Oliphant, Laurence:
Narrative of the Earl of Elgin's Mission to China and Japan in the years 1857, 1858, 1859, Edinburgh, William Blackwood and Sons, 2 volumes, blue pictorial/gilt cloth, 1859, 8vo. Illustrated with 5 folding maps, 20 colored lithographic plates (4 are facsimiles of Japanese woodblock prints) and 50 wood-engraved text illustrations. Volume 1 - 492 pp (5 lithographs, 2 maps & 20 text illustrations) and Volume 2 - 496 pp (15 color lithographs, 3 maps & 30 text illustrations). Laurence Oliphant was a private secretary to Lord Elgin and accompanied him to Calcutta, Hong Kong, Canton, Tientsin and Yedo. The main purpose of the mission was the signing of treaties opening both China and Japan to British trade. The first part provides a survey of the Yangtze river and the opening of China to Western commerce. The second part provides a description of the political and social conditions in Japan.

 
Title Pages

Volumes 1 & 2
 

 
Table of Contents.

Volume 1
Volume 2

Lithographs - Volume 1

Signing of the Treat of Tiensin



The Storming of Canton



Temple of Supreme Felicity (Residence of the Allied Missions at Tientsin)



Capture of the Peiho Forts



Reception-Tent of the Imperial commissioners, Takoo



Volume 2

Exchange of Full Powers Between the Earl of  
   Elgin and the Japanese Commissioners 



Nagasaki



A Lady at Her Toilet (From a Native Drawing)



Shimoda



A View of Fusi-Yama (From a Native Drawing)



Yedo Forts



Residence of the British Mission at Yedo



View of Yedo from the Citadel


A Street in the Aristrocratic Quarter of
  Yedo (From a Native Drawing)



Interview Between the Earl of Elgin and the
  Prime Ministers of Japan



Tea-Gardens Near Yedo



Tea-Gardens, Interior



A Winter Scene in Japan (From a Native Drawing)



Japanese Funeral



Quanon (Qwanon) Temple, Yedo

 
Maps - Volume 1

The Peiho River  (21.5 x 26 cm)


Map of China  (52.5 x 60.3 cm) 

 


Maps - Volume 2


Empire of Japan 


Chart of the Harbour and Soundings of the Bay of Yedo


The Yang-Tse-Kiang River




Summary of Plates and Maps

20  Color (Chromo) Lithographs
 5  Maps (fold out)
50  Woodcut Text Illustrations


Volume 1.

Lithographs (Color)
                                            At page
                                            
Signing of the Treat of Tiensin           Frontispiece
The Storming of Canton                         125
Temple of Supreme Felicity (Residence 
  of the Allied Missions at Tientsin)          236
Capture of the Peiho Forts                     299
Reception-Tent of the Imperial
  commissioners, Takoo                         300
  
 
Maps
The Peiho River  (21.5 x 26 cm)                313
Map of China  (52.5 x 60.3 cm)                 492

Black and White Woodcut Text Illustrations (20 in total)


Volume 2

Lithographs (Color)
Exchange of Full Powers Between the Earl of  
   Elgin and the Japanese Commissioners      Frontispiece
Nagasaki                                          7
A Lady at Her Toilet (From a Native Drawing)     19
Shimoda                                          71
A View of Fusi-Yama (From a Native Drawing)      97
Yedo Forts                                      101
Residence of the British Mission at Yedo        117
View of Yedo from the Citadel                   130
A Street in the Aristrocratic Quarter of
  Yedo (From a Native Drawing)                  140
Interview Between the Earl of Elgin and the
  Prime Ministers of Japan                      151
Tea-Gardens Near Yedo                           167
Tea-Gardens, Interior                           169
A Winter Scene in Japan (From a Native Drawing) 180
Japanese Funeral                                188
Quanon Temple, Yedo                             212


Black and White Woodcut Text Illustrations (30 in total)

Maps
Empire of Japan                                   1
Chart of the Harbour and Soundings of the 
  Bay of Yedo                                    14
The Yang-Tse-Kiang River                        288

Map 1  21.5 x 24.5 (2 folds out)
Map 2  21.5 x 25 (2 folds out)
Map 3  21.5 x 25 (2 folds out)