Amitav Ghosh - Flood of Fire

This added a fresh urgency to the seths’ discussions: they began to argue about how best to persuade the British to open up the island to other buyers, either through direct sales or auctions. Some of them pointed out that if it came to the worst they could always refuse to provide opium to their British counterparts in Bombay. This was a trump card of sorts, for in Bombay foreign merchants were completely dependent on Indian suppliers for the procurement of Malwa opium.

But Dinyar and a few others argued that this would be a dangerous course: if pressed, the British government would surely find some pretext for seizing supplies of opium at gunpoint. That was the ace that was hidden up the sleeves of the Jardines, Mathesons and Dents of the world. Despite all their cacklings about Free Trade, the truth was that their commercial advantages had nothing to do with markets or trade or more advanced business practices — it lay in the brute firepower of the British Empire’s guns and gunboats.

The argument was still raging when a steamer was seen to be hurrying towards Hong Kong from the direction of the Pearl River estuary. Training a telescope on it Dinyar announced that the vessel was none other than the Nemesis with Commodore Bremer on board.

Soon it became clear that the steamer was heading for the western end of Hong Kong Bay. This convinced Dinyar that something unusual was under way and he wasted no time in calling for his cutter to be readied: whatever was going on, he had no intention of being left in the dark.

You should come with us, he said to Shireen.

Why me?

You should take a look at the island at least. When you receive your compensation you’ll have plenty of money. Maybe you too should put in a bid for a plot.

What are you talking about, Dinyar? Shireen retorted. Why would I buy land here? What will I do with it?

Why not, Shireen-auntie? Your grandchildren might want it. Maybe some day it will be worth a lot of money: it’s not impossible. When my grandfather bought land in Bombay everyone laughed. But look at what it’s worth now.

Shireen thought it over and decided to go along for the ride, not with a plot of land in mind, but because a sunset breeze was whispering over the bay and the conditions were perfect for a short sailing trip. She fetched a hat and a veil and was lowered into the cutter by the Mor ’s swing-lift.

In the meantime a longboat had been launched from the Nemesis : a group of officers could be seen seated inside, heading towards the island. They reached the shore in only a few minutes.

By the time the Mor ’s cutter pulled in a ceremony was under way on the edge of the island, not far from Sheng Wan village. A Union Jack had been planted near the water, and Commodore Bremer was standing in front of it, addressing the other officers.

‘In the name of our Gracious Queen, I take possession of this island of Hong Kong on this day, the twenty-fifth of January, eighteen forty-one.’

‘Hear, hear!’

Raising glasses of champagne, the officers drank a toast.

‘In memory of this day,’ intoned the commodore, ‘let the spot on which we now stand be known forever as Possession Point.’

‘Hear, hear!’

Dinyar and the other seths went hurrying ahead to listen, but Shireen hung back diffidently.

In a while she heard a cough, and a familiar voice: ‘Bibiji …?’

‘Oh Zadig Bey! I’m glad to see you.’

‘I’m glad to see you too, Bibiji. Would you like to go for a walk?’

‘A walk, Zadig Bey?’ said Shireen with a laugh. ‘Why, are you looking around for land, like everyone else?’

‘Yes, Bibiji,’ said Zadig gravely, ‘I’ve been thinking that I would look.’ He paused to clear his throat: ‘But not just for myself.’

‘What do you mean, Zadig Bey?’

Zadig scratched his chin. ‘Bibiji, there is something I’ve been meaning to ask you and perhaps it’s fitting that I should ask now.’

‘Yes, Zadig Bey?’

A bright flush rose to his face as he turned to her.

‘Bibi …’

Zadig stopped and started again. ‘Shireen … will you marry me?’

Following on a medical examination, Captain Mee was given three weeks’ furlough to recuperate from the wound he had received at the Battle of Chuenpee. He elected to spend that time at Macau and lost no time in setting off. Kesri assumed that he would not return to Saw Chow a minute short of the full term of his leave. But to his surprise Captain Mee was back a couple of days early.

‘Kaptán-sah’b is looking ekdum fit-faat!’ said Kesri, with a smile. ‘Am I?’

Kesri could not remember when he had last seen Captain Mee in such fine fettle.

‘Ji, Kaptán-sah’b, you look very well.’

Captain Mee smiled. ‘It was good to be away, havildar.’

‘But why you come back early then, Kaptán-sah’b?’

‘Orders, havildar — from the Plenipot himself.’

The captain explained that there was to be a ceremonial parade and trooping of colours at Hong Kong the next day. Captain Elliot and Commodore Bremer were to issue a proclamation, and the Bengal Volunteers had been asked to send a squad to the ceremony. They would be taking a field-piece and gun-crew with them, for the gun-salute.

‘The big brass will be present, havildar, so you’ll have to make sure that our lads are on their toes.’

Ji, Kaptán-sah’b.

Next morning their detachment was taken to Hong Kong by a steamer. Disembarking at the eastern end of Hong Kong Bay, they marched up a hill to a stretch of level ground. A tall flagstaff had been planted there with the Union Jack fluttering atop. Several other squads had already mustered on the ground and were preparing for the ceremony: Kesri spotted the regimental colours of the Royal Irish, the Cameronians, the 49th and the 37th Madras.

The Volunteers were placed next to the Madras sepoys, to the rear of the British squads. After taking his position at the head of the squad, Kesri took a look around: he saw that a large group of civilians, mainly British, had gathered on the far side of the ground. A still larger crowd, composed of local people, had collected higher up the hillside.

A half-hour passed before Captain Elliot and Commodore Bremer appeared: the Plenipotentiary was in civilian clothes and the commodore was in full dress uniform. Marching solemnly to the flagstaff, they turned to face the ground. Then Captain Elliot began to read from a sheet of paper.

‘The island of Hong Kong having been ceded to the British crown under the seal of the Imperial minister and High Commissioner Keshen, it has become necessary to provide for the government thereof, pending Her Majesty’s further pleasure. By virtue of the authority therefore in me vested, all Her Majesty’s Rights, Royalties, Privileges of all kinds whatever, in and over the said island of Hong Kong, whether to or over lands, harbours, property or personal service are hereby declared, proclaimed and to Her Majesty fully reserved …’

Through years of practice Kesri had perfected the art of letting his gaze stray while standing at attention. His eyes wandered now to the civilian spectators at the far end of the ground. He spotted several familiar faces in the crowd: Shireen and Dinyar, with Zadig towering above them; Mr Burnham, with his wife on one side and Zachary on the other.

‘… given under my hand and seal of office,’ the Plenipotentiary continued, ‘on this twenty-ninth day of January, in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-one.’

Tucking away the sheet of paper, Captain Elliot looked up at the assembled soldiers and civilians.