Surveying Career
In autumn 1842 Bate was assigned to Commander Collinson on HMS Bentinck, who had been tasked with surveying the waters around the Chinese coast. In May 1842 he was involved in an attack on Chapoo. Collinson was responsible for surveying the approaches to Chapoo, and once the troops were landed, Bate accompanied them. He was involved in a hand to hand battle with a Chinese defender. Bate captured him, then opened the gates of the fort to the British, at which the Chinese fled. This earned him a Mention in Despatches from Vice Admiral William Parker who commanded the force. He returned to England in 1846, and took a series of scientific courses at the colleges at Woolwich and Portsmouth. He was promoted to Commander in 1848 and given command of HMS Royalist, with which he was to carry out further surveys of the Chinese coast. He was taken ill with smallpox in 1852, but recovered and was able to complete his surveys, including one of the island of Palawan. After completing these tasks, Bate returned to England. In January 1856 he was appointed to command HMS Bittern, and to return to Chinese waters to conduct further surveys. He took command in April that year, but it was soon found that the Bittern was unsuitable to the task. Bate sent her back to Britain, transferring his command to the sixth rate HMS Actaeon, while he awaited the arrival of his new ship.
While cruising off the Chinese coast, the Arrow incident occurred, the prelude to the Second Opium War, and the British decided to bombard the port of Canton. Bate was put in charge of the landing parties, and whilst overseeing operations from HMS Barracouta, was struck on the hand by some shot, and was slightly wounded. After the subduing of resistance, Bate took over and garrisoned a fort with 300 men. He held the fort under siege for five months, before the Admiralty ordered him to evacuate. He returned to the Actaeon, then at Hong Kong. As a reward for his services, he was promoted to Captain. Bate returned to Canton in November 1857, and delivered Lord Elgin's ultimatum to the Chinese officials. There being no reply, the navy began to bombard the port on 28 December.
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