The Sun.
London, England, 1841-06-12 00:00:00

VENING EDITION

itately commenced firing upon us from the fort of Hnchung and
their war junks now under sail), which wasyeplied to by the Ne-
mesis with the usual effect, while the boats opened a passage
through the stakes, and dashed on to the attack of Hechung and
the junks. Lieutenant Bower gallantly leading on the di-
vision under his orders against the latter, whilst the others
secured the fort by evading the ditch and entering the enemy's
embrasured. Seeing the fall of the fort, the war-junks became
panic-struck on the approach of the boats, and were thrown into
such uttereemfusiein that several got ashore, the crews jumping over.
board immediately they grounded, two junks clone escaping.
Lieutenant Ropier, in pushing to cut the latter ofF, discovered
Fieehaekok en the left bank of the ricer, within a hundred yard; of
the advanced junk aground, which fort mounting seven guns,
opmed cut a heavy fire of grape upon 3bse..ving that the
junks were abandoned by their crewc,irn ietl,ly turned all hiS at-
tentlerr to his isew opponents, whom he t. etve out of their sarong.
hold, by passing through •he i.:!jointee town and taking them in
reverse.
In the meantime Mr. Hall dexterously managed in getting his
♦essel through the centre passage of the stakes, which fortunately
was just sefileiently wide to admit of her passing, without detain_
mg or giving us the trouble of .emoying any of them.
At forty-five minutes past two we returned on board the steamer,
after having destroyed all the guns and set fire to Feisha-Kok
Fort and the seven war junks, as per margin,* which all blew up
befefe we were out of sight of them.
Chase to the two escaped junks recommenced, during which we
passed two dismantled forts. At four p.m., we arrived at the large
provincial town of Hiangshang, one of the large war junks preceded
us about a mile a-head. The dense population thickly crowded the
banks, Mate, junks, house tops, the large pagoda, and surrounding
hill ; both sides of the river wete packed by the trading craft of
the country in the closest possible order, the centre of the river
(which is very narrow here) having merely sufficient space to allow
the steamer's paddles loxes to pass clear of the junks moored to its
bulks. Not the slightest fear was manifested by the people, but
several mandarins took to their boats and followed the war junk.
We passed .a small one anchored in the centre of the town aban-
doned by her crew; but fearful of setting fire to the town, which
tuna Ines itably have been the case had I consigned her to the
flames, and arr:ious at the same time to secure the large one a-head,
with the maaclarin boats, I left her untouched; we closed the two
,totter so rapidly that the junk, which mounted five guns, and one
of the larger boats ran ashore; 'all their cre.vs jumped overboard,
and left them to their fate; I brought up abreast of them, and de-
stroyed both. While thus employed the fort of Sheungchap,
within two hundred yards of us, but hidden by some intervening
trees, opened its fire upon us, which was instantly returned. I im.

mediately directed Lieutenant Bower to storm it with the marines ;
in five minutes my orders were carried into execution, and its
eight guns were demolished ; but from its proximity to the houses
I ordered the greatest portion of the powder to be thrown into the
river, leaving merely sufficient in the magazine to destroy
the fort. A number of troops coming down towards tlle
fort, obliged me to fire two or three shot, which going
directly in among the body, scattered and dispersed them in an in-
stant. At six P.M. the junt: and fort were fired, and we passed on
into a narrow shallOw eliann.l, scarcely more than the breadth of a
venal, in which we anchored head and stern for the night.
At day-light on the morning of the 14th, we weighed and pro-
ceeded up the river in the Steamer's draught of water, and not
broader than her own length, grounding occasionally on both sides.
At fifty minutes past seven arr:ved at the large village of Kong.
how ; at eight observed the fort of the same name, at the upper
part of the village, which flanked a 'strong and broad line of stakes,
twenty feet 'wide, completely across the river, filled Ivh in the centre
by large sunken junks, laden with stones. On uiscovering the
fort we opened cur fire, which was instantly returned by the
enemy. As in a'l the preceding actions, they fled the moment
we landed to attack them. They had evidently expeted one from
the opposite side to that by which we approached them, the walls
being paled up with sand.bags outside in that direction. Nine
guns were destroyed here and the fort blown up, after the Ne-
mesis had made good her passage through the stakes, which was
efllcted after four hours, incessant hard labour, at thirty mi-
nutes past twelve P.M assisted by the native; who flocked aboard
and round us in great numbers, after the firing had ceased, all ap.
parently anxious to aid its in destroying the stakes.

At four P. M. arrived off a military station originally consisting
of a hundred men, but on our arrival consisting only of fifty ;
fired a shot at the Mandarin's house, which, striking the centre,
drove nut the small garrison who had screened themselves from
our view in it ; the boats were then sent on shore, and destroyed
the whole establishment, and a large Mandarin war-boat, mounting
one large gun and two jingalls, and pulling sixty-four oars. At
ten minutes past four proceeded up the river, at thirty minutes past
sim anchored for the night.

At daylight this morning we continued our course upwards; at
thirty minutes past seven arrived off' the larre village Tamchow,
under the banks of the upper part of which a number of soldiers,
with matchlock., were descried, endeavouring to conceal them-
selves, upon whom a fire of musketry was opened as we passed,
which dispersed all those who were unhurt in less than a minute.
On moving up to Tagnei, a large town on the left bank of the
river, three farts were passed, all dismantled and abandoned. The
custom-house of the latter place was destroyed, as well as a man-
of-war junk, mounting seven guns, which the crew had quitted
on our approach. On proceeding up to Whampoa, we passed
through a very beautiful country ; three more dismantled forts
were observed in our route. At four P.m. we arrived at this an.
choragc, having destroyed five forts, one battery, two military
stations, and nine men-of-war junks, in which were one !Modred
and fifteen guns, and eight jingails; thus completing our object
by proving to the enemy that the British Mg is capable orbeing
displayed throughout their inner waters wherever and whenever
it is thought proper by us, against any defence or mode they may
adopt to prevent it.
It is a pleasing gratification on my part, in being enabled to in-
form your Excellency, that this service has been accomplished with-
out the loss of a single man on our side, and only three seamert
slightly wounded belonging to her Majesty's ship Semarang.
To his Elcelleney Captain Elliot, my warmest and best thanks
are due, for the very able and friendly aesistance I receiver! from
him throughout the whole of our little expedition; .to Messrs.
Morrison and Thorns, who accompanied him, I fell under the
greatest obligations for the efficient aid I reeeived from them, by
the knowledge of these gentlemen in the Chinese language, thus
affording me the means of communication through them with the
natives in our route, which proved of the highest imoortance ; they
fully participated in all the dangers of the expedition, as did like-
wise Captain Larkins, late of the Honourable East India Company's
service, who was an amateur upon the occasion.

Of Mr. Hall, master, commanding the Nemesis, it is impossible
kr me to speak too highly ; the cool, unwearied, zealous perfor-
mance of his duties, under circumstances of frequent danger and
difficulty, in traversing a navigation never before passed by
an European boat or vessel ; his gallantry, and the
effective aid I received from the Nemesis, repeatedly called forth
my warmest admiration. It is unnecessary for me to say more
than that, in my bumble opinion, he is deserving of every reward
that can be bestowed upon him.
To Lieutenant William Pedder, R.N., acting as chief officer of
the Nemesis, I feel indebted for the able and gallant manner in
which he at all times supported the boats with those of the steamer
under his command.

The fii ing of Mr. Edward Crouch, gunnery mate of the " Wel-
lesley,' lent to Nemesis, was perfect ride practice. Our rapid
success I regard as mainly attributable to the admirable manner in
which he punished the enemy. I beg leave earnestly to recom.
mend him to your favourable notice and consideration.
The conduct of my gallant First Lieutenant, J. P. Bower, has
always met with my highest approbation. Nothing could have
surpassed his anxious zeal and gallantry the last three days. It
again becomes my pleasing duty, to draw your particular attention
and favourable consideration to this meritorious office!.

Lieutenant Maitland, acting Lieutenant Lysaght, and Lieute-
nant Gordon, of the Royal Marines, as well as Messrs. Noble,
Parkhurst, Luard, and Armitage (mates), Mr. Tucker, second
master, and Dr. Mackay, assistant-surgeon, are entitled to my best
acknowledgments for the gallantry and zeal they displayed
throughout our operations.

Stamen and Marines vied with each other in being foremost upon
every occasion.

Inclosed I forward herewith the list of wounded, and have the
honour to remain, &c.

(Signed) JAMES SCOTT, Captain,
Commodore Sir J. J. Gordon Bremer, C. 8., K.C.H.,

Commandcr.in.Chief.

List of Wounded on the Expedition up the Inner Passage to

Canton.
Hon. Company's steamer Nemesis, at Whampoa
March 13, 1841.

•
Three seamen, slightly.
(Signed) GEORGE MACKAY, M.D.
Assistant-Surgeon of her Majesty's ship Samarang,
Medical Officer to the Expedition.

* One large junk, mounting nine long guns ; one ditto, mount.
ing eight long guns; two ditto, mounting six each ; one smaller
ditto, mounting four guns ; two ditto, ditto, mounting two guns.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
FROli TAE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAY.
CHRONICLE...... he Tories boast of the great things they
have done for the country in the way of financial reform.
They appeal to the list of taxes taken off by Tory Governments
between 1815 and 1830, and they say, with an air of triumph,
See what, a prodigious deal we have done for the country in
comparison with the trifling reductions effected by the Whigs.
Before they boast so much about taking taxes off, perhaps they
will have the goodness to tell us who put taxes on. The Tory
party came into office with Mr. Pitt, in 1764, and remained,
with a few short interruptions, in exclusive and undisturbed
possession of power until November, 1830, or for a period of
nearly fifty years.
When they took office the entire expendi.
nue of the country did not amount to 20,000,0001. ; when
the- left office it amounted to 50,000,000 t. During
their fifty years'
Administration the National Debt in-
crr•astn from
•20 , 000, 000/. to 800 000,0091., and the annual
charge r
• terest from 9,500,000/. to :29,000,000/. During
fP
int
with Frenee— war ereererut„the twenty-two years of
h thee shape ory
and persevered in to forward the
i.
part', and which brought ,
of additional territory or eommt,reiali :;,y clva.Toory A,t.nirii
tage4,the:tanrorttilouniss.
sum of 1,500,000,000/. was eaeen,l
Of this sum it is not ton much to sty that one-half was lavished
without any tiseful result as regarded the r
war, in subeidies to Foreign Powers. uai eherr°senenetsic°pnedoitfionthse
,
absurd • plans of defence, petty attacks on insignificant West
India islands—and though last, not least, sinecures, pensions,
of titled pauper and
and 'provisions, for every description
hanger-on of the Tory aristoeraeyildn• addition
anontod theis actuaactual
expenditure, Mr. Pitt's Sinking Fun
finan-
cial blunder of raising his loans in threeju pergge cent. stock in-
stead of borrowing at the market rate of interes', entailed
b
on the country, as may be
demonstrated
calculation, a permanent chargeofnot less thanythe strictest
6,000,0001. a
year- rSo much for the blessings of Tory finance ! But to
Come to more modern times,
let us examine the boasted per-
formances of the Toriessince the peace, in the way of financial
reform. At the conclusion of the war in 1815 the Tory Go-
vermient had a
-gross revenue of 72,210,0001. the produce of
taxation, upon which to operate. The interest of the debt
amounted to 32,000,000/, and the current necessary expenses
of the country, as has been proved by the experience of the
last ten sears, need not have exceeded 18.000,0001. a year.
Here, then, was a reduction of 24,000,0001. a year, which
might, and which ought to have been effected. Was anything
of the sort proposed by the Tory Government? On the con-
trary, they endeavoured to continue the war-taxes, and inns-
tere'd all their strength to resist the repeal of the property-
tax, which was proposed by the Liberal Opposition,
and carried against Ministers a narrow m, Instead of reducing the current expenby diture of the counajtroyrity to
18,000,0001., winch there was nothing to prevent, they con-
tinued it at the average rate of 22,500,000/. from 1817 to
1828, and opposed every motion brought forward by the Liberal
party for a reduction of salaries and estimates. From 1316
down to 1822, no material reduction of taxation was effected.
In that year the Whigs proposed and carried, against the
Tory• Government, the following measures
1. The repeal of the Salt-tax.
2. The repeal of the Leather-tax.
3. The repeal of the Irish Window-tax.
4. The reduction of an additional Is. a bushel on the duty
on malt.
They also carried, against :the strenuous opposition of the
Tory Government, headed in the House of Commons by Mr.
Peel, motions for the reduction of salaries in the Admiralty,
and for the abolition of the sinecure place of Joint Post-
master-General. In consequence cf these defeats, the Govern-
ment came forward in 1823 with a reduction of the Assessed
taxes,, and the duty on Scotch and Irish spirits. In 1824 and
1811, the state of the Revenue admitted of considerable reduc-
tions, uet, were wano
also pro y supported by the Whip, who
soap and Zeal of the window-tax, of the duty on
aud beer duties-, lie .4Ver reductions in the a,sessed taxes
Goverstment. leak te-S, were defeated by• the Tory I less: aetempte toe ineeed,ce VlNiga made 'several fruity and ntrryestimates
atefater eroncm " into th
.;t4rn toatiy e exi*nces.e