The Express.
London, England, 1859-12-19 00:00:00

NEW CALEDONIA.

The following is the narrative in the ifonaeur
']laded to by our Peril correspondent :
!mt. 3, 1869.—F0r some time pest the French authorities
'at New Cidedonia had felt the greatest saxisty for the
security of our rising estaidishmeat of Ithaala. Their chief
attention had to be direetall to the protection of the wisdom,
who were beginning to °onset round about Napolsonville,
ad the commencement ofJuly mammas had been taken
by Commandant &Met, the governor, for confronting the
threatening attitude of the tuh•bitanta of Hysoguerie, which
gave rise to an extremely dangerous agitation In all directions.
The Hyeagneue tribe is the mot warlike one in the country;
it formerly had at its head • very eaterprising chief named
Bonaratte, whom Rear- Admiral Dabourat saw himself obliged
to have removed, and who is now living at Tahiti. A few
Europeans of the worst description, convicts escaped from
penitentiary colonies, had contended for the right of sac-
ending that chief, and had achieved their design of at
the Hymning people, and inspiring them with the itlas
taking the offensive against us. The necessity of previously
finishing • military poet et Napoleonville had caused • delay,
which had only served to increase the °ridden°e of that
tribe, end the insolence of the adventurers who had seder-
taken to excite it. Things had come to such a pas, that the
tribe threatened to come sad attack the governor at Eensla.
The expeditionary corps was at length able to start for it.
deadnation on the 31st of August, end landed next day on
the enemy's territory. It consistedof barely 160 men. They
were divided into eight detachmeats. The fleet two, mast
'lndirection of Commandant Durand, occupied the defiles of
the northern extremity of the Peninsula ; the other eh,
under the orders of the governor himself, made for the meth.
They endeavoured to get the Caledonian mums between two
Eves. But our troops were tent numerous enough to bar their
=gfar Mee to surround them, and this first day wee
et beteg decisive. During the whole of the night the
espeditionary corps was annoyed in ne emaropment ;
▪ enemies assailed it with • shower of stones mixed with
muket abets, to which it was impossible to reply efilosaionaly,
end one soldier wee killed by • musket shot fired wady
point-blank.
On the following day, September 2, the operations con •
tinted on both aides of the river, where our men burned
several villages. At the attack of the first village, Captain
Tricot was mortally wounded, 6o that the expeditionary corps
the day after it had taken the field lost one captain and one
private, end It counted shady 19 wounded. It found Itself
reduced to about 140 men fit for duty, and the redstaaos of
the Hyenguenes did not appear to slacken.
However, on the first day, the European chief, who had
been the principal agent of the Insurrection, fell into the
Mods of one of the French detachments. On the third day
we likewise succeeded in capturing two other whites, his am
complier..
Tee position of these individuals taken with aims la their
hands wee very clew; martial law, proclaimed et the begin
slog of the expedition, was applicable to them la all its
rigour. The governor, appearing however to hope that
their capture would suffice to discourage the re-
volt, did not hasten to put • council of war In •
capacity to decide upon their fate; he waited, It seems, to
see discourageurnt seize the manes them deprived of their
principal leaders; but he was able to ascertain that the
who cautioned to direct them were far from
abandoningur their came and that, on the contrary, they
thawed themselvee resolved to continue the resistance with
the same vigour. Doriog the followleg hays the expeditionary
corps was kept continually on the alms by the natives, who
Mole under shelter of thy thickets to surprise the sentinels.
The famous Jack, who is a European in colour only. more
savage than the Caledonians Whale 'node of life be has adopted,
sad completely naked like them, ouroteded in getting within
30 paces of the encampment, and delivering his fire. It wee
feared the expedition would require fresh and &terser amts.
The number of our soldiers was not calculated to Intimidate
the multitude of armed men who at every inataat crossed our
Ham ; the isdalgeects shown by our commander towards the
three arrested individuals had evidently for lie result the
encouragement of the natives, and tended only to prolong a
contest which could not lest long without becoming dan-
gerous to our troops already so hammed by the operations of
the two first days. Necessity, therefore, required, and the
governor's reeponsibility wee seriously compromised if he
hesitated to enforce, the application of the law. On the
Bth of September the Commandant &Wet convoked the
council of war, to which be presented the articles
of acensatioa. The guilt of the three prisoners toes
so notorious, end the mime of the penalty so distinctly fa-
diested by that of the mime, that the rentence could not be
doubtful. The court decreed immediate execution. In car-
rying out that judgment the governor discharged • duty
which, though certainly • painful one. was one dictated by
considerations of public safety, for the sooner of the expoil.
don was at stake, and, if this (add, it could bat expose the
men to the gravest dangers.
This act of repression had moreover all the consequences
that might be expected from it. It struck terror into
the Europeans, who had put themeless at the head
of the native*, sad by depriving the latter of their
chiefs it reduced therm to helplessness. From that
moment discouragement speed over all the country,
end the expedition, which up to the morning of the Bth
was still teem win:obstacles and dangers, could now hope to
attain its object almost without resistance. Our eoldiers
saw bends of the Hyenguenee disperse at their approach, and
they did not find a tingle Europese any longer in the ranks
of the wives.

On the 9th the expedition wee flashed. The governor
ennonnord to the people hie departure, and at the same time
told them he would grant them no Pardon unless they ex-
pelled a fasts= number of Europeans mentioned in a deciaion
be caused to be published, and union' they gave no the
liana chief who boasted of having killed Captain Tricot.
The expeditionag onrps then re-embarked for Kenai',
which it left on the 15th, crossing New Caledonia from east
to west on its way to Fort-de-Freon.