An excellent journal documenting life at sea during the First Opium War, 1839-42. Alexander Bayne initially served as the chief officer on the Earl of Balcarras, where he sailed from London to Canton, via Bombay, Singapore, Hong Kong and Manila. In July 1842, he was given command of the ship Helen and continued to operate in the Chinca His journal spans the voyage, departing London on September 25 1840, through to January 1843.
As the first Opium War was fought over trade (among other things), Bayne provides a valuable first-hand account of tensions between the English and Chinese and how they manifest at sea. Specifically, Baynes writes from Whampoa: “…moored ship at the new anchorage close by the 1st bar large ships not being able to pass over on account of the Chinese having sunk Junks with stones in them in order to block the passage up so as to make themselves secure from the infuriated Barbarians as they are graciously pleased to call us … during our stay here we remain in constant dread of the Chinese fearing that they might break their good faith with us but no such thing … however they had plenty of troops stationed round us to see that we did the same…”
There are other notable events recorded here, the most dramatic of which being a typhoon in Hong Kong: “… one of the severest typhoons ever felt in China, the whole fleet of ships driving about in all directions, some without masts which had been cut away & others flying to the shore as if they were tired of the tempest & there lodging … on the rocks … next morning the sight was horrible dead bodies floating about in all directions & several noble ships on shore … had the typhoon lasted 20 minutes more we would have all been on shore…”
Bayne also records meeting other ships, general maintenance and events on board, and the manuscript ends with nine pages of tables listing dates, latitude and longitude co-ordinates etc.
