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The pirate Zhang Baozai operated six fleets in the South China Sea with over 70,000 followers, presenting perhaps the largest maritime security problem any nation has ever faced.<br/><br/> An extraordinary ink painting scroll entitled ‘Pacifying the South China Sea’ which is 18 metres in length, depicts the nine-day Battle of Lantau that heralded the strategy of Viceroy Bailing to rid the Chinese seas of this blight. It was painted in the early 19th century by an unknown artist to commemorate the defeat of the pirates who prowled the waters around Guangdong in the mid-Jiaqing period (1796–1820).
The Second Battle of Chuenpee was fought between British and Chinese forces at the Bocca Tigris, China, on 7 January 1841 during the First Opium War. The British captured the forts on the islands of Chuenpee and Tycocktow.<br/><br/> The battle led to negotiations between British Plenipotentiary Charles Elliot and Chinese Imperial Commissioner Qishan in the Convention of Chuenpee. Elliot declared, among other arrangements, the cession of Hong Kong Island to the British Empire.<br/><br/> During the battle, the iron steam ship Nemesis fired a congreve rocket which exploded a Chinese junk. A British officer gave his account of the incident:<br/><br/> 'The very first rocket fired from the Nemesis was seen to enter the large junk ... and almost the instant afterwards it blew up with a terrific explosion, launching into eternity every soul on board, and pouring forth its blaze like the mighty rush of fire from a volcano. The instantaneous destruction of the huge body seemed appalling to both sides engaged. The smoke, and flame, and thunder of the explosion, with the broken fragments falling round, and even portions of dissevered bodies scattering as they fell, were enough to strike with awe, if not fear, the stoutest heart that looked upon it'.
The Battle of Tysami refers to a military engagement involving a warship from the United Kingdom's China Squadron and the Chinese pirates of Chui A-poo. It was fought in September 1849 off Tysami, China in Harlaim Bay and ended with a Royal Navy victory. It was also the precursor engagement to the larger Battle of Pinghoi Creek where Chui A-poo's fleet was destroyed.<br/><br/> Chui A-poo is said to have commanded over 500 junks in his career as an outlaw and was a follower of Shap Ng-tsai, another famed pirate of the era. Chui A-poo's base was in Bias Bay which is next to Harlaim Bay and was the location of his harbor and arsenal for constructing war-junks.<br/><br/> In February 1849, Chui A-poo fled Hong Kong after killing two Europeans. The incident became known to the foreign population of the island who then pressured the Royal Navy to respond. During the time of the battles he commanded twenty-seven war-junks each mounting twelve to eighteen guns and displacing an average of 500 tons. All together about 1,800 pirates crewed them with about 200 guns in total which were found to be mostly of English manufacture.<br/><br/> Heading right for the junks Canton opened up with her guns and by the time she was receiving enemy fire, Hay's ship came within range and engaged. After a few more minutes of accurate fire Chui A-poo's fleet scattered and three junks were abandoned by their crews, most of whom drowned as their vessels were sunk around them. Towards the end of the engagement shots from the Columbine hit one of the larger junks and it exploded, sending up a large plume of smoke.<br/><br/> Ten junks escaped the battle due to the British who chose not to continue the chase for they had an idea about where the brigands were going. The British had already been at station non-stop for forty hours and this was another reason for abandoning the pursuit. Chui A-poo's pirates were reported to have suffered 250 casualties and a total of over 200 cannon were destroyed or captured and then taken back to Hong Kong. Three Royal Navy sailors were killed on the Columbine and one officer and six men were wounded.
Algeria: Bombardment of Algiers by the Anglo-Dutch fleet, (August 26-27, 1816). Oil on canvas painting by Martinus Schouman (1770 - 1848), 1823. The Bombardment of Algiers was an attempt by Britain to end the slavery practices of the Dey of Algiers. An Anglo-Dutch fleet under the command of Admiral Lord Exmouth bombarded ships and the harbour defences of Algiers.<br/><br/> Although there was a continuing campaign by various European and the American navies to suppress the piracy against Europeans by the North African Barbary states, the specific aim of this expedition was to free Christian slaves and to stop the practice of enslaving Europeans. To this end, it was partially successful as the Dey of Algiers freed around 3,000 slaves following the bombardment and signed a treaty against the slavery of Europeans. However, the cessation of slavery did not last long.