Battles of the First Opium War - Second Battle of Chuenpee (Paperback)

Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Second Battle of Chuenpee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia In October 1840, the Daoguang Emperor fired Imperial Commissioner Lin Zexu and replaced him with Qishan. British Foreign Secretary Lord Palmerston instructed Plenipotentiary Charles Elliot to have the ports of Canton, Amoy, Fuzhou, Ningpo, and Shanghai be opened for trade, to acquire the cession of an island or islands (or if the Chinese refused, the establishment of a secure English enclave on the mainland), and to be paid money for confiscated opium and military costs in China. On 1 December 1840, Elliot wrote to Palmerston that these demands would be secured in ten days. Three days after the deadline, Elliot wrote to Governor-General of India Lord Auckland that he failed to get the concessions, but still predicated success. He then conceded to Auckland that any success would be "far short of the demands of the government." In negotiations with Qishan, Elliot wanted $7 million in six years and the surrender of Amoy and Chusan as permanent British possessions. Qishan offered $5 million over twelve years, so they agreed to $6 million. However, Qishan refused Elliot's territorial demands. Elliot offered to abandon Chusan (which the British captured in July 1840) for another port to be chosen later. After Qishan rejected the offer, Elliot told him, "There are very large forces collected here, and delays must breed amongst them a very great impatience." The year passed with no final settlements. An opium ship that sailed to Canton delivered a rumour that the emperor decided to wage war. On 5 January 1841, Elliot prepared for an attack on Canton. He informed Qishan that an attack would commence in two days if agreements could not be reached. He allowed Commodore James Bremer, commande... More: http://booksllc.net/?id=24992492