Sir Hugh Gough, finding that it would take a much larger body of men to garrison the town than could be spared from his small force, and that, moreover, it could scarcely be considered habitable during the great heat, on account of the horrible stench proceeding from the dead bodies of the fallen Tartars, (principally by their own hands,) and from the stagnant water in the smaller canals, determined merely to occupy the heights commanding the city towards its north-eastern angle. Major-General Schoedde's brigade was to be left in charge of the place, together with a detachment of artillery. In order to establish a direct communication between the heights and the city on that side, a portion of the wall was blown in, (with very large charges of Chinese powder,) and the rubbish removed, so as to leave a large, free opening into the city. The whole line of parapet on that side was also demolished. Another hill commanding the southern entrance to the Grand Canal was also to be occupied. The troops left behind were quite sufficient to hold these positions against any force the Chinese could bring against them after their late defeat. It consisted of the 55th regiment, and one company of the 98th, with the 2nd and 6th M.N.I., with artillery and sappers.
Perhaps the most curious object discovered at Chin-keang, and which has excited many ingenious speculations as to the ancient progress of the Chinese in many of the useful arts, was a small pagoda made entirely of cast iron. Some have called it Gutzlaff's Pagoda, for he is said to have been the first to find it out; and it excited so much attention, that the question was at one time mooted, as to the possibility of taking it to pieces, and conveying it to England, as a remarkable specimen of Chinese antiquity. Nor would this have been at all impossible; for, although it had seven stories, it was altogether little more than thirty feet high, and each story was cast in separate pieces. It was of an octagonal shape, and had originally been ornamented in high relief on every side, though the lapse of ages had much defaced the ornaments. It was calculated by Mr. Gutzlaff, that this remarkable structure must be at least twelve hundred years old, judging from the characters still found upon it. Whatever its age may be, there can be no question that it proves the Chinese were acquainted with the art of casting large masses of iron, and of using them both for solidity and for ornament, centuries before it was adopted in Europe.
On the 2nd of August, the preparations were all completed for the advance of the forces upon Nankin, the surveying vessels having already preceded the squadron. The principal difficulty which remained to be overcome was the great force of the current, which it required a strong favourable wind to enable the ships to stem. Indeed, without the assistance of steamers, it is doubtful whether all the ships could have got up. On the 5th, the General reached Nankin in the Marion transport, towed by the Queen steamer, having the Plenipotentiary on board.
On the following day, the Admiral got up in the Cornwallis, with some other vessels, but the whole of the squadron did not join until the 9th. The Nemesis attended a part of the fleet, to render assistance wherever it was most required, particularly in getting off the transports which took the ground, a service requiring no little judgment and perseverance. Just below Nankin the river takes a very considerable bend, its former course having been nearly east and west, while it now turns nearly due south until it has passed Nankin. There is, however, a cut, or canal, or creek, at all events, a water passage, which cuts off this bend, of course materially shortening the distance, which from point to point is about ten miles round, and only six miles by the cut. The passage, however, is narrow; but the Nemesis, taking in tow one of the transports, found her way safely through it.
On the 10th, the proper positions were assigned to the ships, in case it should be necessary to bombard the city. The nearest point of the walls to the river was about seven hundred yards, and the nearest gate about one thousand. The Cornwallis, Blonde, and heavy steamers were placed so as to breach the walls, if required.
Already before leaving Chin-keang, a regular summons had been sent up to Nankin, addressed to New Kien, the viceroy of the province. It was hoped that by these means bloodshed might be avoided. Immediately the forces arrived before the city, it was determined that the troops should be landed without delay, with a view to make a strong demonstration against the city, and there was some reason to think that this would be sufficient to decide the wavering councils of the Chinese, without further resort to arms; and, at all events, it was requisite to support our demands by a show of the means of enforcing them.
A memorial was intercepted, addressed to the Emperor by the Tartar general commanding at Nankin, boldly announcing the defeat and dispersion of the Chinese troops, and the imminent danger even of Nankin itself. It was evident that great alarm was felt, and that a general desire to stay hostilities had got the better of all their hatred of the foreigners. The entire stoppage of the trade of that part of the empire, and the distress resulting from it, tended very materially to promote this desirable object.
The venerable Elepoo had arrived at Nankin nearly at the same time with Sir Henry Pottinger; and very soon afterwards, Keying, the other imperial commissioner, a member of the imperial house sent expressly from Pekin, joined his colleague. Various messages and writings now passed between the governor of Nankin, New Kien, and the Plenipotentiary, in which, among other things, a heavy ransom was offered for the city. In short, the grand effort of the Chinese authorities was to gain time, to defer the evil hour of absolute concession to our demands, and to put us off in some way or other for the moment, as they had formerly done at Canton, without committing themselves to a final settlement of affairs.
Fortunately, they had a man of determined energy and statesmanlike qualities to deal with, in Sir Henry Pottinger; one who took a broad, defined view of all the questions involved, and who would not swerve for a moment from what he considered just demands and capable of being enforced. All the astute efforts of the Chinese to temporize, to shirk the main question, to save their own dignity, and to withhold what was due to that of their opponents, were promptly and energetically met. With all the honour which we justly accord to the naval and military operations of the war, with all due consideration for the diplomatic difficulties which had hitherto beset our efforts to make an equitable adjustment of the pending disputes, we cannot but concede to Sir Henry Pottinger the well-earned palm of praise and eminence for the consummate tact and skill with which he conducted the difficult negotiations at Nankin to a speedy and successful issue.
It is not necessary, nor indeed would it be an easy matter even for one initiated into the secrets of the diplomatic correspondence which followed, to describe all the attempts at evasion which were made by the Chinese, and the cunning with which they at first endeavoured to arrogate to their Emperor and to themselves superior titles of distinction and precedence. Even when it was announced that the high commissioners, Elepoo and Keying, had arrived, with full powers under the imperial pencil to treat upon every subject, it was no easy task to bring them to straightforward matters of business, or to force them to produce the actual instrument of authority which they professed to possess. The landing of the troops, however, and the earnest preparations which were made for storming the city, tended to bring them speedily to their senses.