The Difficulty Thus Seemed In A
Fair Way Toward Settlement, But As A Matter Of Fact It Was Only At Its
Commencement, For The Wiles Of Chinese Diplomacy Are Infinite And Were
Then Only Partially Understood.
Keshen was remarkable for his astuteness
and for the yielding exterior which covered a purpose of iron, and in the
English political officer, the Captain Elliot of Canton, he did not find
an opponent worthy of his steel.
Although experience had shown how great
were the delays of negotiation at Canton, and how inaccessible were the
local officials, Captain Elliot allowed himself to be persuaded that the
best place to carry on negotiations was at that city, and after a brief
delay the fleet was withdrawn from the Peiho and all the advantages of the
alarm created by its presence at Pekin were surrendered. Relieved by the
departure of the foreign ships, Taoukwang sent orders for the dispatch of
forces from the inland provinces, so that he might be able to resume the
struggle with the English under more favorable conditions, and at the same
time he hastened to relieve his overcharged feelings by punishing the man
whom he regarded as responsible for his misfortunes and humiliation. The
full weight of the imperial wrath fell on Commissioner Lin, who from the
position of the foremost official in China fell at a stroke of the
vermilion pencil to a public criminal arraigned before the Board of
Punishments to receive his deserts. He was stripped of all his offices,
and ordered to proceed to Pekin, where, however, his life was spared.
Keshen arrived at Canton on November 29, 1840, but his dispatch to the
emperor explaining the position he found there shows that his view of the
situation did not differ materially from that of Lin. "Night and day I
have considered and examined the state of our relations with the English.
At first moved by the benevolence of his Majesty and the severity of the
laws, they surrendered the opium. Commissioner Lin commanded them to give
bonds that they would never more deal in opium - a most excellent plan for
securing future good conduct. This the English refused to give, and then
they trifled with the laws, and so obstinate were their dispositions that
they could not be made to submit. Hence it becomes necessary to soothe and
admonish them with sound instruction, so as to cause them to change their
mien and purify their hearts, after which it will not be too late to renew
their commerce. It behooves me to instruct and persuade them so that their
good consciences may be restored, and they reduced to submission." The
language of this document showed that the highest Chinese officers still
believed that the English would accept trade facilities as a favor, that
they would be treated _de haut en bas_, and that China possessed the
power to make good her lofty pretensions. China had learned nothing from
her military mishaps at Canton, Amoy, and Chusan, and from the appearance
of an English fleet in the Gulf of Pechihli. Keshen had gained a breathing
space by procrastination in the north, and he resorted to the same tactics
at Canton. Days expanded into weeks, and at last orders were issued for an
advance up the Canton River, as it had become evident that the Chinese
were not only bent on an obstructive policy, but were making energetic
efforts to assemble a large army. On January 7, 1841, orders were
consequently issued for an immediate attack on the Bogue forts, which had
been placed in a state of defense, and which were manned by large numbers
of Chinese. Fortunately for us, the Chinese possessed a very rudimentary
knowledge of the art of war, and showed no capacity to take advantage of
the strength of their position and forts, or even of their excellent guns.
The troops were landed on the coast in the early morning to operate on the
flank and rear of the forts at Chuenpee. The advance squadron, under
Captain, afterward Sir Thomas, Herbert, was to engage the same forts in
front, while the remainder of the fleet proceeded to attack the stockades
on the adjoining island of Taikok. The land force of 1,500 men and three
guns had not proceeded far along the coast before it came across a
strongly intrenched camp in addition to the Chuenpee forts, with several
thousand troops and many guns in position. After a sharp cannonade the
forts were carried at a rush, and a formidable army was driven
ignominiously out of its intrenchments with hardly any loss to the
assailants. The forts at Taikok were destroyed by the fire of the ships,
and their guns spiked and garrisons routed by storming parties. In all,
the Chinese lost 500 killed, besides an incalculable number of wounded,
and many junks. The Chinese showed some courage as well as incompetence,
and the English officers described their defense as "obstinate and
honorable."
The capture of the Bogue forts produced immediate and important
consequences. Keshen at once begged a cessation of hostilities, and
offered terms which conceded everything we had demanded. These were the
payment of a large indemnity, the cession of Hongkong, and the right to
hold official communication with the central government. In accordance
with these preliminary articles, Hongkong was proclaimed, on January 29,
1841, a British possession, and the troops evacuated Chusan to garrison
the new station. It was not considered at the time that the acquisition
was of much importance, and no one would have predicted for it the
brilliant and prosperous position it has since attained. But the promises
given by Keshen were merely to gain time and to extricate him from a very
embarrassing situation. The morrow of what seemed a signal reverse was
marked by the issue of an imperial notice, breathing a more defiant tone
than ever. Taoukwang declared, in this edict, that he was resolved "to
destroy and wash the foreigners away without remorse," and he denounced
the English by name as "staying themselves upon their pride of power and
fierce strength." He, therefore, called upon his officers to proceed with
courage and energy, so that "the rebellious foreigners might give up their
ringleaders, to be sent encaged to Pekin, to receive the utmost
retribution of the laws." So long as the sovereign held such opinions as
these it was evident that no arrangement could endure.
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