1840 (4 Jul) J. Silverlock Letter Sheet from Macao When the First
Opium War broke out, the Royal Navy ships HMS Volage and HMS
Hyacinth
1840 (4 Jul) J. Silverlock Letter Sheet from Macao When the First
Opium War broke out, the Royal Navy ships HMS Volage and HMS
Hyacinth were the only two stationed in China seas. British forces
have decided to mobilize its forces around APAC region mainly
including India, Australia and New Zealand in preparation to make
aggression into China. This military reinforcement was basically
completed in July 1840. The Letter herein provided a very detailed
account of the military mobilization actions, stating the
following: “The fleet has been considerably increased during the
last week, the following is a list of the force now in the Chinese
waters – H.M.S. ‘Melville’ 74 guns, Flag Admiral Elliot ‘Wellesley’
72, ‘Druid’ 44, ‘Blonde’ 42, ‘Alligator’ 28. ‘Conway’28, ‘Volage’
28, ‘’Alligator’ 28, ‘Conway’28, ‘Larna’ 20, ‘Pylades’ 18,
‘’Hyacinth’ 18, ‘Cruizon’ 16, Algerine’ 10, ‘Rattlesnake’; Troop
Ship, H.C. Steamers – ‘Atalanta’, ‘Madagascan’, ‘Enterprise’,
‘Queen’. Troops H.M.’s 18th Royal Irish, 26th Comeronian (Regiment
of Foot) & 49th Regiments. Bengal Volunteers 1000 strong, Madras
artillery sappeas and miners about a Regiment Colonel Burrull
Commissioner of the land forces. In all, Ships 600 guns, 5000
seamen and marines, and 5000 troops exclusion of steamers, thus are
doubly manned and each carries a long destructive gun at the bows
with one or two others at the steam with artillerymen to work them,
the vessels expected and known to have sailed for China are the
‘Blenheim’ 74, ‘Pigus’ 44, ‘Inconstant’ 44. Two Brigs 18 guns each.
Steamer ‘Scootris’ expected but uncertain; the Brazil squadron is
said to be coming on, also other ships and steamers from England
but we have no positive knowledge of these.” A fascinating account
of the state of military reinforcement to the preparation of
launching large formal attack to China after the outbreak of the
First Opium War. Interestingly, you will see the British government
is very determined to push it forward by even attempting to
mobilize Brazil Squadron to Far East. From the letter content, we
may see a strong fleet of major naval H.M.S. and various ground
troops coming together to China. Ex Perical David Collection
1840年7月4日澳門，J. Silverlock通信詳盡記載第一次鴉片戰爭爆發時英軍之增援行動
當第一次鴉片戰爭爆發之際，英國皇家海軍僅有”伏爾吉號”（HMS Volage）與”風信子號”（HMS
Hyacinth）兩艦駐守中國海域。英軍遂決心調動亞太地區兵力，主要來自印度、澳洲及紐西蘭等地，籌備對華侵略行動。此項軍事增援行動於1840年7月基本完成。本信件對此次軍事調動有極為詳盡之記載，內容如下：
「過去一週艦隊規模顯著擴充，現將中國水域兵力列述如下：
戰列艦：74門炮之’梅爾維爾號’（旗艦，懿律少將座艦）、72門炮’威靈頓號’、44門炮’德魯伊號’、42門炮’布隆德號’護衛艦：28門炮’鱷魚號’、28門炮’康威號’、28門炮’伏爾吉號’、20門炮’拉納號’、18門炮’派拉德斯號’、18門炮’風信子號’、16門炮’克魯伊松號’、10門炮’阿爾及爾人號’及’響尾蛇號’；運兵船與東印度公司蒸汽艦：’阿塔蘭塔號’、’馬達加斯加號’、’企業號’及’女王號’。
陸軍部隊包括：
皇家愛爾蘭第18團、卡梅倫第26步兵團及第49步兵團、孟加拉志願軍千人隊、馬德拉斯工兵團與礦工團（由伯勒爾上校統率之地面部隊專員）。
總計：艦炮600門、海軍及陸戰隊員5000人、陸軍5000人（不含蒸汽艦人員）。各蒸汽艦均配備雙倍人員，艦首裝載長程破壞炮一門，蒸汽機旁另置一至二門，由專業炮手操作。
另已知即將來華之艦艇包括：
74門炮’布倫海姆號’、44門炮’皮格斯號’與’無常號’、雙桅橫帆船兩艘（各18門炮）、蒸汽艦’斯庫提斯號’（尚未確認）；
據傳巴西分艦隊亦將赴遠東，另有多艘英國本土艦艇與蒸汽艦正在途中，惟具體情報尚未掌握。」
從信件內容可見，一支由皇家海軍主力艦艇與多支地面部隊組成的強大遠征軍正集結來華，尤值注意的是，英國政府決心甚堅，甚至嘗試調動巴西分艦隊遠赴東亞。
[拍賣品來源：珀西瓦爾·大維德爵士珍藏]
