The same evening the three iron steamers returned to Shanghai, and anchored abreast of the town, where his Excellency, Sir Henry Pottinger, had just arrived from Hong-Kong, having touched at Amoy and at Chusan on his way up. It was also announced that strong reinforcements had arrived at Chusan, and might be expected to join our forces in the Yangtze-Kiang in a few days. The names of ships and regiments will be given together, in the order in which they moved up the river leading to Nankin. It will be sufficient here to mention, that no less than seventy-three vessels of war and transports set sail from Woosung together; besides which two others were left at that anchorage, in order to blockade the river leading to Shanghai. Several other vessels joined the expedition on its way up to Nankin, and afterwards.
FOOTNOTES:
[63] At this time, the venerable and high-minded Elepoo, who was Lieutenant-General of Chapoo, was partially restored to favour by the Emperor, after being disgraced and deprived of the government of the two Keang provinces, which he formerly held. This is the same officer, who, when he was sent down as Imperial Commissioner to the province of Che-keang, for the purpose of "arranging affairs with the barbarians," nobly gave up all our prisoners, including Captain Anstruther, Lieutenant Douglas, and Mrs. Noble; but was disgraced and punished by the Emperor.
[64] Names of Her Majesty's and the Honourable Company's vessels, and of their Commanders, engaged at Woosung, June 16th, 1843.
| Cornwallis | 72 | Captain P. Richards. |
| Blonde | 42 | Captain F. Bourchier. |
| North Star | 26 | Captain Sir J. E. Horne, Bart. |
| Modeste | 18 | Commander R. B. Watson. |
| Columbine | 16 | Commander William H. Morshead. |
| Clio | 16 | Commander E. N. Troubridge. |
| Algerine | 10 | Lieutenant William Maitland. |
| HONOURABLE COMPANY'S STEAMERS. | ||
| Sesostris | Commander Ormsby, I.N. | |
| Nemesis | Lieutenant W. H. Hall, R.N. | |
| Phlegethon | Lieutenant J. J. M'Cleverty, R.N. | |
| Pluto | Lieutenant John Tudor, R.N. | |
| Tenasserim | Master commanding, P. Wall. | |
| Medusa | Lieutenant H. Hewitt, I.N. | |
[65] This fact may, at first view, be taken to indicate great fluctuations in respect to wealth or poverty; but this is not the case. These immense warehouses are frequently made use of to deposit articles of value, such as furs and other costly things, which are by this means well preserved and taken care of until required for use; and in the interim the owners have the use of a portion of the value of the articles.
[66] The traffic in timber alone must be considerable, as there is none found in the neighbourhood adapted for ship-building; and the fine large spars which are required for the masts of junks, are all brought from the northward. The size of some of these spars may be judged of by the following measurements which were taken of the mainmast of one of the largest junks. It was eleven feet six inches in circumference a little above the deck, and one hundred and forty-one feet long; and the main yard was one hundred and eleven feet in length. Very strong spars indeed are necessary, for they carry an enormous sail, without any shrouds or stays to support them.
[67] This anecdote is repeated as it was told, without vouching for its details.