The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-30 00:00:00

CHINA.

The advices from Hong Kong by the last
Overland Mail extended to Nov. 24, They brought
intelligence, it will be remembered, of the flemoli-
tion of the Barrier Forts by the Americans. The
present mail brings the news down to the 16th of
December.

The general summary of the Overland Friend of
China, of Dec. 15, is as follows : • •
" The mail packet Nerna, with London dates to
the 10th of October, reached Hong Kong on the Ist
instant-52 days over all.
" We have no change in the temper of the Chinese
Government to report. Yeh, backed by the gentry
and people, is as obdurate as ever. He will make no
sign; and nothing but the extremest measures can
now produce the result desired. Until we have
more men, however, little can .be effected. Not
until the heights, the city, and the suburbs, are
entirely under our command, and traversed by our
soldiers. will the Cantonese be satisfied of their
inability to maintain the unsociable position they
have so long contended for. A couple more regi-
ments ftnd some field pieces would be sufficient.
"The only event of importance since the despatch
on the 25th ult., via Calcutta, of the record of the
ten preceding days, has been the capture and
demolition of the French Folly Fort, with a loss
on our side of one marine private, shot through
the body by an iron arrow. The destruction of
the fort was most complete ; and the rapidity
with which it was performed must have had
an astonishing effect on the Chinese' mind. In
each of seventeen mines a hundred pounds of
powder were buried, and at the hour of high
noon the whole was exploded=so leaving hardly
one stone square upon another. Our gallant
brothers in arms, the Americans, have been less
successful in their operations on the Barrier Forts
—the indiscreet use of a crowbar on a charged
mine sending three to eternity at once, and wound-
ing half a dozen others who were standing by.
Nevertheless, they, too, have well performed the
work of destruction; if it can be thought well to
destroy forts (the two southernmost especially)
that might have been easily held, and would have
proved useful.
" The destruction of a village where a sailor and
a marine of ours were waylaid and murdered, and
the death of Capt Cowper, RE ' Acting Surveyor
General, Hong Kong, by the fall of a house upon
him, are also among the notaldia of the period."
An extra to the Hong Kong Register, of Dec. 16,
details the destruction ut the factories at Canton.

" On Sunday night, the 14th inst. at 11 o'clock,
the factories to the west of British Factory were
set on fire in six places, and when the eteamer
Lily left on Monday at four p.m , the destruction
was complete, with the exception of two houses
facing the American Gardens, now or lately in
the occupation of Messrs. Russell and Co., but as
all behind were burning they were expected to
go also, The house built at the bottom of Hog-
lane for a parsonage, was blown up to prevent the
flames spreading to the houses in the British Fac;
tory--.-but our informant seemed to doubt if it
would be attended with success. We have no
further particulars.

" During the conflagration the Dutch Folly Fort
was throwing shells and rockets into the city. No
attack was made—the Chinese- contenting them-
selves with burning the empty- houses, by which
their own people will be the greatest sufferers
" Since writing the above we have dates. two
hours later to 6p m. yesterday. By them we learn
that the Oriental Bank was at that time in full
blaze—the Agra and Mercantile banks burned doss n
—the Consulate still standing, but expected to
go, with all the remaining buildings in the fac-
tories.• The fire oommence4 behind the premises
of Messrs Dent and Co., and all the houses fronting
the .American Gardens, except thoie of -Russell and
Co. and Wetmore and Co:, burned : the two last
named were saved for the time.

" We are sorry to learn that the fire has been
accompanied with loss of life, Mr. 0. T. Lane, of
the Consulate, having been billed by the blowing
up the parsonage, and lir Winchester, Vice-
Consul, slightly bruised."—Timo.