Search -
The War in China; Narrative of the Chinese Expedition, From Its Formation in April, 1840, to the Treaty of Peace in August, 1842
The War in China Narrative of the Chinese Expedition From Its Formation in April 1840 to the Treaty of Peace in August 1842 Author:Duncan MacPherson General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1843 Original Publisher: Saunders and Otley Subjects: China Great Britain History / Asia / General History / Asia / China Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the Gene... more »ral Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: CHAPTER II. The formation of the Expedition -- Its strength and constitution -- Its departure from India, and arrival at Chusan. It was supposed by Lord Palmerston and the other advisers of her Majesty that the mere presence of a force off the China coast would of itself be sufficient to awe the Chinese, and that they would at once submit to our demands without its becoming necessary to proceed to hostile measures. Contrary, therefore, to the advice of the greatest general of the age, an " army of demonstration" only was directed to proceed to China. This army was formed by her Majesty's 18th, 26th, and 49th regiments, Madras Artillery, and Sappers and Miners, and the Bengal Volunteer corps, in all about 3000 strong. The EXPEDITION AGAINST CHINA. 11 naval portion of the force consisted of three line of battle ships, two frigates, carrying 44 guns, and fourteen other ships, carrying some 28 and some 18 guns. There were also four armed steamers attached to the expedition. With this small force Great Britain had the audacity to suppose she could bring under subjection a nation, an idea of the immense population of which will be gained by the reflection that its present generation (according to Gutzlaff) consists of nearly as many people as have lived in our small island since the creation of the world. So far back as the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when England gained for herself a name never to be erased from history, the highest naval and military commanders concurred in the opinion...« less