The Express.
London, England, 1867-09-20 00:00:00

AN ILL-NATURED INVENTION.

A considerable commotion was lately excited
in the neighbourhood of the Pyrenees by the following
anecdote published by the Echo Rochellais, concerning the
French expedition to China:
"It was at the siege of Canton. A petty fort disquieted
the allies, and Admiral Rigault de Genouilly said to an
English officer, Colonel Murray, who had WO men under
his command, ' Can you not seize that position r Impos-
sible,' replied the colonel, after examining the fort for a
minute or two—' I have not a sufficient number of men.'
The admiral turned to the spot where the French marine
infantry were placed, and addressing Sergeant-Major
Martin des Pailleres, in that mocking nasal tone he is
known for, ' Des Pailleres,' he said, take 50 men and
drive me out these baboons.' Ten minutes afterwards
the tricoloured flag was waving over the fort."
This extraordinary narrative, attributing cowardice to an I
English colonel at the head of an English regiment, came
Bpainfully to the minds of the natives and friends of Great
ritain in the south and south-west of France, where the
journal in question circulates, and the feeling was increased
when the amine article was reproduced by the hi: utopia!
des Pyr,'nees, published at Pau. At last Count Russell-
Killough, of that town, well known for a book of travels
which he gave to the world some years back, took the mat-
ter up, and succeeded in proving that the anecdote had
no foundation, as will be seen from the following letters,
which have appeared in the Memorial des Pyrenees:
" Pau, Sept. 2.
" reckon on your impartiality to insert in
your next number the subjoined letter from his Ex-
cellency Admiral Rigault do Genouilly, giving • most
formal denial to statements made by the Erho Rochellais
in good faith, no doubt, but which cannot but deeply
wound all the subjects of the Queen of England. As you
copied into your journal the article in question, I am sure
in advance that you will give the same publicity to the
denial which the admiral has not for an instant hesitated
to forward to me, with a frankness which does honour to his
noble character.—Receive,
" COUNT RUSSELIACILLOVOII."
The communication from the admiral runs thus :
" La Rochelle, August 214.
" Monsieur le Comte,—On receipt of your letter,
the Admire!, Minister of Marine, immediately ordered
me to search for the number of the Echo Itorheilms,
in which the article you allude to was given. That
journal having only been delivered to me today,
the reply to your letter has undergone some delay; it
will, however, be very explicit, as the admiral charges me
to say to you that he never gave Colonel Murray the order
mentioned, and that the whole anecdote is a pure inven-
tion. His excellency adds that during his command in
China, he bad only reason to congratulate himself on the
co-operation of General Straubensee and of the troops
placed under that officer's orders, as well as on the
relations with Rear-Admiral Seymour and his officers.—
Receive Monsieur le Compte, &c.,
(Signature illegible.)
" Captain, Aide-de-Camp to the Minister of Marine."

Mr. Bright is now on a visit to Mr. Caird, at
his residence in Creetown. The chief magistrates of the
burghs in the vicinity dined with him on Tuesday evening.
Provost Turner presented him with an influentially signed
address, inviting him to a soiree or public meeting in Dum-
fries, at • period that will suit his convenience.
REPRESENTATION OF TAVISTOCR. —Mr. J. D'A.
Samuda, 31. P., has written to the electors of Tavistock,
thanking them for the kindness he has received at their
hands hitherto, and announcing that he has accepted a
requisition from four thousand influential electors of the
Tower Hamlets to stand for that borough at the next
general election. Tavistock is one of the borouT,hs which
will lose one of their members under the new Reform Bill,
and Mr. Samuda is unwilling to divide the liberal interest
in that borough by a contest with Mr. Arthur Rumen.