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 works at Anunghoy consisted of two very strong, heavy batteries,
built of excellent granite, and partly of the composition called
chunam. The masses of stone were afterwards found to be of immense
size, so much so, that it was no easy task to blow the works to pieces,
even after they were taken. The two principal batteries were connected
together by temporary works of recent construction; and according to
the usual Chinese practice, a semicircular wall was carried round the
rear of each fort along the side of the hill.
The breadth of the river from Anunghoy to the opposite side is from
two to three miles, being somewhat less than it is lower down between
Chuenpee and Tycocktow. But in the very middle of the river in this
part are two rocky islands, called North and South Wantung, of moderate
elevation, and also a smaller rock, scarcely visible at high water.
Hence there are two channels up the river, one on either side of these
islands, but that on the east side towards Anunghoy is the one which
had always been frequented by foreign ships, and was considered to be
the Bocca Tigris, or Bogue.
The passage on the western side of Wantung was not only not frequented
by Europeans, but not even known to be navigable, until our
preparations were made for the capture of the Bogue forts, when some of
our ships passed up on that side to the attack of North Wantung. The
true Bogue, or eastern passage, is only about three quarters of a mile
wide; the current, or rather the tide, is very rapid, on which account
ships generally prefer keeping rather near to the Anunghoy side. Of the
two islands called Wantung, the northern is the highest and largest,
lying quite opposite Anunghoy, and was very strongly fortified. South
Wantung, the smaller island, was not fortified by the Chinese, being
not considered by them of sufficient importance to require it. It lies
some distance lower down the river, and looking at their relative
positions, you would hardly suppose they were within effectual gun-shot
distance from each other. Such, however, was the case; and the Chinese
forts on North Wantung were shelled from South Wantung by a small
battery, constructed by a detachment of our troops in a single night,
being covered during their work principally by the Nemesis, which ran
close in shore for that purpose, being herself sheltered by the island.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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