The Englishman in China During the Victorian Era, Vol. 1 (of 2) As Illustrated in the Career of Sir Rutherford Alcock, K.C.B., D.C.L., Many Years Consul and Minister in China and Japan

"The Englishman in China During the Victorian Era, Vol. 1 (of 2)" by Alexander Michie is a biographical narrative examining the impactful life of Sir Rutherford Alcock as he served as a British consul and minister in China and Japan. It highlights the cultural and political clashes between the East and West during a period marked by British imperialism and trade disputes. The biography starts with Alcock's early years, discussing influences such as personal tragedies, periods of illness, and his educational path in medicine. It then recounts his time as a military surgeon during the Peninsular Wars. The book begins to introduce the key events shaping the connection between Britain and China, including the conflicting interests in trade and diplomacy leading up to the First Opium War, which eventually lead to Alcock's important consul position under the Treaty of Nanking, intertwining his personal evolution with the larger narrative of Anglo-Chinese relations.