The Press.
London, England, 1857-09-12 00:00:00

appeared to be centred upon her. She was hulled twelve
times in a few minutes ; her deck was covered with the
wounded who had been brought on board from the boats.
I was looking at them when a round shot cut down a
marine, and he fell among them. From the paddle-box I
saw that our heavy firing was now bringing up a strong
reinforcement. The account of my having been obliged
to ratire had reached them, and they were pulling up like
mad. The Hong Kong had floated and grounded again.
I ordered a bit of blue bunting to be got ready to represent
my broad pennant. I called out, " Let us try the rowboats
once more boys," and went over the side into our cutter
(the Raleigh's), in which was Tumour, the faithful Spur-
rier bringing the bit of blue flag. At this moment there
arose from the boats, as if every man took it up at the
same instant, one of those British cheers so full of mean•
ing that I knew at once that it was all up with John
Chinaman. They might sink twenty boats, but there
were thirty others who would go ahead all the faster. On
we went. It was indeed a lovely and exciting sight. I
saw the move among the junks. They were breaking
ground and moving off, the outermost first. This ma-
nceuvre they performed in beautiful order. They never
ceased to fire. Three more cheers, and then commenced
an exciting chase for seven miles. As one shot told on
them they ran on shore, and their crews forsook them.
Seventeen were come up:with and captured this way ; three
only escaped. It was in this last chase that my pair
Spurrier was shot down by my side I saw his bowels
protrude as he lay in the bottom of the boat holding my
hand. He asked me if I thought there was any hope?
I could only say, "Where there is life there is hope;" but
I had none. Strange to say, the good Crawford sewed him
up, and the admiral's last letter from Hong Kong states
that Spurrier hoped to return to his duty in a few days.
What a long yarn I have spun you ; but as I began, the
little affair came fresh to my memory, and I have filled no
end of paper all about self. My own prospects for the
future I cannot guess at, but, going on with self, I may
be allowed to say to you, whom it is so sure to gratify,that
the admiral speaks highly of my services in the late boat
affair. Whether he overrates them or not is not my bust-
ness, but I do think that they ought to insure my coo•
tinned employment out here, even should I he on the
flag list. There is a fleet out, and coming sufficiently
large for two admirals. I see the French have rewarded
my services in the Crimea higher than our own Govern-
ment has done. _

JULY 7.—These Chinese rascals still give us enough to
do. We are supposed not to interfere with the trade,
so that hundreds of vessels pass daily up and down the
river, but piratical boats and all sorts of rascals get in
among these traders, who quarrel and attack one another,
so that it is difficult for us to distinguish the trader
from the pirate. There are other long rowboats carrying
sixty men each, and mounting guns, that are sent out
by the mandarins to intercept the trade to Hong Kong.
Sunday was a calm, and many of these fellows were out.
I sent a gunboat in the evening. During the night she
returned, bnnging two fellows ( traders), whom she caught
fighting. Yesterday morning I sent the gunboat and
Hong Kong away; and, as I had the case of these traders
to investigate, I did not go myself, but sent Sir Robert
M'Clure, the captain of the Esk, with his boats. He
chased a rowboat up one creek, while the Hong Kong,
our tender, went after another. The land was low, so that
I could see their masts, all day, and see and hear their
firing. M•Clure, in his gig and with his launch, followed
his chase up an inner creek, and on his suddenly coming
on a war junk they ( the junk) opened fire and killed and
wounded ten of his men in the launch. Of course, he
attacked them again when his other boats came up and
captured boats, junk, and all ; so here has been a small
affair, and I not in it, but these are our amusements.
I really do not require you ladylike caution " not to be
rash." It is a real fact that your suspected fire-eater
retired from a position he had taken up, and brought his
boats up a second time in regular order, when the cheers
of our lads would have swelled the hearts of braver men
than John Chinaman ; butall this I shall hope to fight over
again with you at home.
We have a surgeon out here who served in the Naval
Brigade in the Crimea. He says be never saw such
frightful wounds as the Chinese shot appear to make.
By the war, I ought to rec3rd a delicate attention of the
ladies of Macao. My commodore's broad pennant having
been lost when my boat sunk, they have presented me
with a new silk one, worked with their own fair hands.
I hope some day to plant it on the walls of the Celestial city,
where the " braves," as they call themselves, shall respect
it. I will now, in conclusion, give you a copy of a letter
to me equally gratifying in its way. lam sure my dear
friends at home will agree that it ought to be so ;
" Fame REAR•AMITIRL SLR M. SEYMOUR.
" Sir,—l had the satisfaction of communicating yester-
day to the squadron generally my high tense of the zeal
and gallantry displayed by the officers and men in the
decisive action against the Chinese war junks in the
Fatshan Creek on the Ist inst. ; but I feel that it is
further incumbent on me to express personally my
admiration of the cool courage and good judgment with
which you led the attack first in the gunboats until they
grounded, and afterwards in the ships' boats up the
Fatshan branch, where, in the vicinity of the village of
Fatshan, the severe struggle with the formidable line of
heavy junks moored across the river commenced, and the
Hong Kong, again aground, bore so conspicuous a part;
also, your subsequent determined attack with the boats
under your command, which finally dislodged the junk
forces and led to the ultimate success of the day. The
fact that your galley was sunk under you, and that five out
of six of her crew were killed or wounded, is the best proof
that yon maintained the post of honour throughout.
" I sincerely congratulate you on your safetv. and shall
not fail to biing your services to the notice of the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty.—l have the honour, d-c.,
" M. SETMOIII,

,`RearAdmiral,