First Opium War Part of the Opium Wars The East India Company steamship Nemesis (right background) destroying Chinese war junks during the Second Battle of Chuenpi, 7 January 1841 Date 18 March 1839 – 29 August 1842[1] (3 years, 5 months, 1 week and 4 days) Location China Result British victory, Treaty of Nanking Territorial changes Hong Kong Island ceded to Britain Belligerents United Kingdom British East India Company Qing China Commanders and leaders Lord Palmerston Charles Elliot George Elliot James Bremer Hugh Gough Henry Pottinger William Parker Daoguang Emperor Lin Zexu Qishan Guan Tianpei † Yishan Yijing Yang Fang Strength 19,000+ troops:[2] British Army: 5,000 Indian Army: 7,000 Royal Marines and seamen: 7,069 37 ships:[2] 14 sloops 8 frigates 3 ships of the line 12 other ships1 200,000 (including Bannermen) Casualties and losses 69 killed in battle[2] 451 wounded[2] Nearly 300 executed or died in captivity in Formosa 18,000–20,000 killed and wounded2 (est.)[2] 1 Comprising 5 troop ships, 3 brigs, 2 steamers, 1 survey vessel, and 1 hospital ship. 2 Casualties include Manchu bannermen and their families who committed mass suicide at the Battle of Chapu and Battle of Chinkiang.[3][4]