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. Second EditionHall, W. H. (William Hutcheon), Sir
History
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. Second Edition
Hall, W. H. (William Hutcheon), Sir
China -- History -- Opium War, 1840-1842; Hong Kong (China); Hong Kong (China) -- History; Nemesis (Steamer)
The plenipotentiaries, Captain Elliot and the Honourable George Elliot,
returned to Macao on the 20th of November. It was on the following
day that The Queen steamer was fired at and hit, as she passed the
Chuenpee fort with a flag of truce. She had orders to proceed up to
the Bogue, to deliver a letter which had been entrusted to her captain
from "Elepoo," (probably concerning the truce he had concluded,)
addressed to the Imperial Commissioner Keshen at Canton. In return for
this attack, she threw a few shells and heavy shot into the fort, and
went back to Tongkoo Bay _re infectâ_. This was the second time a flag
of truce had been fired at, although the Chinese perfectly understood
the peaceful purpose which it denoted. The despatch, however, was
forwarded the same evening to Keshen at Canton, through the sub-prefect
of Macao, into whose hands it was delivered by Captain Elliot. It was
also reported that the commandant at Chuenpee sent up some of The
Queen's heavy shot, which had lodged in the fort, as a present to
the authorities at Canton, probably to shew how brave he had been to
withstand such weighty missiles. He did not lose the opportunity to
claim a victory for having _driven_ her off!
A heavy force was by this time collected at the mouth of the Canton
River, reinforced as it had been by the arrival of the Calliope and
Samarang, and also of the Nemesis, and by the addition of a fresh
regiment, the 37th Madras native infantry.
Keshen arrived at Canton on the 29th of November, and sent an
official notification to that effect to the plenipotentiaries; and
it is remarkable that, almost at the same moment, Admiral Elliot was
compelled to resign the command of the fleet, and also his duties as
joint-plenipotentiary, through sudden and severe illness. A few days
afterwards he embarked for England in the Volage, leaving Commodore Sir
Gordon Bremer as commander-in-chief, and Captain Elliot for the time as
again the sole plenipotentiary.
In order to render complete the general sketch of passing events to
the close of 1840, I must not omit to mention the gallant affair at
Macao under Captain Smith, commanding the Druid, which happened in the
month of August, at the period when the main body of the expedition was
engaged in the operations to the northward, already alluded to. It will
be remembered that Captain Smith had once before thought it necessary
to sail into the Inner Harbour, for the protection of British
subjects, but had retired upon a representation being made to him by
the Portuguese government.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account