The Express.
London, England, 1858-07-29 00:00:00

THE OPERATIONS IN CHINA.

DESPATCHES FROM SZAIL.ADICIItaL ISTICOIIR.
(Flood LAsT sorrainozsT TO Tall LONDON
oesnrra.)
ADMIRALTY, Ant 27.
A despatch, of which the following is an extract,
her been tunnel by the Lords Co'-'-----.in of the Ad-
miralty, from Rear-Admiral Sir Michael Seymour, !C.C.S,
the Commandeein-Chid of her Majesty's ship end wank
on the lam Dade station, dated 21et May, ISM :
I accordingly lona, time in consulting with Rear-Adinkal
Rtpnh de Genoulny, and making the necessary erranspe.
awe, wad the same sfternoot we proceeded with all the
EWA gm-teats acme the bar to the mouth of the TIM,
where the pa-ramie and French gun-bow named la the
irerefa (Nimrod, Cormorant, Mltrai7k, Fusin Dingonew,
Avalanche), lad bum pnwiewely otenowd, to give weight to
She segedolices. The Slow, Firm, Staunch, and Essierd,
conveyed our harhag peen* mad Cols sad Opossum
those of the French.

From the arrival of the sinbeesedors at the 14th April,
the Chimes have used every exertion to strengths the forte
Y the stream of the Mho ; earliworia, rand-bag batteries,
gad penmen for the navy &gab, he,. bees meted re
both sides for a dame of meetly • toile is Maga, apes
which 87 gam in position were viable, end the whole share
had bola piled to oppose • leading. As the chased is only
Moat 200 yards wide, sad rum within 400 yards of the
shore, three deleame pressated a formidable ignorance.
Two alias. and henries, mounting respectively 33 and 16
gam, had beta also emetreeted about 1,000 yards up the
river, In a ranee to commend oar dram. In the rear
several eninnehed mope were viable, dawned by Inaklm;
tennea, sad it wee karma that Imp bodies of Weer hell
arrived from Pekin. All the forte sad the amps ware
savored with the various coloured lap older wide tie
" troops of the eight hennas," as the Tartar asiiiirs are
styled, range themselves.

At Mehl a.m. yesterday the notification to the bipedal
Conuntsaioser Tan, and the eammose to deliver up Use forts
within two boars, were delinwed by Captain Hall, my dig
captain, and Capitals, Itayamid, dag captain of the Frame
admiral, sad accompanied by my gallant collier.% sued
ettewlei by our reepsetive moralities end sag Waken* we
mobarkad is the flimsy to direct the movereiato of the
sqoadren.
I beg to atalosee copy of the plan of attack, which was
arranged is comma with Admiral Rigaalt. •
. .

No answer having been returned to the summons by ten
&desk the signal agreed tipin was made, and the gunboats
whoossi la the proscribed outer, led by the Cormorant.
TM Maw opined Itre immediately, and the signal
se some was made a few !minutes afterwards
he. Obi Ilissey. By the time all the reeds bed
swami la •ear rispotlve *Woes, the effects of war well-
Eroded In bed bosom very apparent. The first fast was
Wooly ilsmild and abandoned, and the woad pwrtiany
00, wbYet Sass am the north side bad been compbeady sab-
dna by Ss Cormorant and two French gunboats. At the
shod name within which we engaged every &bat lad, sad
many of the massive embrasures of mud were Mooned by
shells. At the end of as bout and a quarter tie issory's
Are ceased. The landing parties were then pushed on ohm,
the one for the north forts under the orders of Captain Sir
F. Nioholaces and Captain Leveque, and that for the south
forte under Captains Hall and Reynaud, lag captains, the
Royal Mariana on each ode being oommamdtel by Major
Robert Boyle sad First Lieutenant McCaLlitm.

Owing to the destructive fire from the gunboats
bat little opparitioa was awls to our lending, and
the Chinese troops were observed Movie g off I muss,
whilst our people were ia the boats. The nap at
the allied powers soon replaced those of the Chinese. On
the south side 200 large 'lngalls were found in position near
the feeding-lace, on en embankment.

Having obtained pomesekm, the dismantling of the works
was commenced, and field-pieties landed for the protection of
the forms 'gaited the possible snacks of the Chinese. shorty
lifter the landing our gallant allies mumbled • melancholy
end heavy lose of men, killed and wounded, by the accidental
explosion of a magma:he.
When all the vessele had taken up their positions, a bold
attempt was made to and down upon them a long array of
junk., tilled with straw in fIeZINS, and drawn same the
river ; but they fortunately grounded, and though the people,
guiding them detest the river with ropes, ma& gnat ears
pt them of, • few shells from the Bustard drove them
sway, and the weasels burst out without doing any damage.
litteh "kill cud labour had been expended in the coast:me-
non of these forts. The rune were mach better east than, and
not so unwieldy se, those in the Canton River, and were better
equipped in every respect. They bad good canister shot,
and the bellow 8-inch shot appeared imitations from our own.
There were seven English guns in the bstteries.
Directions were now Pent to Captain Bir P. Nkholion and
Capitaine Leveque to advance and capture the two forts up
the river, which bad kept up a smart Ere.

This movement wee successfully executed, ender the sip-
porting Sr. from the Bustard, Staunch, and Openram.
Several entrenched camps were also destroyed.
The Chinese stood well to their rum notwithebmillog
shot, shell, end rockets wen dying thickly around dm.
Moat of the gunboats were hulled, soma severs' Urals, 'Met
boats, apnea, and rigging were cut by round shag, grapes
sad &gad balls. This signalman:ear, after the Mimi had
ample time to fortify their position, and we 00111111114 of
their strength, may probably have • gnaw mace awl
an the Chinese government than if we bad attacked them k
the firat instance, when they were leas revered.
The oseessitty arrangements at is labium of the elm
haring beta cnoplstA, • further educe IMO made to the
village of Takeo, where we found • barrier of junks fill. .d
with amebae:l6le matter, moored by chains right actor the
AVM', whilst semen similar obstructions to oar pregame were
observed within a mile higher up. Captain Hall, with my
deg lieutenant end a party of men, landed, and took posses-
los of 18 Said pieces la front of an abandoned encampment
et Takao. Whlbit on shore, the residence of the High Com-
missioner Tan was '{sited, and found deserted, though •
significant proof of his recent preen wea found in a
beheaded Chinaman near his gate. It was sotatained hem
that the main body of the Chinese troops bed retired with
Tan to • position about eight mass up the river.
The kanler at Taboo offering good seaway to oar vessels
below, P. was made our advanced position for the night, in
charge of Sir F. Nicbehon and Capiteine Thorns.
I enclose a but of one casualties, amounting to 1 Varna!
orlon. and • men billed, and 2 racers and 15 men wounded.
That of our gallant alike is, I regret to state, much heavisr;
storanting tot °flows end 2 men billet, and 5 Odom and
50 men wounded. Many of thugs wounded were taken en
board the Coromandel, flag tender, where arrangements bad
been made for the purpose, under the able supervision of Dr.
C. A. And!non, staff surgeon, whose services on this aces-
Ace, and on as former uert-i erns where: we have been em-
ployed so active service, I Gal bound to bring to their lod-
ating' feroaraLt

It sow Grooms my pleasing duty to mention to that, lad-
ships the kwiable c-nduct of both of aid men nadir my
arra. FlOlll Captains S'r Prederiek Nicholson, Halt, sad
Odes I have received the greeter assistros, as well as
from Cosunanders Leckie, Senswires, sad Cromwell. Com-
ae/tr. Sanasewea tacked tho admiration of the whole force
WOW sable manner in which his led the attosk, and,* isms
lir irtairi the batty fire from the north forts.
100 her witness also to the anal sad galLuttry of the
Aker eastatanding the mut•bars, and br to recommend
iska'Agial.• Haskins, Nicolas, Hudson, Wildman, sad Hal-
Irma, to that, lordships' favourable notice, r well as the
mend mamma, peotieolorly Yr. C. Pi ickett, of the Opus-
.," Vile hr bran @merely roared. I air bog strongly
recommead Llaseamat A. Mr& of the l'ique, on old sad
meriteelom slat. The name of Lieutenant It. P. cater,
of the °ninths; Lienionent A. T. Thrum', of the Nimrod;
Limos/soot M. I. Lwf, of the Cormorant; sad Liestimemt
C. Parry. of the Surprise, kom wee also brought Is say
maim Commular Ilmenrsa has brought to my know.
haw the gallant omit* of Mr. W . H. Faecknor, master of
dm NM, hat Am the Nager, sad of Mr. H. H. Surnistoo.
paymaster; Mr. Webster, voirebria sarishot ; sad mi.:
Campbell, addeldgmum of the Cormorsot, who worked s
24-pompler howitme, sd MO to a continued tire from that
gum a• tho mil MI& I bog te all their lordships attar.
ties to the list of Os awn segArid.

Mr. W. D. aseeezeasseere-ta;;. has a-oompaaled o
ea
Hie, oa other ; also Mr. W. H. M. Ars,M,
did dirk la ay whom I w nW brg to reactemsed for
plastics bele arduous duties during the program of the
I la Aim.
gc".....h.din, I hare mush gra.iticati,,n is r the
OWN threpeatha of my gallant colleague, and of the ewer
maw eimmead. We have hem es-loved by the ale
aldr• threp etTeet the ors!ere of our mere live germs
mats la a epithet the most perfect friendeb:p
Aleeftemil re slaking Tura further advance np the
doettionis
I mole maw Se ithetcee two okelcbre of the for*
meths try Llethethat A T. Threpp, of the Nimrod. and Mr.
F. C. 113• Boded!, washy, thrti.-1 have, &.,
M. eITMOVR, Rear-admbral and
Coaur.aader-ia.Cthf.

ABBIZB INTILLIGENOZ