The official French account of the events surrounding the Anglo-French expedition of 1860, better known as the second Opium war. It illustrates the naval engagement with the Chinese at the Taku forts and provides detailed information on the route taken by the foreign troops on their punitive expedition from Tientsin to Peking which ended in the infamous destruction of the Yuanming-yuan Summer Palace. Detailed description of the maps: 1. Carte pour servir a l'intelligence des operation sur les cotes de Chine: [General map depicting the Chinese coast as well as Korea and Japan]. 2. Plan de la ville de Shang-hai: [Map showing the newly founded French and English concessions of Shanghai, as well as the Chinese Walled City together with a survey of the Huang-po river]. 3. Plan de la Rade de Tche-fou et de l'etablissement de Yen-tai: [Plan showing the area around Yantai with the English and French positions on the offshore islands]. 4. Plan pour servir a l'intelligence des operations executees par les forces alliées... du Pei-ho: [Map showing the allied operations around the Taku fort]. 5. Plan de l'occupation de Tien-tsin par la flotille Anglo-Francais le 24 Aout 1860 [Map showing the occupation of Tien-tsin by the allied fleet]. 6. Carte du Pei-ho. [Map showing the route taken by the allied forces from the coast via Tien-tsin to Peking. The Yuanming-yuan is clearly marked]. 7. Plan de l'embouchere du Pei-ho et de ses defenses... [Two maps, one showing the blockade of the Pei river, the other outlining the route taken by Lieutenant Desvarannes from Yen-tai to the Taku forts]. 8. Vues, Coupes et Croquis des defenses du Peh-tang-ho at du Pei-ho [Colour lithograph showing details of the fortifications at Peh-tang, Taku and Pei-ho]. A superb piece of printing, published by the French Depot de la Marine.