The Taking of Hong Kong – Charles and Clara Elliot in China Waters

The First Opium War and the Taking of Hong Kong have tended to underpin relations between Britain and China. Here those events are described through the eyes of Britain's plenipotentiary Captain Charles Elliot and his wife Clara. Revelations about Elliot's role, intentions and analysis are important in clarifying the past. The couple's personal views and relations with each other also contribute to a fresh writing of history.