Chapter XVIII (2)

Upon the 26th of April Captain R. Dew, with H.M.S. _Encounter_, arrived at Ningpo from Shanghae, having been ordered there by Admiral Hope. Judging by the conduct of the Admiral at that time, and by the whole circumstances of the war upon the Ti-pings, it becomes morally certain that Captain Dew was dispatched with the reinforcement to Ningpo on purpose to drive them out. The day after his arrival (27th April, dates are important), Captain Dew wrote as follows to the Ti-ping generals in command of the city:--

"_Encounter_, Ningpo, April 27, 1862.

"Sir,--We have received from Commander Cragie your communication
regarding the _accidental_ discharge of bullets whilst firing a
salute ... as well as the communication from General Hwang. Both
these are _so satisfactory_, and tend so much to impress on us
your wish to maintain friendly relations with the English and
French, that we beg to inform you _that we shall not insist on
the demolition of the battery at the point_,[12] but we still do
that you remove the guns....

"We again inform you that it is the earnest wish of our Chiefs
to remain neutral[13] and on good terms with you at Ningpo. Till
the late acts, they had every reason to be satisfied with your
conduct, and you may rest assured that no breach of friendly
relations shall emanate from our side....

"(Signed) R. DEW."

As Colonel Sykes, M.P., has very justly observed in his work, "The Ti-ping Rebellion in China," incredible as it may appear, the very day after the above letter was sent, which condoned all previous offences, and which expressed the most earnest wish to remain on friendly terms, Captain Dew, in oblivion of his promises, addressed the following letter to the Generals:--

"_Encounter_, Ningpo, April 28, 1862.

"Sir,--" (After mentioning the firing of musket balls during the
salute, he continues) "I have been sent here _with a
considerable force to demand apology_.... Having consulted with
the officers here in command, I have come to the conclusion that
the foreign settlement is now being seriously menaced by a large
battery in course of construction at a point outside the city
wall ... _so I have to request that you will cause it to be
immediately pulled down_, and that all guns now mounted on the
walls opposite our settlement, be removed as well. I am
requested by my Admiral to inform you that it would grieve him
much[14] to be obliged, by the hostile acts of your people, to
come into collision with them. He will be very sorry to resort
to force (?), as 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_." (After threatening to destroy the battery and
capture Ningpo if the guns and fortifications were not removed
in "twenty-four hours," Captain Dew concludes with the following
passage:)

"When these, my _reasonable_ (?) demands, have been carried into
effect, I beg you will report them...."

"I have, &c.,
"(Signed) R. DEW."

It is to be remembered that Captain Dew had received and accepted the "apology" on the 27th, and had replied by stating, "we shall _not_ insist on the demolition of the battery." The renewal of the demands which had been formally abandoned on the previous day convinced the Ti-ping generals that Captain Dew was determined to quarrel with them. That officer knew perfectly well, as Colonel Sykes has forcibly expressed it, "that no human being with an ounce of militant blood in his veins would comply with such insulting demands."

The Ti-ping generals, ever forbearing, and always truly earnest in their efforts to obtain the goodwill and friendship of the "foreign brethren," made the following admirable reply to Captain Dew's grossly offensive despatch, and its readers will find every word truth and sound reason:--

(Precis.)

"Hwang, General, &c., Pang, General, &c., in official
communication with Captain R. Dew, R.N., H.M.S. _Encounter_:--In
reply to your letter requesting the removal of the battery and
guns, we would remark that ever since the capture of Ningpo,
both parties have been on most friendly and intimate terms. No
suspicions or dislikes; _we have done everything in our power to
protect your trade, and kept good faith in every respect_; have
always inquired into complaints made to us of our soldiers, and
even beheaded some men who broke into a foreign hong; _have
wished to keep a lasting peace with you, and have done all in
our power to that end_.

"The discharge of bullets in firing the salute the other day was
_quite accidental_;--have already taken steps towards punishing
offenders. With regard to the erection of a fort at the point,
_it is a precautionary measure that a proper regard for the
lives of our soldiers renders indispensable, and has nothing
whatever to do with foreigners_, as has been already stated to
Captain Montgomerie. It is now completed, and we cannot assent
to its removal; so also we cannot agree to the removal of the
guns from the walls. We have continually esteemed good faith and
right....

"With good faith and right feeling as the alpha and omega of
one's conduct, each party can afford to put up with one or two
trifling matters. With regard to that part of your letter having
reference to a probable outbreak of hostilities (we would inform
you) that we are not in the least concerned thereat [_lit._, we
are not apprehensive, nor do we take offence thereat]; _we could
not bear to break the oaths of friendship we have sworn_. We
cannot remove the fort or the guns; should you proceed
yourselves to move the same, then it is evident that you have
the intention of quarrelling with us. You can, if you please,
lead on your soldiers against this city; you can, if you please,
attack us; _we shall stand quietly on the defensive_ [_lit._, we
shall await the battle with hand in the cuff, _i.e._, we shall
not strike the first blow].... You still wish to be on friendly
terms with us; let, then, these dislikes and suspicions be
committed to the deep.... In any large army good or bad are to
be found; do not, therefore, let a small matter like this
occasion a breach of such a grand principle as amity. Good
fellowship would request you to give our argument your very best
consideration."

The remainder of the despatch is irrelevant to the subject of the correspondence. It was received 29th April, 1862. If the Ti-pings had acted rather as angels than men, their rights would not have been respected. Captain Dew, neither satisfied by their arguments nor conciliated by their tone, addressed to them the following cartel:--

"_Encounter_, Ningpo, May 2, 1862.

"SIR,--We have the honour to inform you that your letter of the
29th ult., in reply to my demands for the insults offered to the
French and English flags, and in which you refuse to comply with
those very moderate demands,[15] have been forwarded to our
admirals. In the mean time, pending the decision of our chiefs,
I have moored the foreign ships two miles down the river, and
cut off communication with the city, and am, moreover, ordered
by our chiefs, in the event of the following demands not being
complied with, to prepare to blockade Ching-hae, and prevent all
foreign ships entering the river:--1. _An ample apology._ 2.
Removal of all guns from battery and walls opposite our ships.
3. That an officer shall be specially appointed, and that proper
measures, by means of guards, shall be taken to prevent anybody
whatever coming on the wall opposite the ships or into the
battery.--I have, &c.,

"(Signed) R. DEW."

This repeated attempt of Captain Dew to make the Ti-pings disarm themselves, and his attempt to ignore the apology he had already accepted in his letter to the chief dated 27th April, must afford convincing proof that a premeditated and organized arrangement to quarrel with the Ti-pings existed. The generals in command at Ningpo gave the following reply to Captain Dew. They declared the battery and guns necessary to defend the city against an attack by a fleet from the coast, which in fact appeared, commanded by the notorious pirate Apak, on the 7th May. They promised to remove all ammunition from the guns and to prevent armed men going on the ramparts, but, as Colonel Sykes says in his review of the affair, "Had the generals chucked the guns into the river there would have been some new demand." In their reply the generals state:--

"In reply to letter of 2nd inst., submitting three demands, we
beg to inform you that we have carefully examined its contents,
and that we will agree to those demands as far as we are able.
In reference to the first, our previous letter _has afforded
full explanations on that head_, how that it was the result of
an accidental discharge of bullets during the salute.... In
reference to the second point, demanding removal of guns, &c.,
_our former despatch has already explained that those guns are
meant as a precaution against an attack from Ting-hae_, that the
multitude of lives in the city that have to be taken care of
urgently demands.... We shall on no account fire the guns,
unless the imps attack us. Under the circumstances stated by
you, we agree to stop up the port-holes of all the guns bearing
on Keang-pih-gan, and to remove all the shot and powder from
thence, _so as to manifest to you our desire for lasting amity_.
Infer from the third point in your letter that you are afraid
that, if people are allowed on the wall, there will be some
lawless persons who will fire the guns by mistake. Far from
allowing anybody whatever to come on the walls, there are most
strict orders against allowing any one to go on the walls, not
only on those opposite to Keang-pih, but also all round the
city.... _We are inordinately desirous of remaining on good
terms with you_, and this is our reason for this distinct
statement." (Dated 3rd May, 1862.)

Affairs remained in this position till the 7th of May, when Captain Dew wrote to Admiral Hope, stating that on the evening of the 5th, Consul Harvey received a communication from the late Manchoo Governor of Ningpo, to the effect that he was about to attack the city with a strong force, and requesting support from the English and French admirals. The same evening Captain Dew proceeded down the river, found the Imperialist fleet (consisting of the pirate Apak's vessels), and visited the Governor; again, on the following morning, Captain Dew visited that functionary, and the latter, accompanied by his pirate-admiral Apak, returned the visit. While closeted with Captain Dew, they made their arrangements for the forthcoming attack on Ningpo, and the former wrote to his senior officer:--

"So I told them that in consequence of the rebels refusing
certain demands we had made, I should have no objection to their
passing up, _but that they were not to open fire till well clear
of our men-of-war_."

Now Captain Dew may flatter himself that this statement has hoodwinked the people of England, but unfortunately for his reputation, people judge a man by his actions. Instead of these piratical vessels keeping "well clear" of his ships, they proceeded to execute their part of the programme of attack by keeping _well foul_ of his men-of-war, according to previous arrangement.

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 assault 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 assured 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 ships 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 assault 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 ships 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:--

"<sc>Sir</sc>,--I found it necessary to capture the city of Ningpo, and
drive the rebels out, under the following circumstances:--

"You are aware, Sir, that the rebel chiefs had been informed
that if they again fired, either on our ships 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 ship, 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 shell, 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 shell 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 pass in the "direction" of those vessels, and thereby constitute 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 ships 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 assured of foreign co-operation. That such assistance _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 shell and Enfield rifles at last overcame it; though not until both the generals Hwang 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 principal
murderers and torturers of the poor fellows found in the city
was one A-fook, 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 ambassador 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
accomplishing 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 ships 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, Chasseurs, 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
Assisted 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.

[12] Compare this with the next despatch of Captain Dew's.

[13] These Chiefs were at the time conducting the murderous raids from Shanghae, already described.

[14] Did it grieve the philanthropic Admiral "much," I wonder, to massacre them in his raids from Shanghae?

[15] We may safely presume that Captain Dew was gibing the chiefs.

[16] Governor of a city.

[17] From these duties the indemnity for the war was being extracted.

[18] The errand was to obtain the notorious Anglo-Chinese flotilla.