SECOND CHINESE WAR. 1856–1860.
Reading edition
The second war against the Chinese arose from various acts of aggression; amongst which the seizure of the crew of the memorable lorcha named the “Arrow,” sailing under British colours, was the most prominent. The operations were at first confined to the navy and Marines. Admiral Sir Michael Seymour pursued vigorous measures; he opened fire upon Canton in October, destroyed several Chinese junks on the 5th. of November, 1856, and the Bogue Forts, mounting upwards of four hundred guns, were captured on the 12th. and 13th. of that month. The Chinese made repeated but abortive attempts to destroy the fleet with fire-rafts and infernal machines, some of which were charged with three thousand pounds of gunpowder. On December 3rd., a strong fort called the French Folly, was bombarded by the “Encounter” and “Barracouta,” and Captains Wilson and Cochrane, at the head of eight hundred and fifty sailors and marines, attacked and stormed it on the land side. Thirty guns, some of them sixty-eight pounders, were captured and destroyed, and the fort blown up. This gave the Admiral command over the whole river, and his blockade annihilated the trade of Canton.
An attack was made on the suburbs of the city of Canton on the 12th. of January, 1857, when a detachment of the 59th., employed in conjunction with the naval forces, sustained a few casualties.
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