The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-24 00:00:00

" No. 19.

"A PROCLAMATION BY CHANG AND LI, THE MAGIS-
TRATES OF NANHAI AND PWANYU, &C., MAKING
KNOWN STRICT AND EARNEST INJUNCTIONS.
" Whereas, foreigners of all nations, in carrying on
commerce at Canton, for more than 200 years, have
during this long 'period been well acquainted, and on
good term- with our people, the said foreigners coming
as guests from afar to China; and because it is perfectly
natural and no matter of wonder that they should wish
to roam abroad and see the places in the neighbourhood
of the provincial city, and inasmuch as not only the
peace will be injured and serious troubles created if the
people of the country assemble and crowd and gaze upon
them, but the purpose of our august Sovereign to show
kindness to men from afar be greatly frustrated; there-
fore it is right and proper to put forth strict and earnest
instructions. This, accordingly, we herr,by do, expect-
ing that you, people and gentry of the country, will
fully understand that henceforth, if foreigners travel
about in the said places, you must not as heretofore as-
semble and gaze at them, creating broils and giving rise
to other serious troubles, so as to expose yourselves to
trial and punishment. It behoves you carefully to con-
sider this and obey. Oppose not our special proclama-
tion.
" Cantou, April 13."

" No. 20.
" GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

" Diplomatic Department.

" His Excellency her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, Sze.,
is pleased to direct that the annexed instructions to her
Majesty's Consul at Canton be published for the in-
formation of British subjects at that port:—
" Victoria, Hong-Kong, April 14.
" Sir,—l have the satisfaction to state that I hare
received from Keying a reply to a note which I addressed
to him before quitting Canton, regarding the objection-
able lane contiguous to the British factories, in which
his Excellency does not dissent from the propositions
made on that subject.
" You will take care that the British mexthants re-
imburse the proprietors of the house lately pulled down
at the eastern extremi'y of the river front, adjoining the
creek, and that they agree to a fair compensation for all
Chinese property which may be given up for their
benefit or convex: ence: On no other condition than this,
which is the obvious dictate of coulmon justice, will I aid,
countenance, or permit any measures of the sort. "
have, &c., " J. F. DAVIS.
" F. C. Macgregor, Esq., &c.
By order, "A. R. JOHNSTON.

" Victoria, Hong-Kong, April 15.
IVBDNESDAY, APRIL 20.—Since the 3d, Hog-lane has
been closed, and the prevailing opinion is that it will
continue so. Yesterday crowds of people from Canton
and Honan thronged the offices of the city authorities,
all begging that the street and ferry may be kept open.
And to-day rumours are rife that, if compelled to aban-
don their houses, they will set them on fire! This threat
should not be unheeded, for there are thousands that
woald exult in its execution.

BATTLE BETWEEN THE FRENC
SQUADRON AND THE COCHIN-CHINESE

ONE THOUSAND COCHIN-CIIINESE KILLED.

The following is an account of the late occurrences in
Cochin-China, taken from the narrative of the Bishop of
Loo Cboo, who was present, and is now on board the
steamer Lady Mary Wood, en route to France with the
news:—

CHINA SEAS, MAY 1, 1847.
Several missi 'naries, natives of France, having been
pub to death or cruelly punished, within the last twelve
years, in Cochin-China, without any crime being im-
puted to them but that of teaching the Christian reli-
gion, Admiral Cecille, commanding the French squa-
dron in these seas, presented to the Cochin-Chinese
Government a remonstrance against this treatment of
his countrymen, whereof no notice was taken.
M. La Pierre, who succeeded to the command of the
French squadron in the China seas, resolved to follow
up the intentions of his predecessor, and for this pur-
pose addressed a letter with a similar remonstrance to the
King of Cochin-China, which ha, dispatched on the 19th
of March last, from Macao to the port of Touron (situ-
ate aboutl 50 miles to the south•east of the capital
city Hue), by the corvette La Victorieuse, Captain Re-
gault de Genouilly, who had orders to deliver it into the
hands of the prefect of the province. M. La Pierre, in
the :frigate La Gloire, followed the Victorieuse on the
23d March, and, arriving in the bay of Touron, was
surprised and indignant to find that the captain of the
Victorieuse had been unable to obtain any communica-
tion but with the inferior mandarins, and that all oppor-
tunity of fulfilling his commission had been denied him.
Endeavours were now renewed to obtain an interview
with the prefect, either by his coming or giving permis-
sion to deliver him the letter. These endeavours were
met only with subterfuge and mockery, which, for the
honour of the French flag, M. La Pierre deemed it ne-
cessary to resent.
There were anchored in the bay five corvettes, built
on the European model, fully equipped, on which M.
La Pierre laid an embargo, vowing to retain them till
his letter was received and replied to. Anxious to
avoid hostile measures, he caused all their sails to be re -
moved to two small war junks, which were made to an-
chor between the French ships,
This proceeding seemed to have effect, for the follow-
ing day, March 31, the prefect appeared at Touron, re-
ceived M. R. Genouilly politely, and, after some hesita-
tion, took the letter, promising an answer in tell or
twelve days.
This period passed without incident. It was, however,
observed, that in the forts, on shore, and in the cor-
vettes, preparations were going on, by increasing very
greatly their force in men and otherwise, for hostilities.
On the morning of the Ith of April an inferior officer
came on board, announcing the arrival from Hue (the
capital); of a superior mandarin, bearing the reply, and
inviting Commodore La Pierre to land and receive it the
following day.
To this invitation he replied, that having sent his se-
cond in command as the bearer of his letter, a corres-
ponding civility required that the bearer of the answer
should deliver it to him on board his ship; at the same
time giving assurance that he would be received with the
honours due to his rank and station.
The Cochin-Chinese evaded this proposition, and con-
tinued to request the Commodore's presence on shore.
Whilst the correspondence on this point was proceeding,
several of the officers of the French ships took walks on
shore. In these strolls a man seemed desirous to impart
some matter to them unseen by his countrymen ;
whereon, one of the French officers furnished him with
paper and pencil ; he wrote four or five characters, the
meaning whereof, on translation, was found to be,
" during the entertainment they will surprise and murder
you, en masse."
On this hint the commodore became more fully re-
solved not to accept the invitation of the mandarin to go
on shore to receive the alleged answer; neither did the
mandarin go on board the French frigate.
The movement of troops and armament was being
carried on with much activity. Arms in considerable
quantities were secretly being conveyed on board the
two small junks.
The commodore, hopeful to avoid the shedding of
blood, sent a party, who took the junks by surprise,
and made a discovery of the utmost consequence at
that moment.

Whilst disarming the people on board one of the
junks, a midshipman noticed one of them trying to
secrete a paper, which he sprung at and seized. This
was given to the commodore, who had it translated.
This paper, bearing the red seal of a mandarin in
three different places, was a plan of a conspiracy against
the French.

It was intended to murder the commodore and suite
at the conference if he was not found sufficiently re-
spectful and submissive, and by a concerted signal to
attack at the same time the French ships, which were
. to be reduced to atoms, striking Europeans with such
terror that they would not venture to re-appear. The
mode of attack, &c., was given in detail.
TheT next
discovery was made on Tuesday,' 13th April.
II ‘145.9 the 14th, the commodore sent a copy to
the mandarin, demanding an explanation. In the
evening the mandarin sent an inferior officer on. board La
Gloire with a letter, wherein he sought in vain to justify
his conduct.
To the
concerted iFn
hirenc s plan h o fficers it appeared evident that, dis-
by
discoveryd of the paper referred
to, he was prevented from actin
g irectly, and only sought
to gain time.
On Thursday, 15th, an attack from the Cochin-Chi-
nese appeared to be approaching. The fivecorytt
were tilled with men, and formed in line towards the
s
French ships at the mouth of a river which falls into
the bey ; a numb:-r of war junks were seen prepared
for action ; four others were seen working into the
mouth of the bay, probably from the capital, evidently,
as the French thought, with a view to attack them on all
sides.

Thug menaced the commodore had no time to lose ere
the enemy hould close upon him. Still unwilling to re-
sort to extreme measures, he made another attempt at
accommodation. lie sent an officer on shore to warn the
mandarins that unless an order was immediately sent to
stop the junks from approaching he would forthwith de-
stroy the five corvettes.
After this notice he waited fully two hours, when
seeing that the junks continued to approach, and that
no countermanding vessel was dispatched, La Gloire
opened her fire, seconded by the Vietorieuse. This was
instantly responded to by the corvettes, the junks, and
the forts on shore. The junks were too far off to take
effect, but the corvettes and one of the forts were suffi-
ciently near. The crews of the corvettes had no means

THE

of escape, and exerted their utmost in vain. In the space
of 76 minutes they were utterly destroyed. One blew
up, one was burnt, another sank, and ti a oth'r two,
being crptured, were set on fire, after the woundLd were
removed.
From their own report, and according to actual ob-
servation,:the number ofi Cochin-Chinese killed is esti-
mated at upwards of 1,000.
On the destruction of the corvettes, the junks and
forts ceased their fire. Neither was taken possession of,
which would have been sufficiently easy. It was, how-
ever, no part of M. La Pierre's plan either to make war
on the Cochin Chinese or to plant the French flag on
their territory. His object, in protecting his ships and
crews against a conspiracy, and maintaining the honour
of his nation, he considered as effected by the utter de-
struction of the corvettes. On the day following he took
his departure, no attempt at farther communication, on
either part, having been made. The fire of the Cochin-
Chinese, for the most part, fell short or was directed to.
.3
high.
La Gloire had neither killed nor wounded, and on' it,
suffered a little in her rigging. La Victorieuse, be;
more exposed, had only one killed, and one wounder.
the loss of his right hand. The damage to her hal', and
rigging inconsiderable, and immediately repaired.
The Victorieuse reached Hong-Kong on the, 31ct of
April, having on board the French Bishop of 100 Choo,
who was present.