Chapter 15
Summary
- British forces attack and easily take control of Chinese fort called the Bogue, with no casualties
- Chinese send fleet of junks and fire ships against British ships, but they are easily destroyed due to superior artillery and maneuverability
- Conversation on bridge of British flagship, the H.M.S. Vengeance, focuses on ease of victory and Longstaff's desire to have China Cloud tow the Vengeance upriver
- Admiral resists this idea and becomes angry at Longstaff's suggestion, saying it is ridiculous and he will transfer headquarters to the China Cloud instead
- Longstaff frustrated with Admiral's stubbornness and ongoing tension between Army and Navy over who should have precedence in the war
- Also annoyed with Culum's scheming and potential danger it poses to relationship with Tai-Pan
- Struan and May-May secretly on China Cloud, leading the British fleet
- Struan thinks about the war and how it will affect the Noble House and China trade, and reflects on relationship with son Culum and determination to make him the Tai-Pan
- Struan and Jin-qua negotiating deal where Ching-so will agree to start trading with British immediately and pay half of ransom for city, with the other half to be paid six months later
- Trade will continue until the last British ship is loaded and paid in silver
- Ching-so plans to attack and plunder British establishment once trade is normalized, and use fleet to burn and destroy merchant ships
- Jin-qua impressed with plan and believes it will lead to British attacking Peking in revenge
- Struan threatens Jin-qua, saying if any harm comes to his wife or children, Tai-Pan will send dragon that breathes fire to eat the city of Canton
- Jin-qua goes to secret meeting wearing red ceremonial robe and participates in ritual sacrifice
- Jin-qua believes Tai-Pan's "dragon" is a metaphor for a steamboat or warship
- Jin-qua waiting for Struan's final order for opium
- Struan annoyed that May-May has not returned from Macao yet
- Struan's daughter Mary has chance at winning prize at dance for best dressed woman, but may have competition from Shevaum
- Longstaff wants Struan to attend meeting with other merchants to discuss opium trade
- Struan plans to use meeting to try and increase price of opium
- Jin-qua will attend meeting as well, representing Chinese merchants
- Longstaff wishes to establish a free port in Hong Kong
- General and admiral disagree, with general advocating for use of military force to establish British law and order in China and admiral suggesting expulsion of all Orientals from island
- Struan suggests issue of anarchists be addressed first and proposes establishment of a police force