PREFACE.
THE following story of the Opium War is to all intents and purposes a translation of the last two chapters of the Shêng Wu-ki, or "Military Operations of the present Dynasty." The author is Wei Yüan, a Chinese who held, about forty years ago, the post of Department Magistrate at Kao-yu, north of Yangchow; and Wei Yuan's style has been followed in the translation. Dates have been altered so as to convey definite ideas of time to European readers, and in some cases the Cantonese or other popular pronunciation is given to the names of places and persons well known in the south. In some parts the original is digested, and wearisome portions have been omitted.
The paper illustrates the extraordinary faithfulness with which the Chinese endeavour to perfect
