Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/61

Rh Indeed, the inhabitants were so anxious to avoid giving offence that they helped the British soldiers to scale the walls, and when the troops entered the streets they found painted on the doors of the houses the words Shun min, meaning "submissive people." Ningpo offered such advantages that Sir Hugh Gough determined to occupy it as the winter quarters of his troops. The people continued to be friendly and there was no difficulty in obtaining supplies for the large and ever increasing British force. But that the townsmen were not quite happy in the presence of their foreign visitors was shown by a paper which one day was thrown over the wall addressed to the British. This document adduced many arguments to show how much better it would be for the invaders if they would only return home, and wound up with this curious appeal: "You have been away from your country long enough; your mothers and sisters must be longing for your return. Go back to your families, for we do not want you here."

The successive British victories ought to have convinced the Emperor that the time had come for concessions, but Taoukwang's obstinate determination to rid his country of the detested foreigner was unshaken. At his command extensive preparations were made all over the empire for a renewal of the struggle. Meanwhile, fresh edicts were issued calling for the extermination of the barbarians. In March, 1842, desperate efforts were made to recover Chinhai and Ningpo. The attacks were repulsed, but the Chinese forces only retired to establish themselves at a point about 11 miles out of Ningpo, from which they endeavoured to cut off the supplies to the British forces. Their encampment was promptly attacked and the imperial forces were put to flight with the loss of six hundred of their number. At about this time heavy reinforcements of the British forces arrived from India. Lord Ellenborough, the new Governor-General, sent with them fresh instructions which, subsequently adopted, had a marked effect on the course of events. Lord Ellenborough's view was that attacks of positions along the coast were by themselves of little use, and that if the Chinese authorities were to be brought to reason the operations must be extended to the interior. The Yangtse-Kiang, one of the noblest of the world's great rivers, suggested the direction in which the British forces should carry anew the flame of war. Evacuating the positions at Ningpo and Chinhai the expeditionary force, on the 7th of May, sailed northwards. The plan of campaign was to proceed to Nanking and capture that city as a prelude to an advance on Peking, in the event of the Emperor declining to come to terms. Before, however, the objective could be reached it was necessary to reduce several places en route. The first of these was Shapoo, the authorised port and landing-place for vessels coming from Japan. Extensive measures of defence had been taken here, and it seemed that the struggle would be a severe one, but under Sir Hugh Gough's able direction a landing force of two thousand men made a completely successful attack on the defending force, driving them from their positions and scattering them in all directions. One body of desperate men, three hundred in number, took refuge in a temple, and under the mistaken idea that they would be given no quarter if they surrendered fought determinedly until they had all been killed but forty. This remnant of the gallant band finally surrendered, and after a period of detention were sent home to their families. In the town, the women of the men who were killed in the temple, fearing that if caught they would be subjected to a life of perpetual slavery, threw their infants into the tanks and wells and jumped in after them. Many of the poor creatures were rescued by the British troops, but there were melancholy evidences all around that the loss of life from this cause alone was very great.

Leaving Shapoo with its bitter memories of disaster behind, the expedition proceeded to Woosung, the port of Shanghai. Strong batteries guarded the approach to the port, and the intricacy of the channel presented serious difficulties to the invading force. The arrangements for the attack, however, were so skilfully made by the naval commander that the shore batteries were soon silenced, and a landing was effected on June 16th without serious loss. Subsequently the troops advanced to the important native city of Shanghai which was taken after a slight resistance. The place was occupied only to be evacuated. The more important work in hand claimed the service of the troops and they marched back to Woosung and were re-embarked. Not many days later the fleet entered the Yangtse-Kiang—"the child of the ocean." As the imposing flotilla passed up the great waterway the Chinese flocked