Charles Elliot

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Sir Charles Elliot  RN
Administrator of Hong Kong
In office 1841 – 1841
Monarch	Queen Victoria
Preceded by	none
Succeeded by	Sir Henry Pottinger
Born	1801 England
Died	9th September, 1875
Nationality	British
Spouse	none
Occupation	colonial administrator
Profession	naval officer, diplomat and colonial administrator

Charles Elliot, also Charles Elliott (Chinese: 義律, 1801 – 9th September, 1875) was a British naval officer, diplomat and colonial administrator.

Born in England, he joined the British Royal Navy in 1816. He participated in the bombardment of Algiers, served in India, Africa and the West Indies and became an Admiral.

He was appointed Chief Superintendent of Trade and British Minister to China in 1835 and was based in Macau. He was involved in the First Opium War and signed the Convention of Chuenpeh in 1841, in which Qing ceded Hong Kong Island to Britain and was forced to tolerate the sale of Opium which caused large-scale problems of addiction among its population. He became the first British administrator of Hong Kong, holding office from January to August 1841.

From 1842 to 1845 he was Chargé d'affaires in Texas. From 1847 to 1852 he was the Governor of Bermuda, from 1853 to 1856 the Governor of Trinidad, and from 1863 to 1869 the Governor of Saint Helena.

In 1855, as Commodore, he also had command of a flottila made up of HMS Hornet, HMS Sybille and HMS Bittern. This flotilla, on 25 April 1855, discovered an island in the Sea of Japan, at 37°17′23″N 131°54′23″E / 37.28972, 131.90639. It was about a mile in extent, running in a NW by W and SE by E direction and formed together by a reef of rocks.

He was made KCB in 1856.

[edit] Political Summary

Political offices
Preceded by New Creation	Administrator of Hong Kong 1841 - 1841	Succeeded by Sir Henry Pottinger
Preceded by W. N. Hutchinson	Governor of Bermuda 1846 - 1852	Succeeded by W. Hassell Eden, acting
Preceded by Arthur W. Byles, acting	Governor of Bermuda 1853 - 1854	Succeeded by Freeman Murray
Preceded by George Francis Robert Harris	Governor of Trinidad 1854 - 1856	Succeeded by Robert William Keate
Preceded by Sir Edward Hay Drummond Hay	Governor of Saint Helena 1863 - 1869	Succeeded by Vice Admiral Charles George Edward Patey