The Celestials fought bravely enough, but British discipline
had all its own way. Neither the antiquated junks nor the flimsily
constructed forts of the enemy were any match for our men-of-war. Several
ports had been bombarded and Nankin threatened, when the Chinese yielded.
They were compelled to pay nearly six millions sterling towards the
expenses of the war; to give up to us the island of Hong-Kong; and to
throw open Canton, Shanghai, and three other ports to our commerce.
During this period also the British took a prominent part in upholding the
Sultan of Turkey against his revolted vassal, Mehemet Ali, the Pasha of
Egypt. The latter, a very able prince, had overrun Syria; and there seemed
every likelihood that he would shortly establish his independence, and add
besides a considerable portion of Turkish territory to his dominions. Lord
Palmerston, the British foreign minister, however, brought about an
alliance with Austria and the eastern powers of Europe to maintain the
integrity of the Turkish empire. The Egyptians were driven out of Syria,
and the supremacy of the Turks restored. The energetic action of Lord
Palmerston at this crisis brought him much popularity; and from this time
until his death, twenty-five years later, the nation almost absolutely
trusted him in all foreign affairs.
[Illustration: Sir Robert Peel.]
So necessary at the present day has the penny post become to all classes
of the people, that we can scarcely realise how our forefathers managed to
live without it.
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