There are different types of gunboats, the subject of the book and movie "The Sand Pebbles" was a river gunboat.
Gunboats operating along the Yangtze River were there to protect the concessions in the various towns and also the missionaries.
The concessions were areas operating under colonial rule, and administered by whatever country the area was a concession of for trade purposes.
Although the people in it were subject to the laws of the colonial power, the concessions were negotiated by treaty.
The main threats along the river were riots, and attacks by bandits, or forces of the ever changing line of generals commanding forces along the river (warlords).
For this reason, the gunboats were more of a colonial police force, there role being to maintain order and to protect treaty concessions and people rather than to fight a well equipped enemy.
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