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Saturday 11 November 2017

British warships destroyed Chinese war junks in a battle off Canton according t the Dutch newspaper Leeuwarder courant dated 5 June 1857

An item referred to tidings received from Hong Kong dated 15th April reporting that off the entrance of the river of Canton the British Royal Navy fought with a large number of Chinese war junks of which 3 were destroyed. Important papers were find proving that the Mandarins at Canton were responsible for several assassinations on inhabitants in the colony. British commander of the steamships Hornet (1) and Sampson (2) and the ship of the line Sybille (3) was commodore Elliott.(40

Notes
1. Wood-built screw steam sloop of the Cruizer-class, building ordered on 1 November 1850, laid down at the Royal Dockyard Deptford in June 1851, launched on 13 April 1854, commissioned on 14 July 1845 and broken up in 1868.
2. Wood-built paddle frigate, building ordered in March 1841, launched at Woolwich on 1 October 1844 and sold in 1864.
3. A 36-gun 5th rate launched oat Pembroke n 15 April 1847 and broken up in 1866.
4. Sir Charles Gilbert John Brydone Elliot (12 December 1818-21 May 1895), served within the British Royal Navy 1832-1888, dismissed in the rank of Admiral of the Fleet. His squadron fought on 25-27 May 1857 with a large Qing Chinese naval force at Escape Creek now known as East River, capturing or destroying 27 of the 41 war junks.