Personal Narrative of Occurrences during Lord Elgin's Second Embassy to China, 1860

This 1869 first-hand account illuminates British and Chinese diplomacy at the close of the Second Opium War.

Henry Brougham Loch (Author)

9781108061360, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 27 June 2013

312 pages, 3 b/w illus. 1 map
21.6 x 14 x 1.8 cm, 0.4 kg

In 1860, James Bruce (1811–63), the eighth Earl of Elgin, embarked upon a second embassy to China which aimed to obtain ratification of the Treaty of Tientsin and finally conclude the Second Opium War on terms favourable to the British. Accompanying Elgin as his private secretary was the enterprising army officer Henry Brougham Loch (1827–1900). Originally published in 1869, Loch's first-hand account of the mission reflects sustained concern over Britain's strained trading relationship with China in the nineteenth century. Notwithstanding his views regarding the need for European influence to shape China's future success in government, his clearly written narrative illuminates contemporary diplomacy and the events surrounding the Convention of Peking in October 1860. Prior to this outcome, Loch had been captured, imprisoned and brutally tortured by Chinese officials. His chapters detailing this experience and his eventual release are especially noteworthy.

1. Circumstances that led to Lord Elgin's second embassy to China
2. Lord Elgin's departure for China
3. Landing at Peh-tang
4. Steps taken to obtain information of enemy's position
5. Description of the position of the northern and Taku forts
6. Capture of Sinho
7. Correspondence of Lord Elgin and the governor-general of Chih-li
8. Capture of the north Taku forts
9. Advance to Tien-tsin
10. March towards Pekin
11. My prison life
12. Our prison life
13. Proceedings of the allied armies
14. Surrender of the bodies
15. Yuen-ming-yuen
16. Signature of convention.

Subject Areas: Asian history [HBJF]