The Sun. — London, England, 1858-01-28 00:00:00

THE CALCUTTA MAIL. THB RELIEF OF LIICKNOW. The Oalcutta Gazette Extraordinary of -Dec. 23 contains the following General Orders by th 3 Right Hon. the Governor-General of India in Council, p refixed-to the despatches relating to the first relief of Lucknow which had recently reached the Go vernment : " Fort William, Dc0.22, 18 5 7. "The Right Hon. the Governor-General in Council L pleased to direct the publication of the accompa,:cing despatches relating to the first relief of the garri son of Leeknow, which have lately reached Goveriamen " These despatches contain an account o f the proceed ing! of the force under the command of the lathe e Major-General Si r H. Havelock, B , bef . forced his way into the city, as well as of the venous operations carried on under Major-General Sir James ° liram , K-C.B , after a juncti on had been effected Kith the garrison of t he Residency, on the 25th of September, until tke arrival of the relieving force under his Excel lency General Sir Cohn Campbell. " They show how thoroughly till- , gallant band has sustained the repot,ation of British soldiers for courage, discipline, and determination, whether in the plain, in the hand-to-hand struggle of the street fighting, or iu the more wearying labours of the siege. . 6 The Governor-General in Council has already had the satisfaction of acknowledging the obligations of the Government of India to Sir J. Outman; but his Lord ship in Council Linnet deny himself the pleasure of expressing again his appreciation of Sir J. Outr em's enainent services and his respect for the generon4 and soldierlike feeling whicb prompted Sir James to ab•tain from assuming the position due to his superior rank. and to leave in the bands of Sir H. Havelock the c7rn ple.tio!i of the undertaking which the latter had success- hilly begun. "To Brigadier Inglis the Governor-General in Conucil can give no higher praise than to say that during the continuance of the siege, a7ter Sir J. Outram had assumed the chief command in the Residency, his ability, energy, and vigilance were worthy of the lasting reputation which his conduct of the defence has secured to Imo. "Sir J. Outram has acknowledged the efficient co operation which he had from Brigadiers Hamilton and Stinted. To these officers, as well as to Capt. Bouverie and Capt. Spurgin, serving on the Brigade Staff, the Governor-General in Council desires to offer his hearty thanks for the good service they have dune. "His Lordship in Council conveys to Major Eyre, who had already established a claim on the gratitude of the Government; to Capt. Maude, Royal Artillery ; to Capt. Olpherts, Bengal Artillery ; to Lieat. Thomas, Commissary of Ordnance ; and to the officers and men of the combined force of artillery, the assurance of the satisfaction with which he has received the evidence of their zeal and gallantry. " The labours that devolved upon the Engineer De partment have been of a most important and difficult nature, and the Governor-General in Council boo to assure Capt. Crommelin, commanding the Engineers ; Lieut. Hutchinson, second in command ; Lieuts. Rus sell and Limond ; the officers and men attached to, as well as those who volunteered to work with the depart. orient, his appreciation of the courage, skill, and energy with which they bore their very arduous part in the siege. "Lieut.-Colonel Purnell, commanding her Majesty's 90th Light Infanizy, deserves praise for the able manner in which he held an advanced post, exposed to the un. ceasing attacks of the enemy ; and to Capt. Brasyer,com mending the Regiment of Ferozepore ; to Capt. Lock hart, commanding her Majesty's 78th Highlanders ; to Capt. Shute, commanding a detachment of her Majesty's 64th, who have each maintained a difficult post with complete success ; to Capt. Willis, commanding her Ma jesty's 84th ; to Capt.Galwey, commanding Madras Fuii eers ; and to Lieut.:Mears, commanding her Majesty's sth Fusiliers, the Governor-General in Council tenders his hearty thanks. " His lordship in Council acknowledges with pleasure the cheerful alacrity with which Captain Barrow, com manding Volunteer Cavalry, Captains Johnson and Hardinge, commanding Irregular Cavalry, have come forward to volunteer their services on every opportunity; the latter officer having also rendered good service as Deputy-Quartermaster-General. _ _ _ _ "The thanks of the Government are due to Captain Garden, Assistant Quartermaster-General ; to Captain Moorsom, her Majesty's 52d Regiment, Deputy Assist ant-Quartermaster-General, for the zeal they have exhibited in their various departments ; as also to Capts. Alexander, Orr, and Carnegy, for theilable services at the bead of the Intelligence Department ; and to Cspt. ifaebean and Lieut. James for the efficient manner in which, under their superintendence, the commissariat arrangements have been carried out. " The Governor. General in Council has great eatis faction in acknowledging the excellent provision made for the care of the sick by the Medical Department under Superintending Surgeon J. Scott, and his lordship in Council desires especially to tender his warm thanks to the Rev. Mr. Harris for the personal oourage displayed by that gentleman in the discharge of his sacred duties, and for the unremitting assiduity with which he through out the siege has sought to allay the sufferings and pro• vide for the comfort of the sick and wounded. "The Depnty•General in Council offers to Major North, Deputy-Advocate-General; to Captain Hudson, (i.M.'s 64th), Assistant-Adjutant-General ; and to t. Rargood (Madras Fusiliers), serving on the staff of the late Sir Henry Havelock, the thanks they have merited by the efficient discharge of their respective clatieo. " The support rendered to the force, both in the fi,-ld and throughout the ♦ery intricate and difficult engi.eer ing opsratioLa of the defence, by Col. Napier, Mil.tary Secretary and Chief of the Adjutant-General's Depart ment, has been most valuable, and his lordship in Council desires to assure Colonel Napier that his ability and exertions are fully appreciated by Government. "Thu Governor-General in Council has much satisfac• tion in acknowledging the services of Captai❑ D Assistant Adjutant-General ; Captain Gordon, Deputy Judgeadvocate-General ; Lieuts. Sitwell and Chamier, or the personal staff of, and Mr. Money, Private Secre tary to, Sir J. Outram ; of Captain Dawson and Ensign Hewitt, orderly officers, and of Mr. G. Couper, of the Civil Service, who volunteered to perform the duties of aide-de-camp. "In addition to those whose ❑ames have been more prominently brought to notice, the Governor-General in Council desires to convey his hearty thanks to all officers non-commissioned officers, and men who have been engaged in the operations referred to in these despatches for the valour the 7 have displayed in the field, for the firmness with which they havemaintained their position in the city, and for the cheerful, willing, and earnest manner in which they have discharged all the various duties and borne the privations impoaed upon new, under circumstances of extraordinary difficulty and hardship. ' 4 It will be a gratification to the Governor-General in Council t.) bring the eminent services of Major-General Sir J. Oatram's force, officers and men, t.) the favourable no ti ce o f her M , ,j, , sty's Government and of the i , Lon. Cvult of Directors ry first rpportunity. Meanwhile the Governo:-General in Council , Jirech by a separata crier of this date, that the donation batty cdr,ady granted to the garrison under Brigad:er Inglis shall 1)3 extended to Major-General Sir J. Outrarn's force. " The Governor-General is Cottrell cannot conclude this notice of the events connected with the relief of Lucknow without exprei?sing his deep regret at the heavy los4 which England has suffered by the fall of so many able officers and gallant men. " Hia lordship in council has already recorded his sense of the high worth of those true soldiers Sir Henry Havelock and Brigadier-General Neill. Their names will be cherished with honour by their fellow•couutry• MOM "He now has to lament the untimely death of Col. Campbell, her Maj es ty' s 90 t h L ight Infantry, than wliom the Queen's service possessed no mere gallant or pro mising officer. " Major Haliburton, her Majesty's 78th Highlanders ; Major Cooper, Artillery ; Major Simmons, her 24a jesty'm sth Fusiliers; Major Stephenson, Madras Fusi liers ; and many other brave men among their comrades, have died in the di4oharge of their duty ; and in memory of these the Governor-General in Council desires to record his tribute of sorrow and gratitude. " R, J. 11. BIRCH, Colonel, Secretary to the Government of India in Cie; Military Department. The following is the nominal Roll of Ofikers Killed and Wounded and Missing, in actions with the enemy Lear Cawnpore, from the 26th Nov. to the 2d Dec., 1851, inclusive : KILLID. Lieut. Ed. Jorden, Novembe r . 20th he r Majesty's 34'h Regiment, 28th EnsiNgovemn T. G M . Applegate, her ajesty's 34th Regiment, Novemb er Ensign L. J. ' Greer, her Majesty's 2Bth Novemb er. 34th Regiment, Col. Uth Nov N. ember. Wilson, E.. 11., her Majeaty's 64th Regiment, Major Stirling, her Majesty's 64th Regiment, 28th November. Capt. November. Morphy, her Maje s t y ' s 44th Regiment, 28th Capt. McCrea, her Majesty's 64th Regiment, 28th November. Lieut. A. P. Hensley, her Majesty's 82d Regiment, 28th November. _ Lient.•Col. C. Woodford, Rifiee, 28th November. Capt. H. H. Day, her Majesty' d 88th Regime nt, 2Gth November. WOUNDED. Lieut,Colonel R. D. Kelly, her M a j es t y ' s 34th Regi ment, 27th November. Major Jas. Maxwell, her Majesty's 34th Regiment, 28th November. Brevet-Major James Jorden, her Majesty's 84t11 Re giment, 28th November. Captain F. D. Cassedy, her Majesty's 34th Regiment, 23th November. Captain D. Stewart, her Majesty's 34th Regiment, 23th November. Lieutenant J. R. Cochrane, her Majesty's 34th Regi ment 28th November. Lieutenant Holroyd, her Majesty's 34th Regiment, 28th November. Lieutenant H. Lampen, her Majesty's 34th Regiment, 28th November. Lieutenant N. T. Parsons (unattached), her"Maj':-.-.;'a 64th Regiment, 23th November. Lieutenant C. J. East, her Majesty's 82d Regiment, 26th November. Major C. T. V. B. Isaac, her Majesty's 82d Regiment, 28th November. Captain John Gordon, her Majeilty's 82d Regiment, 28th November. Ica a. Assistant-Surgeon T. Carey,-her Majesty's 64th Regi ment, between 29th November and 2d Decembei. Lieutenant Birch, her Majesty's 88th Regiment, 26th November. Lieutenant Burke, her Majesty's 88th Regiment, 28th November. LieutenantW.M.Gilby, her Majesty's 88th Regiment, 26th November. Ensign Mitchell, her Majesty's 88th Regiment, 26th November. Lieutenant and Adjutant Evans, her Majesty's 88th Regiment, 27th November. Lieutenant Austen, her Majesty's 88th Regiment, 27th November. Lieutenant and Interpreter Clarke (attached), her Majesty's 88th Regiment, 27th November. Brevet Lieutenant-Crlonel J. A. Ewart, 93d High landers, between 29th November and 2d December. Captain G. Cornwall, 93dHighlanders, between 29th November and 2d December. Lieutenant E. C. Haynes, 93d Highlanders, between 29th November and 2d December. Lieutenant Travers, Rifles, 27th November. Lieutenant Pemberton, Rifles, Nov. 27. Captain M. Dillon, Rifles, Nov. 28. Captain L. P. Mulles, Rifles, Nov. 28. Ensign.ll. Lawton, Rifles, Nov. 28. Cadet Dyce, Rifles, Nov. 28. Cadet Madden, Rifles, Nov. 28. Lieut. and Interpreter C. Armstrong, Rifles, Nov. 28. Midshipman Lord W. T. Kerr, H.M.S. Shannon , between Nov. 29 and Dec. 2. MISSING. _ Lieut. M'Kinnon, H.M.'s 64th Regiment, Nov. 24. Lieut. Gibbons, &2d Regiment (attached), H.M.'s 64th Regiment, Nov. 28. The following is the Nominal Roll of Officers killed and wounded during the siege of Lucknow : General Staff. ' Wonnded—Brigadier-General Sir H. M. Lawrence, K.C.8., commanding the force, mortally (since dead) ; Officiating Deputv-Assistant Adjutant-General, Captain T. F. Wilson, slightly ; Officiating Deputy-Assistant Quartermaster -General G. N. Hardinge, Brigade Staff. Wounded—Aide-de-camp to Brigadier J. Inglies, Lieut. F. M. Birch, slightly. Artillery. Killed—Second Lieut, E. P. Lewin. Wounded—Capt. A. P. Simons, slightly (since dead) Lieut. D. C. Alexander, severely ; Second Lieut. J. H , Bryce, severely (since dead of cholera) ; Second Lieut. J. Bonham, once slightly, onoe severely ; Second Lieut. J. Alexander, severely ; Second Lieut. D. Mac Fail ►n, F. J. Cunliffe, slightly (since dead of foyer). Engineers. Killed —Captain G. W, W. Fulton. Wounded—Assistant Field Engineer Lieut. F. W Birch, 59th Native Infantry, mortall3 (since dead). 7th Regiment Light Cavalry. Killed—Lieut. L.A. Arthur. Wounded—Capt. C. W. Radcliff, dangerously (since dead); Capt. T. T. Boileau, slightly ; Veterinary Surgeon F. A. Hely, dangerously (since dead). Her Majesty's 22d Regiment of Foot. Killed—Lient:P. O. Webb. Wounded—Major E. W. D. Lowe, slightly ; Captain W. Power, dangerously (since dead) ; Lieut. J. Edmon stoup°, severely ; Lieut. C. M. Foster, slightly ; Lieut. E. Harmar, severely ; Lieut. H. Cooke, slightly ; Lieut. J. W. Charlton, dangerously ; Ensign W. H. Studdy, mortally (since dead). Detachment of her Majesty's Bth Regiment of Foot. Wounded—Lieut. D. O'Brien, severely. 13th Regiment Native Infantry. Killed—Major Bruere. Wounded—Capt. D. P. Waterman, slightly ; Cap R. B. Francis, mortally (since dead). 41st Regiment Native Infantry. Wounded—Capt. M. F. Beiable, severely ; Lieut. H. Inglis, severely ; Ensign G. L. K. Hewett, slightly, 48th Regiment Native Infantry. Wounded—Lieut. and Adjutant 0. L. Smith, severely (accidentally) ; Lieut. C. W. Fletcher, severely ; Lieut. A. J. Dashwood, slightly( since dead of cholera); Lieut. D. Hay, slightly ; Ensign H. 0. O'Dowds, slightly; Surgeon W. W. Wells, slightly. 61st Regiment Native Infantry. Wounded—Capt. G. Strangways, slightly ; Surgeon W. Brydoo, severely. Officers not belonging to the Oude Brigade. Killed—Major J. S. Banks, 33d Regiment Native Infantry. Wounded—Lieut. H. S. Lester, 32d Regiment Native Infantry, mortally (since deao); Ensign R. L. Inglis, 63d Regiment Native Infantry, slightly. Oude Irregular Force. Wounded—Major of Brigade, Capt. G. R. P. Barlow, slightly (since dead). let Oude Irregular Cavalry. Wounded—Capt. H. Forbes, slightly. 2d Oude Irregular Cavalry. Killed—Lieutenant J. S. Shepherd. 3d Oude Irregular Cavalry. Wounded-.-Lient. F. W. Graham, twice slightly. 6th Regiment Oude Infantry. Wounded—Capt. W. H. Hawes, severely ; Lieut. G. Grant, dangerously (since dead). 9th Regiment Oude Infantry. Wounded—Lient. J. A. Vanrenen, slightly. Assistant Chaplain. Wounded—Rey. H. S. Polehampton, severely (since dead of cholera). Ordnance Departmeat. Wounded—Permanent Conductor P. Baxter, severely (since dead). _ 'Gentlemen of the Civil Service. Killed—M. C. Omrnaney, Esq., Judicial Commis sioner. Wounded—Deputy Commissioner of Mullaon, W. C. Capper, Esq,, slightly ; Officiating Deputy Commis. sioner at Goodall, G. H. Lawrence, El., severely ; Assistant Commissioner of Lucknow, J. G. Thornhill, El., slightly. Civil Engineers. Weunded—J- M'Rae, Esq,, severely ; J. Casey, severely (since dead of cholera). Abstract. Killed and Died of their Wounde. Officers Gen.leman of the civil service 1 Warrant dicer 1 —l9 Wounded. Officers . Gentlemen of the civil service Civil engineers Assistant chaplain —4l Total —6O T. F. WILSON, Captain, Officiating Deputy Assistant-Adjutant-General. J. INGLis, Brigadier, Commanding Lucknovv Garrison. 35 Return of Killed and Wounded of the Garrison of Lucknow, from June 30 to Sept. 26, 1857. General and Brigade Staff—Killed and died of wounds, 1 European officer ; wounded, 3 ditto officers. Artil ery (R- 4 utar and Irregular)—Killed and died of wounds, 2 Eur peen officers, 2 ditto warrant officers and staff sergeants, 6 ditto non-oomnaissiened officeie, 1 ditto bugler er drummer, and 13 ditto private 4 and gannern, total 24 ; wounded 6 European officers, 2 ditto warrant officers and staff sergeants, 6 ditto non commissioned officers, 1 ditto bugler or drummer, and 10 ditto privates and gunnere, total 25; killed and died of wounds, 3 native non-commissioned officers, and 8 ditto rank and file, total 11 ; wounded ditto commis sioned officer, 2 ditto non-commissioned officers, 1 ditto drummer, and 6 ditto rank and file, total 10. Engineers—Killed and died of wounds, 2 European officers, and 2 ditto warrant officers and staff sergeants, total 4 ; wounded, 1 ditto warrant officer and staff sergeant. 7th Regiment Light Cavalry—Officers killed and died of wounds, 2 European officers, 1 ditto veterinary surgeon, and 1 ditto warrant officer and staff sergeant, total 4; wounded, 1 ditto office*. Her Majesty's 32d Foot—Killed and died of wounds, 3 ofThaers, 9 nonecommissioned officers, 2 buglers or drummers, and 70 privates and gunners, total 84 ; wounded, :6 officers, 15 non-commissioned officers, buglers or drummers, and 114 privates and gunners, total 139. Detachment her Majesty's 84th Foot—Killed and died of wouncl4, 2 non - commissioned officers, and 10 privates and gunners, total 12 ; wounded, 1 officer and 2 privates and gunners, total 3. 13th Regiment Nati.e Infantry—Killed and died of wounds, 2 European officers ; wounded, 1 ditto officer ; killed and died of wounds, 2 native commis gloried officers, 6 ditto non-commissioned officers, 3 ditto drummers, and 18 ditto rank and file, total2B; wounded, 7 ditto commissioned officers, 9 ditto non-commissioned officers, 2 ditto drummers, and 34 ditto rank and file, total 52. Detachment 41st Native Infantry (officers and drummers)—Killed and died of wounds, 1 European warrant officer and staff sergeant ; wounded, 3 ditto officers ; killed and died of wounds, 5 nativo drummers. 48th Regiment Native Infantry—Wounded, 5 Euro. pean officers, 1 ditto surgeon, total 4 ; killed and died of wounds, 2 native non - commissioned officers, and 1 ditto rank and file, total 3 ; wounded, 1 ditto commie 'dotted officer, 2 ditto non-cornmissioned officers, 1 ditto drummer, and 3 ditto rank and file, total 7. 71st Regiment Native Infantry—Killed and died of wounds, 1 European warrant officer and staff sergeant ; ditto wounded, 1 ditto officer and 1 ditto surgeon —total 2 ; killed and died of wounds, 1 native commissioned officer, 2 ditto non-commissioned officers and rank and ale, total 9; wounded, 1 ditto commissioned officer, 6 :1: 1- 0 71 ,40 na tu ie ce s r i:n ; ed officers, and 6 ditto rank and file total 12. aOude Irregular Force --Killed and died of wountb, nduropee 3 ditto tonm-coo e died and 'minded, 5 ditto officers ; killed 1 ditto of u rnsr a na :ls, 1 native non-commissioned officer, 1:1,1 1 ditto so war, total 3; wounded, Pensioners matlia:i7edxo.fficers and 10 ditto sowers, non-commissioned officers and 7 ra n k (' total 13. esioned officers and 16 rank and wounded, 15 non-coaatm• aiendd ofifielotuontdals,,92; file x — e total, at 3 iv i e . Levies—Killed, a d d a commissioned office r and i - '''' ie - of wounds 1 wounded, 4 rank and file. rank and file—total -2 • . üb d r : fie r la g ed e : wk t Q q i lu : ena k i i e 1 : 1 e n d 2d e , Lucknow Magazine—Killed and European warrant officers and Eitaff died of wo unds, 3 and died of woaufitnieda.sc,b2edutatl iv t u ii:O n u k de 4 dittooffircaeurl.ne not t d died of w onnds, 2 European officers ; oundisd, 1 ditto officer. ) .N.B.—One member of the . civil serv i ce killed, and 0 three wounded-1 military chaplain wounded --2 civil engineers wounded, also 15 gentlemen of the uncove nanted service and others killed and 9 wounded— are not included in the above. (Examined.) T. F. WILSON, Captain, Deputy-Assistant Adjutant-General. J. Nous, Brigadier, commanding Lucknow Garison. (True copies.) R. J. H. BIRCH, Colonel, Secretary to the Government of India in the Military Departuxent. THE MARCH OF THE CAMERON MEN. " Ohl proudly they follow their chief to he field." Never did traditi ona l b a ll a d contain a line more truthful in its application than this to the 79th Cameron Highlanders. Sir Colin Campbell, their chief, sailed for India in July, and ere that month had expired, the 79th Highlanders had also em barked to " The land of 6he East, and clime of the sun." The regiment's embarkation was effected with so much order and good conduct that it became the subject of eulogistic remark in the Dublin Garrison Orders of that date. On the first day of August, then, the clipper ship Walmer Castle sailed from Kingston harbour with the head quarters and body of thei79th Regi ment on board, and " With white Bails flowing the seas beyond," the continued "To plough a furrow in the deep, ,, until the Ist November, when the monotony of the voyage was broken by the vessel casting anchor in the roadstead of Madras. Here it was that the regiment peruned for the first time, with a thrill of horror, the accounts of the unparalleled atrocities which had been perpe trated in the Bengal Presidency. The m t n gathered on the deck in gro u p s , an d repea t e d to each other whispers those stories of treachery by which so many brave men have been sacrificed, and those ghastly tales of ruthless violence by which so many helpless and unoffending women and children have been sacrificed. Revenge, or a feeling much' akin to it, seemed to take possession of men and Officers ; at least, all became animated by a deep desire to in flict a condign punishment on beings who, by their deeds, have cast a stigma on the human species. But the Madras authorities detained these 500 able soldiers for more than six and thirty hours, though a favourable breeze was blowing, which would have carried them on in but a short time to Calcutta. No wonder, then, that the pipes played without ceasing " Hey Johnnie Cope, are ye wauki& yet ?" The sequel to this unnecessary delay was, that on the third day from leaving Madras thel wind fell, and for an entire week the Walmer Castle lay be calmed off the Coromandel coast, literally "As idle as a nainted ship Upon a painted ocean." At length the welcome breeze returned, but being from the Nil it involved a constant tacking and re-tacking, so that a fortnight more elaPsed before the ship began to stem the swelled waters of the Ganges, aided by a steam-tug. It was on the 27th November that the Walmer Castle at last dropped anchor in front of what travellers have . been went to call the City of Palaces—Calcutta. These Cameron men are deserving of all praise for their conduct during the voyage ; crime was unknown, and the most perfect harmony pervaded all ranks—the defaulter books being the only closed during the passage. - The left wing of he regiment havinibeen tran shipped at Point de Galle into the steamer Simoom, had already arrived, and were in actual possession of the Town Hall of Calcutta. Circumstances con sidered, it were impossible to have devoted that noble building to a more rational purpose. Au artist would have found good subject matter for his pencil in delineating the picturesque tableaux which its inside presented—here, a stalwart High lander might have been seen standing with folded arms against some statue by the hand of a Chau trey, tie Herculean proportions of the former vie fug in their development with those of the latter ; and there, a son of Scotia, wrapped in slumber, lay reclining at the feet of some beautiful women whose portrait, painted by the brush of a Winterhalter, adorned the lofty wall. The 30th of November being St. Andrew's Day, in the evening the officers of the regiment gave a dinner at one of the principal hotels, to which about sixty Calcutta residents, of whom so many were Scotch, were invited. After the repast, which was in itself good and excellently served, suoceeded toasts, wherein the past, the present, and the future were all severally alluded to—then " Wild and high the Cameron's gathering rose," and the regimental pipers entered playing one of those wild and spirit-like pibrochs that so entrance and thrill the heart ; by and bye this merged into the lively quickness of a strathspey. A reel l a reel neish I neish I" was now the cry ; and now all seemed inspired and dancing. Dervish-like commenced the maddening " Hielind Fling" and " Reel of Tulloch." Rarely had the inhabitants of Calcutta seen a "St. Andrew's Nioht" so well sus tained ; it brought back to them " The days of mild langsyne." On the 2d Dec. the left wing marched from their quarters in the Town Hall, and commenced their "up country" journey, going by railway so far as Raneegunge. On the following morning the right wing, head-quarters of the regiment, paraded at Fort-William for a similar purpose, and their pro gress to that point of the river where it is requi site to cross over for the railway station was a com plete ovation. As the steamer left its moorings the band commenced playing " Partant pour la Syrie ;" the crowd on shore reciprocated with a loud cheer. The bayonets of the soldiers glistened in the sun, while bright eyes sparkled with a responding gleam on the river's hank, and fair hands waved snow white handkerchiefs, to which feathered bonnets were doffed in reply. The whole was one of those unique scenes in a soldier's life. That evening the whole regiment found itself encamped at Ranee gunge, where the railway terminates, at a distance of 130 miles from Calcutta. Here it is intended the regiment should remain in quietness till the end of the week—it is the calm before the storm—the pause made by the lieu before springing on the treacherous tiger. Toe Queen's Btys (2d Dragoon Guards) and part of the 20,:h R gimeut are also hero enceimped. The 20th, however, proceed on to-morrow by bullock waggons. lianeegunge, Dec. 8, 1857. —Edinburgh Courant. OHINA. We take the following summary of China news from the Over/and China Mail of the 16th of December : Our readers out of China will doubtless be anxi ously looking for news by this mail of the bombard ment and capture of Canton, and, if so, they aro doomed to disappointment, for though the prepara tions are well nigh or altogether eompleted, (nothing has yet been done beyond the drawing the blockade closer round Canton), in which proceeding, as will be seen from the following official notice, taken from the Gazette, the French squadron is now taking part : " NAVAL DIVISION OF INDO-CHINA, CABINMT OF THE ADMIRAL. " Macao Roade, Dec. 10. " Mon. le Minietre,—lbave the honour to forward to your Excellency copy of the notification of the blockade of the Canton River by the naval forces of his Majesty the E;aperor of the French, which are placed under my orders, which blo c k a d e I declare established from the 12th of the current month.—l have the honour to be, Monsieur le Ministre, your Excellency's very humble and very obedient servant, "The Rear-Admiral, Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Division of his Majesty the Emperor of the French, " C. RIGAULT de GENOUILLY." " TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE MINISTER-PLENIPOTENTIARY OP HER MAJESTY THE QUERN 0/ GRBAT BRITAIN, &C. "Naval Division of Indo-China, Cabinet of the Admiral, Frigate Nemesis, 10th Dec., 1857. " I, the undersigned, Rear.A.dmiral, Commander-in- Chief of the Naval Forces of his Majesty the Emperor of the French in the China and India Seas : "After coming to an understanding with the High Commissioner of his Imperial Majesty on the pending difficulties between the Government of France and that of China, on the means of terminating them, on tha resolutions of th e G ov e rnmen t s o f F rance an d England to proceed by oommon action for the reparations which. are due to them, and in virtte of the powers appertaining . to me as Commander-in-Chief, declare : From the 12th day of the current month the river and port of Canton and their ou,lets will be held in a state of effectiv, blockade by the naval forces placed under my command, acting in concert with the naval force of Her Britannic Majesty. Any vessel attempting to violate the blockade , will be proceeded against according to international law, and the treaties in force with neutral Pow e rs. . _ "C. RIGAUETdc6ENOIIIILLY. On board 11.1. M. Frigate LoNernosia, MEWS'') RoAda, 10th December, 1857." The two squadrons are to act in concert, and in taken of the alliance, the British, on the 13th, raft hoisted the F re n c h, an d th e F rench the British, flags at th e ma i n on b oar d t h e men-of-war. For merly the blockading fo rce was sta ti one d at the Bogue, an d li tt l e i nterruption was given to native c dated. Plying ou the r i ver , b uta no t e f rom the fleet, the u j 9th, tells us that fro m 40 t o 50 j un k s are \ t;rilecl. back daiiy at Whampoa, and th a t ano th er t l e 'el'acle has b een esta b lished at Hyacinth Island, branchttte of nction of Fatee Cree with the Fan thts river ; the natural k consequence atsh is, the entailment of muoh misay in Canton frOm scarcity of food. Of rumours regarding the movements of the forces, we have enough and to spare, but little definite has transpired. Diplomacy continues re markably silent; we gather, however, that Yeh has been addressed by Lord Elgin and Baron Gros separately, and that, failing his acceptance of their conditions, the combined force will, in few words, knock Canton about his ears. A notification in the name of the two Plenipotentiaries is in circula tion along the river, warning the inhabitants of the impending contingency, and urging them to look to themselves ; and some copies, we understand, have been sent into the suburbs for distribution. As nothing is further from probability than that Yoh will surrender unconditionally, the assault on the city, it is pretty evident, will take place in the course of a few days. All the Ma r i nes are i n th e and a portion were t o l an d on the Heinen aide. The artillery are o n b oar d t h e troop-sh i p river, Mooresfort, ready to start. The party of Engineers arrived by the mail steamer, with, it is said, 4 com panies of the 59th Regiment, are under orders to embark on board of the Lancashire Witch ; and about 300 of the Chinese Coolie corps go up in the Inflexible. The steam transport Hesper, under command of Mr. Henry Hill, lat e mas t er o f H er Majesty's sship Sybille, has b een l oa di ng w i t h fascines, scaling ladders, ordnance, and other mu nitions of war, and leaves this morning, having on board also some of the military staff and 200 na tive camp followers. Lord Elgin himself, we understand, will leave Hongkong for the river either to-day or to-morrow, Her Majesty's ship Furious having been prepared for his reception. Of the arrangements for the attack we are told that the French fleet, the advanced ships of which entered the river on the Bth, will take the Whampoa branch of the river. Captain A. C. Key, of the Sanspareil (who is . considered one of the best officers in the service), is to command the Naval Brigade, and will be supported by Captains Cochrane and Osborne, and Commanders Hamilton and Hood ; while the field-piece parties are to be under the immediate direction of Admiral Seymour and Captain Hall. The Bittern has been converted into a mortar-vessel ; and the crews of the gunboats have been increasedfrom sto 10 men each. General Straubenzee, who went up on Saturday last, will of course command the land forces. Yesterday the combined fleets were to close in upon Canton, but previous to that the stations of the British men-of-war were Actaeon Hornet, Bittern, Highflyer, Elk, and ten gunboats (the advanced squadron), from Macao Fort to the Barrier ; Maned and two gunboats at Fatshan ' Creek ; Sybille, Racehorse, and Surprise, with two gunboats, at Whampoa ; Sampson, at Second Bar ; Nankins, off High Island; the rest of the fleet about Pirangtung and Tiger Island. False rumours have been spread abroad to the effect that plundering has been sanctioned by the Admiral, and that 48 hours was to to granted for looting in the city, it may be as wear to mention, that a circular has been issued by hik Excellency, in that respect. threateninghis orders with s expressly forbiddi ng anyt hi ng of tle kind, and 4 evere punishment my breach of The steamer Adelaide, whose long passage had begun to cause some anxiety, arrived on the Ist, having on board 20 officers and 507 nen of the Royal Marine Light Infantry, and 5 officers and 20 men of the Royal Artillery. She left Portsmouth on the 17th August, arrived on the 3d October at the Cape of Good Hop whence, after having been detained six day; for coals, she sailed on the 9th, and reached Singa pore on Nov. 19, leaving for Hong Kcng on the same day. She reported that the Prircess Char lotte, storeship, had left Singapore on the 18th, and the Sanspareil, with the Marines from Calcutta, on the 19th ; neither of which, however, though anxiously looked for, has yet arrived. The men by the Adelaide are in fine order, only one casualty— the loss of a corporal overboard—having occurred on the whole passage. She left for the river the morning after her arrival. The gunboat Lee, it appears, captured a snake ' boat the other day, with a valuable cargo. The cargo she took out and brought down to Hongkong —the junk she destroyed. The military force has sustained a heavy loss in the death, from inflammation in the bladder, of Lieut.-Col. Lugard, commanding RoyalEogineers, whose remains were interred on the evening of the 2d inst., at the Protestant Burial Ground in the Wong-nei-cbung. The funeral procession was com posed of two companies of the 59th Regiment, and one of the Royal Artillery, with a number of etficers and civilians. Lieut.-Colonel Lugard was highly respected as a good officer and a kind-hearted man. As some alarm may be felt for the safety of Hong Kong during the absence of the expedition, we would mention that the colony will be properly cared for by Major Cazalett and Capt. King, with from 800 to 1,000 men, consisting of Artillerymen, the remaining companies of the 59th, the Medi cal Staff Corps, and Madras Sepoys. It is also rumoured that a body of French Marines will be landed at West Point, for the protection of their naval stores ; and we suppose the Americans will have a strong guard at their stores in Spring Gar dens. The Tribune will remain for the protection of the harbour. The transport ship Neleus had arrived at Singa pore on the 22d Nov. She made a oApital run down the China Sea (only 8 days), and had had lovely weather. Four of the invalids died on the p assag e, but the rest of them were pickingup rapidly. From Amoy we hear little of importance. Trade seems to be dull, and raw co tt on, cotton yarn, and rice are the only imports in which ti ansactions have taken place; the latter is said to be in good demand, and is quoted 2 dole 30 for Siam, and 2 doll 55 for Formosa. (From Special Correspondent of the Times.) HONG KONG, Dec. 13. I t w ill be remembered that the last mail went out leaving Hoeg Kong denuded of all its diploma tio grandees. There was a solemn conference at Macao, and it was soon whispered that Count Pu tiatine was admitted to the councils of Lord Elgin and Baron Gros. A rumour soon spread that Mr. Reed had taken an had independent li ne, an d h a d met with a rebaff. He ,so went the story, sent a but could not think of admitting to Yeh to treat with him inside the city, proposal Y ;ithin the walls of Canton. Mr. bet Yeh replied that he should be happy to see him proceeded to Macao, but even rumour el' i t i i o n ire to affirm what he proposed to him trney, or whether the rather con fhuissaol opinion i h o a n d a jsutsot entanglingre ee i received h a a d ll a n n any cs. sa o tßiel u illedy t fe s dn i bb c yo l a e t: t t lbNhe l ,a l oirt e rsui have another version of ilis affair, They profess to have seen a copy of the answer, and laugh whe n they speak of it. I have not been able to induce any of them to procure me a transcript, way modified and cannot make much of their description of it. s hould reach you by way of America, I T te l n i: P C tu l;n u e s se Will find that the Imperial Commis sioner has replied to his Excellency Mr. Reed by what i s vulgarly called "a sell, a sort of Chinese version of "Don't you wish you may get it 1" Certain it is that Mr. Reed- is very irate with If f in i k t you his celestial friends, and has rather abandoned his th world that h e i s d eterm i ne d t o carry out the p olic e idea of being master of the p o s i tion. Yeh seems re solved t 0 show y openly acknowledged in that notorious Chinese State paper, and to consider the terms of the last treaty binding only so lon as he had not forts enou g h to break them. He seems to be confident also th at the present is a proper sea son for perseverance in this policy. He has doubt less heard of tbe might and wonderful contrivances of the Minnesota. Nothing that can be said ja praise of her discipline and arrangements, her ex quisitely finished machinery for economising labour and time in the working of her gulls, her Sharpe's rifles, her officers' cabins, and her state reception rooms, can be too great praise, but Yeh has heard all about these. We have just seized copies of a correspondence which has been passing between a Chinese writer resident on this island and Howqua. It contains a minute chronicle of every event and descriptions of men and things, including a by no means flattering account of the personal appearance of Lord Elgin. Possibly it also included a statement of the draught of water of the Minnesota. I recol lect that once on circuit, when a zealous and hot tempered junior replied with a scarcely decent violence to an interruption of the judge, and drew down upon himself a rebuke, a sarcastic old stager who sat by said, "Pitch into him again, give it to him well, he can't coins down to you." Yeh knows that the Minnesota cannot come up to him. More over, he has filled his city with soldiers from the North. We have just kindly rescued and released 300 of these from the wrecked Waverley. The Chinese report that the walls are now bristling with cannon, that the s t ree t s ar e all undermined, and that Yell is determined to blow the whole place into the air rather than give it 'up. We shall see shortly what truth there is in these tales. They by no means lessen the eagerness of our fel lows to get into the city, but they may perhaps in duce the Admiral and General to explode these mines by a few shells before they set our British bulldogs at the walls. Meanwhile the valleys and precipices of this mountain island ring and echo with preparations. The quiet citizen cannot take his afternoon walk without his rumination upon the pricPs of gray. shn t lugs or his sigh over the d,,preciation of " Malwa." being interrupted by a slarp volley of musketry, or the ringing of a Minie bullet, or the whistling of a shell. The Chinese are certainly not a nervous :race. On the parade-ground to the east of this Avail-less and citadel-less city of Victoria some 500 a.»..~ meti" of the 59th may be daily seen at their exercise. A. cloud of Chinese children take advantage of the severity of discipline to hang upon their skirts, stooping down and picking up the cartridge papers from between the feet of the immovable redcoats, who dare not even raise a foot to tread upon the fingers that tickle their ankles. We are too poor in men to be able to spare any to keep the ground. Up in the ravine behind Government-house a de tachment is firing at a target at a range of 1,000 yards. That target has its attendant company of more adult Fuk-hees. They can scarcely be kept at a safe distance, and when the bugle sounds to cease firing they rush in and dig out the wasted lead. Further off on the side of the mountain, with little flagstaffs fixed on rocks at various ranges, a field battery is practising with shot and shell Straight in the line of fire the Chinese washermen are spreading their clothes to dry upon the brush wood, quiteueconcerned at the discharges, satisfied to confide in the skill of the artillerymen, and having a full practical knowledge of the flight of shot. At the short ranges the shells must pass a few feet over their heads. It cannot be that men who behave thus can be of a race of cowards. We have also had a sham fight on a grand scale. The racecourse and the surrounding hills, and the road leading thence to the city, were com teAed with steadfast valour ; but, alas ! in this month of December the thermometer still stands at 84 deg. in the shade, and the men look white and worn before the work was done. As a balance to the contemptuous indifference with which we open all our preparations and all our intentions to the spies of the Canton authorities, we take care to use our own special sources of strength, discipline, and wealth. The Coolie Corps are, like everything else in China, anomalies in warfare. They are natives of a country about to bo invaded, under drill, to carry the guns and provisions of the invaders. Each gun has 18 coolies attached to it, and they are exercised to attend the process of un limbering, and to take up the gun on their bamboo poles and trot off with it, at a pace which might be dangerous if their fidelity were in doubt, or if there were no Minie rifles in their rear. These fellows will do their work if they can be got on shipboard. They will not desert, for they are better paid by us, and would probably be beheaded by Yeh. They will scarcely be expected to take the guns up under fire from the enemy, so they will have no violent incentive to run away. From the experience we have here of the Chinese character—if such a fagot of contradictions can be called character—l believe they will do what we have hired them to do—act as artillery and commissariat mules over rough ground intervening between points of dobarcatien and points of action. It will probably be arranged that their pay shall be a little in arroar, and they know that they will be shot down without mercy it they attempt any tricks. A short time since Mr. Caldwell, the " protector of Chinese," whose practical knowledge of the Chinese population is greater, perhaps, than that of any European, was invited to inspect this body. They were paraded to the number of 800. In walking down the ranks he picked out 18 men as Canton men, and three others as Mandarin soldiers. He was right in every instance. The Canton men when interrogated at once admitted they had never had the least intention of trusting themselves in the neighbour hood of their own authoriti es, but proposed to take the English pay, and escape at the last moment. The Mandarin soldiers said they would serve, for the Mandarins owed them arrears, and the English paid regularly. The other men come fl mu a distant mountain district, have no families within the power of the Mandarins, are many of them implicated as rebels, and may, as Mr. Cald well thinks, be moderately trusted to act as their interests may point. These traits of Chinese character are not unim portant. It is only little by little that we can come to get a notion of a people whose trains of thought and motives of action are so utterly different from our owu. On the Ist the death of Colonel Lugard, of the Engineers. was announced, and on the 3d he was buried with all military honours in the cemetery hard by the racecourse. It was an imposing spectacle, for all the officers of all the European nations now present in Hongkong followed in long procession the gun-carriage on which he was borne to his grave. Many of those present not only knew him as an officer whose loss at this critical moment is disastrous to the public service, but also loved the man. I was one of those who mourned to think we shall hear no more his frank hearty laugh, and receive no more his manly, soldierly greeting. Poor Lugard was a victim to hard labour in this treache rous climate. He had much to do and small materials to work with. He was a leader without soldiers. He had to form and fashion a corps of Engineers and Sappers and Miners out of troops of the Line. His labour was incessant, and he paid the penalty which these trying Hongkong heats almost always exact for over-exertion. The long-expected Adelaide made her appear ance on the Ist, having ou board 20 officers and 507 rank and file. On the 4th the Assistance came in from Calcutta, bringing us back the 300 Marines left behind by Lord Elgiu and 100 of the 59th. The letters by her were very unsatisfactory in their tone, and gave no promise of more troops from India. We are now able to calculate the force upOn which we must depend to take and hold this city with its million of inhabitants. The first act in the way of a move was the issuing of the following General Order to the fleet : " GENERAL ORDER "The period being now at hand for commencing active operations against the city of Canton, the Commander in-Chief has to call the serious attention of the captains, officers, seamen, and marines of the squadron to the necessity of carefully protecting the lives and property of the peaceable and unarmed inhabitants, not only on the ground of humanity, but likewise on that policy, which renders it so important to retain the goodwill of those cla-ses of the Chinese population, whose material interewt and predilections separate them from the High Mandarins and the military powers of Canton, against whom alone hostile actions will bs directed. " The Rear-Admiral has also to impress upon the ofli t•rs and men who may so soon b. actively employed, his determination to discountenance and prevent all looting or pluldering, both as demoralising and as sub versive of the discipline that is so essentially necessary to success. He trusts that the officers, by precept, and especially by their example, will carry out his views :>,,nd instructii.ns. _ _ _ ----- ‘ilTieCotn . mender-in-Chief takes this opportunity of expressing his, warmest thanks to the commodore, cap tains, commaitding officers, seamen, and Royal Ma rines of the sq uadron for the patient endurance they have evinced d.uring the last twelve months in the monotonous mud frequently harassing duty of keep ing open the navigation of the river, and he fur ther assures theni that, whatever may be the nature of expected-operations, he shall enter 'von them with the strongest confidence in their ready and gallant co• operation for then maintenance of the honour of the Bri tish flag and the fineness of our aron. - _" M. SEYMOUR, Ri3ar-Admiral, Commander-in -Chief." The next act was a declaration from the French Admiral deciding on the part of France a blockade of the Canton river. On the 11th it became known that the Chinese writer, Ochung, who had been taken into custody for maintaining a Correspondence with Howqua, had been sent into the city with letters from the English and French Plenipotentiaries announcing their arrival, and giving note of their credentials. On the 12th Mr. Wade, the chief of Lord Elgin's interpreting stuff proceeded to the city under a flag of truce, and delivered the demands of the English and French nenipoteatiaries upon the Imperial Commissioner holding the city of Canton. A proclamation in the Chinese language was at the same time uirculated in the suburbs of the city. It stated that c ortaiu demands had been made upon the Imperial Ciommissiener, and that 80 days had been given hini within which to accede to them ; that in the mertnwhile (on the following Monday) the allied forces would occupy the Islandof Honan, opposite to the city, doing no damage unless resist ance should be made ' • that at the expiration of th e 10 days allowed to the Commissioner an attack would be made upon ithe city, unless the terms demanded were yielded, and warning all non-belligerents to take such meartures for the removal of their families and property as they might think expedient. It is a curious fast, illustrative of the rapidity with which the Chinese obtain intelligence, that on the Friday morning, while all the English in Hong kong were in ignorance of any communication being about to be made up the river, I heard the Chinese picture-dealer, to whose shop as a focus of Chinese news I have already alluded in these letters, offering to bet a picture against $5O that the English would not be in Canton within ten days. He would not bet about 12 days. He must h.h have was got an early copy of the proclamation, I believe, printed on boardship up the river, and could not, even •at that distance of 50 miles, have been in the hands of any Chinaman more than a very few horn s. I post this letter on for as Honan is to be Sunday,an although the mail does not leave until Monday, occupied on Mondt.y, dasl am going to witness the operations, I may not be able to write again by the outgoing mil. If possible, however, I shall send.you a second letter. We must hope, in the interest of humanity, that when the allotted interval has expired . Yeh will yield. He must know that he h as at his gates th e representatives of the four great nations of th e ' earth, and that however they may lifer upon the modus operandi, they are equally determined to tolerate no longer this foolish Chinese pageant. Mr. Reed does not, I apprehend, propose to him self to go home without making a treaty, any more than does Count Putiatin, or Baron Le Gros, or • the Earl of Elgin. However much we may deplore the undignified policy which the American states men at home have chosen to adopt,' and however much we may feel satisfied to find that they are baulked of even the advantage they proposed to themselves of monopolising the trade while we were fighting the common battle, still our interests are identical, and eventually we must work toge ther. The High Mandarins of China cannot but know the power of the nations arrayed against them. But, if they do not, if they are ignorant of what every Chinaman at Singapore knows fall well and of what each small tradesman at Hong Kong could tell them, what a practical satire this igno rance is upon that system of competitive examina tions and the rule of literary men, which, as it is worked in China, has been so little understood and so senselessly extolled I It is useless, however, to speculate upon what Yeh will do, for the next mail I will bring you tidi ngs o f w h a t b e h as d one, an d w h a t we have done. Meanwhile we must have troops. It will not do to " give up China altogether." The hot months will soon be round again, and we must expect that of our handful of land force many must be invalided. If disease should unhappily so reduce our scanty and insufficient garrison as to compel us to retire from the city, after having once taken possession, the consequences would be most disastrous. Already have placards been posted at Amoy threatening a massacre of the English there. It is a vain threat while the might of England is felt in the South, but it would easily become a dire reality. The English families are mixed up in the crowded Chinese town. They are without any means of mutual protection, and the presence of a single ship of war is rather a terror to the Chinese than a protection to the British. At Swatow, where many English now reside, there is, and can be while the present treaty holds, no protection whatever. At Foo-chow there is a ourishing English settlement, but the ships of-war cannot get within 10 miles of the place. What might be suffered at Ningpo the Portuguese have already proved. Shanghai has the guns of the Pique, and Sir Frederick Nicholson might land his men and do something to protect the settlement, for it has already shown itself defensible. But it is our moral prestige which protects us in the North, and this would be utterly ruined by any weakness or shortcoming at Canton. Better be wise in time, and send on a reasonable number of troops at once than have to exact more terrible vengeance for more massacres. The attacking force, exclusive of the ships, a list whereof I gave you by the last mail, will be as follows : Troops from the garrison of Hong Kong, including the 59th Regiment, the Artillery, the Engineers, and a portion of the Madras troops BOO Marines Naval Brigade . French troops and sailors 9OO 5,700 Coolies— Chinese b 671 . Attached to Medical Staff Commissariat Malaya • lB3 Total CANTON RIVER, DEC l5. As I had - reason to suppose that the occupation of Honan would take place on Tuesday, and that the mail would be detained to allow the news of this fact to reach England, I came up the river on Sunday and found the English Admiral's flag still flying at the anchorage between the Bogue Forts and Tiger Island. The French fleet had just moved up. The two navies had been indulging in mutual civilities on the occasion of the Freneh declaration of blockade. The English Admiral hoisted the French flag at the main and issued a congratulatory general order. The French returned the compliment, and issued an order very fervent in its term. Moreover, the French entertained the English fleet with theatri cals, and supper after the play, and they have left Jack in high good humour with his lively alli•'s. Mr. Wade and M. Marques had returned from their mission. Yeh despatched a mandarin of the fifth rank—" All same, Captain," as the pilot re marked—to receive the two epistles. His scribes are probably now looking up Mencius and Clwo-tze for a stock of moral sentiments to be worked into the reply. If the reader has any curiosity as to this piece of Chinese ceremonial it was after this fashion :—The Chinaman, Achong, had been seat with a letter from Sir John Bowring, and another from M. Bourbelonne, notifying the arrival of the English and French Plenipotentiaries, and stating that on Saturday, at noon, a communication from these high officers would be sent to the Imperial Com missioner. At 10 o'clock on the day appointed a Hong boat containing a well-known official—rather a low fel low and decided in his opinions as to outside bar barians—took its station in the river. At noon the English gun-boat, accompanied by the Dragonne French gunboat, appeared at the western point of Honan Island, and choosing its anchorage sig nalled to the Mandarin's boat to approach. The interpreter, accompanied by M. Duchesne de Eel cour, Captain Bate, and some few other spectators, went on board the Chinese boat, and was received by the Mandarin with that tone of rollicking, swag gering civility which is thought by the Chinese to be good manners towards barbarians, but bad man tiers towards each other. He called for tea, and after this had been duly taken delivered Yet►'s answer to Sir J. Bowring and M. de Bourbelonne's notes. Then he received the despatches from the plenipotentaries of the allied Powers, and with bows and " chin-chin" the parties separated. I understand tbat Yeh's answer is couched in terms of scant courtesy; that it recognises the plenipo tentiaries not as ambassadors to the Emperor, but as ambassadors to Canton, and that it merely says he shall receive any communications they may have to make to him. General Von Straubenzee, attended by Major Clifford, joined the fleet on Sunday. This morning at half past nine the Admiral, ac companied by the General, left the Calcutta for the Coromandel. They go up together to the Fronch Admiral, and will direct the debarkation of a marine force of about 1,000 men on Ronan Island. I have frequently explained—but some do not read and some do not remem'ae; so I may as well re peat—that the Canton River is a very enormous volume of water, seeking the sQa by various chan nels. In front of Canton there are two of these channels of special importance, and between these two and formed by them is the large island of Ronan, more than a mile and a half wide and four or five miles long. On the channel opposite to the back of the island stands the Macao Fort, now in our possession and garrisoned. The island, there fore, lies between Macao Fort and the city of Canton. The Imperatrix and the Imperador have already gone up with the Marines, and behind the Coro mandel is the curious sight of a long train of Chinese bumboats, freighted not only with or dinary stores, but carrying 30 head of live cattle. The Chinese purveyors modestly desired that a gun boat should be ordered to tow th em up, an d a l t h ough the request excited some merriment among the blue jackets, these bumboatmen are much too important to be left behind. So the Plover is tugging them up the stream. That stiff little Plover, the last time I saw her she was sharing the shot with the Hong Kong high up Fat shan Creek ; now she is dragging up a ragged crew of China boats. Let us move up the river after the Admiral and the Gene ral. It is fortunate for General Straubenzee that he is not only a good soldier, but also that he is a man of popular and winning manners. The fleet, who all have a sort of Chinese filial affection for Sir IVlichael Seymour, were rather inclined to look with an evil eye upon any one who came to share his laurels. They began rather early to find fault with the General's name ; but now he has been among them a little the general opinion is, as I heard it expressed, " It is impossible to help liking that old Strawberry jam after all." Moreover, they see Sir Michael and the aforesaid Strawberry-jam consorting togetheyvith intimate cordiality ; the Marines see that the General is every inch a sol dier, and everything inthis important matter moves easily and well. Dia. 16. This morning the occupation of Honan took place. The sight from Macao Fort was interesting only for a few minutes. One battalion of our Marines and 150 French sailors disembark e d , under the guns of shipping, upon the back of the island, and out of sight of Canton. As they advanced into the island we watched the lines of red and blue, not quite expecting, but feeling the possibility that some puff of smoke might giv e s i gnal for a fight. The Chinese, however, had wisely seen that this plain and open island was not defensible. If there over had been any soldiers there, which is very improbable, they had been withdrawn, when we issued our proclamation to the inhabitants that wo intended to take peacable possession. Some tents were now pitched, the outposts formed, the French and English positions demarcated, and our material guarantee was seized. Another affair has happened, which terminated in a very different manner. Intelligence travels slowly from ship to ship in our widely -separated force, but I believe the circumstances aro these On the afternoon of Monday Lieutenant Pyw, o f Arctic celebrity, who now commands the Banterer, landed for exercise in the neighbourhood of a Mandarin village some way down the river. He was accompanied by Mr. Wurgman, the artist wilo is here sketching for the Illustrated !Sews. Allured by the friendly appearance of the inhabitants, they entered the village, and they appear also to have entered the house of the Mandarin there. Whether Lieutenant Pym was acting prudently or pro perll in doing thi s I am no t a bl e to s t ate ; my i n f o rtra . tion is too indistinct to allow me to offer eve n . e suggestion upon thi s p o i n t. All th a t i s cer tain is that as the party r e tu rne d t o th e b oa t th e poPu' ll A tion of the v ill age su dd en l y e ncompasse d t h em and poured in a volley from gingals and other firearms: Five men were killed. Lieutenant Pym was 0 01 through both legs. The interdreter then jumped overboard, and was followed by several of the re") who retreated across the paddy fields. They were followed by the Chinese multitudeand six wounded. All this took place within sight of the Nanlaut whence assistance was, of course, despatched at the first sound of fire-arms. The Nankin men arrive' just in time to rescue Lieutenant Pyn, who keeping the Chinese at bay with his sword an d revolver. Of the whole party every one was either killed or wounded, except Mr. Wurgman and tic° seamen. This se ems t o have been a ra9 S" treacherous and unprovoked assault, and an attac k upon the village w as subsequently made by the Nankin. The first attempt was, I believe, not ye') successful, but it will doubtless he renewed. TUESDAY NIGHT. It is most provoking that the most imnorten' events will happen within half an hour of the de parture of the mail. This afternoon a messenger from Yeh arrived at Macao Fort with a despatch fer the Plenipotentiaries. You know how hoping against hope I have kept up some intelligence ill . side the city. Hitherto it has stood me in little stead, but at a critical moment it has turned tiP trumps. lam informed, then, that the Chineee, merchants say that Lord Elgin's demand was e 1 the most temperate character ; that he asked for sie more than that the treaty should be carried otit, that Canton should be put upon the same footing as the other treaty ports, its gates opened to Ne i : mores, compensation given for damage done 0 British merchants, and our occupation of acquiesced in as a material guarantee until a ll matters are settled. At least one of the Chinee° merchants thinks that these demands should liecP been jumped at. Yeh, however, thinks otherwise' The answer just gone up to Lord Elgin is conchal , if my information is correct, in a fine sarcastic Veit much like that returned to the American. It tell his lordship that the question of the treatment ° strangers at Canton has been settled by the decre e of the Emperor ; that Sir George Bonham W made a baronet f or respect i ng that decree, and h e recommends Lord El g i n t o f o ll ow his example.; that, as to c ompensat i on, Yeh bas..a demand tiPt the English G overnment for losses suffered by iP" Chinese. You must mal - e some allowance for a version e t ,a Chinese document read to me in Canton English but I think I can pledge myself that this will be found to be the substance of this document. Lord Elgin is no true son of Robert the Bruce if he stands this style o f answer ; so we may soon new, expect something decisive here. THE TRANSIT THROUGH EGYPT. ALEXANDRIA, JAN. 1 13 * The Peninsular and Oriental Company's stearay a Candia, with the Calcutta and China mails, arri ve at Suez on the evening of the 14th inst., ab ou t three days before they were actually due, and ful two days have consequently been lost in Egli during which the homeward mails have lain 11 ,, Alexandria awaiting the arrival of the steatoel from England. This is far frombeing the worst ° the first instance of a similar nature, but one All teration having recently been made in the post communication between England and the East, ; mention the det ent i on more particularly on tli, occasion, becau se it c l early demonstrates the nece o sity for further improvements, with the of attaining the object whi c h ere long wilt on all Diu: be peremptorily insisted upon, namely, that the iv b 6 of t shall be no a vo id a bl e d elay on any point route whatsoever. It is obviously impossible contrive arrangements by which the arrivals of th e boats fr om E ng l and and from India will be ab°o, lute and at a ll. ti mes simultaneous. The o nly i l, way, therefo re , o f avoiding frequent . delay i 1 , 1& have the stea mers at Suez and atAlexandria befo re" hand, ready to carry forward the mails and pass n " gers immedi a t e l y on their arrival, the inward Pr t , remaining i n port for the following transist. 1 1;,; * or some simil ar plan, will of a certaintrere long b , carried into execution although th ere 'nay be stacles which f or the present still render its adoP ' tion a matter of more or less difficulty. ' The arrival o f the Candia was followed next dal by that of th e H on. East. India Company's steamer Punjaub, from Bombay one of the two boatil!f; pointed to receive the 71st Highlanders en rOln, r e India. Of the other steamer—the Feroze'4B were without tidings until this morning, but ' i rj g Candia had brought no information of her ha Tl a r reached Aden. This morning a telegraphic, re , spatch from Suez announced her arrival t r u e d ii bringing the untoward news that the East ALI Company's steamer Ajdaha, which left Suez "r e m the 24th ult., with 270 men of the 69th anui,: r outward London mails of the 10th of Deceini.7,4 had returned to Aden in a leaky state after 1104 0 proceeded about 300 miles on her voyage. l is o men were to b e t ransferred to the Alma, t which he remained at Ad en s i nce her breakdown, and rr f Candia is pr e p ar i ng to rece i ve them and to 04 them on to their destination. meHneorfthe Majesty's7lst Highlanders,steamerVultur r ,aeecwhed, ith Ai a b e o x il au l from Malta on the 10th inst., and th e Prio! n g Royal arrived five days after : the latter dray*, two feet m ore t h an th e depth of water on the __" : . 4 is shut ou t o f t h e harbour, and the weather havUt been very ro ug h s h e could not anchor outside,:s. was obliged to cruise 'off the port until yesteru7e, when the me n ' were transferred'to the Vult ll , o l To-day the w h o l e are to belanded, and to bet r e forward .to Suez. At that place, however, If will again be some days' delay, the Punjab alicl.4l Feroze havi ng t o t a k e in large stocks of coal 74: water, which, at Suez, more especially, is a 1 / 1 . ) of some l a b our. The men will on this ocesi sio 0 o again be provid e d w ith donkeys to carry them tc r the 25 mil es o f D esert intervening between Du os, and the extremity of the railway. There has b een a mar k e d i mprovement in 11111/i; ness ' during th e p as t f or t n i g ht , an d both sotto, o and breadstuffs have undergone s uccess i ve advell s . in prices. Said wheat is quoted 265.' 6d. t( to 1 1 . 9d. per quart er f ree on board, ; beans 22e. 6)toll 235. 6d. ; hauley a b ou t 14 s . Th e sa f es of ooafio since the 4th inst., are computed at about 2211 cantars,•at prices varying from about 6d. to per lb. f. o . b ., according to quality. ExchauV are firm a t 101 1 p i asters per £ for three mon t of bills on London. The demand for shipping likewise improved. Country _tviariiet. EDINBURGH HAY AND STRAW MARILIO • JAN. 26. Supplies of all kinds these last six days :arks. 4 00 Oat straw, from 8 s Od to 10s Od per kempl e o f 16 • to fl tron • ' wheat do., 6 s 6d to 8 s O d ; b arley do., 6s Od Od. Hay from 10d to 12d. EDINBURGH MEAL—JAN. 26. There were in the m ar k e t today 14 sacks oatmeal, m ph weighing 2801 b imperial, which sold at 33s Od-and DALKEITH MEAL MARKET —JAN. 25. oof There were in the market to-day 10 bags of oatmeal, barleymeal, and 0 pot barley. Sales ready. ird* Oatmeal, . per sack of 2801bs En wh First. Second. a imperisl Barleymeal, per ditt o --s Od —s Od -- -5 ckl Peasemeal, per ditt o Flour, new, per ditto -ES Od —s Od --'s Oa Pot-barley, new, per ditto —a Od , s Od —4 DUBLIN, JAN. 26. dift ; There was a moderate supply o f gra i n a t mark et to - with a slow and dull sale, and o ur quo t at i ons for vrPtor must be noted 6d cheaper. Oat s an d barley namely II 4• ported last day's currenci es . I n I n di an corn our (Iti° tions only represent retail transactions. 2 . 1° White wheat, 27 s Od to 29s Od ; r e d dit to, 24s Oct Od; ditto new, —s Od; barley, malting, 148 to 1980 d; gr . "" ing, —s to —s ; oats, old, Ils 6d to 14s; ditto, 150 Od to —s Od oatmeal, 14 s t o 15 s Od; bere, new, 141 I'o Od ; rapesocd, 23s Od to 258 Od per brl ; bakers' flour, 6d to 228 N por owt ; Indian corn, 31s Oct to 323 Od PO 1138. BIRTHS. krOV ARMSTRONG—.On the 26th inst., at Worthing, Lady strong, of a son. ' BURIAND—On the 27th inst., at Brighton, Mrs. H. Blue' of a son. Hows—On the 26th inst., at 123, Cambridge-street, r 17 ,4 61. the wife of Edward R. J . H owe, of Lincoln's-inn, barlw at-law, of a son. PURDEY —On the 27th inst., at Warwick.eresceni, MO' Purdey, of a son. MARRIAGES. Char et' BENNB—Bovmsss —On the 25th i ns t. at St. Jude's C-1 y tp Southwark, Rob er t B enns, Esq.,, of Blackfriara.rowt,,, Lydia Frances, youngest daughter of Wm. Bowness, - of Wapping. DEATHS. also AoNsw—On tho 21st inst., at 24, Moray-place, Edinbaw Lay Agnew, of Lochnaw, aged 62. of BaswErr—On the 25th inst., John Morris Bennett, 800 Upper Baker-street, Marylebone, surgeon, aged 69. ero f DEARLOVE —On th e 26th i ns t ., a t L ower T u l se-h ill , Dearlove, aged 65. HANCOCK—On the 26th inst., at Ventnor, Major po ol hardingo William L. Hancock, 74th Hi g hl an d ers, oe" sun of the late Rear-Admiral John Hancock, C.B. jo t SOY —On the 26th inst. at Portswood, Southampton, lip Soy, Esq., Commander of the P. an d 0 . Co.'s steeal" Pora, aged 55. WEBBER —On the 24th inst., at F on thill R ectory, the 11#. Simon Webber, aged 75. Ch lob or WYLDE —OR the 26th inst., at Siotthwell, John f - Wylde, Esq., aged 49. 21-izted awl by :111.51W0 V° I) $O, of No, 112, Strand, Printer, at Th€ San atlice'4l9 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the CO of Middlesex, Thursday, January 28, 1868. THE SCrN _LONDON, TfItTRSDAY EVENING, JAIIITAR,Y 28, 1858