First Opium War

The Convention of Chuenpee (part 2).

The Convention of Chuenpee (part 3).

The Convention of Chuenpee (part 4).

The East India Company iron steam ship Nemesis, commanded by Lieutenant W. H. Hall, with boats from the Sulphur, Calliope, Larne and Starling, destroying the Chinese war junks in Anson's Bay, on 7 January 1841. An engagement in the First Opium War (1839-42), showing the ‘Nemesis’ (right background, in starboard broadside view) attacking a fleet of Chinese war junks in the middle ground. The war junk third from the left is shown being destroyed with splinters flying up into the air. Two rowing boats with Chinese passengers ew from the left foreground. Various men can be seen overboard and clinging on to debris throughout the scene. The lettering below includes lists of dimensions. PAH8193 and PAH8893 are additional copies, both hand-coloured, and the print is from an oil painting by Duncan presented to the Williamson Art Gallery at Birkenhead in 1925, with another showing Prince Albert visiting iron ships off Woolwich Dockyard. They were a gift from Alderman J.W.P. Laird, one of the Birkenhead shipbuilding family who built the 'Nemesis' and others of the vessels shown in them. On 7 January 1841, the 'Nemesis' of the Bombay Marine (the East India Company's naval service), commanded by William Hutcheon Hall, with boats from the ‘Sulphur’, ‘Calliope’, ‘Larne’ and ‘Starling’, destroyed Chinese war junks in Anson's Bay, Chuenpee, near the Bocca Tigris forts guarding the mouth of the Pearl River up to Canton. British forces then captured the forts themselves. Hall was a Royal Naval master at the time. He had steam experience and had been privately engaged by John Laird to command the 'Nemesis', which the latter had built experimentally as the first fully iron warship, and was so successful in it in China that in 1841 he was specially commissioned as a Naval lieutenant. He went on to later Royal Naval service as a captain in the Crimean War and was a retired admiral at his death in 1875. His portrait (BHC2733) and papers are also in the Museum collection.

The 98th Regiment of Foot at the attack on Chin-Kiang-Foo, 21 July 1842.

Barrier wall, Macao

The Bogue forts.

Britain’s first war with China, 1840-42. Britain's second war with China, 1856-60label QS:Len,"Britain’s first war with China, 1840-42. Britain's second war with China, 1856-60"

British Encampment on Irgao-Shan, Chusan.

HANOVER. temp. Victoria. 1837-1901. AV Medal (16mm, 1.55 g, 12h). Gold Extracted from Silver Captured in the First Opium War. London mint. Dually dated 1829 and March 1842. THIS GOLD/ DISCOVERED IN/ SYCEE SILVER/ THE PRIZE OF BRITISH/ ARMS IN CHINA/ WAS EXTRACTED/ AT H.M. MINT/ MARCH/ 1842 in nine lines / THE R.T HON/ W. GLADSTONE/ MASTER/ BY A PROCESS FIRST/ APPLIED TO THE PUBLIC/ SERVICE AND TO THE/ BENEFIT OF BRITISH/ COMMERCE UNDER/ THE R.T HON./ J.C. HERRIES/ 1829 in . BHM 2070; Eimer –. EF. Extremely rare. The China trade was initially a remarkably one-sided affair, with a staggering demand for Chinese goods in the west, but scant need for western goods in China. But in the early 19th century, the British finally found a popular commodity and began to trade Indian opium to the Chinese in exchange for silver. This caused a reversal in flow of specie: where once New World and European silver flowed into China to pay for tea and porcelain, filling the Qing coffers, Chinese silver now flowed west to pay for addictive opium. With the drug not only weakening the minds of the populace, but also the treasury of the state, China banned the trade in opium in 1839, ordering all stocks seized. British merchants found the prohibition of such a popular trade good unacceptable and the situation soon escalated to war. Unfortunately for the Chinese, the Royal navy’s steamships and modern rifles soundly defeated the antiquated Qing forces. The war ended in 1842, beginning what is known as the “Century of Humiliation” for the Chinese. The Treaty of Nanking forced them to cede to the British the city of Hong Kong, as well as pay an indemnity of 21 million dollars in silver. So much silver was paid to the British that, when it was melted down at the Royal mint, enough gold was extracted to permit the striking of a series of small medals.

British soldiers in the rain during the Sanyuanli Incident, May 1841 (Second Battle of Canton, First Opium War)

Cage, with Mrs. Noble.

Canton from the Heights, May 29 1841.

Chin-keang-foo and Golden Island

China Sheet VIII: Eastern Coast: Hieshan Isles to the Yang-Tse-Kiang, Including the Chushan Islands, Surveyed by Captains Kellet & Collinson, R.N.

Chinese soldiers with gingals.

Chinese spearman.

Chinese swordsman.

The fort built by the English at Chusan.

The Convention of Chuenpee (part 1).

Chinese junk flag An Imperial Chinese junk flag captured during the First China War 1839-42. It is part of a collection belonging to Sir Robert Oliver (1783-1848). A hand sewn triangular flag with an indented edge. It is made of green, crepe-woven silk damask, with a cotton hoist. In the centre is a four toed gold dragon and pearl motif, surrounded by clouds with lightning flashes in the border. The flag is inscribed: 'The Lord of Suiyuan' and 'Spirit Banner'. The decoration was produced by applying gold leaf to clay bole with the details painted on the surface in black ink. The inscriptions 'Sui Yuan Hou Shen Dao' (Banner of the Lord of Suiyuan) suggests that the flag was not an official item of the Qing imperial army but rather had a ritual purpose. The Qing official records show that in 1797 the government conferred upon a deity worshipped in Hunan Province the title 'The Lord of Suiyuan'. This deity, together with two of his 'brothers', was believed to be efficacious in settling the rebellions initiated by the Miao people in Hunan Province. It was a common practice of the Chinese imperial governments to confer titles upon deities for their meritorious service to the state. The word 'Spirit Banner' (shendao) also hints that the banner was a religious item. Sir Robert Oliver became Superintendent of the Indian Navy in 1837, a post he would hold until his death on 5 August 1848. The Indian Navy was the naval arm of the Honourable East India Company. It provided steamers that played a crucial role in naval operations during the First China War as were able to penetrate the interior of the country along its rivers. unavailable

Chinese junk flag An Imperial Chinese junk flag captured during the First China War 1839-42. It is part of a collection belonging to Sir Robert Oliver (1783-1848). A hand sewn triangular flag with an indented edge. It is made of green, crepe-woven silk damask, with a cotton hoist. In the centre is a four toed gold dragon and pearl motif, surrounded by clouds with lightning flashes in the border. The flag is inscribed: 'The Lord of Suiyuan' and 'Spirit Banner'. The decoration was produced by applying gold leaf to clay bole with the details painted on the surface in black ink. The inscriptions 'Sui Yuan Hou Shen Dao' (Banner of the Lord of Suiyuan) suggests that the flag was not an official item of the Qing imperial army but rather had a ritual purpose. The Qing official records show that in 1797 the government conferred upon a deity worshipped in Hunan Province the title 'The Lord of Suiyuan'. This deity, together with two of his 'brothers', was believed to be efficacious in settling the rebellions initiated by the Miao people in Hunan Province. It was a common practice of the Chinese imperial governments to confer titles upon deities for their meritorious service to the state. The word 'Spirit Banner' (shendao) also hints that the banner was a religious item. Sir Robert Oliver became Superintendent of the Indian Navy in 1837, a post he would hold until his death on 5 August 1848. The Indian Navy was the naval arm of the Honourable East India Company. It provided steamers that played a crucial role in naval operations during the First China War as were able to penetrate the interior of the country along its rivers. Chinese junk flag

Chinese junk flag An Imperial Chinese junk flag captured during the First China War 1839-42. It is part of a collection belonging to Sir Robert Oliver (1783-1848). A hand sewn triangular flag with an indented edge. It is made of green, crepe-woven silk damask, with a cotton hoist. In the centre is a four toed gold dragon and pearl motif, surrounded by clouds with lightning flashes in the border. The flag is inscribed: 'The Lord of Suiyuan' and 'Spirit Banner'. The decoration was produced by applying gold leaf to clay bole with the details painted on the surface in black ink. The inscriptions 'Sui Yuan Hou Shen Dao' (Banner of the Lord of Suiyuan) suggests that the flag was not an official item of the Qing imperial army but rather had a ritual purpose. The Qing official records show that in 1797 the government conferred upon a deity worshipped in Hunan Province the title 'The Lord of Suiyuan'. This deity, together with two of his 'brothers', was believed to be efficacious in settling the rebellions initiated by the Miao people in Hunan Province. It was a common practice of the Chinese imperial governments to confer titles upon deities for their meritorious service to the state. The word 'Spirit Banner' (shendao) also hints that the banner was a religious item. Sir Robert Oliver became Superintendent of the Indian Navy in 1837, a post he would hold until his death on 5 August 1848. The Indian Navy was the naval arm of the Honourable East India Company. It provided steamers that played a crucial role in naval operations during the First China War as were able to penetrate the interior of the country along its rivers. unavailable

An Imperial Chinese junk flag captured during the First China War 1839-42. It is part of a collection belonging to Sir Robert Oliver (1783-1848), Superintendent of the Indian Navy. The hand sewn flag is made of silk with a cotton hoist. It is a triangular shape in light blue with a darker blue hoist and red indented border. There is a silver and gold dragon and pearl motif in centre surrounded by clouds with lightning flashes in the borders. The dragon has four toes.

Chinese scroll with illustration of the iron steamer Nemesis and a British man-of-war, along with a 55-line Chinese poem.

Chinese soldiers at great guns.