CHINA British Navy Chuenpee !! ALLOM Steel Engraving

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Steel Engraving from1840! --- another quality print from Martin2001 --- Attack and Capture of Chuenpee Near Canton - China Artist: Allom - Engraver: Adlard Published by Fisher, Son & Co., London, Paris 150+ years old art print ... in excellent condition ... reverse side is blank ! Size: Size of the image: 5 x 7 1/4, overall print size: 8 x 10 1/2 inches. 1 inch = 2,54 cm. Condition: Excellent condition . Paper weight: Thick - Heavier to Medium Heavy - Slightly Heavier - Thin. An excerpt from the original description: THE principal entrance of the Pearl river is between Chuenpee and Tycocktow forts, the outer defences of that great emporium, the city of Canton. To the west is an extensive delta, intersected by numerous branches ; all, however, too shallow for any other than flat-bottomed craft: but with these a considerable trade is carried on between Canton and Macao. As no vessels of great burden, or ships of war, can approach through any channel except Bocca Tigris, the points of Tycocktow, (Taikok) and Chuenpee, (Shakok) have for ages past been strongly fortified. During the accumulation of insults heaped on British merchants and British officers by Commissioner Lin, in the late opium quarrel, that artful diplomatist selected Chuenpee as his throne, to which he ordered all foreigners to bow. An English merchant-ship, Thomas Coutts Warner, master, having acceded to Lin's conditional bond, the Commissioner proceeded a step farther in effrontery, and demanded the restoration of five men, detained by Captain Elliott, pending an inquiry into the manner of Lin Weihe's death. Captain Smith's remonstrances were returned unopened, and the conduct of the Celestial functionaries on this occasion was too childish to be deserving of serious record in the page of history. Further forbearance being rather calculated to mislead the Chinese authorities, in the conclusion they might form of British character, and Captains Smith and Elliott having declined to surrender a homicide, whom Admiral Kwan blusteringly demanded, collision became inevitable. A fleet of sixteen war-junks anchored in a line from Chuenpee point stretching to the southward, an outer line being formed of thirteen fire-ships, each having a black flag waving over it. Our force, in the action that followed, consisted only of the Volage and Hyacinth, under the conduct of Captain Smith. The first shot from the Volage fell upon one of the fire-rafts, which sunk almost imme diately; the next, upon a war-junk, which blew up in even a shorter lapse of time. The Hyacinth, following the Volage, was soon amidst the war-junks, upon which she fired indiscriminately, rather with the design of destroying property, than taking away life. Several junks fled upon the first fire of our ships, a few kept their position for some moments, and Kwan displayed a degree of courage honourable to his rank in the service of his country. At the close of the action it was found " that three junks had been sunk, one blown up, many deserted, and the rest flying. The firing commenced about twelve; the Chinese fleet was completely scattered and disabled before one; while their wretched gunnery hurt no one. As the guns were not fitted for elevation or depression, their shot went too high to have any effect except on the spars and rigging." If the Chinese have little claim to a military character, they have less to anything naval. Their vessels are ill built, badly rigged, of insignificant dimensions, and their sailors unacquainted with tactics; nor are these imperfections likely to be remedied, until a larger share of truth shall pervade the reports of officials to the emperor— and of sincerity, his instructions to them. Lin's mendacious despatch on this occasion offers a very forcible example of the species of hypocrisy condemned. "The British sanpans," writes the commissioner, " arnestly begged to pass the Bocca Tigris; they meanly attempted to steal through, but their prayers have not been granted. Kwan killed many of their... read more

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