High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Battle of Tonkin River was a major naval battle fought in northern Vietnam between the pirates of Shap Ng-tsai and the British Royal Navy with aid from the Qing navy and the Tonkinese. The 1849 expedition led to the destruction of Shap Ng-tsai`s fleet and the loss of over 2,000 men. The battle occurred over a three day period at the mouth of the Tonkin River, near present day Hai Phong.