Western ships at Tientsin (Tianjin)

On 30 May 1858 four Western envoys - American, British, French and Russian - arrived by steamer in Tientsin. They occupied a range of buildings, part temple and part imperial palace, at the junction of the Grand Canal, the North River, and the Haiho (Sea River). Their steamers and gunboats moored in the river. Successive treaties were signed in June between the four envoys and the Chinese representatives. This was called the " Treaty of Tientsin".