The Express.
London, England, 1860-12-17 00:00:00

CHINA.
--.--

OW9 ore own COUICIPONDIDIT.)
CAMP BEFORE PEKIN, Ocr. Li
The Chinese authorities in Pekin appearing di,
posed to temporise and endeavour to evade the
demand of the allied commanders that one gate
the city should be occupied by our troops, benefit,
were constructed behind a brick wall, affording
excellent cover, at a distance of 190 yards from the
north wall of the city. Last evening those belong.
ing to the English were armed with four 68-pounder
guns and three 8-inch mortars, and the Chinese
were informed that unless the gate was thrown open
at noon to-day the guns would open fire. They
had offered no resistance to our works while being
constructed, and evidently bad neither means nor
desire to prolong the conflict. Accordingly they
signified this morning their acquiescence, and at
12 o'clock the gate was opened to us, and occupied
by detachments of the 87th Foot and Bth Punjaub
Infantry. Our sentries are now upon the walls,
and the English and French flags are flying over
the gateway. It is anticipated that all difiieulties
are now at an end. Pekin is at our mercy, and
the ratifications will probably be exchanged and
the army on its way back to Tientsin in 10 days,
The greater part of the force will winter in Tientsin.
It is not intended that the troops should enter the
town beyond the gates ; indeed it is believed that
such a proceeding would cause a universal tumult, of
which the mob would take advantage to pillage the
Chinese city. Nine more prisoners, viz., eight
sowers of Fane's Horse, and one French soldier,
wore brought in and given up yesterday. They are
the remains of a party of fifteen who were sent to-
gether from Pekin to a fort in the hills 30 or 40 le ilea
distant. There they were divided into two parties,
one consisting of Lieut. Anderson, of Fane's Horse,
Mr. De Norman and five sowers, the other of three
Frenchmen and five suwars. Of the first party,
poor Anderson, De Norman, and one sower died ;
and of the second, two Frenchmen and one sowar.
They were very badly treated, and there is n
doubt their deaths were caused by the cruelty of
their keepers. They were loaded with chains, and
scantily
fed. Nothing has as yet been learnt of
Captain Brabason and Mr. Bowlby. The latter
was not with this party at all ; the former was with
it at first, but was sent back from Pekin in com-
pany with a Frenchman to take some message to
the allied commanders, so at least the sowar who
gives a statement of what occurred states. It
appears that they made no resistance when taken
prisoners on the 18th of September, Lieutenant
Anderson, who commanded the escort, thinking if
they did so they might compromise Messrs. Parkes
and Loch, who, you will remember, left them in
search of Sankolinsin ; they therefore gave up their
arms quietly, and for two days were allowed to re-
tain their horses, and were treated with kindness.
They were taken to Pekin, and then to the Empe-
ror's summer palace ; there their horses were taken
from them, and their sufferings began.
The sale of articles taken from the summer palace
for the prize commission terminated this morning.
8,0001. were realised ; a large sum considering the
small number of articles sold. The fur coats,
embroidery, jade stone ornaments, and Chinese
copper enamel brought very high prices. The
whole sum to be divided is insignificant, being
somewhere about 30,0001. The weather continues
fine, but the mornings are getting very cold. The
view of the mountains to the north-west of Pekin
is very beautiful, especially in the evening when
the sun seta behind them, and shows the outline in
strong relief against the glowing sty.