in. I paid a visit to the Admiral the other day, who was at anchor just below Tiger Island in what is called the Bocca Tigris, and immediately above the Bogue forts. The lower part of the Canton River is very uninteresting, being very broad and shallow and without any view of interest till you come to these forts. The passage of the river at this point narrows to three-quarters of a mile, and in the hands of any other people could be made so strong that it would be impossible to force it. The Chinese command this passage with five large forts which could bring a fire of 300 guns to bear upon any one spot. These forts are mostly dismantled, but the guns, some of which are of an enormous size (some of them larger than any we have got in our Service), still remain, though we have rendered them unserviceable. The works are strongly and solidly constructed of granite; they have adopted one or two minor principles of fortification, but, excepting this, there is an absence of all science in their construction. They have brought together the rough materials of war, of which they have an abundance, and which have been used with a degree of labour quite remarkable, considering the unsatisfactory results they arrive at. But when they apply science to these raw materials they will become a formidable people, at all events considerably more so than they ever have been yet, and this science cannot be much longer withheld from them. This may be a comparatively easy business we have got on hand, but twenty years [hence] it would be a very different affair,... I don't think I have missed a mail writing to somebody. You like to know about my health.... I am perfectly well and to a degree that surprises me. I always thought this climate would disagree with me, whereas I really have never been better in my life....
HuAN, DIRECTLY OPPOSITE Canton, December 27, 1857. — Just one line to say I am all well. I land in an hour to help in making preparations for the remainder of the force, which will all disembark to the east of Canton, two miles off, to-morrow morning. The fleet bombard the town at daybreak to-morrow (I wish Yeh joy!), and the following morning we go in and capture the city. I have really and truly been so occupied day and night lately that I have not been able to write more. I should not have written now if I did not think you might be worrying yourself — but you need not trouble yourself about me. We expect to take the place with scarcely any loss, and if you could only see what spirits we are all in you would be satisfied....
I am writing this in such haste that I have been dipping my pen first into black and then red ink. Bombardment commenced J Dec. 28th. City burning in two places \ 7.30 a.m.
Canton, December 29, 1857. — ^We captured Canton by escalade at nine o'clock this morning, with a trifling loss not worth mentioning. We have had two days' hard work, but the result has been even more successful than any one of us imagined. I am unhurt, but tired very much. We are in occupation of the city and surrounding forts.
Canton, January 13, 1858. —... I can now give you a little more detailed account of our proceedings. We left Hong Kong on the 19th, a wretched little force of 400 bayonets, 60 sappers, 250 artillery, and 20 guns, the marines, numbering about 2000, not having been then given over to us. With this force, assisted by the French and English navies, we were to attack a large city supposed to contain, with the river population and suburbs, one million inhabitants. Everyone expected a tough resistance, the walls being 30 feet high, mounted with guns, protected by detached forts, and, moreover, our attack on the city having been known to the Cantonese twelve months previously. With all this we were more than sufficient for the work, which proved
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