CHAPTER XCIV

THE CHINA COMMAND

[Sidenote: 1868. Flag in _Rodney_, Aug. 14.]

Came to in Vladivostock Harbour: usual salutes. Etholin, the Commandant, had promised a deer-shooting day before we left. Lately the rain had fallen regularly. The season was early, but our time and provisions were short. At an early hour _Ogle_, with fifty marines, landed to assist in driving. There was a small peninsula, the neck of which was not more than one hundred yards across.

[Sidenote: Vladivostock.]

The deer were in plenty, but not easily circumvented. Three only were seen to take to the isthmus; the remainder broke through the line of beaters, who were armed with pikes only. When our party of twelve arrived in steam launch, one of the three deer had taken to the water and escaped.

A two-mile walk through swampy ground brought us to the isthmus, where the cordon of marines was drawn. Of our party, Rose volunteered when half-way through the swamp to go back and send the launch to the next bay. He met with his reward.

Of the two deer that had been driven, one only turned up on the return, and observing the men stationed across the neck of land took to the water on the opposite side, to which the launch was coming. No time was lost in hauling the native boat, in tow, over the land into the sea on the opposite side; the young stag swam well, but a bullet from Rose’s gun divided the spine; the poor animal was brought in triumph to the shore. It was a large force to welcome the one trophy, but the excitement was great.

[Sidenote: Flag in _Salamis_, Aug. 29.]

At sunset flag was transferred to _Salamis_, and on 29th we parted company with _Rodney_, to meet again (D.V.) in four months’ time. _Basilisk_ had sailed at daylight for Hong Kong with our mails and herself for return home.

[Sidenote: Hakodadi, Aug. 31.]

Started for Hakodadi; arrived on 31st, but finding no coal proceeded same day. Some little excitement had been caused at Hakodadi by the arrival of one of the vessels engaged in the Macao coolie or slave trade. The old story--the coolies found they had been taken in; watched their opportunity, murdered the crew. They had evidently been to the coast of Siberia, and afterwards drifted into Volcano Bay, when some Japs brought them into Hakodadi.

The first person on board was Mr. Butcher, our contractor, who, finding a British flag hoisted, claimed her as his property. The American Consul being next on board discovered _his_ national flag, on which he hauled down the English and substituted the stars and stripes. However, the Japs, being assured that they, in the absence of the real owner, had the best claim, took advantage of the darkness of night to take an overhand knot in the fly of the stripes and hoisted the Japanese flag: this was considered by the United States Consul a great insult to his nation; hence the excitement. A piece of absurdity in which I did not interfere, except in giving my opinion that the United States Consul had no more right to hoist his flag than our contractor had the English! However, I left them to settle it their own way.

[Sidenote: Yokohama, Sept. 2.]

At sunset we arrived in Yokohama Bay; found _Ocean_ and _Rattler_. Civil War progressing; the Mikado’s Government in possession. Our Naval Instructors of Japanese could not go on with their work, and not caring to be paid for nothing, tendered their resignations through me to Sir Harry Parkes.

This the Japanese gladly accepted, as it enabled them to get rid of the French Military Instructors, who, through their late minister, had shown a decided preference to the Tycoon; besides, their demands for payment were out of proportion to their services. They were angry with the perfidious English for having set the example of not receiving pay for that they did not do. From information we had gained during our northern cruise, it was considered desirable that the Russians should be looked up, to the northward of Yesso, and as this was an affair in which the French minister considered they had an equal interest, the _Rattler_ and _Dupleix_ were told off for that service.

The mail from England arrived, bringing me the sad news of my dear friend Rajah Brooke’s death; a final paralytic seizure from which he never rallied.

[Sidenote: _Salamis_, Hong Kong, Sept. 24.]

We started for Osaka, hurried to Nagasaki, communicated with _Rodney_ at Woosung, went to Shanghai, Amoy, and Hong Kong, arriving there on October 14. Here was stationed the _Princess Charlotte_, bearing the broad pennant of Commodore Oliver Jones, an eccentric good fellow, who managed the dockyard and south part of the station; in the hot season he generally came on leave and joined the Commander-in-Chief in the north and cooler parts. The _Princess Charlotte_ was jury-rigged, the same I had seen launched at Portsmouth when the dock broke in September 1825. Jones kept the smaller vessels in a constant move, and I believe outdid his chief in hospitality. He was a good draughtsman as well, fond of sport; later on he ended his days in the hunting field.

Heard at Hong Kong that on August 22 and 23 the home of Mr. Taylor and other members of the China Inland Mission had been attacked, pillaged, and partially burnt. The residents were pelted with stones, one having his sight much injured, while the wife of one of the missionaries, although far advanced in pregnancy, was obliged to jump out of a window. These missionary ladies do their hair in Chinese style, and wear the Chinese costume, and look remarkably well in it--from their fairness and size, being a vast improvement on their models.

The outrages resulted from placards prepared by the literati of the district, who endeavoured to excite the rancour of the mob by proclaiming that the missionaries scooped out the eyes of the dying, and opened Foundling Hospitals that they might eat children and prepare medicine from their brains. Previous to the attack, Mr. Taylor earnestly sought protection from the local Chinese authorities, begging that the placards might be taken down, but without avail.

The _Rinaldo_, Commander Robinson, proceeded to Chinkiang and Nankin on September 3, conveying Mr. Consul Medhurst from Shanghai, whose representations resulted in a proclamation acknowledging the right of foreigners to reside in the country, and enjoining the people to respect them. A promise was also made of reparation to those who were injured.

At this stage, Commander Bush of the _Rinaldo_, having an attack of illness, started off to Shanghai, leaving Mr. Medhurst in a house-boat to settle the affair. No sooner was the protection or prestige of the man-of-war removed than the Chinese authorities became insolent, refusing to grant the Consul the interview he had a right to demand, and withdrew all their previous concessions. At the same time the literati published fresh placards, threatening to burn down any house rented by foreigners, refusing them the right of residence at Chinkiang. Mr. Medhurst, failing in his negotiation, returned to Hong Kong to await further instructions from Sir Rutherford Alcock.

[Sidenote: Oct. 13.]

To Macao in packet steamer. Joined following day by _Salamis_.

[Sidenote: Flag in _Salamis_, Affairs in Formosa, Nov. 1.]

After we were under weigh in Macao roads, a gunboat joined us from Hong Kong with the northern mail, bringing pressing letters for my interference in Formosa. Having previously made arrangements for all contingencies, proceeded on the route I had arranged for visiting the southern part of the station. I had left the _Rodney_ at Shanghai, with instructions to Captain Heneage to carry out the views of the Consul, Mr. (afterwards Sir Walter) Medhurst, and render him every support. Directions were also given to prepare such a force as would overawe the troublesome Tontais in Formosa. Captain Heneage proceeded in _Rodney_, _Rinaldo_, and _Stanley_ in company, to Nankin, where he was reinforced by Lord Charles Scott in the _Icarus_ and the _Zebra_, Commander Trollope. Mr. Medhurst was on board the _Rodney_.

It became apparent that the Viceroy, Tseng Kuo-fau, rested his faith on diplomatic fencing. The first step of our diplomacy was to seize the Chinese screw gunboat _Tien Chi_ as a material guarantee for fulfilment of the claims of our Consul. One of these was that proclamations engraved on stone should be erected in the principal places, acknowledging the full right of Europeans to reside and exercise their calling. Compensation was demanded for the injuries inflicted on the persons and property of the missionaries; these and some minor demands were at once conceded, and the gun-boat was released.

Subsequently the Consul, accompanied by a strong landing party from the ships, under the immediate command of Captain Heneage, proceeded to Yeng Cheow, where they remained until the Viceroy’s concessions were enforced.

During the past year British subjects and other foreigners have been repeatedly maltreated by people connected with the local authorities at Taiwan and Takan in Formosa. The Tontai attempted to carry out a monopoly of the camphor trade. Six thousand dollars’ worth of that drug, owned by Messrs. Ellis and Co., was seized. An Englishman named Haidore was stabbed. Dr. Maxwell, a missionary, was accused of murder, and the mode of proving his guilt was somewhat curious. A mob, bearing on their shoulders a native joss, carried it round the house, and suddenly stopping, the hand of the image was made to point to a certain spot, where they commenced digging.

To the astonishment of the Doctor, a number of human bones were turned up, which, of course, had been previously placed there. Notice of this “discovery” was published, stating that the bones were those of Maxwell’s victims, and his house was burned down. The Consul, Mr. Gibson, when about to start for Pitows to confront Dr. Maxwell with his accusers, got information of three ambuscades prepared to intercept him on the road.

Other outrages occurred and native Christians met with inhuman persecution. The Chinese authorities evaded our claims for redress; at one moment pretending to concede, at the next withdrawing their promises. The Tontai of Amoy was ordered from Peking, to proceed to Formosa and settle all existing difficulties; but he coolly informed Her Majesty’s Consul on his arrival that they appeared to him of so little importance, he was determined to return to Amoy without any practical investigation into the real state of affairs. Mr. Gibson saw that some material guarantee was necessary for the fulfilment of his claims, and requested Lieutenant Gurdon of the _Algerine_ to occupy Amping and the Fort of Zelandia, which forts constituted the key to the capital of Formosa, Tai-wan-foo, from which they are distant some 3000 yards.

The Tontai, having in the first instance agreed that Amping should be held as a guarantee, appears now to have ordered it to be put into a state of defence. Lieutenant Gurdon observed this and gave notice to the inhabitants of his intention. He then opened fire at about 2000 yards from the pivot gun of _Algerine_. Finding, however, that he was unable to prevent the construction of earthworks--forty-one guns were already in position--he determined to surprise the camp at night. At 10.30 P.M. Gurdon left the _Algerine_ in his gig, accompanied by the cutter, containing two officers and twenty-three men. He landed on the beach in a heavy surf about two miles below the town. The gig, in spite of precaution, was swamped.

Having formed on the beach, he threw out skirmishers and advanced with caution, taking advantage of every inequality of ground. When within eight hundred yards, he observed Chinese moving about the fortifications, and the moon shining brightly, he made his men lie down under the cover of some rising ground until 2 A.M., when he made a rush, and was in the heart of the town before he was discovered. Gurdon got hold of a guide and at once proceeded to the Heptar’s Yamun, the door of which he burst in before he could get at the garrison, which consisted of about fifty men. They barricaded the door of an inner apartment, extinguished the lights, and, refusing to surrender, were fired on, when some eight were killed.

It was, of course, not the time for Gurdon, with his handful of men, to show the slightest hesitation. The remainder of the Chinese soldiers broke down a door in their rear and escaped. It was daylight before Gurdon had time to take possession of Fort Zelandia and station his men, when the enemy were observed in force coming up from Tai-wan-foo, led by a mandarin carrying a yellow flag. They were received with such a deadly fire from the unerring Snider that in less than five minutes the mandarin’s men broke and fled, leaving our little force in possession. The loss of the Chinese during this little engagement was twenty-one killed and thirty-six wounded, while the mandarin, unable to face the disgrace, returned to his quarters and committed suicide.

Gurdon belonged to Norfolk. He sent me some of his captured brass guns.

The result of this action was the complete submission of the Tontai. The attempted monopoly of the camphor trade was broken down. The ringleaders in the outrage against Dr. Maxwell were punished by decapitation; pecuniary compensation was made to Ellis and Company for their losses, and a guarantee given for future good behaviour. However, there was dissatisfaction at Peking. The Prince of Kung pretended to be much annoyed at the manner in which this affair had been settled. Gibson got into a row with our Minister for having called upon Gurdon to proceed to such active measures, and he was in danger of being superseded. And yet negotiations had been going on for five months, during which time the Tontais had set their own Government, our Consuls, and all Treaty rights at defiance. I, too, had been preparing, at the request of our Minister, a powerful force that would have captured the Formosan capital, in spite of its garrison of 10,000 men, when the gallant Gurdon cut the Gordian knot and spoilt my “pidgin.”

* * * * *

There came in due time wiggings from the Foreign Office and the Admiralty, in spite of the success of the operations. Gurdon and I had the distinction of being traduced in the House of Commons. Subsequently, on comparing notes with our Ambassador at Peking, who had also been found fault with, we agreed how utterly ignorant our authorities at home were of the manners and customs of the Chinese, and have they not been so even since the time we are discussing? Wars have already occurred on far less provocation.

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