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Caroline M. Stevenson reconstructs Lord Amherst’s embassy to the Chinese court in 1816, examining the mission’s origins, preparations, journey and abrupt dismissal. Drawing particularly on British records and the papers of participants, she reassesses the assumptions and decisions behind a diplomatic encounter often overshadowed by the earlier Macartney embassy.
The narrative follows the voyage to China, movement along the coast, negotiations over court ceremony and the return journey overland to Canton. Stevenson considers the cultural expectations of both sides and the British reaction to the mission’s failure. Appendices reproduce documents and provide information about personnel, costs, gifts and the itinerary, alongside illustrations, bibliography and index.