[VOL III] ESTUARY OF THE TA-HEA, OR NING-PO RIVER

ESTUARY OF THE TA-HEA, OR NING-PO RIVER

Cover Image: Estuary of the Tahea, or Ning-po River / NingBo ZheJiang China / Drawn by T. Allom Engraved by W.Floyd – ALAMY Image ID:2X55N2D

*Yong River, formerly known as Tahea River, The Yong River is one of the main rivers in China, located in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province.

Yong is the name of the river, and also a short name for Ningbo, the city through which it flows. The name Yong comes from the ancient name of a mountain in the area. Yong River is formed by the convergence of two rivers, namely the Fenghua River, which flows through Fenghua, Yuyao and Cixi, and the Yao River, which passes through Shangyao and Siming Mountains. It empties into the East China Sea in Zhenhai District, Ningbo.

Bare the rugged heights ascending
Bring to mind the past,
When the weary voyage ending
Was the anchor cast.

L. E. L.

THE scenery at the entrance of this noble tidal river is truly magnificent, from the loftiness and forms of the hills, and from the broad expanse of its waters, which are almost constantly in a state of agitation. These naturally picturesque features are still further improved by the construction of irregular works of defence upon the most conspicuous eminences. At a little distance, the embattled tower, bristling with artillery, resembles the strong hold of some powerful chieftain, who is always in an attitude of defence against assaults, of which his own aggressions have been the occasion. The currents that are caused by the obstruction of the Chusan Islands, by the efflux of the Ta-hea’s waters, and the influx of a tide setting always strongly, produce and maintain a series of considerable agitation, and whose navigation by boats is uniformly attended with danger. But these interruptions tend in no moderate degree to heighten the picturesque character and solemn effect of the splendid panorama which the whole estuary presents.

It is now upwards of a century, since the British merchant first became acquainted with the advantageous commercial position of Nin-po-foo, and felt the regret to which disappointed industry becomes necessarily a prey, arising from the inactivity of his own government, and stupidity of the Chinese. In the year 1701, we had a factory at Ting-hae, and were allowed to look along the highway of commerce that led to Ning-po; but entrance into, or direct trade with that noble city, was forbidden, under pain of the bowstring, or the axe, or the squeezing apparatus. Many opportunities, however, were then afforded of forming acquaintances, and even friendships, with some of the eminent of the Ning-po mandarins; for many, and those the wealthiest, sated with business, sought rest and retirement from the cares of the world, on the beautiful little island of Kin-tan, which rises somewhat precipitously in the embouchure of the Ta-hea; and immediately in front of which a British man-of-war is represented, in the accompanying view, towed by a steam frigate through the rapids. There British subjects were permitted to land, and the indulgence led to that intercourse, which was ever afterwards remembered with pleasurable feelings.

One of the headlands that look down upon the entrance of the Ta-hea, is covered with tea-shrubs to its summit, and the mulberry tree constitutes the chief ornament of the scene on every side. These indigenous products have conferred the greater portion of their wealth upon the inhabitants of this district, which is the very centre of their profitable cultivation. Here, therefore, foreigners were first induced to seek for the privilege of trading with the natives—silk and tea, China’s boasted products, being obtainable in a better condition, and at half the cost they bring at Canton. But folly, bigotry, and cowardice repudiated the enterprise of Europeans, and an imperial edict not only denied admission to Ning-po, but expelled our trade from Chusan Islands, and limited it strictly to Canton. Against this illiberality an appeal was made in 1736, by a party who chartered the “Normanton,” and attempted to conciliate the authorities of Ning-po; but their resolution and perseverance only exasperated the mandarins, who now destroyed the factories of Chusan, and prohibited their countrymen from supplying foreign ships with provisions.

Even this rejection and discouragement failed to extinguish British commercial enterprise, for, Mr. Flint ventured to renew negotiations at Ning-po, although warned of the perilous consequences of such an attempt by the Cantonese authorities. His efforts proving abortive, he proceeded to Peking, where he was deceived by the hypocritical mandarins, with assurances of the most friendly character; and, on his return to Canton, contrary to every obligation of truth, honour, or national dignity, he was seized, transferred to Macao, where he was thrown into prison, and, after two years’ incarceration, sent back to England.

Lord Macartney visited this Chinese archipelago, and met with a continuance of that courtesy, which his prudence and address elsewhere obtained for him amongst these very prejudiced people; but, their apprehension of his discovering how accessible Nanking was to a British fleet, induced them to misrepresent the true character of the Ta-hea estuary. That embassy, therefore, added nothing to our knowledge of this valuable inlet, decidedly the most advantageously situated for commerce with foreigners, amongst all the populous places of the empire. An expedition undertaken in the ship Amherst, augmented our hydrographic information of the Chinese coast, and searched the recesses of the Ning-po harbour; (*Vide “City of Ning-po, from the river,” vol. ii., p. 67, et seq.) but the achievements of the late war, in which China succumbed so humbly to British power, have opened the harbour and the river, and the trade of this beautifully-seated city, not to Britain only, but to the civilized world.