INTRODUCTION -- I JOHN WEDDELL'S VOYAGE TO CHINA -- II THE FRENCH IN THE LEAD -- III PERMANENT RESIDENCE AND JUSTICE -- IV LORD MACARTNEY'S EMBASSY -- V THE BRITISH THREAT TO MACAO -- VI HUMANITARIANS, NOT FORGETTING THE LADIES -- VII THE RIFT IS ABSOLUTE -- VIII THE FIRST OPIUM CRISES -- IX HUMANITARIANS AT SEA IN OPIUM -- X PALMERSTON'S NEW RÉGIME -- XI THE CONFRONTATION -- XII THE BRITISH WITH THEIR BACKS TO THE SEA -- XIII ELLIOT'S MISUNDERSTOOD COURSE -- XIV THE CRACKED MIRROR -- BIBLIOGRAPHY -- INDEX
Summary
The story of the British acquisition of Hong Kong is intricately related to that of the Portuguese enclave of Macao. The British acquired Hong Kong in 1841, following 200 years of European endeavours to induce China to engage in foreign trade. As a residential base of European trade, Portuguese Macao enabled the West to maintain continuous relations with China from 1557 onwards. Opening with a vivid description of the first English voyage to China in 1637. Macao and the British traces the ensuing course of Anglo-Chinese relations, during which time Macao skillfully - and without fortifications