Capture of Chusan The first capture of Chusan by British forces in China occurred on 5 – 6 July 1840 during the First Opium War . The British captured Chusan , the largest island of an archipelago of that name . Background . On 4 July 1840 , the " Wellesley " , " Conway " , " Alligator " , and " Rattlesnake " arrived in the anchorage off Chusan harbour . In the afternoon , Captain John Vernon Fletcher of the " Wellesley " , Viscount Robert Jocelyn , and interpreter Karl Gützlaff were sent on board a junk of a Chinese admiral , who was also governor of the Chusan islands . They delivered a written message from Commodore James Bremer , commander - in - chief of the British naval forces , and Brigadier George Burrell , commander - in - chief of the land forces , to surrender the island of Chusan . Bremer and Burrell claimed the occupation was necessary after the " insulting and unwarrantable conduct of the Canton high officers , ' Lin ' and ' Tang , ' last year , towards H . M . ' s specially appointed Chief Superintendent Elliot , and British subjects . " Part of the message stated : After an hour , the Chinese admiral and other officials accompanied the British on board the " Wellesley " . The Chinese objected to being made answerable for actions at Canton , saying , " those are the people you should make war upon , and not upon us who never injured you ; we see your strength , and know that opposition will be madness , but we must perform our duty if we fall in so doing . " They were informed that hostilities would commence if submission was not made before daylight the next day . Their last words before departing at 8 : 00 pm were , " If you do not hear from us before sunrise , the consequences be upon our own heads . " Bremer wrote that " gongs and other warlike demonstrations were audible " throughout the evening . Capture . On the morning of 5 July , a large number of Chinese troops occupied the hill and shore . British seamen from the masthead of the ships observed the city walls , which were 1 mile ( 1 . 6 km ) from the beach , also lined with troops . At about 2 : 00 pm , the " Cruiser " and " Algerine " brig s got into position , and the signal was given to land . The first division comprised the 18th Royal Irish Regiment , Royal Marines , the 26th regiment , and two 9 - pounder guns . The second division comprised the 49th regiment , Madras sappers and miners , and Bengal volunteers . At 2 : 30 pm , the " Wellesley " fired at the Martello tower . The Chinese immediately returned fire from the shore and junks . The cannonade lasted 7 – 8 minutes before the Chinese troops fled to the city walls behind the suburbs . The British landed unopposed on a deserted beach which Viscount Robert Jocelyn described as having " a few dead bodies , bows and arrows , broken spears and guns " . By 4 : 00 pm , British troops placed two 9 - pounders within 400 yards ( 370 m ) of the city walls . Six more 9 - pounders , two howitzer s , and two mortars were later added to the arsenal . Burrell waited until the next day before ordering a resumption of operations . The next morning , he sent a party to reconnoitre the city . Although there were thousands of inhabitants during the evening , the city was now largely abandoned . The gate was found strongly barricaded by large sacks of grain . A company of the 49th regiment took possession of the main gate of the city of Ting - hai , where the British flag was hoisted . Viscount Jocelyn described his account of the city : Aftermath . On 8 July , Rear - Admiral George Elliot issued a proclamation from the " Melville " . He declared , among other things , that Chinese natives shall continue to be governed under Chinese laws ( excluding torture ) , and that the " civil , fiscal , and judicial administration " of the Chinese government shall be exercised under the British officer in chief command of the land forces . Brigadier George Burrell became Governor of Chusan , Karl Gützlaff was made chief magistrate , and Viscount Jocelyn was appointed military secretary to the admiral . On 23 January 1841 , Plenipotentiary Charles Elliot dispatched the " Columbine " to Chusan , with instructions to evacuate it for Hong Kong Island . He declared the cession of Hong Kong to the United Kingdom after negotiations with Chinese Imperial Commissioner Qishan in January 1841 .