BLAKISTON, Thomas W. (1832-1891). Five Months on the Yang-Tsze; with a Narrative of the Exploration of its Upper Waters, and Notices of the Present Rebellions in China. London: John Murray, 1862.
8vo. Numerous wood-engraved plates, 2 folding maps at rear; 12pp. publisher's ads at end dated November 1861. (Some spotting at ends.) Original pebbled red cloth, upper cover with central gilt vignette, gilt-lettered spine, Edmonds & Remnants bookbinder's ticket (extreme ends repaired and strengthened, hinges reinforced). Provenance: W.H. Smith & Son (bookseller's embossed stamp on front free endpaper); Allan G. Mossop (1887-1965), Chief Judge, British Supreme Court of China (ownership signature on half-title); University of Cape Town Library (stamp on pastedown).
MOSSOP'S COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION. Sir Allan George Mossop served as the Chief Judge of the British Supreme Court for China from 1933 to 1943. The court's operations were disrupted at the onset of the Pacific War when Japanese troops occupied the courthouse in Shanghai on 8 December 1941 and Mossop was subsequently interned for five months before being repatriated to England. His appointment as judge was formally terminated in May 1943 following the ratification of the Sino-British Treaty for the Relinquishment of Extra-Territorial Rights in China, which effectively dissolved the court.
In 1861, Thomas Blakiston embarked on an ambitious expedition up the Yangtze River, setting out from Shanghai with the goal of exploring the middle and upper courses of this mighty waterway. His journey took him through China in turmoil, as the Taiping Rebellion was raging at the time. Blakiston's expedition was remarkably successful, as he managed to travel 1,800 miles upriver from Shanghai, reaching as far as Pingshan on May 25th. This feat was extraordinary, as it took him 900 miles further than any previous Western explorer had ventured along the Yangtze. However, Blakiston was ultimately forced to turn back to Shanghai due to insurgent activities in the region. Löwendahl 1263; Yakushi B-404.
