The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-31 00:00:00

writing materials, and, as a matter of course, they
arrived the day after the mail left. However, there
was nothing much to note. To begin where I last
le:i; off, after the actions of the ISth and 21st, as I
wrote you two mails ago, the Commander-in-Chief
ordered up all available forces. A naval brigade
garrisoning Tien-tsin liberated the Royals and the
Bth Punjab N. 1., and these, a company of Madras
Sappers, divers convalescents, and some remount
horses, made a very respectable force. As the road
follows the river, cutting off the corners only, a
large fleet of boats was attached to the force, 100
men only being on the boats. These were weak
and footsore men chiefly, for the boats overtook us
each night at some hour or other, but seldom in
proper time—which, as they carried our tents, was
a bore. At Matow 100 more men were detailed
for boat duty, the balance taking a short cut to
head-quarters, about five miles in front of Tung•
chow. The boat party arrived at Tungchow on the
evening of the 4th, and marched as soon as the
baggage was landed to head-quarters, arriving
there about 10 p.m., having been on their feet
tracking.up the boats from 5 p.m. the day previ-
ous, with but little rest. They had heard there was
to be an advance on Pekin, and were determined
to be in time. On the sth the army advanced on
some brick-kilns, the men carrying knapsacks, great-
coat, 'and blanket, at a tremendous pace and
under a hot sun. Soon some 50 of the poor over-
worked boat party " shut up," many very footsore,
but before long almost as many men of other regi-
ments had to do likewise. This, however, had the
affect of having the packs stowed away at the kilns,
where we arrived about 12 o'clock, and found no
enemy. From the top of the highest of them a
good view of the city could be obtained, but this
was reserved for the Staff ; the small fry had to
content themselves with a lower one to take their
first peep at Pekin, about five miles distant. Fane
and Probyn's Horse were sent out to find an enemy
if they could. The whole country in the neigh-
bourhood, and for some distance towards Tien-tsin,
is very densely wooded, rendering the eyesight of
little use; feeling has to be resorted to. Probyn
saw nothing; Fane reported about 1,000 in an
intrenchment, who bolted as soon as they saw him.
I may as well say hero that Pekin is four-sided, and
facing the four points of the compass. Our view at
the kilns was at its east face. The intrenchmcnt
spoken of is of old date, and is simply a large bank
of earth 40 feet high, or thereabout, and it extends
all along the north face of the city at about 9.2
miles' distance, and round also on the north-east
and north-west angles, but how far this deponent
saith not—as likely as not all round ; but that much
he has seen. Our march on the oth was an endea-
vour to outflank this supposed intrenchment, and
we proceeded in a north-westerly direction,
our ultimate goal being the Emperor's summer
palace. After proceeding along a winding
road, more like an open forest glade, for about
seven miles, we first see the embankment on our
left, and ourselves going parallel to it and towards
the west, but no enemy in sight. However, as we
proceed, news comes from the front that the enemy
is in sight, and we hear in confirmation thereof
some 20 shots, ono of which hits a King's Dragoon
Guard on the head, he being with some other
escorts behind a house. It was all over in three
minutes, and we open out on one of the large broad
roads to the city to find a mob scuttling into Pekin,
having been arrested in an attempt to block up
this road by an abbatis of cut-down trees and a
ditch across the road. An unfortunate poultry-
man afforded many o! us ducks and chickens for
dinner, in place of cold beef and biscuits.
We passed the row:, scaled the steep bank, and
came to a halt, and, in consequence of the firing
, who were on our
ruThrereFarre,naenhd proceeded to the
,
left,w e went
passedno further.teh ind
palace, where also oar cavalry, who were asking
the French where we had gone to, also went. The
French made a handsome thing out of that same
palace, and we have not done so badly either, as a
quantity of gold and silver was found there. Almost
all the officers went there, and brought something
away, which was sold by auction, and fetched very
high prices. The Commander-in-Chief and the
two Generals of Division relinquished their share,
and were voted some article or articles about to be
sold, as also a large pair of vases of old enamel,
which the army presented to Lord Elgin for the
Queen. The bronzes, the enamels, and the jadestone
and other carvings were beautiful in the extreme.
It was estimated that property to the amount of a
million and a half was in the place, and could have
been realised if there had been time. As it was, I
never saw such a scene of ruin and wanton destruc-
tion—clocks of most marvellous construction all
smashed to atoms; plate-glass mirrors of immense
size, magnificent carvings, all served the same. In
one instance I saw a good lump of a bronze joss sent
at a 50-guinea mirror and irretrievably ruin it,
while again a demented Frenchman would run
a-muck with a stick among the glass bobs and
pendents of the chandeliers. The grounds of the
palace are of great extent, and are studded with
innumerable small houses, with, as in the generality
of Chinese houses, three rooms and one or two inner
courts, also with three rooms at the end opposite
the entrance, and generally a one or three roomed
building on each of the sides. Of a palace, properly
so called, you saw little or nothing. There was a
fine throne-room, and two or three suites of apart-
ments near the entrance gates of larger dimensions,
but still in the prevailing fashion of construction.
These were, of course, more profusely decorated
than the rest. In the course of three or four
hours' cursory view but little could be seen or
understood of the palace. There were large ware-
houses full of rich silks, satins, embroideries. You
may form some idea of the value attached to a
5-guinea silk robe when the French soldiers were
pounding away with them at the tag-rag of Pekin,
who were looting away ,to their heart's content.
Many of the most successful looters contented them-
selves with waylaying the Chinese and taking
anything they took a fancy to. Silk robes were
sold ricst day for half a dollar to a dollar, the
latter being the prevailing price. Now they are
quoted at from 4 to 10 dollars, and few sellers.
Watches and Sycee gold ornaments have also been
plentiful. Two English carriages and the harness
complete were there, and any amount of watches,
the chief maker being Ilben. These were doubt,
less presents from Lord Maeartoey or Lord Am-
herst. It was expected that this would bring the
Chinese to their senses, and also stand as a punish

ment for their treachery on the 17th. I had no
when I last wrote heard that the Chinese theirs•

selves were showing the camping ground to Colonel
Walker and Staff, and it would probably have been

chosen, but Sir Hope objected to it on the ground

of its being too far from the water ; and it was when

they found we were not going to fall into the trap
they had so nicely baited for us—for they had, I
believe 76 guns:in position to play on the ground
—that they seized on the unfortunates mentioned
in my last—viz., Parkes and Loch, De Norman,

Anderson, a private of the Royal Dragoon Guards,

Brahazon, a French Abb6, some 25 Sikhs, and

also some privates and one French officer. Matters

remained in a tolerably quie9cent state for some

days, the Chinese wanting to treat, and we refus-
ing to do so till the prisoners were given up, we
fearing lest our attack on Pekin might be the

signal for the execution of the prisoners. Parkes
_ _ _

and Loch, who were in the city, had communicated
to us their safety and whereabout, but of the rest

we knew nothing. I forgot to mention at the

time, but on the morning of th© 7th a Royal salute
was fired to let the cavalry know our whereabout ;

arge fires were lighted tho evening previous,

and fifes and drums played for the same pur-
pose on the top of the mound. This Royal

- •
salute nearly caused the decapitation of Parkes and
Loch; but, finding no damage was done, and the
firing so soon stopped, the Chinese desisted, and
asked Parkes the cause of the firing. On the 9th
Parkas and Loch were given up, the Mandarins in
the city being induced thereto by a threat of sack
and pillage of the city and palace of Pekin. Of
the other prisoners they knew nothing, but would
send to some of the camps to inquire. Parkes and
Loch being rescued, it now became a matter of im-
portance to get the remaining prisoners and the
city into our possession. The engineers discovered
that a largo enclosure, probably of 100 acres, called