In 1842 the Opium War between Britain and China ended with the signing of the Treaty of Nanking. This effectively opened up the five main Chinese ports of Canton, Amoy, Ningpo, Shanghai and Foochow to European traders, who needed considerable naval protection from the persistent depredations of Chinese pirates.
This is a view across the Pearl River at Canton in southern China towards the European 'factories' or trading posts, which the European merchants were not allowed to leave. Canton was the centre of China's tea trade with Europe and by 1794 Britain was buying four million kilograms of tea each year, in a trade strictly controlled by China. Steam communication between Hong Kong and Canton was regularized by the Hong Kong and Canton Steam Packet Company, which was founded on 19 October 1848. Since operations commenced in spring 1849, with two small London-built steamers of 250 tons each, this helps to date the painting.

The factories shown on the right in the distance fly the flag of their respective countries. Denmark is furthest right then Britain, with the United States of America on the left. They are housed in buildings showing western influences and which dominate the skyline, towering over the smaller dwellings closer to the river. The land is shown as very crowded up to the shoreline, with buildings, masts and flagpoles. The painting's outer date range is given by the presence of the church and the fact that a major fire levelled the area in 1856. The river, though busy, has a flat stillness. A steamer, shown broadside-on in the centre, is probably owned by the Hong Kong and Canton Steam Packet Co. It flies the red ensign demonstrating the important relationship between British interests, based at Hong Kong, and China. The painting concentrates upon the significance of the river and on the variety of different craft in the centre, from small local junks to larger trading vessels. There are also a couple of pleasure yachts on the far left. Although there is considerable activity shown on the individual boats, a serene stillness pervades the scene.

This highly stylized painting fuses western topographical methods with Chinese influences. The artist has incorporated such typical eastern features as a mountain in the distance on the far right. The emphasis overall is on calm, reflected in the blue sky occupying half the canvas, in which the clouds appear to be suspended.