HMS Amethyst

A file of reports, memoranda, and press cuttings relating to an incident in which a British warship, HMS Amethyst, was shelled by Chinese communist forces while steaming up the Yangtze river, and the resulting diplomatic consequences. The documents discuss the initial reports of the attack on the Amethyst, which was badly damaged and grounded on a sandbank in the river; the organisation of its escape to the open sea; the possible effects of the incident on Chinese relations with the Western powers; the vulnerability of Hong Kong and Shanghai to attack; an analysis of the incident, including an investigation of which side opened fire first; and Chinese press reports of the sinking of a civilian steamer during the Amethyst’s escape, which they allege was a deliberate act by the Royal Navy.