3-085-667 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Chinese Crisis: the Chusan Islands, commanding the Yang-Tsze-Kiang Estuary and the Bay of Hang-Chau with the access to Shanghai, 1898. 'From a Sketch by the late Captain J. G. Johnston, Madras Engineers. In view of the occupation of Port Arthur and Kiao-Chau by Russia and Germany, and the as yet incorrectly rumoured but still possible seizure of other important positions on China's northern shores by other European Powers, special interest attaches to the Chusan Archipelago and the chief island from which the group takes its name. For the island of Chusan, with its command of the Shanghai trade-route, was twice taken by the British forces in the war of 1840-41, and was subsequently held by Great Britain for five years as a guarantee of Chinese good faith. Thus it was the last point given up by us after the payment of the indemnity, and now the most recent developments of the situation in the Far East are proving that Chusan, with its commanding situation and the fine harbour view shown in the accompanying sketch, would to-day form a more valuable base of operations than Hong-Kong'. From "Illustrated London News", 1898.