The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-28 00:00:00

CHINA.

We take the following summary of news, which
relate almost exclusively to the rebels before
Shanghae, from the China Mail of June 11:

" The rebels are withdrawing their forces from
above Nanking, and are proceeding to reoccupy the
country about Shanghae, from which they had been
driven by the allied troops. For the last few months
we have regularly recorded the capture of towns,
villages, and stockaded positions by our own and
the French forces, assisted by the force of disci-
plined' Chinese under the American, Ward. The
admiral's plans have hitherto been to clear the
country of rebels for a distance of about 25 miles
from Shanghae. In various expeditions, in none of
which the forces numbered more than 1,500, many
places were captured without a single casualty, by
the mere superiority of Western artillery. Large
quantities of Taeping plunder were recovered at
several of the places captured, and divided among
our soldiers and sailors under the name of loot ; by
some unaccountable neglect none of this easily-won
treasure, possibly amounting in all to half a million
dollars, was applied to the relief of the famishing
losers who are refugees in Shanghae. This career of
plunder has been pretty suddenly checked by the
arrival of one of the leading Taeping generals, the
Chung Wang. This did not take place, however,
until the French admiral's life had paid the penalty
for this series of loot-hunting excursions. That
species of bravery which leads a man sword in hand
to assault a rebel post that has been thoroughly
shelled for a couple of hours, and in which a few
frightened soldiers are usually found, is not worthy
of a really great officer, and we have already recorded
our regret that the troops should achieve such easy
triumphs and take large spoil for their trouble. In
the case of Nanjao, however, where Admiral Protet
fell on the 17th ult., there was more courage wanted
than the attacking force imaginei ; for, instead of,
as usual, finding the walls deserted and the garrison
in a panic of terror, they were suddenly faced by an
ambuscade which had lain under cover during the
two hours bombardment. It was then that a
volley carried the fatal messenger to the French
admiial, whose death was the signal for a most
indiscriminate carnage on the part of oar allies at
the taking of Cholin' on the 21st ultimo. With
the capture of Cholin is likely to close, for the
present, our account of artillery practice upon towns
and villages of the loot-yielding description. The
noise of our doings has reached Nanking, and has
resulted in the despatch of ' The Fighting King'
(Chung Wing) to the Shanghae province. This
rebel chief is reported to have taken a very practi-
cal view of existing affairs. His first step was to
give foundation for a rumour that an immense force
was menacing Shanghae; this rumour, as was in-
tended, caused the withdrawal of our expeditionary
forces from the captured towns, which we had in-
dulged the hope of garrisoning with handfuls of
men and guns. Very soon after the capture of Cho-
lin word was brought to the English admiral that
the town of Kah-ding, held by Major Taylor and a
party of the sth 8.N.L.1., was seriously threatened.
A return to Shanghae was at once ordered ; and on
the Queen's birthday our troops started with guns
and reinforcements for Kah-ding. An Armstrong
gun with ammunition had previously been sent on
in charge of 17 sailors and 6 Sikhs. On the way,
however, there is reason to suppose that the Jacks
went on shore to loot, for the half dozen boat-loads
of ammunition and provisions were taken and the
Sikhs killed, while the Jacks returned to Shanghae
without a scratch, reporting themselves to have
fought desperately. The only Shanghae newspaper
—which seems, by the way, to be hopelessly sold
to the military interest—is quite silent upon this
remarkable little circumstance, as well as upon a
good many more points on which it becomes a jour-
nal to speak out. The relief party which proceeded
to Kah-ding to relieve Major Taylor found the coun-
try in a changed state, consequent, it is said, upon
the superior tactics of the Chung Wang. It was
found that large numbers of Taepings were kept
continually employed in making mock attacks, with
banners, on various parts of our encampment succes-
sively. This mode of procedure was eventually
found to be so easy to the enemy—whose numbers
are large—and so painfully harassing to ourselves,
that the place was decided to be too hoatrfroirun fms,raond
an order was given to withdraw the garrison
Kah-ding and make a general return to Shanghae,
and there remain at bay. Of course the various
posts were reoecupied by the rebels as soon
onlvgaasns
we,
vacated them, so that, on the whole, Chung
tactics show him to be a man of some judgment.
He has, in effect, driven us back to Shanghae ; and
beyond the loot and a little experience in the field,
we have gained nothing at all by our country ex-
cursions. The sudden accession of force to the
Taeping ranks has drained the army at Nankin,
and the Imperialists' gun boats (small craft carry-
ing a bow gun) are engaged in another desultory
attack upon the forts on the river bank fronting
the city.
" Shanghae appears to be sufficiently defended
for the present ; if it be not surprised there is not
much to fear with the existing force to defend it.
There :will be a good deal of trouble yet, and we
are now certain to find in the rebels a much more
formidable foe than we did in the army that Sall-
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