The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-29 00:00:00

HOSTILITIES IN JAPAN,

We take the following details of the recent hos-
tilities in Japan from the Japan Commercial Hews
of the 26th of August :

BUNGO CHANNEL, Aug, 19.

Tuesday, August 11, 315 p.m.—Entered the Bay of
Kagosima, a moat lovely bay, the entrance about seven to
eight miles broad. Did not see any batteries. Anchored, at
8 50 p.m., in 17 fathoms about eight miles to the south of
the town. Had a great diffculty in getting soundings. No
bottom all the way up at 30 to 40 fathoms.
Wednesday, Aug. 12, 7 a.m.—Weighed• and steered for
the town of Kagosirsa. The channel deep-20 to 15 fathoms.
Passed between the island of Tori and the point to the
southward of the town; passed a shoal on the starboard
side, above the water, with a pole on it. 8 40 a.m.—Came
to off the town in 21 fathoms. The town appears to be
strongly fortified. The forts full of men, with Satsuma's
flag flying. A long line of forts in front of the town be-
hind which there were several large junks and five Chinese
junks.
On our anchoring off the town a boat came off with two
officers. The Minister sent in the demand, and give them
till 2 p.m. on the 13th to come to terms. About 3 pan. on
that day a beat came off with a Vice •Minister, on having a
guard of 40 men. He would not come on board till his
guard were allowed to come also. After having been on
board a short time another boat came off, and then the Vice-
Minister, or agent of Satsuma, said there u as some mistake
about the answer, and that he must go on shore again, and
that he could give no information as to when he could give
the answer. We immediately got under way, and moved out
of range of the guns, and began to prepare for to-morrow
morning. 8 p.m—The same man came on board and deli-
vered a letter, but it was written in Japanese, and it would
take time to interpret it ; so Lieut.-Col. Neal told him he
must send off in the morning, and then he should know if
we considered it satisfactory or not.

Friday, 14th—A boat came off about S 30 a.m. to receive
the answer. I believe the answer was that we considered
their letter very far from being satisfactory, and that we
should have no further communication with them except
under a flag of truce. At 10 a.m. the Admiral, accompanied
by Parker, master of the Euryalus, embarked on board the
gunboat Havoc, and proceeded up the bay to reconnoitre
three screw steamers seen there on the 12th. The steamers
were found still at anchor (a ship and two three-masted
schoonere). Went round the bay and found it deep, no bot-
tom with 40 fathoms, except close to the shore, 'within 100
yards-33 fathoms. The Admiral returned on board about
3 p.m„ and made signal for the captains of the Argue, the
Racehorse, the Coquette, the Pearl, and the Havoc. We
understand they are to capture the steamers in the morn.
big. 730 p.m.—Got springs on the cable.

Saturday, 15th, 4 20 a.m.—The vessels mentioned yes-
terday proceeded up the bay to capture the steamers. 10
a.m.—The Coquette returned towing the Contest, the Argus
the Sir George Grey, and the Racehorse the England. I
think this rather astonished the people on shore, for there
were cro vedslooking on,and some of the batteries were manned
during the forenoon. There were two prisoners made on board
the Sir George Grey—one celled Kasiwah, a doctor, who
speaks and writes moderately good English, and had been
to Europe with the Japanese Embassy, and was now a
captain in Satsuma's service; and the other, called Otani,
who was First Captain orAdmiral of Satsuma's steam fleet.
Those gentlemen preferred to deliver themselves to the
Admiral rather than to venture on shore after having
allowed their vessels to be captured without resistance.
They were landed at Kanigawa, under cover of night, on
the 24th inst. The wind has been increasing, and there is
every appearance of a gale. Wind S.E. Noon.—Low
water. The Spit battery fired a signal gun, and imme-
diately all the batteries opened fired with shot and shell on
the squadron, the shot flying very close ver our heads, and
a few shell bursting close alongside. Batteries firing shell
from mortars tried to spring ship, with broadside to the
batteries, with port spring, but could not, the wind being
so strong. The Admiral made the signal to Coquette,
Racehorse, Argus, "Burn prizes and join Admiral." The
steamers were soon in flames. It seemed a great pity to
burn them, yet still the service required it. The value of
the steamers alone, without cargoes, was 300,000 dollars.
12 50 p.m.—Weighed and formed line of battle. 210 p.m,
Opened fire with pivot gun on No. 6 battery, the shells
bursting well, 220 p.m.—Opened fire on battery with
starboard broadside, the shot and shell tolling well, par •
titularly the quarter-deck Armstrongs. The enemy's shot
and shell began to fly very thick about the ship, cutting a
great many of the ropes. Men in tops observed men leave
battery, our fire having dismounted four guns. We now
began to approach the large batteries, owing to the wind
blowing so fresh and directly on shore, all the smoke
covered completely these forts, so that we could not tell
how far off we were, but we supposed about 700 or 800
yards. 255 p.m.—Captain Josling and Commander
Wilmot both killed on the bridge by one and the same
shot. The Admiral and Mr. Parker, the master, were on
the bridge along with the captain and the commander when
the latter were killed, and narrowly escaped the fatal ball.
The Admiral's coolness and collectedness on this trying
occasion was very remarkable ; but when all was over he
paid a worthy tribute of feeling to the memory of the brave
officers and men who had fallen around him on the spot.
A 10-inch shell exploded at the muzzle of the No. 3 gun
on main deck, killing seven men on the spot, and wound-
ing Lieutenant Jephson and five men. A shell came
through the starboard waist bulwark, and burst under the
starboard launsh, completely blowing her bottom in, but
without hurting any one. A shot carried away starboard
speaking tube on the bridge, and lodged in the brake of
the poop, breaking all the cabin windows. The firing very
hot ; at this time we were under the fire of 37 guns from
10-inch to 18 pounders. 310 p.m.—Racehorse got on
shore under No. 8 battery, she firing at it and keeping
them away from the guns; the Argus and Coquette sent
to her assistance. 330 p.m.—Ceased firing. 345 p.m.—
Came to under Josling Point in 25 fathoms. 420 p.m.—
Forts discontinued firing on the Argus. Rac lorse and
Coquette observed the town to be on fire. 7 p.m.—The
Havoc set fire to five large Loochoo junks. 8 p.m.--
Observed Satsuma's foundries to be on fire; blowing very
hard, with rain; ship with two anchors down and steam-
ing slowly against it, Midnight —Town foundry and
junks burning fiercely.
Sunday, 16th, 4 a.m.—Town and foundry still burning;
junks burnt to the water's edge and drifted on shore; saw
that several had been dismounted in batteries Nos. 7 and 8.
11 a.m.—Committed to the deep the bodies of Capt. Josling,
Commander Wilmot, and the following men :—Wm. Yard-
ley, A. 8.; J. Smith, ordinary; Wm. Hagerty, A.B. ; H.
Lindsay, A. 8.; Joyn Warren, ordinary; John Hawkins,
ordinary ; Patrick Fleming, Royal Marines, all killed yes-
terday daring the attack on Kagosima. Noon.—Town and
foundry still burning. 930 p.m.—Weighed and proceeded
in company with squadron; cleared for action. Engaged bat-
teries both sides, firing shell at Satsuma's house and town.
3 45 p.m.—Magazine in No. 11 battery and also that in Spit.
Battery blew up batteries on Tori Island, and Spit Battery
firing on squadron. 5 p.m.—Ceased firing ; observed the
town to be on fire on the south of Satsuma's house. 520
p.m.—Came to off the Seven Islands in 8 fathoms, about
68 miles to the south of the town. 9 30 p.m.—Departed this
life Thomas Harding, 8.1. C., from the effect of wounds
received yesterday.

Monday, 171 h, 2 p.m.—Weighed squadron in company
and steered for the entrance of the bay. Observed the
town still burning, and at the distance of 12 or 14 miles
could still see great volumes of smoke.

Killed and Wounded—Euryalus-9 killed, 22 wounded
(1 since dead), 2 mortally. Pearl-7 wounded. Coquette
—2 killed and 4 wounded, including lieutenant, Racehorse
—3 wounded. 'Perseus-1 killed and 9 wounded. Argus
—6 wounded. ,Total-12 killed and 51 wounded (1 since
dead).
Number of guns in position on the 15th of August
No. I—Battery, *3 32 or 24 pounders, 2 mortars; No. 2
Battery, *3 18 pounders; *7 or *8 field pieces between Nos.
1 and 2; No. 3—Battery, 3 mortars; Nu. 4—not known;
No. s—Battery, *2 8 inch, *9 32 or 24 pounders, *3 field
pieces; No, 6—Battery, 318 pounders; No. 7—*2 10 inch,
*5 32 pounders, 2 field pieces; No. B—Battery, *1 10 inch,
*5 32 pounders, *llB pounder, 1 mortar ; No. 9-418 inch
pounders on field carriages; No. 10—*3 18 pounders on
field carriages; No, 11—.2 8 inch, *4 32 pounders; No. 12