During the time the Nemesis, with the boats and marines of the
Samarang, and the boat of the Atalanta, were occupied in destroying the
works of the Chinese in the Broadway River, a division of the light
squadron, under the command of Captain Herbert, had captured another
fort in the upper part of the same river, at the distance of only about
two miles from Canton. The vessels employed upon this occasion were the
Modeste and Starling, with the Madagascar steamer, and boats from most
of the ships of the advanced squadron, commanded by Captain Bethune,
viz., the Blonde, Conway, Calliope, Herald, Alligator, Hyacinth,
Nimrod, Pylades, and Cruiser.
On the 18th (March), they pushed through the upper channel leading from
Whampoa, which had been explored on a previous occasion by the Nemesis,
under the orders of Captain Herbert; and late in the afternoon they
entered the Broadway River without any accident, although the passage
was found very intricate, owing to the number of shoals. The Modeste
was only got through with considerable difficulty, piloted by Captain
Collinson, and assisted by the Madagascar steamer. Captain Belcher
endeavoured to bring the Sulphur through, but failed, as she grounded
about four miles from the point of attack. The Queen steamer was found
to draw too much water, and could not be employed to tow her up.
The fort which they were about to attack was the same which had before
been seen at a distance by Captain Herbert in the Nemesis, and was
found to be of a circular form, strongly built of stone, with a tower
in the centre, and situated upon a small alluvial islet in the middle
of the river, which it completely commanded. It was afterwards called
the Macao fort, and was found to mount twenty-two guns. The Chinese
had made attempts to strengthen this important post, as an outwork to
impede the advance of our forces upon Canton in that direction. With
this view they had constructed rafts across the river on both sides of
the fort, strengthened by a few piles and sunken junks, and flanked by
a sand battery, mounting eight small guns.
As soon as our vessels and boats approached, the Chinese opened a
well-sustained fire from the fort, which was returned with good effect
by the Modeste, which had been admirably placed by Captain Eyres,
within six hundred yards, assisted by the Starling and Madagascar.
In about half an hour the whole of the works were carried, but the
Chinese maintained their fire until the rest of the force were under
the walls, when they fled out of it in all directions, leaving several
dead in the fort. On our side only three men were wounded. Captain
Kuper, and Commanders Barlow, Giffard, Anson, and Clarke, volunteered
their services on this occasion, and the marines were commanded by
Lieut. Stransham. A large mandarin-boat was captured before the Chinese
could carry it away; and a small garrison was immediately placed in the
fort, the Modeste remaining at anchor some way below it.
Thus another of the important defences of the Chinese in advance of
Canton had fallen; and the passage for our light squadron up to the
provincial capital lay almost completely open. Our advanced ships had
now been brought much nearer the city than the Chinese, or perhaps even
our own officers, had previously thought possible. All the important
operations which have been described in the Broadway River, commencing
from Macao upwards, to within two miles of Canton, had been effected
in the short space of three days--viz., on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of
March, 1841.
On the 16th, Captains Herbert, Bourchier, Bethune, and other officers,
came on board the Nemesis at Whampoa, and proceeded along the upper
channel towards the Macao passage. In the afternoon, the Nemesis joined
the Modeste, which was still at anchor below the fort. A passage was
soon cleared through the rafts, and she pursued her course, with the
object of taking up a chop or despatch from Captain Elliot, addressed
to the imperial commissioner, and at the same time to explore the
nature of the passage above the fort. But, scarcely had she passed the
stakes, when she struck heavily upon a sunken rock. This obstacle,
however, was not situated in the broadest and most frequented channel,
which leads past the fort on its eastern side, but in the narrower
passage on the western side of the fort. The concussion made the vessel
tremble; and, had she been built of wood instead of iron, she could
hardly have escaped some severe injury.
After considerable delay and exertion she was got off again. Before she
advanced further towards Canton, it was thought proper to hoist a flag
of truce; but, knowing at the same time how little the Chinese respect
for it could be depended on, a division of armed boats was taken in
tow, in case of meeting with any sudden attack from the enemy.
Upwards of a mile further on, a newly-constructed field-work was
discovered upon a rising ground, surrounded and partially concealed
by trees. It was situated upon the left bank of the river, and was
called the Birdsnest Fort. In front of it, the passage of the river was
obstructed by a strong raft, reaching quite across it, and well moored;
while, further on, just at the point of junction with the Canton river,
a number of war-junks and armed boats were drawn up for its defence,
nearly opposite Shameen, which is about half a mile above the factories.
The steamer was now stopped; and it was resolved to send a boat, with a
flag of truce flying, in order to attempt to carry up Captain Elliot's
letter. The flag of truce was also flying upon the Nemesis and all the
other boats. Captain Bethune, having undertaken this charge, had just
pushed off from the steamer, when a shower of grape-shot was discharged
from the Birdsnest Fort. Fortunately no injury was done, as the shot
passed over the boats; but the flags of truce were immediately lowered,
and the guns of the Nemesis, and also those of the boats, opened fire
upon the fort, in retaliation of the hostile act of the Chinese. At the
same time, the junks ahead, and also the battery at Shameen, commenced
a distant straggling fire, much beyond effective range. A rocket thrown
from the Nemesis fell into the middle of the fort, and partially set
fire to the buildings, and it would have been very easy to have carried
the works by assault; but orders to the contrary were given by Captain
Herbert, who was not desirous of carrying hostilities further, without
the sanction of Captain Elliot. He immediately returned to Whampoa, in
order to bring up some of the light squadron, with a view to advance,
if necessary, upon Canton itself.
There were good reasons for not wasting time at the fort that evening;
but, unfortunately, it is the practice of the Chinese always to claim
a victory, and to report upon it accordingly to the Emperor, on every
occasion on which any portion of our forces withdrew from before any
of their defences, without having first occupied them. In the present
instance, it was reported, that even a devil-ship had been driven
away by the imperial troops from the Birdsnest Fort, and the high
distinction of a peacock's father was conferred upon the commandant of
it, as a reward for his courage!
Upon reaching Whampoa again the same evening in the Nemesis, Captain
Herbert received a communication from Captain Elliot, respecting the
measures to be adopted in consequence of the insult which had been
offered to the flag of truce. Captain Elliot pointed out to him that
the "Chinese knew perfectly well the value of the white flag, for they
had often taken advantage of it to communicate with our forces:" and
he then dwelt upon the "necessity of resisting this aggression with
all the promptitude which might be compatible with considerations of
a military nature." At the same time, he requested Captain Herbert to
"confine his operations to the fort from which the shot was actually
fired." It would seem, however, that Captain Herbert took upon himself
the responsibility of the operations against Canton, which are shortly
to be described; for he expressed himself in one of his despatches to
the effect, that he had "found himself forced to make his arrangements
without any instructions from his superior officer, Sir Gordon Bremer;
but that he felt that he had no alternative but to resent with all
promptitude the insult offered to the flag of truce." Arrangements
were accordingly made, without loss of time, for proceeding to active
operations.
The want of interpreters was at this time very much felt by Captain
Herbert. He repeatedly applied for some one to be sent up to him in
that capacity; and he wrote to the commodore, "that there was not a
single person in the advanced squadron who understood a word of the
language." The difficulty of procuring supplies was consequently very
much increased, particularly as the authorities at Canton had forbidden
the people to carry provisions to the squadron. The difficulty of
obtaining accurate information of any kind was very great; but it had
been already positively ascertained that the authorities of Canton
had prevented a single chest of tea, or any other article of export,
from leaving Canton, long before even the attack upon the Macao Fort;
and it was also known that a considerable body of Tartar troops had
already reached the city. In short, all the information which could be
obtained fully confirmed the impression conveyed by the insult to the
flag of truce, that the Chinese were making active preparations for
the resumption of hostilities, and that the sooner we had recourse to
active measures the better.
On the morning of the 17th, Captain Elliot and suite, together with
Captains Herbert, Bourchier, and other officers, proceeded in the
Nemesis towards the Macao passage, or Broadway river, where she
rejoined the vessels at anchor below the Macao Fort. It was a favourite
scheme of Captain Elliot, at this time, to endeavour to command all the
lines of water-communication to the westward of Canton, so as to cut
off _the supplies_ from the city, and stop the local trade.
The rivers or creeks, and their branches in this neighbourhood,
are extremely numerous. Some little distance below the Macao Fort
a considerable branch turns off to the westward, and leads, at the
distance of several miles, up to Tatshan. About a mile and a half
within this passage another channel leads off to the northward, in the
direction of the Canton river, which it enters a little above Shameen,
on the opposite side. This channel was narrow, and not navigable,
except for boats. The Hyacinth had, on the previous day, been pushed
into the Tatshan passage, nearly as far as the point where the smaller
channel turns off to Canton, but there she stuck, owing to the
shoalness of the water.
The Nemesis, therefore, having in tow a division of boats, was now
moved up the Tatshan passage, and shortly communicated with the
Hyacinth, which was at anchor there. She then turned up the northern
branch, which was afterwards called the Fatee creek, in the hope of
being able to push up to the Canton river in that direction, and so cut
off all the Chinese boats which might attempt to escape up the river.
After proceeding some distance, the water was found too shallow and the
passage very narrow, and she was compelled to return, having captured
on her way a very handsome mandarin-boat. In the evening she rejoined
the squadron in the Macao passage, where the Commodore, Sir Gordon
Bremer, had just arrived in the Madagascar steamer, which had been sent
for him. The dispositions had already been made by Captain Herbert, for
the capture of all the remaining defences in advance of Canton, on the
following day; and Sir Gordon Bremer was therefore unwilling to disturb
the arrangements.
The 18th March, 1841, will ever be remembered as the great day upon
which the city of Canton was first humbled; and the whole of the works
which had been erected for its defence, along its river front, were
captured by H.M. naval forces.[42]
Mention has already been made of the almost innumerable boats which
crowd most of the rivers of China, and perhaps none more so than that
of Canton, upon which it is stated that there is a floating population,
permanently living on the water, of no less than forty thousand souls.
They are the small traders, hucksters, fishermen, and public carriers
of the country; and always appear an industrious and contented portion
of the people. Of course, the numerous body of smugglers belong to this
class.
It was said that one of the most influential smugglers, whose
avocations had long been winked at by the authorities, who were
themselves participators in the gains, had been suddenly arrested,
and threatened with the confiscation of all his property, and even
death; but that a free pardon was offered to him if he would contrive
to collect together all the best boats, and furnish the men with arms;
putting them under the orders of the mandarins, to co-operate for the
defence of the city. Accordingly, a vast number of these boats were
seen at a distance, drawn up in a curved line across the river, at the
mouth of the Macao passage.
Besides these, it was known that some gun-boats, completely formed
after European models, and thoroughly coppered, had been equipped by
the government. Our flotilla of men-of-war-boats was therefore to be
employed in pursuing and destroying this legion of the enemy.
At half-past eleven, the Nemesis commenced the attack upon the little
battery, called by us the Birdsnest Fort, which she had engaged two
days before, She opened her fire of guns and rockets with effect,
and the Chinese returned the fire with spirit for some time; but the
Modeste and Madagascar joined in the attack, and it is not surprising
that the fort was silenced in a very short space of time. Some of the
boats immediately pushed off to make themselves masters of the place,
and the Chinese were chased out of it in great confusion.
Another field-work, almost close to it, was also captured at the same
time. They were found to mount upwards of thirty guns, which, together
with the magazine, were destroyed.
In the meantime, the Starling and Algerine had contrived to force a
passage through the raft, and had scarcely got to the other side, when
a small sand-bag battery and several war-junks opened their fire upon
them, very near the point of junction with the Canton river. The Hebe
and Louisa took part in this affair; and the Nemesis came up as soon as
the lower forts had been silenced; part of the flotilla of boats, under
Captain Bourchier, also arrived, and the sand-battery was soon carried,
while the war-junks and the flotilla of Chinese armed boats already
began to disperse.
A strong fort, opposite the city, mounting twenty guns, called the
Rouge Fort, was next silenced, but was not taken possession of
immediately. Later in the day, however, a boat from the Nemesis, under
Lieut. Pedder, was sent to hoist our flag upon it; and another party
from the Sulphur landed nearly at the same time under Captain Belcher.
The large Chinese flotilla before described, was pursued up the river
by the Nemesis and the boats, and was soon in a state of indescribable
confusion.
At this moment, the division of boats under Captain Belcher and Captain
Warren succeeded in getting through the Fatee creek, and, coming
suddenly down upon the Chinese boats, which were already so closely
pursued, destroyed an immense number of them. Some were driven ashore,
some were sunk, and a few escaped up the creeks in the rear of the town.
The Nemesis, in the meantime, had opened her fire upon the Shameen
Fort, in the western suburbs of the city; and, under cover of her
guns, Captain Bethune put off from her; and a division of boats, with
Captains Belcher and Warren at their head, also landed and took the
fort, after some resistance. It mounted ten guns.
While these operations were going on in the upper part of the river,
the Madagascar had gone down and taken up a position not far from the
Dutch Folly, which was a circular fort, in the middle of the river,
directly opposite the city, mounting twenty-five guns. In front of it a
number of junks laden with stones had been sunk. A small sand-battery
of three guns, close to the naval arsenal, which is on the south side
of the river, was at the same time carried by another division of
boats. Four of the new Chinese gun-boats were also captured.
[Illustration:
SKETCH
OF
THE NAVAL OPERATIONS BEFORE CANTON,
On the 18th March, 1841,
UNDER CAPT. SIR THOS. HERBERT, K.C.B.
GUNS.
_a_ Birdsnest Fort 22
_b_ " " 9
_c_ " " 9
_d_ Shameen Fort 10
_e_ Rouge Fort 20
_f_ Field-work 3
_g_ Dutch Folly 25
---
98
In the War Junks 15
---
113
Together with 6 Gun Boats and 6 Mandarin Boats.
]
A little before one o'clock, about an hour after the first shot of the
day had been fired, and after all the detached forts and batteries,
except the so-called Dutch Folly, had been taken, Captain Elliot came
on board the Nemesis, and desired that he might be conveyed to the
British factory, with a _flag of truce_ hoisted, it being clearly his
intention to endeavour to treat at once, without further employment
of force. However, scarcely had she got down opposite the European
factories, and only within distant range of the Dutch Folly, when the
latter opened fire on her, in spite of the flag of truce. Instantly it
was hauled down, the fire was returned by other vessels, and the result
was that the fort was soon silenced.
The Nemesis then proceeded some little way down the river, towards
the Dutch Folly, in company with several boats of the squadron. This
circular fort was taken possession of by a party of marines and seamen;
and, not far from it, four new gun-boats, built according to European
models, were boarded and taken, their crews having abandoned them.
The Chinese naval forces offered, in fact, little or no resistance
throughout the day; and even their forts, which fired with considerable
spirit at a distance, were soon abandoned by their garrisons, when
there was any certainty of their coming to close quarters with our men.
At half-past one, Captain Elliot being still on board the Nemesis,
she was ordered to return close to the factories, where Captain Hall
landed, accompanied by Mr. Morrison, and hastened at once to the
British factory, both being equally eager to take possession of it
again. In a few moments the British flag was displayed in triumph, with
three cheers, which were returned by the steamer and boats. At the same
time, Captain Belcher also hastened up towards the factory with a party
of men, and was preparing to hoist the colours upon the flag-staff in
front of the Factory, when, at that very moment, they were waved from
the window of the Factory, by Captain Hall himself.
As all the defences had now been taken, and Canton lay completely at
our mercy, one would hardly have expected that any further resistance
would have been made. But the Chinese have a fancy of their own for
renewing a combat in detached parties, long after all possibility of
doing good by it has ceased. On many occasions during the war, they
suffered severely and justly for thus uselessly harassing our men after
the day was over, and when our troops were in possession of all the
enemy's positions.
On this occasion, as Captain Hall and his party were returning to
their boat, a body of soldiers rushed out upon them, but were driven
back to a narrow street called Hog Lane, beyond the British factory,
and were even pursued for some distance up that narrow passage. Many of
them were killed while retreating although they crouched down behind
their large ratan shields for shelter at each discharge. It was thought
imprudent to pursue them far, as in so narrow a space, with low houses
on one side, and a dead wall on the other, the retreat of the pursuers
might have been cut off. Captain Belcher and his party were also
attacked at the same time, and gallantly put the enemy to flight with
some loss, pursuing them as far as was prudent.
The Chinese shewed no further disposition to come to close quarters,
and our men returned to their boats without further molestation. One
man belonging to the Nemesis was wounded during the affray.
Little now remained to be done but to take possession of and destroy
some of the boats and junks which had been overlooked in the hurry of
more important matters. Late in the evening, the Nemesis anchored in
company with the squadron, off the western suburbs of the city, nearly
a mile above the factory. The flags of truce were still flying, and it
must be admitted that greater forbearance towards the Chinese, or more
unwillingness to proceed to the infliction of suffering upon the people
or city of Canton, could not possibly have been exhibited than on this
memorable day of the first capture of Canton.
It must not be omitted to state that Commodore Sir Gordon Bremer, got
up, towards the close of the action, in the Hyacinth's gig, just in
time to see the British flag displayed from the Factory. The Herald
also arrived as a reinforcement, in the latter part of the day.
One officer and six or seven men wounded were the only casualties on
our side, throughout all the operations of the 18th of March.
It was said that several desultory outbreaks of the mob occurred during
the evening of this day, which were with some difficulty suppressed
by the police. They were in most instances the outbursts of the evil
passions of the demoralized mob of Canton, the worst of all the
subjects of China, attracted to the centre of foreign commerce, by the
hope of profit, or the opportunity of exercising their bad ingenuity.
In no part of China has the feeling of hostility to the foreigner
prevailed more strongly against us than at Canton. In many other
districts, the English force was even welcomed, or, at all events,
received without insult or violence.
It is worthy of remark that, during the whole of the following day,
the 19th, nothing of importance was done, either as to the further
progress of hostilities, or as to the demanding any specified terms
from the Chinese. It is easy to guess what interpretation was put
upon our inactivity by the authorities and the people. The motive on
our part seems to have been principally one of pure compassion, and
an unwillingness to take the initiative of _proposing_ terms to the
Chinese, which it was their part, as the conquered, to solicit.
After the lapse of one entire day, Captain Elliot and suite were
carried down to the Factory in the Nemesis, on the morning of the 20th,
where they landed soon after mid-day. There could be little doubt that
something important would now be settled. Captain Elliot was bent
upon getting the trade opened, and no less so upon bringing about a
cessation of hostilities. He was not altogether wrong, perhaps, even
in the slowness of his proceedings, considering the extraordinary
circumstances in which he was placed. He seems to have merely
miscalculated the importance, or perhaps the exigency, of the political
crisis in which he found himself placed. He probably viewed the whole
matter almost exclusively as a commercial question.
The first public notification was by a circular dated at the hall of
the British Factory, by which it was announced that a suspension of
hostilities had been agreed upon between the imperial commissioner,
Yang-Fang and Captain Elliot. It was further agreed that the trade of
the port of Canton should at once be opened. With regard to the opium
trade, it was settled that no bond, such as had formerly been demanded
by Lin, should now be required, but that the same liabilities should be
incurred by any British subject detected in the act of introducing any
unlawful goods, as would follow the same offences in England. Captain
Elliot also distinctly intimated that, "pending the final settlement
of affairs between the two countries, the usual port charges and other
dues should continue to be paid as heretofore."
All those who had watched the course of events, and had studied in
the slightest degree the Chinese character, could only look upon
this temporary arrangement as the mere preliminary of the resumption
of hostilities, not as the settlement of peace. In itself, this
insignificant demand was almost equivalent to an acknowledgment of
failure. That it was so viewed by Sir Gordon Bremer is evident, from
the notice which he issued on the next day, the 21st, dated at the
Bogue, in which he declared that all vessels proceeding to Whampoa,
under this agreement, must do so at the risk of the possible resumption
of hostilities.
On the side of the Chinese, a proclamation was issued by Yang, as joint
commissioner, (the other two had not yet arrived,) to the effect that,
"as Elliot had represented that all he wanted was peace and permission
to trade as formerly, and as all trade depended upon the cherishing
goodness of the celestial court, that therefore it was right _now_ to
permit the English to trade as well as other people, in order to shew
a compassionate regard." It was further added, that henceforth the
people were carefully to look to and well treat the merchant vessels at
Whampoa, as well as the merchants at Canton.
Such, then, were the slender grounds upon which it was agreed that our
force should be withdrawn from before Canton, after all the treasure,
and labour, and some loss of life, which had been expended in bringing
it there.
FOOTNOTE:
[42] The vessels engaged were the
Modeste, Commander Eyres;
Algerine, Lieut. Mason;
Starling, Lieut. Kellett;
Herald, Capt. Nias (later in the day;)
Hebe and Louisa Tenders, Mr. Quin and Mr. Carmichael;
Together with the steamers
Nemesis, W. H. Hall, R.N.; and
Madagascar, Mr. Dicey.
A large flotilla of boats, from the squadron generally, was placed
under the command of Captain Bourchier assisted by Captain Bethune,
and was formed in four divisions, three of which were under the orders
of Commanders Barlow and Clarke, and Lieut. Coulson, and the fourth
commanded by Captain Belcher and Captain Warren. The whole together
must have amounted to little less than forty in number. Upwards
of fifty naval officers took part in the operations of this large
flotilla alone; the services of which were likely to be of the greatest
importance in capturing and destroying the immense flotilla of Chinese
boats, of all forms and sizes, which had been pressed into the service
of the government for the defence of Canton.