Ti-Ping Tien-Kwoh Part 9

On May 9th, Consul Harvey reported to Mr. Bruce the movements of the Imperialist, or rather pirate fleet, under the notorious Apak, as follows:--

"Their fleet of junks is at the present moment _lying in front of our settlement_, making preparations for an a.s.sault on Ningpo."

He then adds:--

"The Taoutae[16] Chang, with Commander-in-Chief Chin, came to see me this morning (9th) at the Consulate, _in a private manner_, and he informed Captain Dew and myself, that if no unforeseen event happened, the Imperialist attack on Ningpo would take place to-morrow morning _at daylight_."

Now Captain Dew (as the representative of Great Britain) having made the following formal declaration in his despatch to the Ti-ping chiefs, dated April 28th,

"That he has not the intention or wish to interfere with the Imperialists and yourself at Ningpo; and if the former should attack the city, _we should be entirely neutral, and will not even allow the foreign settlement to harbour the Imperialists_."

And again, in his despatch dated April 27th:--

"You may rest a.s.sured that no breach of friendly relations shall emanate from our side"--

He was bound to fulfil his pledges of neutrality. He was perfectly well aware that the city could not possibly reply to the fire of the Imperial fleet without endangering the men-of-war and foreign settlement. It was therefore his duty, as he himself expressed, "not to allow the foreign settlement to harbour the Imperialists," or, to have withdrawn the s.h.i.+ps of war from the line of fire, as Admiral Hope had no "wish to interfere."

Yet we find Consul Harvey stating that the pirate lorchas are "lying in front of our settlement, making preparations for an a.s.sault on Ningpo,"

and Captain Dew not only authorized this proceeding but declared it a _casus belli_ should the Ti-pings venture to return their fire! There are, in fact, ample grounds for the statements in some of the China newspapers, and in many private letters, that the whole affair was arranged between the ex-Governor, the pirate Apak, Captain Dew, and Mr.

Consul Harvey: and the idea seems strengthened by the fact that Mr.

Harvey, in his letter to Mr. Bruce, dated May 9, terms the arrival of the piratical fleet "an extraordinary but fortunate coincidence, and that it was far too good an opportunity to be lost."

Immediately _after_ his second interview with the ex-Governor and the pirate, Captain Dew and the French senior officer sent the following crafty and equivocal ultimatum to the Ti-ping chiefs, dated May 8th:--

"This is to inform you, on the part of the English and French senior naval officers, that had you agreed to their demands, and removed your guns from the walls, they should have felt bound in honour to have acted up to their promise, and have prevented an attack on you on the settlement side by Imperial forces, which in countless numbers and heavily-armed s.h.i.+ps advance to attack you. We now inform you _that we maintain a perfect neutrality_, BUT IF YOU FIRE THE GUNS OR MUSKETS FROM THE BATTERY OR WALLS OPPOSITE THE SETTLEMENT ON THE ADVANCING IMPERIALISTS (thereby endangering the lives of our men and people in the foreign settlement), WE SHALL THEN FEEL IT OUR DUTY TO RETURN THE FIRE AND BOMBARD THE CITY."

This was equivalent to saying, "If you defend yourselves against the Imperialists we shall kill you;" for in firing upon the pirate vessels as they advanced from the foreign settlement and amongst the British men-of-war, these latter must inevitably have been endangered.

The following extracts from official despatches and other memoranda will show how the British squadron joined the fleet of pirates in driving the Ti-pings out of Ningpo.

On the 10th of May, Captain Dew wrote to Admiral Hope:--

"Sir,--I found it necessary to capture the city of Ningpo, and drive the rebels out, under the following circ.u.mstances:--

"You are aware, Sir, that the rebel chiefs had been informed that if they again fired, either on our s.h.i.+ps or in the _direction_ of the settlement, we should deem it a _casus belli_. This morning at 10 a.m., the _Kestrel_, and French vessels _Etoile_ and _Confucius_ were fired on by the Point battery. I cleared for action in this s.h.i.+p, when a volley of musketry was fired on us from the bastion abreast. The undermentioned vessels, viz., _Encounter_, _Ringdove_, _Kestrel_, and _Hardy_, with the _Etoile_ and _Confucius_, French gunboats, now opened fire, with sh.e.l.l, on the walls and batteries, which was replied to with much spirit from guns and small arms."

The despatch continues to this effect:--At noon the Ti-ping guns were silenced and practicable breaches effected. At two o'clock the city was stormed, and at five o'clock, all opposition having ceased, the ex-governor and his troops landed from their junks. Captain Dew gave them charge of the city, and re-embarked his men. We must now find out what had become of the ex-governor, his troops, and Apak's fleet during this time. Captain Dew carefully avoids stating whether they had made the attack _at daylight_, according to arrangement, or left him to play the bravo alone, for he does not mention _one word_ about his allies, until he hands over the city to them. Consul Harvey, however, in a despatch to Mr. Bruce, dated May the 16th, throws some light upon the subject; he states:--

"Shot and sh.e.l.l were poured into this large city with very little intermission for a period of five hours _by the combined fleet_, at the end of which time the walls were scaled, and the Taeping forces were at once completely routed and dispersed."

The only fleet was _eighty_ lorchas of the pirate Apak, the English and French aiding by six vessels only, a fact suppressed by Captain Dew.

The final expulsion of the Ti-pings from Ningpo was thus effected:--

Early on the morning of the 10th, the piratical fleet commenced the attack upon Ningpo, advancing from the foreign settlement and then manoeuvring round and round the British and French gunboats, firing at the Ti-pings when _between_ their line of fire and the foreign vessels.

Captain Dew never attempted to enforce his pretended order for them to keep "well clear" of his vessels. For some time the Ti-pings bore this attack silently and without reply, doubtless trusting that Captain Dew would either move his vessels or make the pirates give them a clear berth. This, however, was not done, the intention being to compel the Ti-pings to open fire on the attacking fleet, when, as the latter were placed directly between the British and French men-of-war and the guns of the town, any shot must necessarily pa.s.s in the "direction" of those vessels, and thereby const.i.tute the false _casus belli_ required, and eagerly watched for by Captain Dew with his vessels quite prepared and his guns loaded and ready.

At last human nature could bear no more, and the Ti-pings opened a musketry fire upon the pirate lorchas, yet still with extraordinary forbearance, and such a desire to avoid endangering the foreign s.h.i.+ps or settlement, that they did not make use of their artillery. It is perfectly certain that the Manchoo piratical fleet dared not have ventured to make their attack unless fully a.s.sured of foreign co-operation. That such a.s.sistance _was_ guaranteed and arranged has scarcely ever been doubted.

Many of the Ti-ping soldiers had been killed by the fire of the pirate fleet before they replied with musketry. The very instant they did so, the British and French vessels came to the aid of their allies, and commenced bombarding the town. It is said that a couple of bullets from the volley fired upon a lorcha, which having just delivered her broadside was tacking under the stern of the _Kestrel_, struck the quarter of the latter vessel. This may have accidentally occurred; but it is, however, perfectly certain that the Ti-pings did not fire upon the foreign men-of-war, as stated by Captain Dew.

The Ti-pings fought their battery against the overwhelming fire from the heavy pivot guns of the smaller vessels and the broadsides from the _Encounter_ until every gun was dismounted and the work knocked to pieces. When the British and French storming parties carried the walls of Ningpo, the defenders offered a determined resistance; but sh.e.l.l and Enfield rifles at last overcame it; though not until both the generals Hw.a.n.g and Fang were severely wounded did they evacuate the city, leaving about 100 dead within and around the walls. The British loss was only 3 killed and 23 wounded.

Even Consul Harvey termed the conduct of the Ti-pings when they captured Ningpo "wonderfully moderate." What will the British public think of the following account of the behaviour of Captain Dew's allies when re-established in the city? Contrasting the events which followed the Ti-ping seizure of the city with those which occurred on its subsequent capture by the British and French, can any question arise as to which was the most civilized and merciful? The correspondent of the _China Mail_, under date the 22nd May, 1862, states:--

"The rebels retreated through the west gate--the pirates then entered the city and began the work of destruction, and in a few hours did more damage than the rebels did in the whole of the five months that they had possession.... On _Sunday_ the reinstated Taoutae was busy chopping off the heads of the unlucky rebels that he caught, and otherwise torturing them. I saw some fearful sights; such as a boy with his entrails cut right out, from a great gash across the stomach, carried round the back--a man with all the flesh torn off his ribs, leaving them quite bare--a man whose heart had been torn out and his head cut off; together with others equally revolting.... On Monday the same scenes were enacting.... One of the princ.i.p.al murderers and torturers of the poor fellows found in the city was one A-f.o.o.k, the _British Consul's_ boy or personal attendant, who was dressed up in silks, and who, stuck upon a pony, paraded the city with attendants, ordering them to execute unfortunates, and issuing orders (which were actually obeyed) to the English soldiers."

Now it can safely be declared that the Ti-pings have _never_ committed similar atrocities to the above. They have, it is true, often killed large numbers at the capture of obstinately defended towns, but their prisoners were never tortured to death as their comrades, captured by British troops and then delivered up to the cruel Tartar mandarins, have been under the shadow of the Union Jack.

The _China Overland Trade Report_ of October 14, 1862, states:--

"So much mystery and double-dealing has been practised by the allies to wrest this port from the Taipings, and so little regard for veracity pervades the official despatches regarding their doings, that the truth is most difficult to arrive at, and has certainly never yet been published.... The possession of Ningpo by the Taipings was peculiarly adapted to thwart those schemes for aiding and abetting the Imperial cause, which have so peculiarly characterized the British minister. The Taipings held the province, and it is evident that the possession of a seaport would have enabled them not only to have deprived Shanghae of the greater proportion of the customs duties,[17]

but to have diverted the same into their own exchequer. Now Mr.

Lay was acting Chinese amba.s.sador in London, and the absorption of these duties would have entirely frustrated the object of his errand[18] and indeed have destroyed the main stay of the Imperial cause. Besides, the possession of Ningpo would have enabled the Taipings to have obtained all the munitions of war which they stood so much in need of. It would have dispelled the _illusion_ of their being inimical to foreign trade.... Admiral Hope ... from some such cogent reasons as are above named, fell into the British minister's views, and clearly resolved on the recapture of the place by fair means or foul. The mode of accomplis.h.i.+ng this design reflects _indelible disgrace_ on British prestige....

"Admiral Hope detached a portion of his fleet to Ningpo under command of Captain Dew, of H.M.S. _Encounter_, clearly to act in concert with this piratical squadron, with which daily communications were established. The day before the Taoutae arrived at Ningpo, the British s.h.i.+ps had taken up their stations, and had cleared for action. Captain Dew had opened a correspondence with the Taiping chiefs, the drift of which was a demand that they should remove a certain battery on some absurd pretext, which they refused to do. The night prior to the attack, a council of war was held on board the _Encounter_, and a private note was seen by several Europeans at Ningpo, written by a certain British official, which stated that the city would be attacked the following morning. The pirate fleet arrived accordingly, and proceeding in driblets _between_ the British men-of-war and the city, opened fire. This could not possibly be returned without directing the guns towards the men-of-war. The result is known and need not be repeated."

The _Hong-kong Daily Press_, in a long article upon the capture of Ningpo by the Anglo-Franco-Manchoo-piratical fleet, makes precisely similar statements to those quoted from the _Overland Trade Report_, and commences with the following paragraph:--

"There never was a falser, more unprovoked, or more unjustifiable act than the taking of Ningpo by the allies from the Taipings. It should, in fairness, be recorded _to the eternal disgrace of Captain_ RODERIC DEW, _of H.M.S.

Encounter_."

FOOTNOTES:

[4] Lord Palmerston's Government had one great quality--it manfully supported its subordinate officials whether right or wrong; it is at least doubtful whether his successors will have courage to pursue the same policy.

[5]

The forces consisted of:-- French, under Rear-Admiral Protet:-- Small-arm men and Marines; field-piece party and 4 guns 410 English, under Brigadier General Staveley:-- Royal Artillery, 6 guns 78 5th Bombay N. I. 440 H.M. 99th Regiment 56 22nd Punjaub N. I. 519 Under Captain Borlase, R.N.:-- Field-piece party, 3 guns 45 H.M.S. _Pearl_ small-arm company 60 Axe party 16 Under Captain Willes, R.N.:-- H.M.S. _Imperieuse_ small-arm company 189 Marines of Squadron 94 -----1,497 Disciplined Chinese of General Ward's legion 300 ----- Total 2,207

[6]

The force consisted of:-- British Naval Division, with 3 howitzers 350 Royal Artillery, with 4 howitzers 90 H.M. 99th Regiment 80 22nd Punjaub N. I. 400 5th Bombay N. I. 400 French Contingent, with 5 rifled guns and 2 field-pieces 700 Disciplined Chinese of Ward's legion 400 ----- Total 2,420

[7]

The allied force consisted of:-- British troops, under General Staveley:-- Royal Engineers 22 Royal Artillery, with 7 guns and 6 mortars 100 H.M. 31st Regiment 552 H.M. 99th and 67th Regiments 280 5th Bombay N.I 350 22nd Punjaub N.I 350

French force, under Admiral Protet:-- Algerian Infantry, Cha.s.seurs, Marines, and Seamen, with 8 guns 900

British Naval Division, under Captain Borlase, R.N.:-- Seamen and Marines, with 9 guns 330 Ward's disciplined Chinese 1,000 ----- Total 3,884 a.s.sisted by Imperialist troops under Manchoo General Le 5,000

[8] _See_ Note, p. 509.

[9] Italics are by the Author.

[10] _Vide_ "Further Papers relating to the Rebellion in China," 1863, p. 43; Inclosure in No. 27; Brigadier-General Staveley to Sir C. Lewis.

[11] This and all following extracts are taken from the Official Correspondence presented to both Houses of Parliament in Blue Book form.