The total destruction of the Chinese squadron of war-junks, on the day
of the action of Chuenpee, (7th January,) under the orders of Admiral
Kwan, completed the discomfiture of the Chinese by sea and by land. The
engagement took place in Anson's Bay, which has already been described
as lying between Chuenpee and Anunghoy. The Nemesis here took a most
distinguished part; and some of the boats of the Calliope, Hyacinth,
Larne, Sulphur, and Starling, co-operated with her in the action,
in which Lieutenants Watson and Harrison, and other officers of the
Calliope and Larne, deservedly won their laurels.
At the bottom of Anson's Bay was the entrance of a small river, unknown
until now, having a small island at its mouth, somewhat on the Chuenpee
side. Within this, and in a measure protected by a sand-bar which ran
out from it, lay the Chinese fleet of about fifteen war-junks, moored
in a good position in shallow water, so as to prevent the near approach
of our ships. Directions had been given to Captain Herbert, of the
Calliope, to make arrangements for the attack of these war-junks,
as soon as the defences on Chuenpee should have fallen. The moment,
therefore, that it was perceived on board the Nemesis, as she ran up
towards the lower battery, and poured in her grape and canister, that
the upper fort had fallen, and that the lower one could not longer
hold out, she hastened, without a moment's delay, to the attack of the
enemy's squadron. Full steam was set on, without waiting to see what
other measures might be taken elsewhere to effect the object.
In her anxiety to secure the post of honour, the Nemesis rounded the
point of Chuenpee a little too close, and struck rather heavily upon
a rocky reef running out some distance from it, but upon which it
was thought that there was still water enough to enable her to float
safely. She did indeed pass over it, but not without striking; but her
iron frame did not _hang_ upon it as a wooden one would probably have
done, and she proceeded, without even stopping her engines. That the
force of the blow however was considerable, and would probably have
seriously damaged a wooden vessel, is shewn by the fact of her having
the outer paddle-ring of one of the wheels broken, together with two
of the long arms attached to it. It is evident that a blow which would
cause such injury to _iron_ would have done much more serious damage to
wood.
About this time, Captain Belcher, of the Sulphur, joined her, with two
of his ship's boats, anxious to partake of the honour of the affair. A
few of the Sulphur's seamen also came on board. As she pushed along,
she was also reinforced by Lieutenant Kellett, of the Starling, who
brought his gig, or whale-boat, and subsequently did good service.
As they approached the position in which the Chinese junks were drawn
up, it was easily perceived that it had been well chosen, with scarcely
more than five feet water round the vessels, and that, in fact, they
could not be attacked in front, except by boats. However, the Nemesis,
having the great advantage of drawing less than six feet water, was
able to approach near enough to bring her two 32-pounder pivot-guns
to bear within good range. Just at this moment also a large boat, or
pinnace, of the Larne, was observed, making its way round the outside
of the little island, with a view to cut off the junks in the rear.
The boldness of this manoeuvre, under the command of Lieutenant
Harrison, was much admired; and, indeed, the dashing way in which many
similar attacks were made on other occasions during the war took the
Chinese by surprise, and struck them with a wholesome terror, even
before they came to close quarters.
One of the most formidable engines of destruction which any vessel,
particularly a steamer, can make use of is the Congreve rocket, a most
terrible weapon when judiciously applied, especially where there are
combustible materials to act upon. The very first rocket fired from
the Nemesis[21] was seen to enter the large junk against which it was
directed, near that of the admiral, and almost the instant afterwards
it blew up with a terrific explosion, launching into eternity every
soul on board, and pouring forth its blaze like the mighty rush of fire
from a volcano. The instantaneous destruction of the huge body seemed
appalling to both sides engaged. The smoke, and flame, and thunder
of the explosion, with the broken fragments falling round, and even
portions of dissevered bodies scattering as they fell, were enough to
strike with awe, if not with fear, the stoutest heart that looked upon
it.
It is related that, at the battle of the Nile, when the French
admiral's ship, L'Orient, blew up, both of the fiercely-fighting
foes paused in horror at the dreadful catastrophe, and neither side
renewed the fight for at least ten minutes afterwards. So here also,
although the explosion was far less violent, and the contending parties
comparatively trifling in number, and far less excited by the contest,
there was a momentary pause; the very suddenness of the catastrophe
added something to the awe and rejoicing, combined, which it excited.
The rocket had penetrated into the magazine of the junk, or had ignited
some of the loose powder too often scattered carelessly about the decks
by the Chinese gunners. They naturally felt that the same fate might
readily befall any of the other junks; and, after some discharges
of round shot had been thrown into the nearest junks, (four of them
were afterwards found lodged in the admiral's junk,) their crews were
observed endeavouring to escape on shore, some upon the little island,
and others upon Chuenpee; while, at the same time, the junks were all
cut away by those remaining on board, in order that they might drift on
shore, and enable the rest to escape.
The Chinese hauled down their colours on board their junks at about
half-past eleven, but continued firing afterwards. At about twelve
o'clock, the boats of the Nemesis, in company with the others which
were present, put off to board the junks. Only two of the smaller ones
succeeded in getting away up a small branch of the river, while two
more escaped for the moment up another principal branch to a large
town, but were subsequently captured.
Some of the junks drifted on shore; and, as there could be no utility
in saving them, they were all successively set on fire, by order of
Captain Belcher, and ultimately blew up. In some of the junks which
were not yet quite abandoned by their crews, the poor Chinamen, as
the English sailors boarded them on one side, rushed wildly over
on the opposite one, or let themselves down by the stern chains,
clinging to the ship's rudder. Others, as the fire gained upon their
junk, retreated before it, and continued hanging to the yet untouched
portions of it, until the flames advancing upon them rapidly, they were
obliged to throw water _over their own bodies_ to enable them to bear
the intense heat, still desperately clinging to their fate, more from
fear of ill-treatment, if they should be taken prisoners, than from any
rational hope of being saved. In many instances they _would not_ be
saved; in others, they _could not_, and were destroyed as their junk
blew up.
On the following day, the principal part of the guns were recovered,
altogether upwards of eighty in number, of which eight or ten were
handsome brass Portuguese guns, 6, 9, and 12-pounders.
Altogether, eleven junks were destroyed on the spot. Scarcely had this
duty been completed by the different boats engaged, when the Nemesis
hastened on up the river, and at the distance of about three miles,
came upon a large town, where she found two war-junks moored close to
the shore, but abandoned by their crews. The consternation of the
people was extreme; they were seen running away from the town in all
directions; the surrounding hills were crowded with the anxious and
astonished gazers, wondering what was going to happen next; never, of
course, having either seen or heard of a "devil ship" before, and well
knowing that her visit could only be a hostile one. It was enough that
they had already heard of the total destruction of their fleet at the
river's mouth. The place was not at all fortified, not a shot being
fired on either side.
The tide was now beginning to fall, and as the water was not deep,
and the bar would soon become impassable, and the day was already far
advanced, it was thought better to return without exploring the river
higher up. Accordingly, taking in tow the two junks, the Nemesis again
descended the river; but one of the junks getting aground on the bar at
the entrance, was obliged to be left behind, while the other was taken
safely down, and soon after five P.M., the Nemesis joined the squadron
off Chuenpee, and received the thanks of the commodore for the services
she had rendered during the day. She had received no important damage,
the paddle-box only having been injured by a well-directed shot from
one of the junks.
It must have been a fine sight for the troops who were in possession
of Chuenpee, to witness from the top of the hill the encounter with,
and total destruction of, this fleet; the numerous burning masses,
and the loud explosions as they blew up; with the boats pulling about
among them, lighted by the glare of the fires. All this, added to the
excitement which always attends the being a looker-on while others are
actors in deeds of danger, must have formed a most animating spectacle.
The scenery about Anson's Bay is moreover bold and picturesque, and the
limited space in which the affair took place, must have added something
to the interest it awakened.
To the Chinese this had been, in all respects, a most disastrous day.
Their stone walls and their wooden walls had been alike destroyed; and,
although they might before have dreaded us by sea, they had never until
now had an opportunity of testing the power of Europeans on land.
On this day, the 7th of January, 1841, the native Indian troops and
the Royal Marines constituted considerably more than two-thirds of the
whole force employed on shore.
The loss of many hundred killed and wounded on the Chinese side, with
something less than forty wounded and none killed on our side, shews
rather that the Chinese were deficient in proper weapons to match their
foes, than wanting in personal bravery to meet them in the fight; and,
as they were not yet acquainted with the European mode of sparing
an unresisting enemy, they suffered great loss from unsupported and
useless resistance, when timely submission would have saved many
lives. They exasperated our troops without a chance of benefiting
themselves.
The Chinese admiral, the fine old Kwan, lost the red ball or button of
his cap, the emblem of his rank, during the encounter with the junks.
It was reported that he wished to meet his death at the hands of his
foe, and was with some difficulty borne off by his attendants; but
this fate was reserved for him on a future occasion, and he shewed
himself a chivalrous and brave man. The loss of his ball or button,
which has certain marks upon it which probably indicate that it is
conferred by imperial favour as an emblem of rank, seemed naturally to
occasion him the greatest possible anxiety and trouble. He, in fact,
made application for it to be returned to him, if it chanced to have
been found; and it is gratifying to know that, through the intervention
of Captain Elliot, her majesty's plenipotentiary, it was recovered and
generously restored to him.
The total number of guns taken or rendered unserviceable during the
operations of this day, ashore and afloat, amounted to one hundred and
seventy-three pieces, including eighty-two in the junks, of which a few
were brass, but mostly of small calibre.
The junks with which the Nemesis was engaged in Anson's Bay were
provided with quite a new sort of boarding-nettings, if they can be so
called. Probably old Admiral Kwan, whose reputation as a seaman was not
very great, had heard that English ships of war were sometimes provided
with nets when going into action; and, therefore, without knowing very
well what might be the purpose of them, he determined to have them
likewise. But he made a sad mistake concerning the object for which
they were intended. He very naturally thought, that, in the position
which he had taken up in shallow water, only the boats of the squadron
could come close to him, and he hit upon the bright notion of trying
to _catch them_ with his nets, just as a poacher catches his sleeping
game by throwing a net over them. A number of strong fishing-nets were
fastened all round the sides of the junks, not extended so as to impede
any one trying to get on board, but triced up outside over each of the
guns, in such a way, that, when our boats should come alongside, the
nets were to be thrown over them, men and all; and thus our jolly tars
were to be caught like hares in their form, and handed over to the
tender mercies of the emperor.
No sooner, however, did the guns of the Nemesis open fire, than the
nets were all forgotten in their fear of the shot and the rockets;
and, long before the boats could get alongside, the defenders and
men-catchers were glad to be off, to avoid being themselves caught.
A more unwieldy-looking machine, or one less calculated for efficient
service at sea, than the old-fashioned junks, can scarcely be
conceived. Although, since the commencement of the war, they have
gradually improved them very much in the fashion of the hull, the masts
and sails, and all that appertains to the rigging of a vessel, are very
little different from what they have hitherto been.
It should be noticed, that the boats and smaller rigged vessels of
the Chinese are generally very much superior to their large junks in
form and convenience of arrangement, and often sail very well. The
family to whom the boat belongs lives entirely on board, and, for the
combined purposes for which their boats are generally used, perhaps no
arrangement could be better adapted for making the most of a limited
space; and they are, moreover, kept remarkably clean.
The war-junks are of different sizes, and have guns varying in number
from four to fourteen, and even more, mounted upon them, of various
calibre, some of foreign make, but principally Chinese. The smaller
junks are also adapted for oars or sweeps, of which they sometimes can
work as many as twenty on either side. The crew are further provided
with a great number of spears, swords, matchlocks, and frequently
large jingals, not unlike our musquetoons, fitted with a rest upon the
bulwarks of the vessel, so as to give the power of taking a steady aim.
There are generally a large number of round shields on board, made
in a saucer-like fashion, and about two and a half to three feet in
diameter. They are composed of ratans, or canes, strongly twisted or
woven in together, and are so elastic, that it would be very difficult
to cut through them with a sword; and even a musket-ball fired from a
long distance, and hitting them at all in a slanting direction, would
be turned off. They are usually hung all round the bulwarks, resting
upon the top and outside of them, giving a very striking appearance.
A large junk puts one very much in mind of one of the old Roman
galleys, only it is less efficiently constructed for venturing away
from land, and is not unfrequently gaudily ornamented with green and
yellow colours.
Several improvements have been adopted by the Chinese since the
commencement of the war. They had constructed a number of gun-boats
for the defence of the river higher up, upon European models; and,
towards the close of the war, they built one or two large junks, which
they called frigates, with great improvements in shape and general
arrangement, and regular port-holes for the guns on the deck below,
and with heavy guns, too, mounted in them. One of these we saw near
the Bogue, after the peace, mounting thirty-six guns, all of foreign
manufacture, many of them 9 and 12-pounder iron guns, made by Fawcett,
of Liverpool, and purchased either at Macao or at Singapore. The junk
was very clean, and in good order, painted green, and coppered; and,
with the exception of the masts and sails, which were in the old style,
she looked very well. This vessel was said to have been constructed
by order of Tinqua, one of the Hong merchants, who has distinguished
himself by his zeal in defence of his country; and it was by him
presented to the emperor, together with a European barque, and a brig,
rather the worse for wear in the merchant service, which he purchased
at considerable cost.
But the most remarkable improvement of all, and which shewed the rapid
stride towards a great change which they were daily making, as well as
the ingenuity of the Chinese character, was the construction of several
large _wheeled_ vessels, which were afterwards brought forward against
us with great confidence, at the engagement at Woosung, the last naval
affair of the war, and were each commanded by a mandarin of rank,
shewing the importance they attached to their new vessels. This, too,
was so far north as the Yangtze Keang, where we had never traded with
them; so that the idea must have been suggested to them by the reports
they received concerning the wonderful power of our steamers or wheeled
vessels.
To anticipate a little, it may here be mentioned, that the vessels had
wooden wheels, very like an undershot mill-wheel, which were moved by
machinery inside the vessel, worked by a sort of capstan by manual
labour, the crew walking it round and round, just like walking up an
anchor on board a man-of-war; the horizontal revolution was turned into
the upright one by strong wooden _cog-wheels_, upon regular mechanical
principles.
When once the spirit of change and improvement has taken hold of the
Chinese, it is impossible to say where it will stop among so ingenious
and indefatigable a people. Even the emperor himself has ordered still
greater changes to be made since the peace, and has directed that "the
best materials for building ships shall be procured from all parts
of the world; and that, as only ships built on European principles
can contend with European ships, they must gradually learn to adopt
European models themselves. But, as this can only be effected by time,
and the ships are required now to suppress the pirates which infest his
coast, they are at once to purchase foreign ships and learn to exercise
their crews."
To return from this short digression, we may now ask what sort of a
report was made by Admiral Kwan to his mighty master, upon the subject
of these first actions below the Bogue--the first great collision
between the power and science of the west and the self-confidence of
the remote east. Keshen, clear-sighted as he certainly was, could
not fail to perceive the many troubles and humiliations to which his
country must become subjected if hostilities were pushed to extremes.
He was fully alive to the serious defeat he had sustained, yet dreaded
to break the truth too suddenly to his haughty master; wise, therefore,
in his generation, he declared there had been a "drawn battle." He
informed his master that the contest had been maintained from eight
A.M. until two P.M., and that "then, the _tide ebbing_, the foreign
vessels ceased firing, and anchored in the middle of the stream, _each
side maintaining its ground_."
He then details the measures he had adopted for reinforcing the
position, and apologizes for the absence of more detailed information,
upon the ground of his anxiety to communicate the earliest possible
intelligence.
The emperor, or rather his ministers, were not so easily to be duped.
Keshen was at once declared to be "incompetent;" and it was ordered
that his conduct "should be subjected to the severest consideration;"
while poor old Kwan was accused of being "at all times devoid of talent
to direct, and, on the approach of a crisis to be alarmed, perturbed,
and without resources."
From the earliest times to the most modern, success has been vulgarly
considered in all countries to be the grand criterion of merit; and
the "Felix" of the ancients, the successful, the favoured of the gods,
stands nearly as paramount in the estimation of the world now, as it
did even in days of old. Kwan was accordingly at once deprived of his
rank and insignia of office, but was ordered henceforth to labour to
attain merit, bearing his punishment in the meantime.
Various plans were suggested for future proceedings against the
English; it was admitted that the junks could not cope with our ships
on the open sea, and it was therefore recommended "that our vessels
should be _enticed_ into the inner waters, and that there should be
employed expert divers to go down at night, and bore holes in their
bottoms," while other parties were to come "stealthily upon them at
night and board them unawares, and massacre the whole of their crews."
Above all, a grand preparation of fireships was to be made, filled
with various combustibles, which, with a favourable wind, were to be
let loose upon them, and, in the confusion resulting from this attack,
their war-vessels were to follow and complete what the fire-vessels
had commenced. Great rewards were again offered for the taking or
destruction of any of our ships, and 50,000 dollars was to be the
recompence for a line-of-battle ship.
We must now return to the current of events which took place
immediately after the capture of Chuenpee. The evening after the
engagement was spent in making preparations on both sides for renewing
the contest on the morrow. Every one on board our ships was excited
with the occurrences of the day, and anxiously longing for the dawn
of morning, when the thunder of our artillery should make even the
walls of Anunghoy and the famed Bogue forts tremble and fall. At length
the sun rose, bright and full of promise, on the morning of the 8th.
The boats of H.M.S. Sulphur were sent out to take soundings higher up
towards the Bogue. The Nemesis was first under weigh, and was directed
to proceed at once up to Anunghoy with a couple of rocket-boats.
The morning was calm: the line-of-battle ships were slowly moving up
to the positions assigned to them in front of the principal forts;
already had the Nemesis taken up a position within capital range of
the southern battery of Anunghoy, in such a manner that only three or
four guns could be brought to bear on her from it. Already had she
thrown in several shells and shot, when the signal, for her recal was
observed flying most provokingly from the mast-head of the Wellesley,
and being enforced by more than one signal gun, the firing ceased. Just
as the exciting moment had arrived, and every man was calculating in
his own mind how soon the forts would be reduced, the stillness, not of
breathless anxiety, but of bitter disappointment, prevailed in every
man's bosom.
It soon appeared that old Admiral Kwan preferred to try his skill in
cunning and diplomacy rather than in war, and had sent off a small
boat to the flag-ship, under a flag of truce, with a note addressed
to the plenipotentiary. The fact has excited some amusement, that a
little boat, with an old woman and a man in it, was sent off to bear
proposals for the cessation of hostilities at the very moment of their
commencement; and that this humble paper, sent in this extraordinary
way, was received, and became the groundwork of an armistice, which was
concluded in the course of the day.
Soon after four o'clock in the afternoon, the Nemesis was sent to
convey Lieutenant Maitland, of the Wellesley, to Anunghoy, as bearer of
a chop or official document, relating to the truce, and to a projected
treaty of peace, the precise terms of which did not transpire.
Many animadversions were made upon this proceeding; but Captain Elliot
was placed in very peculiar circumstances. He was, undoubtedly,
desirous to avoid open rupture with the Chinese, if possible, and
to use his best tact and judgment in negotiation, which would, of
course, be of little avail unless backed by a strong force, ready to
support his claims, and, therefore, necessarily assuming a threatening
attitude. Above all, the value of the revenue to be derived from _tea_
was so great, and its importance as an article of consumption so
much thought of, that Elliot believed himself to be best serving his
country when he best followed out, according to his judgment, these two
principal objects. That Captain Elliot may have been influenced by
occasional errors of judgment is far from improbable, but that he was
wanting in natural talent or principle, or a wish to serve faithfully
his queen, his government, and his country, his most unscrupulous
detractors have scarcely ventured to maintain. It is fortunate, at
all events, that it can still be said that measures of uncompromising
hostility were not urged until every other method of persuasion, and
every less powerful, however ingenious, argument had been tried and
found wanting.
Negotiations continued at the Bogue, but the Chinese, in spite of the
truce, were observed to be increasing their defences, and notice was
accordingly given to them to desist. The communications were frequent,
and, on the 17th, just a week after the commencement of the truce,
Captain Elliot went down in the Nemesis to Macao. There seemed,
however, to prevail an impression that the affair was so far from
being settled, that another collision could scarcely be avoided, and
therefore no measure of precaution was omitted on our side.
On the 20th of January, a circular was issued by Captain Elliot,
dated at Macao, announcing that _preliminary_ arrangements had been
concluded, but reserving the details for future negotiation. Hong-Kong
was to be ceded to us; an indemnity of six million dollars was to be
paid by the Chinese in six equal annual instalments, one million being
paid down at once, and the last in 1846; direct official intercourse
was to be maintained upon terms of perfect equality, and trade was to
be resumed within the port of Canton, within ten days. But it would
also appear that an intimation had been made of an intention to remove
the greater portion of the trade to Hong-Kong, for it was provided that
it should only continue "to be carried on at Whampoa until further
arrangements were practicable at the new settlement."
Nothing could at first appear more satisfactory than this arrangement;
but, as will presently be seen, it gave ample time to the Chinese to
make further preparations for defence, and abundant loopholes for the
exercise of their crafty ingenuity. At the same time, Captain Elliot
urged upon the consideration of his countrymen "the necessity of
adopting a conciliatory treatment towards the people, and a becoming
deference for the country upon the threshold of which we were about to
be established."
Nothing further need here be said upon this subject, except that on the
following day, the 21st January, the Nemesis was sent to convey two
mandarins to Chuenpee, who were to receive back the forts from Captain
Scott, of the Samarang, who had been appointed _pro tempore_ governor
of this fortress. The British colours were hauled down, and the Chinese
dragon was hoisted in their place, under a salute from the flag-ship;
it was very evident that no salute had ever sounded so welcome to
Chinese ears before. As soon as a few guns could be got ready for the
purpose, the salute was returned by the Chinese.
We had certainly shewn rather a chivalrous leniency to their
government, in thus so suddenly restoring to them one of their
principal strongholds. Indeed, everything looked extremely peaceable
upon paper, and the Chinese contrived to create a temporary belief in
the sincerity of their intentions.[22]
It will be remembered that Sir Gordon Bremer had not yet been named
joint plenipotentiary, which did not take place until after his return
from Calcutta in The Queen steamer, in the month of June following. He
had proceeded to India in that vessel, at the end of March, after the
arrival of Lieutenant-Gen. Sir Hugh Gough, probably in order to confer
in person with the governor-general.
Thus ended what may be called the second act, (the first having been
the taking of Chusan, and the expedition to the Peiho) of the great
drama of the Chinese war. In his report to the emperor, respecting
these several occurrences, Keshen declared that "he had only made
conditional concessions to the English; _merely_ promising that he
would earnestly implore the emperor's favour in their behalf."
Immediately after the restoration of the forts on the 21st to the
Chinese, the commodore went down to Macao in the Nemesis, leaving the
Wellesley in the Lintao passage, the main body of the fleet having
proceeded to Hong-Kong. It was feared, however, that things could not
long remain in _statu quo_; and on the 26th, Captain Elliot himself
left Macao in the Nemesis, and went up the Canton river to hold a
conference, which it had been arranged should take place with Keshen in
person, in order to settle those points which, it has been stated, were
reserved for future consideration.
FOOTNOTES:
[21] This rocket was fired by Captain Belcher, of the Sulphur.
[22] DETAIL OF H.B.M.'S MILITARY AT CHUSAN, ON 1st JANUARY, 1841.
Rank and file
18th Regiment, Royal Irish, Lieutenant-Colonel Adam 487
26th Regiment, Cameronians, Lieutenant-Colonel James 291
49th Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Bartley 326
Bengal Volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel Lloyd 402
Madras Artillery, Lieutenant-Colonel Montgomerie, C.B. 185
Madras Sappers and Miners, Captain Cotton 227