Battle of the Taku Forts

A very rare series of lithographs recording a key episode in the Second Opium War.

The Peiho River flows through Peking (Beijing), the capital of China. Taku was a village on the mud flats of the river and the forts served to protect Tientsin, the port of China and an important commercial centre. Following the escalation of hostilities between the Chinese and the Anglo-French forces, the British envoy, Lord Elgin determined to conclude a peace treaty with the Chinese Emperor. After forcing the Chinese to accept The Treaty of Tientsin on 26 June 1858, further hostilities led to the forts being besieged unsuccessfully by the Royal Marines under Admiral James Hope in June 1859. In another attempt on 21 August 1860, the North Fort was breached and the garrison surrendered after a fierce fight. The remaining forts later capitulated without further resistance. Reprisals for the mistreatment of European prisoners led to the looting of the Emperor's Summer Palace near Peking by French troops, followed by its burning by the British.

The lithographs comprise:

1. Bombardment of the Forts at the Entrance of the Peiho River, 25th June 859... as seen from the Junks in which there were two Battalions of Marines.
2. Landing to attack the Peiho Forts by Royal Marines and Seamen on the Evening of the 25th June 1859.
3. View from the Centre Bastian South Forts 1860 looking south shewing the southern Bastian attacked in 1859 and the ground over which storming party passed.
4. At the Stakes, Mouth of the Peiho River 1860.
5. View of the South Forts Taken from H.M.S. Coromandel 8th September 1860.
6. Fort taken by assault, 21st August, in which was found an English 32lb Gun (Peiho River).
7. The Forts at the Mouth of the Peiho River, From the Fort that was stormed.
8. Fort Taken by Assault by the Allied Forces, 21st August 1860.

The complete set of 8 handcoloured lithographs by T. Dutton after W. G. R. Masters, each circa 50 x 34 cm., each in custom-made mount.