The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-01 00:00:00

On the sth of May, in a
sal Walker, it was intim-
'of her Majesty's steam ship
a. formidable fleet of :
quan, a harbour above the
a small British schooner emi. _ _ con-
veying Chinese junks, had been so riddled with the.
• pirate's shot, that she had been obliged to leave the ves-
sels she was accompanying to their fate ; the result of
which was that the
.pirates took the whole, and held
them to a ransom of $lO,OOO. On receipt of this Intel-
:ljgence, Captain Mellersh immediately coaled from the
13bip Garland, and, working all night, at daylight got
under weigh, and about. 7 p.m. succeeded in reaching
the White Dogs, at the Mouth of the Min.
The whole of the next day it unfortunately ble4; so
fresh, and the weather was so thick, that communica-
tion with the shore was impossible. About four a.m.
of the 10th, however, captain Mellersh dispatched Mr.
West, the master, in a cutter to reconnoitre, and about
3.30 p.m. he returned with the schooner Spec, and in-
telligence that the piratical fleet were still in Namquan.
waiting for the ransom money, which they were advised
had been dispatched to them overland. Taking the Spec
in tow, the Rattler about 5:30 p.m. proceedeeonwards.
Day of the 11th broke in a thick fog ; and the approach
being dangerous, the Rattler's engines had to be eased
until about eight a.m. The fog lifting, Single Rock was
at that hour seen about a mile and a half a beam—the
pirate's haven some seven miles distant. Without delay
the Rattler dashed on, the fog still hanging so thick over
the hills that the pirate's looks out did not see her until
she was right in amongst them. Then commenced a
species of panic. Cutting cables, and making sail, they
stood for the entrance of the harbour ; but a strong flood
tide swept them inwards, and then, hoisting baskets of
stink pots to their mast heads, they prepared in earnest
for close action. The Rattler opened the ball with a
shoe zeroes the bows of one vessel making for the river ;
whereupon the whole fleet. consisting of seven heavily-
armed junks, and Lorcha No. 12, belched forth broad-
sides of round: shot, grape, and pieces of chain about a
foot long tied together. Their aim generally was too
high, only a few of the guns taking effect of the Rattler's
hull. Giving them two broadsides from her starboard
blaat7,- the Rattler passed up, turned, and took
position stem on the tide ; then, titeanaing towards them,
clie,./openelfctie. 13-Pon. this- the 'Or/deg—bore up with
intent to board. Lieut. Pidcock (aftewards
tending the large eight-inch gun there, upon taking
precise aim, sent a shell right through the pirate chief's
large junk, which, catching the magazine, caused
her to blow up with all hands • the explosion having
also the effect of sinking a vessel alongside of her. The
Lorcha then dropped astern, ceased firing, and hoisted
Portuguese colours at her mizen, with French at the
main. The other vessels made the best of their way to
the shore, and, getting as near as possible, the crews
jumped overboard and swain to the beach. There, how-
ever, they were met and knocked on the head by the vil-
lagers, who showed them no mercy, many being speared
and stoned to death in the water. The Rattler's boats
were then lowered, manned, and dispatched in charge of
Commander D'Orville, Mr. West, and Messrs. Willcox
and Elliot, mates ; possession of the rest of the fleet
being effected with little or no further resistance. Up
to this period casualties on our side were inconsider-
able ; but news was shortly afterwards brought that
some of the pirates who had escaped had captured
a small junk, killed the crew, and were doing
their best to get up the river. Upon this Lieutenant
Pidcock gave chase to the chief. It appears that he
was not very long in coming up with the miscreants in
two junks, one of which had been boarded, when the
other dropped alongside, and some 50 who were hid in
the vessel in possession rushed up from below and over-
powered them. The last seen of Lieut. Pidcock alive
was on his knees, with his sword through a Chinese,
borne down by half a dozen spears. Two had fallen by
his hand just before he dropped. George Ryder, quar-
termaster, and John Phillips, able seaman, both went
down with him, side by side fighting desperately to the
last. The rest of the cutter's crew were driven •over-
board, all of them tearing honourable testimony to a
brave defence of theirkallant though less fortunate com-
rades. Edward Ward, ordinary seaman, has no less than
fifteen spear wounds, some very deep ones, and it is
doubtful whether he will recover. The people on
shore behaved admirably, sending off sampanes to pick
up our men as they were repulsed ; and by their aid the
wounded men succeeded in getting back to the Rattler
about half-past eight p.m. The whole of this encounter
being out of sight of the steamer, the grief felt on board
at the painful and unexpected result may easily be ima-
gined. Immediately the gig and a cutter were manned
and dispatched in charge of Commander D'Orville, Mr.
West, and Mr. Wilcox ; but the night was so dark, that,
although they pulled on until two a.m., nothing what-
ever of the junks could be seen. Soon after daylight,
too, the pinnace was hoisted out, a gun got into her,
and, manned and armed, the three boats again started
in charge of Commander D'Orville, Mr. Brounsdon,
purser (volunteer), and Mesirs. Wilcox and Elliot. They
returned about 7.30 p.m., having seen nothing of the
pirates, but having succeeded in recovering the bodies
of Lieut. Pidcock and George Ryder.
To return to the captured junks. The burning one
was speedily towed on shore and scuttled, and at low
water no less than 170 pounds of molten silver were
taken out of her, a few burnt dollars, and three bags of
cash. Five junks and the lorcha were the following
morning taken in tow, but it coming on to blow, one of
the junks was sunk, and the lorcha had to be cast off.
(Her arrival at Amoy was reported in our No. 41.)
Four junks, however, were taken into Fnhchow, to-
gether with fifty prisoners, who were all given up to the
mandarins.
Thus ended one of the most valuable achievements we
ever remember to have seen recorded as the work of one
vessel in China. The piratical fleet destroyed have been
the terror of the coast for a long time ; the detestation
in which the crews were held being evinced by the con-
duct of the people on shore. The number of guns cap-
tured, of all sizes, was 84, of which the pirate com-
modore's junk alone mounted 16—viz., two 32-pounders,
two long 9-feet 18-pounders, two 18-pounder carronades,
four 12-pounders, and others of various calibre.
Where all appear to have done their duty it is hard to
say mere in praise of one than another. Commander
Mellersh, we learn, for three successive nights never
knew what sleep was, and from continual action was
hardly able to stand on his feet, which had swollen so
much that he was unable to go on shore to inform Mr.
Acting Consul Walker of the success his promptitude in
notifying him had brought about. To Mr. Wilcox (of
whose gallantry as senior mate under the admiral's flag
at Martaban and Rangoon, we have heard most honour-
able mention), Captain Mellersh has given the acting
lieutenautcy, an appointment which we have no doubt
will be at once confirmed by Admiral Pellew. Com-
mander D'Orville, whose services with the Rattler were
especially alluded to in the month of March last,
bears with him from China another well-earned laurel.
Of poor Lieut. Pidcock an officer writes :—" He was
dreadfully wounded about the head. Poor fellow,
his messmates have lost a kind-hearted friend, and
the service of a clever and most zealous officer.
The affair was brilliant. The loss to the Rattler was
as follows :

KILLED.

George A. Pidcock, second lieutenant.
George Rider, quartermaster.
John Phillips, A.B.

WOUNDED.
William Boyee—Painter, severely.
Edward Ward—Ord., dangerously, 15 wounds.
Peter Doige—A.B., severely.
George Wright—A.B.. severely.
Douglas Collins—A.B., severely.
William Capon—First-class boy, severely.
Thomas Kelly—A.B. slightly, stone bruises.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT--JULY 30.
IN RE RICHARD DUNN.
This insolvent was further heard on his application to
be discharged, and a crowded court was attracted. Mr.
Cooke opposed on the part of Miss Burdett Coutts, and
the insolvent defended himself. The case again occupied
the whole day. The complaint, as put on the present
occasion by Mr. Cooke was, that the insolvent had in-
curred a debt of 1561. by fraud, in bringing an action on
an absent authority, couched in doggrel verses, for
100,0001. The record was withdrawn, and he was in
custody for the costs he had wantonly and fraudulently
incurred. The authority was said to be contained in the
following wordss :
" Send to Coutts your bill, there's lots in the till
I'll give the clerk orders to do it,
Then get your dischorge, your dear body enlarp.e,
And in Stratton-street do let me view it.
And, by the bye love, your affection to prove,
For your long cruel incarceration,
Fill a good round sum in, as I have plenty of tin
To make you a fair compensation."
A long discussion arose to-day on the judgment which
had been obtained for not going to trial. The action
was brought in November, 1851, and in February last
judgment was obtained by not going on to trial. The
insolvent alleged that it had been got by a trick, and
that he was taken to prison while he had a motion to make
before the Court of Queen's Bench. The insolvent asked
for the possesion of certain documents in order to address
the Court, and particularly for the authority on which
he had drawn the draft for 100,0001.
Mr. Commissioner Law declined to part with the
authority, but the documents might be handed to him.
The authority would be read by the officer of the Court.
The insolvent proceeded to address the Court, and oc-
cupied some hours. He declared that he had acted bona
He complained of the fide in bringing the action.
perse-
cution he had endured, and bespattered the judges, wit-
nesses, and all parties. All was gone save his honour
and if the press remained true, he did not despair of
having justice done him. He had been protected, as
God Almighty was stronger than the devil, and he
should be protected still, although the Commissioner
might exceed his power. The insolvent continued in
the same strain for a long time, making solemn asseve-
rations as to his motives, and declaring that he had been
cruelly persecuted, having been more than five years in
prison.
Mr. Commissioner Law, in the course of his address,
remarked that there was no evidence that Miss Burdett
Coutts had ever spoken to him one word in her life.
Mr. Cooke—Or bad written a line to him.
The insolvent continued his speech, and indulged in a
great number of observations. He asked the learned
Commissioner to act like his noble relation Lord Ellen-
borough. He spoke for upwards of three hours, and
concluded at past five o'clock.
Mr. Commissioner Law said he would give his judg-
ment on Wednesday.
The insolvent went back to Whitecross-street Prison.