The Sun.
London, England, 1840-12-16 00:00:00

CAPTURE OF CHUSAN.

(From the Gazettc of Last Night.)
Admiralty, Dec. 14.
Despatches were yesterday received at this Office
from Rear-Admiral the Honourable George Elliot,
C. 8., and Commodore Sir J. J. Gordon Bremer, C. 8.,
addressed to R. More °Terra!), Esq., of which the
following are copies or extracts :
Wellesley, Chusan, July G.
Sir,—My last letter of the 2.2 d ultimo, No. 38, will
have acquainted the Lords Commissioners of the Admi-
ralty of my arrival in Macao Roads in her Majest)'s
ship Wellesley, bearing my broad pendant, on the 21st
of that month, and of my having established a block-
ade of the port and river of Canton, and I have now
the honour to apprize you, for their Lordships' infor-
mation, that, on the 24th of June, I sailed from Macao
Roads accompanied by her Majesty's schooner Young
Hebe and four transports, and on the Ist instant
reached the anchorage under the Buffalo's Nose,
where I found the Conway and the other ships of war
and transports which I had directed Captain Bethune
to conduct to that place, having been joined by the
Atalanta and Queen war steamers, on my way thither.
The next day the fleet proceeded to an anchorage
off the great island of Chusan, and I despatched
Captain Bethune, of the Conway, accompanied by
the Master of the Wellesley in the Atalanta steam
sloop, to reconnoitre the harbour and sound the passage,
and having so done, they returned in the evening ; and
on the following day (the 4th instant) I went on in the
Wellesley in tow of the Atalanta, followed by the whole
fleet.

On the flood-tide making, I anchored in the Welles-
ley abreast of the town ; the Conway and Alligator took
up positions in front and flank of .a
rugged hill, sur-
mounted by a temple, and which is a very strong-posi-
tion. In the course of the afternoon the Rattlesnake
and several of the transports anchored, and the rest
were visible from the hills above the town. Twelve
Chinese ~var-junks had followed us from the lower aa•
chorage, and eleven others were in the port, and had
anchored in a sort of line of battle, and the Chinese
troops were busily employed in placing guns on the dif-
ferent quays along shore.
I entertained the strongest hope that the display of
a force so overwhelming as wars, would have induced
submission, and I therefore issued the summons of which
a copy is inclosed.
The Chinese Vice-Admiral, who is Commander-in-
Chief of all the forces and garrisons in the district, was
present in his junk, and the summons was conveyed
to him by Commander John Vernon Fletcher, of the
Wellesley, and Lord Viscount Jocelyn (who has done
me the honour of attaching himself to my personal
staff ), attended by the Rev. M. Gutzloff, the first Chi-
nese Interpreter to her Majesty's Superintendents of
Trade. They returned at the expiration of about an
hour, accompanied by the Vice-Admiral, the Fia,g or
Port Captain, several other naval and military persons
of rank, the chief Civil Magistrate, and others of the
authorities. A conference of some length ensued. I
endeavoured, through Mr. Gutzloff, to snake them
clearly understand tl;at insult and aggression, on the
part of their officers, to an extent no longer bearable,
had obliged her Britannic Majesty to seek redress ;
that my orders were to take military possession of this
island and its dependencies ; and that, as the force I
had with me precluded all possible chance of their suc-
cessful resistance, I earnestly entreated them to spare
the great effusion of blood, and yield at once. They
departed about 8 P.M., with the fullest understanding
of the terms, and said, " The fault would be theirs, if
delay in returning an answer to our summons should be
productive of hostilitie►l" No answer was given dur-
ing the night, and the sounds of gongs cad other war-
like demonstrations were audible throughout.

As the day dawned on Sunday the sth instant, I found
the quays and shore lined with troops in considerable
force, whilo from the mastheads numbers were see❑ on
the plain between the suburbs, and on the city walls,
situated about fourteen hundred yards in the valley.
They had placed a body of troops on the Temple-hill,
together with three guns in position, twenty-one guns
were in line on the different wharfs, and on a round
tower of solid masonry they had five guns. The war

junks were hauled on shore in line, with their rudders
unhung, and presented thirty-four guns, and forty-five
large gingals. A quantity of arms of all kinds were
collected, which the mandarins were employed the whole
morning in distributing to the troops and others ; in fact,
the waving of their flags, and every other demonstration
evinced a determined spirit hostility.
The flood tide at noon brought the mass of the
transports in, and I still entertained a hope that when
the Chinese saw the troops preparing to land in full
force, they would negotiate ; Out having waited until
half•past two p.m., 1 judged that further forbearance
would be useless, and, therefore, at that moment a
single shot was fired from the Wellesley at the round
tower, falling, as I had intended, at the foot of it, with-
out doing the slightest injury. This shot was instantly
xnswered by the whole line of the Chinese feeble de-
fences, and caused a rettL n from the squadron, the
whole of which were now present, as noted in the mar-
gin,* the Cruizer, Aigerine, and Queen steamer having
just anchored.
Tie cannonade lasted only seven or eight minutt.s.

4 NI clleslev, Conway Alligator, Cruiser, Algerine,
Rattlesnake, Young liebe, and Atalanta and the Qum
steamers.

It is a source of great gratification to me, to think
that so few lives have been lost on this occasion. I
believe that twenty-five may be the extreme number,
and these were all soldiers. This may be ascribed to
the fire of the ships being directed solely to the junks
and batteries.

The only casualty in the squadron consists of one
seaman. wounded on board the Conway. The ships
were struck repeatedly, but no damage was done to
them of the slightest consequence.
Captains Bethune, Maitland, and Kuper, of her Ma-
jesty's ships Conway, Wellesley, and Alligator, Com-
manders Gifrard and Fletcher of the Cruizer and Wel-
lesley, Lieutenant ;ilason of her Majesty's brig Alge-
rine, Mr. Brodie, Master, R.N., commanding her Ma-
jesty's troop ship Rattlesnake, and Mr. C. E. Hodgkin-
son, mate, R.N. commanding her Majesty's schooner
Young ilcbe, together with every officer, seaman, and
marine in the squadron, including the Commanders
and Officers of the Honourable Company's steam-
vessels of war Atalanta and Queen, displayed a zeal
and alacrity which I run convinced would have en-
sured success i❑ n much more important service
than this ; and I gladly seize on this occasion to express
my best thanks to Captain Maitland for the unremit-
ting attention he has paid to the details of the expedi-
tion, and fur the valuable assistance he has rendered
me during its progress.

. .
The Royal Marines, under Captai❑ Ellis, maintained
the high character of their corps for steadiness and sol-
dier-like good conduct.

My thanks arc also due to Viscount Jocelyn, Military
Secretary to her Majesty's Plenipotentiaries, for his
readiness on all occasions.

lam happy to inform their Lordships, that the best
understanding. has existed between Brigadier Burrell
and myself ; and that every branch of the two services
has most cordially co-operated for the promotion of the
public service.

Nor can I conclude without recording my satisfac-
tion at the zeal, intelligence, and perseverance of the
Masters of the transports, in bringing their vessels into
harbour, and the regularity of their conduct throughout.
I have, &c.,

(Signed) J. J. GORDON BREMER,
Commodore of the First Class, and
Commander-in-Chief.

BREMER, by special appointment, Commander-in-

Chiet of the British naval forces.
BURRELL, by special appointment, Commander-in-

Chiet of the British land forces.

Have the honour to inform his Excellency the Vice-
Admiral that they have come here by the commands of
the Sovereign of Great Britain, having under their or-
ders powerful naval and land forces, for the purposa of
landing and occupying the island of Tinghae and its de-
pendencies.

If the inhabitants of the said island do not oppose
and resist our forces, it is not the intention of the Bri-

tigh Government to do injury to their persons and pro-
perty.

This measure of taking possession has become neces-
sary from the insulting and unwarrantable conduct of
the Canton high officers, Liu and Tang, last year, to•
wards her iNlajesty's specially appointed Chief Superin-
tendent Elliot, and other British subjects.
It is necessary for the safety of the British ships
and troops, that your Excellency should immediately
surrender the Island Tinghae, its dependencies and forts,
and we therefore summon your Excellency to surrender
the same peaceably, to avoid the shedding of blood.
But if you will not surrender, we, the Commodore and
Commander, shall be obliged to use warlike measures
for obtaining possession.
The official messenger who transmits the letter will
only wait an hour for an answer. When this time is
elapsed, and your Excellency refuses to surrender, and
does not return an answer, we shall then immediately
open a thundering tire upon the island and fort.
(Signed) J. J. GORDON BREMER.
GEORGE BURRELL.

4th July, 1840.
A similar paper was written and addressed to the
Chief Magistrate of Chusan district and the Command-
ant of Tinghae city, signed and sealed as abovc.3

Melville, Chusan Harbour, July 17, 1840.
Sir—ln continuation of my proceedings, as detailed
ill my letter of the 30th ultimo (No. 9), I beg to
acquaint you, for the information of soy Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty, that, in passing
Amoy, on the 2d instant, I stood into the mouth
of that port, and sent Captain Boucher, in her
Majesty's ship Blonde, in with a letter from Lord
Viscount :Palmerston, for the Chinese Minister of
Pekin, to be delivered to the Chinese authorities of the
place. For a detail of Captain Bourchier's proceeding
I would refer you to the accompanying copy of his let-
ter, under date the 4th instant, by which it appears
that officer had no chance kit 'out that of returning the
wanton attack on an unarmed boat, with only four boys,
and Mr. Thorn, the interpreter (who had a very nar-
row escape), in her, and on his ship ; and I am happy
to add that the situation permitted him utterly to de-
stroy every gun and fortification without injury to the
city or its inhabitants. From off Amoy I proceeded to
join the squadron at Chusan without loss of time, and ar-
rived off Deer Island, alittle below Chusan, and within
sight of the shipping, late on the evening of the
sth, and on the following morning, a steamer having
been sent down durimr, the night to tow the Melville
past the narrows, I learnt that the expedition had
landed the day before, and were in quiet possession of
the place. I proceeded immediately to Chusan in the
steamer, where I have since been chiefly employed in
the various duties devolving on me. After the expe-
rience of a few days, it became evident that the civil
administration of these populous islands must be exe-
cuted on shore, and I therefore requeted Beigadier-Gen.
Burrell to undertake it, and have given him the ap-
pointment of Civil Governor.
On the 10th instant I despatched the Blonde,
Conway, Cruizer. Algerinc, and Queen steamer, with
her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, Captain Elliot, to
Ning-po, for the purpose of lauding one of Lord Pal-
merston's letters for the Chinese Minister, and on
the 13th instant I proceeded there in the Atalanta
steamer. Thu authorities were found to be extremely
civil, and although they declined forwarding the letter, as
contrary to their customs, as they had an open Chinese
copy of it in their hands, for twenty-four hours, there
can be little doubt of the Court of Pekin having been
made fully acquainted with it. In the correspondence
which took place, the style is totally different from what
was ever known before, claiming no mark of superiority
whatever, but treating us perfectly as equals, no longer
calling us barbarians, but honourable officers of the
English nation. I cannot doubt but that the whole-
some lesson they received at Amoy from the Blonde,
and the effects of their foolish show of resistance at this
place, have mainly contrihutA to this change Their
alarm was evidently great, they were sinkinn• junks
at the mouth of the river, and addin.,; to the atte-
ries ; and small encampment was placed' on the oppo-
site hill, with numerous banners, more • parently for
display than utility. Ravin;-g
would be closed, I returned oiiy thee;n
lathit
blockade was commenced. e instant, stpthaaii that the
en
pd
otrht the
'l'he stoppage of the enormous trade which is usually
passing on this coast cannot but create difficulties of a
serious nature ; and from a few expressions
relative to
Lin having been the cause of all their present distresses,
I trust a strong feeling may spring up against the policy
pursued at Canton by that high officer.
On the capture of the city and suburb of Chusan,
they were entirely deserted, and the return of the

I then sent an officer, accompanied by a gentles cn
speaking Chinese, in a boat bearing a flag of truce, di-
recting him to land at the fort ; but on his reaching it,
he found a body of two or three hundred soldiers drawn
up to oppose his landing, and they were directed to re-
turn on board with abusive and opprobrious language.
I now adopted other measures to communicate, wbizis
proved equally ineffectual.
During this time the military and people were lirink-
ing down guns and mcn, and making other warflke de-
monstrations, and continued thus employed until the,
night closed in. As the day dawned of the .3d,
we observed that they had formed an encamp-
ment on the heath, and had placed five guns, a fleure
d'eau, a little to the eastward of a casemate battery,
they already bad, at the entrance of the inner har-
bour, and that some of the larger junks w!;r3
brought dow❑ and armed, while a number of steallor
ones were being filled with troops, and placed in the
vicinity of her Majesty's ship, as if with the in-
tention of boarding. Unwilling to notice these hostile
preparations, while there was a possibility of aroitfing
a rupture, her Majesty's ship merely prepared for bat-
tle until the soa breeze set in, when I weighed,
running within four hundred yards, anchored
springs upon our cable upon the angle of the casemate
battery, so as to command it and the junks at the score
time.

I now made another attempt to communicate through
Mr. Thorn, the gentleman attached to this ship as in-
terpreter (who very handsomely volunteered his servicas
at great personal risk) in the jolly boat, unarmed and
hearing a flag of truce ; but the troops were brought
to the beach, and he was repulsed with abusive language
and threats ; and, contrary to all usage, a fire con:
-
=need upon his boat, the batteries opening at the same
moment on her Majesty's ship. I instantly hauled the
flag of truce down, and returned the fire ; our first
broadside dismounted the greater part of the guns in
the eastern battery, and the second silenced both, put-
ting to flight the troops formed in the neighbourhood.
I then confined the fire of this ship entirely to the fort
and armed junks, and continued until the former was
ruins, and the latter had disappeared, excepting one,
whose crew having abandoned her, I sent an officer to
throw her armament into the sea, and set her on fire.
During this affair the neighbouring hills were crowded
with spectators, and the inner harbour with trading •es-
sels, both of which might with equal facility have been
destroyed ; but I considered that in confining the chas-
tisement to those who had insulted her Majesty's flag,
and outraged a law acknowledged by all civilized na-
tions, I should best follow out your views.
I am happy to say this service was performed withceot
the loss of a man on board her Majesty's ship, but that
of the enemy must have been severe, as the dead were
strewed upon the beach in numbers, where encamped.
Conceiving that any other attempt at amicable commu-
nication would be fruitless, I weighed with the evening
tide, in the further prosecution of your orders.
It only remains to me to state, that the conduct of
the officers and ship's company under my command, and
the officer and party of Royal Artillery embarked on
board, was entirely satisfactory, and I am happy isz
having this opportunity to acknowledge the assistame-
I have, upon all occasions, received from Mr. Coulset;„
the Senior Lieutenant, in the formation of a young ship-1s
company. I have, &c.,
(Signed) T. BOURCIIIER, Captain.

PUBLIC DECLARATION by the Hon. George
Elliot, C. 13., Rear-Admiral of the White, and Com-
mander-in-Chief of her Majesty's Ships and Vase's
employed, and to be employed, in the East Indies,
and the Seas adjacent.
The chief city of the Tchusan Islands having (ellen
to her Majesty's arms, it becomes necessary, pending
her Majesty's pleasure, to provide for the government
of these islands, and any other Chinese towns or dis..
tricts which may hereafter be surrendered or reducc,d
during the actual disputes with the Government of
China.

Now, therefore, I do hereby declare, pending
her Majesty's pleasure, that the laws, customs, and
usages of China (every description of torture ex-
cepted), shall continue to obtain for the government
of all native people within any such towns or dis-
tricts, and that they shall continue to enjoy all their
lawful property, and be entitled to all such protec-
tion as they have or ought justly to have enjoyed
under the government of the Eruperor:of China, and that
they shall only lie liable to such taxes and impositions
as they were lawfully liable to under the dominion of
the Emperor of China.
And, pending her Majesty's pleasure, I do further
declare, that the civil, fiscal, and judicial administra-
tion of the government aforesaid, shall in all cases,
be exercised by or under the special appointment
or warrant of the officer in chief command of the
land forces forming part of the expedition to China.
And pending her Majesty's pleasure, I do further
declare, that all persons whatever (not natives of -thy
land, whether subjects of her Majesty or not, and
not subject to the Mutiny Act, or to the general law
for the government of the fleet, committing crimes and
offences within the Government aforesaid, amounting to
felony according to the law of England, shall be liable
to trial for the same at the most convenient British Court
having criminal Admiralty jurisdiction ; and I do fur-
ther declare, that for the above purpose, the officer ad.
ministering the Government aforesaid, shall have full
power and authority to commit and hand to the senior
naval officer any person or persons charged on oath with
committing such felonious offences, to be tried before
the most convenient British Court having Admiralty
jurisdiction.
And, pending her Majesty's pleasure, I do further
declare, respecting all lesser offences than felony, com-
mitted by persons not natives of the land, that th:,
officers administering! the Government aforesaid, shall
have full authority to make such rules and regulation!,
and to impose such penalties, either by fine or imprison-
meat, or both, for enforcement of such rules and regula
tions as may seem necessary to him from time to time.
And, pending her Majesty's pleasure, having regale!
to the special state of circumstances, I do hereby de-
clare, that the officer administering the Government
aforesaid, shall have full authority to reportiany' person
whom he rosy consider it expedient to send away f;?-
reasons of public safety.
Given under my hand and seal, on hoard her Majeete'e
ship Melville, in the port of 'ring Hai
the island of Grand Tchusan, this Bth day of July
1840, in the fourth year of the reign of our Sovel
reign Lady Queen Victoria.
(Signed) GEO. ELLIOT.
By command of the Commander-in-Chief,
(Signed) JAMES A. SMITH.

that ointderbfuelitpoiteecso :f 1 l yv h 0
INDISTINCT VISION.--wt
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a gic;
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re ref•OrLt
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Charles actable, who had somewhat improved
in health during the last two or three days, has had, t'.3'6'
hear, a relapse, and is now suffering most acutely. • We
hear, however, hopes are entertained of his restoration to
health, and shall sincerely rejoice that such is the ease.
We cannot afford to lose thelast of the fiernb.,cs--
Ullimus Romanorum."

STATISTICS OF STEAM-BOATS.

FMII records furnishel by the Admiralty, a French writer
has made up the following table of the number of British
steam-ships, the casualities encountered by, and the less of life
sustair.esi through them since 1817. The rapid increase in this
mode of ccmrnutiicatiOn, smce 1320, is without parallel in this or
perhaps in any other country, in the adoption of any system ot*
t{avelling, and its convenience to the population can scarcely be
estimated. 7he loss of life ascribed by the French statist to the
steaming is in part chargeable en sailing ; for the vessels were lost
in swims which probably 'night have destroyed sailing vessels in
circumstances :
In 15417 there were 14 stearmvessels running ; one took dre arid
was blind ; the beams of another exploded ; nine persons perished
in this year.
1.415-19 steamers ; ne accident.
IS I 9-,24 steamers ; on accident.
18_0-34 steamers ; one burnt ; nobody suffered.

1821-59 steamers ; rao accident.
18t2-65 dtearners; no accident.
1E423-101 steacnvas; no accident.

18-'24-116 steamers ; the boilers of two exploded ; deaths three.
1625-1311 steamers ; one wrecked ; two (the Corset and the
Ayr) came in collision, and sixty-two persons :ost their lives ; the
boilers of another exploded.
186---230 steamers ; one burnt ; explosion on another ; six
autreters this year.
16'2.7-255 steamers; one wrecked ; explosion on another ; two
liras lost.

1828-274 steamers ; two wrecked ; one burnt ; explosion oil
two ; one life lost.
1829-289 steamers; three wreeked ; explosion of one; six
ilites lost.

I d3u-2DB steamers ; three wrecked ; explosion of one. The
Forty totally lost, but the number of persons on board n•A precisely
know, The other accidents did not occasion a death.

1831-314 steamers; two wrecked; two col,isions; one burnt;
one hundred and nineteen persons perished on the ILothsay Castle,
near Beauresris.*
IE3O-352 steamers; no accident.
1834-357 steamers, um wrecked, one burnt, and seventy-three
,deekt,, withuut includin the Erin, which was lost, vessel and all
cen boas* t
1854-430 steamers; two wrecked, one burnt, and one explo_
&n. The Superb foss, with all on board, in the North Sea, num-
ber of sutkrers unknown. The other casualties caused no loss of
life 4
V835—,-503 steamers; three wrecked, two came into collision,
foe explosion of bolters ; thirtmen lives lost.
11038—iiifll steamers ; two wrecked, four collisions, two burnt,
one explosion.; ■o life lost.

1837-707 steamers ; var wrecked, four run against each other,
three took tire OA Intent, ime explosion; total victims, twontymine.
18.35--766 stoners; sMne; " ewrecked, two collisions, six cxplo.
*inns; one hundred ands thirty-two lives lost.
The Frenoti statist charges the entire of life against steaming ;
but in this be is evidently wrong.
The entire '
ntireenumber of lives lost
from British steamers since 1817 is ascertained
entgo be 456, and sup.
e
andr crew were
posed on vessels where the number of the pa
unknowe, 120—in all, *ti. Although this numlb'e
great, yet it must be remembered that the number odrears very
,by steamers, sinoe the year 1817, including „cphasts!ngers
number of her crew, have been very probably equal to the entire
British population at the present year. It is very evident that
stearn.boat travelling in this country is r of only cheap and capae-
ditious, but comparatively safe. We believe that there has rie;
be an instance of the loss of life in connexion with the vessels
belonging to the Aberdeen and Leith Steam Shipping Company
since their commencement. All these considerations are crumbs
of comfort to the people of this part of the world. who are likely
Dot to enjoy the advantages of railways her some ten years to come.
--46erdeen Banner.

' The litothsay Castle aas lost, among many sailing vessels, in a
very severe storm on the "English coast. The loss is attributed by
the Government Commissioners, who inquired into the causes of the
wreck of the steamers, to the drunkenness of the master and mate,
g With the insufficiency of the vessel.
+ The Eco, and the greater portion of the steamers lost this
Year' were wrecked from causes common to every description of
vessels.

It is underr.ood that the loss of the Superb arose from a similar
cause.

11. The Forfarshire is includat in the loss cf this year, and, along
With the Northern Yacht, was wrecked, not from any reason con-
nected with the steaming department, but from stress of weather.
Whether sailing vessels m similar circumstar.ces woeld have
may be doubtful.
soathered the storm,

•
ERRAT
L•. 1.-111 an article in ThefSun yester-
pondeace between Mr. Duncombe and
day on the corr es
Mr. Coates, for " Mr.Tooke the Treasurer" read " Mr.
east's, the Secretary.