in the very worst season of the year, when even the stoutest
and largest _wooden ships_ trust themselves as little as possible in
that stormy region.
The equipment and destination of the Nemesis, however, was kept a
profound secret, except to those who were personally concerned in it,
and even they (with the exception of the authorities) had little notion
of the precise service upon which she was to be employed.
The Nemesis was at length finished, and sent to sea as a private
armed steamer. She was never commissioned under the articles of war,
although commanded principally by officers belonging to the Royal Navy;
neither was she classed among the ships of the regular navy of the East
India Company. In short, the Nemesis was equipped under very peculiar
circumstances, which, together with the novelty of her construction,
caused her to become an object of very general interest. The "_wooden_
walls" of England had, in fact, been so long identified with her
proudest recollections, and had constituted for so many centuries her
national "boast," that it seemed an almost _unnational_ innovation
to attempt to build them of iron. Indeed, it was rather looked upon
as one of the dangerous experiments of modern days. Moreover, as the
_floating_ property of wood, without reference to its shape or fashion,
rendered it the most natural material for the construction of ships,
so did the _sinking_ property of iron make it appear, at first sight,
very ill adapted for a similar purpose. It was sometimes forgotten that
even wooden ships are composed of wood, iron, and copper together, and
that the bulkiness of these necessary materials greatly diminishes the
buoyancy of the wood.
A minute and scientific description of the structure of the Nemesis
will be found in the United Service Journal for May, 1840, and it
will therefore be sufficient, in this place, merely to notice one or
two peculiarities, in which it differs from that of wooden ships in
general. With the exception of the great paddle-beams, across the ship,
and the _planks_ of the deck and the cabin-fittings, together with one
or two other parts, the names of which would be only intelligible to
the scientific reader, the whole vessel was built of iron.
Credit is due to Mr. Laird, of the Birkenhead Iron Works, Liverpool,
for the admirable manner in which she was constructed, and for the
elegance of her form and model, which fully answered every purpose
required of her.
Her burden was about 680 tons, and her engines of 120-horse power,
constructed by Messrs. Forrester and Co., also of Liverpool; and with
twelve days' supply of coals, together with water and provisions for
four months, and stores of all sorts for two years, with duplicate
machinery, &c., and all her armament complete, her mean load draught
of water was only _six feet_. But commonly, in actual service, she
drew little more than five feet. Her length over all was 184 feet, her
breadth 29 feet, and her depth 11 feet. Her keel-plate was laid, and
the vessel built and launched, in the short space of three months.
Strictly speaking, the Nemesis has no fixed keel, but the lower plate
of iron, which connects the two sides of the ship together along its
middle, is called the keel-plate. She is, therefore, almost perfectly
flat-bottomed; and, in order to obviate, as much as possible, the
disadvantages attendant upon this peculiar construction, there are two
sliding or moveable keels, capable of being raised or lowered to the
depth of five feet below the bottom of the vessel. Each of these keels
is about seven feet in length, one being placed before and the other
abaft the engine-room. They are each enclosed in a narrow case or tank,
one foot wide, running from the bottom of the vessel up to the deck,
and which, of course being open below, allows the water to rise in it,
to the level of the sea on the outside of the vessel. In this, the
keel, which is of wood, 4½ inches thick, works up and down by means of
a small winch, and a strong chain which is attached to it. Thus it is
evident, that either the foremost or the aftermost keel can be raised
or lowered, independently of the other, if circumstances require it.
As it would, however, be impossible to steer with accuracy, a vessel of
this construction, with a rudder merely of the ordinary description,
and which, from its shallowness, would, in a heavy sea, be in a great
measure out of water, there is a contrivance by which a moveable or
false rudder is attached to the lower part of the true or fixed rudder,
and which descends to the same depth as the two false keels, and, like
them, can be raised or lowered at pleasure.
The main or true rudder was composed of wood, but the lower or false
rudder was made of iron, and was so constructed as to grasp the lower
part of the upper or fixed one, firmly on either side, but was bolted
through in such a way as to be moveable, as if it were fastened by a
hinge, so that, by means of a chain run up to the taffrail from its
outer edge, it could be hauled up to any height required.
The next striking peculiarity in the construction of the Nemesis was,
that the entire vessel was divided into seven water-tight compartments,
by means of iron bulkheads; so that, in fact, it somewhat resembled a
number of iron tanks, cased over, so as to assume the external form of
one connected vessel. By this means, the occurrence of any accident,
such as striking on a rock, or shot-holes, &c., which might occasion a
dangerous leak in one compartment, would have no effect upon any other
part of the vessel.
The advantages of this arrangement were often tested, during her
three years' hard service; and, indeed, within a few days after her
first departure from Liverpool, as will be presently related, this
contrivance sufficed to save her from the almost certain destruction
which would otherwise have awaited her.
The last peculiarity which it seems necessary here to mention, was the
provision of some kind of instrument for counteracting the effect of
the local attraction of so large a mass of iron upon the compasses, and
for correcting the errors occasioned thereby. This difficulty had been
seriously felt by Colonel Chesney, on board the small iron steamers
which he had under his orders, during his expedition to the Euphrates;
although he was of opinion, that the placing of the compasses at a
certain height _above_ the vessel, so as to be further removed from the
sphere of the local attraction of the iron, was sufficient to reduce
their errors materially.
Without entering into the merits of Barlow's counteracting plates,
or Professor Airy's interesting discoveries, it will be sufficient
here to mention, that the Nemesis was fitted with correctors, very
much according to the system of Professor Airy, but not under his own
superintendence; that the experiments were conducted at Liverpool
under every disadvantage, and that the result was never perfectly
satisfactory. Indeed, the accident which shortly befel her, has been
attributed, upon strong grounds, principally to the imperfection of
her compasses. It is right, however, to mention, that other vessels,
such as the Phlegethon and Pluto, which have been fitted with Airy's
correctors, tested according to the most approved principles, and after
experiments conducted with great attention, have been totally relieved
from this source of danger and anxiety, and have been navigated with
perfect accuracy and confidence.
We may now come to the interesting moment of the departure of the
Nemesis from Liverpool, where she was built. Everything seemed at first
to prosper; the weather was favourable, and the machinery perfect in
all its parts. She had cleared the narrowest part of the Irish Channel,
had passed the coast of Wales, and crossed the entrance to the Bristol
Channel; and the course she had been steering would have taken her well
clear of the Land's End.
It was now the second day since her departure. About two o'clock in the
morning, the weather being still hazy and the night dark, she struck
heavily on a rock.
Of course the engines were instantly stopped, but the _way_ she already
had on her appeared sufficient to carry her over the reef; and, indeed,
the actual rocks themselves could be seen outside of her, so that she
had evidently passed between them and the land, and had merely struck
the edge of the reef.
Finding that the vessel did not _hang_ upon the reef, and was therefore
still afloat, her head was turned to seaward, and the engines kept
working slowly, while the dawn was anxiously expected. It was now
discovered, that the rocks upon which she had struck were aptly enough
called "The Stones," lying at the entrance to the bay of St. Ives, in
Cornwall, and not very far distant from the Land's End. It was soon
evident, also, that the accident had occasioned a very serious leak, in
one of the foremost compartments of the vessel. It was with difficulty
that the water could be kept lower in it than the level of the sea
outside, with the hand-pump; and, in fact, if the vessel had not been
divided into these water-tight compartments, it is difficult to imagine
that the accident would not have been fatal to her.
However, she was carried, without much difficulty, round the Land's
End, into Mount's Bay, where she anchored about three miles from
Penzance, off St. Michael's Mount. The object here was to procure an
additional pump, in the hope of being able, by that means, to empty
the tank or compartment, so as to be able to stop the leak from the
inside. Fortunately, one perfectly adapted for the purpose was obtained
from a small coasting-vessel which was at anchor in the bay. It was
an iron one, and has been preserved on board ever since, and, on many
occasions, has been found of the greatest utility. Indeed, every vessel
of this description should be provided with an extra pump of this kind,
to be worked by hand, and at all times ready to be placed into any
compartment, as an additional means of pumping it out, and also as a
security against fire, for the purpose of pumping water into the vessel
in case of necessity.
With the assistance of this additional pump, the water in the
compartment was completely emptied, and, then it was discovered that a
hole had been cut completely through her bottom by the rock, but could
now be easily stopped from the inside.
This being speedily effected, the vessel pursued her voyage without
the least difficulty, and came to anchor on the following evening in
Yarmouth Roads, inside the Isle of Wight.
It should here be mentioned, that every compartment of the vessel was
provided with a small pipe and cock, by means of which, the water
could be let out of one compartment into another, and so passed on,
from one to the other, into the engine-room, where it could be pumped
out by the machinery. But, as this appeared a rather clumsy mode of
doing it, namely, by floating nearly half the ship unnecessarily, it
was not resorted to. But, in vessels more recently constructed, a
great improvement has been introduced in this respect. From each of
the compartments, a pipe leads directly into the engine-room itself,
without communicating with any other part; so that, by means of a cock,
the water can at once be pumped out by the engine, or else can be
confined to the compartment itself, and pumped out by hand, when it is
not desirable to let it flow into the engine-room.
As little time as possible was lost in completing the necessary
repairs, and in rendering her in all respects fit to undertake the long
and unknown voyage she was about to perform. At length she was cleared
out for the Russian port of Odessa, much to the astonishment of every
one; but those who gave themselves time to reflect hardly believed it
possible that such could be her real destination.
She was armed with two 32-pounder guns, mounted on pivot, or traversing
carriages, for the purpose of throwing either shot or shell, one being
placed forward and the other aft, as in all armed steamers.[1]
On leaving England she had on board about sixty men and officers; but,
during the operations in China, she usually had about ninety men and
officers.[2] Her daily consumption of fuel was about eleven tons.
She had no _paddle-boats_; but in other respects, she was well
found in boats, while in China. She had two cutters, pinnace, gig,
jolly-boat, dingy, and always a large Chinese boat. A large platform
was also built between the paddle-boxes, instead of the small bridge
which is usually constructed there. This platform covered the whole
space between the paddle-boxes, and was found particularly convenient,
when troops were on board, as it was always occupied by the officers,
while the decks were crowded with the soldiers. There was also a
6-pounder brass pivot gun, mounted upon the bridge, which was very
useful for trying the range. A rocket tube and a supply of rockets were
always kept in readiness upon this platform, besides ammunition for
the brass gun, &c. In hot weather an awning was spread over it, and
it was always a most convenient place for watching and directing the
operations of the steamer.
Besides the guns above-mentioned, the Nemesis carried four brass
6-pounders and one small howitzer.
Unusual interest was excited by the expected departure of this strange
vessel, upon a voyage of which both the purpose and the destination
were alike unknown. Even the Admiral himself was ignorant of the
service which she was called upon to perform.
At length, on the 28th of March, 1840, she really had sailed. The
Needle Rocks, the high cliffs at the back of the Isle of Wight, the
shores of England herself, had gradually sunk below the horizon, and
the excitement attending departure had at length settled down into the
cold reality of a first night at sea.
On the third day, the 30th of March, at daylight, the last glimpse was
taken of the land of our birth. The Lizard disappeared, and nothing was
around but the wide expanse of the blue ocean. On the gallant vessel
went gaily through the Bay of Biscay, at an average rate of seven to
eight knots under steam, moving gracefully to the heavy swell which at
all times prevails there.
On the 2nd of April, she was well in sight of Cape Finisterre, the
dread of seamen, on the rock-bound coast of Portugal, and encountered a
moderate gale of wind, but made head against it without difficulty.
On the 6th of April, the lovely island of Madeira came full in sight,
the ninth day since she had left Portsmouth, and only the seventh from
the Land's End.
At daylight, the little island of Porto Santo having been passed, the
full prospect of the larger island of Madeira lay exposed.
Though sailors are seldom poets, there is something in the aspect of
this lovely island which speaks poetry to the least poetical; and where
nature looks so eloquent, and the fresh green of the loaded vineyard
contrasts so beautifully with the wilder rocks above it, while the
sun of its scarce-failing summer sheds its glow upon the varied woods
around, even the iron Nemesis and her iron-hearted crew were cheered
and gladdened, as she glided close along the shore.
The Nemesis was not long in coming to anchor within the bay, not very
far from the town, and between it and the remarkable rock called the
Loo Rock.
Time was precious, and the great object of her visit was to be
accomplished as soon as possible--namely, in the stoker's language,
"coaling"--an operation anything but pleasant. But they who would
enjoy the steamer's "stately march upon the waters" must be content to
purchase it at the price of this necessary evil.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] She subsequently, also, carried five long brass 6-pounders, two on
each side, and one upon the bridge; and had also ten small iron swivels
along the top of her bulwarks, besides boat guns and small arms.
[2] Nominal list of Officers who served on board the Nemesis during the
period referred to in this work:--
William H. Hall, R.N., Commander--Promoted to Commander, 10th
June, 1843;
Lieutenant William Pedder, R.N., First Officer--Made Harbour
Master and Marine-magistrate at Hong-Kong, July, 1841;
Mr. Ed. L. Strangways, Mate, R.N., Second Officer--Left sick,
29th March, 1841; Lieutenant, 23rd Dec. 1842;
Mr. John Laird Galbraith, Third Officer--Made Second Officer,
29th March, 1841; and First Officer, 1st July, 1842; and paid
off at Calcutta, March, 1843;
Mr. F. W. Whitehurst, Fourth Officer--Made Third Officer, 29th
March, 1841; and Second Officer, 1st July, 1842; and paid off
at Calcutta, March, 1843;
Mr. Peter Young, M.R.C.S., Surgeon--Left the vessel, 15th
January, 1841, at Macao;
Mr. John Gaunt, Purser--Served during the whole period.
N.B.--The above joined the Nemesis in England.
The following officers joined the Nemesis at different periods
in China:--
Mr. John Turner, Surgeon--Joined 15th Jan. 1841, at Macao; made
Assistant-Surgeon, Bombay Establishment, Oct. 1843;
Mr. A. T. Freese, Mate, R.N., First Officer--Joined 1st
August, 1841, at Hong-Kong; left the vessel 30th June, 1842;
Lieutenant, 23rd Dec. 1842;
Mr. Alfred Fryer, Fourth Officer--Joined 1st February, 1842, at
Chusan; paid off and rejoined at Calcutta, 1843;
Mr. B. G. Dryden, Second Officer--Joined 1st July, 1842, at
Woosung; ditto
Mr. Arthur Baker, Volunteer--Joined 24th August, 1842; Yangtze
river; ditto
Engineers--Mr. Colin M'Lougal (killed), Mr. John Kinross, Mr.
Henry L. Harley, Mr. William Lang, Mr. David Wilson, Robert
Kelly.
N.B.--Mr. Crouch, Mate, R.N., served on board as gunnery-mate,
from the Wellesley, by permission of Commodore Sir Gordon
Bremer, at Chuenpee, at First Bar Action, and Inner Passage,
&c. Promoted Lieutenant, 8th June, 1841; Commander, 25th
October, 1843. Wounded at Chin-keang-foo.