I. The history of the Arrow

The Arrow was a lorcha, a kind of Western schooner with Chinese rigging. According to one of her sailors, she was built in China in 1854 by a Chinese subject called Su Acheng. She was subsequently sold to another Chinese subject, Fong Ah-ming, who had lived in Hong Kong for about ten years and who registered the ship there on 27 September 1855. On the basis of this registration, Consul Parkes maintained that the Arrow was a bona fide British vessel.

By her colonial registration, the Arrow was granted permission to fly the British flag and claim British protection. Her crew consisted entirely of Chinese sailors, with the exception of the captain, who, as mentioned, was an Irishman of age twenty-one by the name of Thomas Kennedy. He candidly admitted that he had been put on board merely as nominal master of the vessel. Thus, here was a vessel built in China, owned by a Chinese subject, manned by a Chinese crew, and sailing in Chinese waters, but claiming British protection. This ambiguity could easily give rise to misconceptions as to her nationality. If she were at sea flying British colours, she could be identified as a British vessel. But if she sailed into a port in China, lowered her flags in accordance with British nautical practice, dropped anchor, and her British captain left, she could be mistaken for a Chinese boat.