Kowloon, Battle of

The Battle of Kowloon is a skirmish between British and Chinese vessels off the Kowloon Peninsula, China, on September 4,1839

Located in present-day Hong Kong, Kowloon is at this time part of the Guangdong province.

The skirmish is the first armed conflict of the First Opium War and occus when British boats open fire on Chinese war junks enforcing a food sales embargo on the British community.

The ban is ordered after a local Chinese man dies in a drunken brawl with British sailors at Tsim Sha Tsui

The Chinese authorities do not consider the punishment meted out by British officials to be sufficient and as a result, suspend food supplies in an attempt to force the handover of the culprit.

During the embargo, Captain Charles Elliot, the chief superintendent of British trade in China, sails to Kowloon in the cutter Louisa for food supplies, accompanied by the schooner Pearl and a pinnace from HMS Volage.

Upon encountering three Chinese junks, Elliot sends interpreter Karl Gutzlaff with demands to re-allow the supply of provisions.

After several hours of unsuccessful correspondence, Elliot delivers an ultimatum that if provisions are not received, the junks will be sunk.

When it expires with no results, the British open fire on the junks, which return  fire with support from the on-shore fort.

During the engagement, the larger junks pursue the British boats. which are sailing away after running low on ammunition. but after replenishing their cartridges, the British re-engage he ships, which retreat to their former position, ending the clash in a stalemate

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