The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-01 00:00:00

THE BRITISH EXPEDITION IN CHINA.

(From ihe Special Correspondent of the
JULY Times.)
25.
TAH-LIEN-HWAN BAY,
At length the word is spoken, the signal is given.
To-morrow morning the English* expedition quits
this place, and the French leave Che-fow to rendez-
of
sous at the Peiho. Since I last wrote the plan
attack has been changed. In April last recon-
naissances were made by the English and French,
which resulted in an arrangement that the French
force should land south of the Peiho, at a place
tailed Chi-kau, while the English proceeded to Peh-
-12 miles north of that river, and there dis-
tangem,
barked. The Taku forts would thus be taken
in reverse on either side. However on the 16th
instant Colonel Schmitz, the chef d'etat major of
the French army, returned from a more extended
reconnaissance, and reported that it was im-
possible to effect a landing at any place to the
south. The water is so shallow and the mud so
deep, that though the men might possibly be landed,
the shore is quite impracticable for horses and artil-
lery. Sir Hope Grant and Admiral Hope left next
morning for Che-fow, and a council of war was held
at General Montauban's head-quarters on the 18th,
when it was determined that the whole force, French
and English, should land at Peh-tang, aid that the
attack from the south should be abandoned. General
Montauban named the 26th as the day when he
should be ready to start, and accordingly we sail
to-morrow morning. a Ad-
miral
On Friday, the 13th, the French General an
Charner paid a visit to the English camp. Sr
Hope Grant had made arrangements:for an inspec-
tion of the artillery and cavalry, and at 11 a.m.
Lord Elgin accompanied the English and French
Commanders-in-Chief and the French Admiral to
Odin Bay. The troops were drawn up on the beach ;
King's Dragoon Guards, Probyn's Horse, Fane's
Horse, and half a battery of Armstrong guns. It
was a lovely summer's day, as the bright morning
sun glistened on the spears' of the wiry Sikhs and
the heavy sabres of the stalwart King's Dragoon
Guards. The bright scarlet coats of the dragoons
were in happy contrast with the blue-black tunics
and turbans of Probyn's Irregulars, while the red
turbans and light blue dress of Fane's Horse, relieved
the more sober hues of the artillery uniforms.
A salute of 19 guns welcomed Lord Elgin, and
two of 13 guns each greeted the French Admiral
and General. Lord Elgin, General Montauban,
Sir Hope Grant, and their brilliant Staffs, were
mounted on some 30 magnificent Arabs, and can-
tered along the front of the cavalry drawn up in line
two deep. They then ascended a hillock, and the
cavalry and Artillery defiled before them, The
King's Dragoon Guards turned out clean and
soldierlike as if they were stationed at Aldershott
instead of being encamped in Manchuria. Probyn's
and Fane's Horse were models of light cavalry
soldiers, wiry and active, hand and seat equally
easy. The Royal Artillery looked as usual,—ready
to go anywhere and do anything. There were
upwards of 1,000 sabres, and I unhesitatingly
say, that in no part of the world could 1,000
horses be found in finer condition or more suited
to their work. It is more than probable that no
one of them had ever been inside a stable, yet they
looked as blooming and fresh as the flower of the
Pytchley or the front rank of the Quorn will turn
out soon after this letter reaches England. Why
do not the military authorities utilise these Sikh
Irregulars elsewhere than in India ? They have
no prejudices of caste or race ; they will eat and
drink whatever you give them, are hardy and
robust, accustomed to a climate much like our own,
and, when properly looked after, not inordinately
given to loot. Their conduct here has been
exemplary, and they are the very men for
outpost and picket duty. France has her
Spahis, and Russia her Cossacks. The Sikhs are
superior to either, and India will afford many a
Probyn and Fane to lead them. After the cavalry
had defiled we had tilting at the tent-peg. A peg
is hammered firm into the earth, about three inches
only being visible ; at this the horseman, armed
with a long spear, rides full tilt, his object being to
pierce the peg en passant and bear it off on the
point of his lance. This exercise requires a firm
hand, a good eye, a steady seat, and a strong wrist.
A " muff" will stick his spear into the ground and
will then either bring its point between his horse's
legs or its top against his own head, his wrist being
violently sprained into the bargain. Your accom-
plished tilter raises the spear as he pierces the peg
and waving it round his head rides on triumphant.
Probyn led and Fane followed, but both missed the
peg, their horses being out of practice. Then came
a Sikh, with body extended and spear all but
sweeping the ground. His shouts and yells urged
his horse to the very top of his speed. As he passed
the peg he struck it right in the centre, and bore it
off amid great cheering. Both officers and men soon
got into practice, carrying off the trophy five times
in succession. A stick was then stuck loosely in
the ground, with a small piece of cucumber at the
top. Probyn, at full gallop, sliced off the top ; Pane
made an equally good cut, and a third officer com-
pleted the work—the stick never having been
moved. Their sabres are like razors, they have
never been acquainted with a steel scabbard, and in
the hands of such swordsmen are most deadly
weapons. _ _ _

It was then announced that a few shots would be
fired from the Armstrong guns, and a rush was made
to the beach. General Montauban and the officers
of his Staff inspected the guns most minutely ; their
principle and mode of working being explained by
Captain Brabazon, Royal Artillery. Practice com-
menced at 900 yards, the object being a small tree
on the side of the hill. A percussion shell was fired,
which burst with terrific force on striking the
ground, about six feet in advance of the tree. Had
a coldmn of infantry been near the spot its effect
would have been frightful, for the pieces were scat-
tered far and wide in every direction. The next
shell struck the ground and exploded seven or eight
feet above the tree, Other shots were fired with good
effect, and the last two were at long range. In the
first of them the gun was too much elevated, the
shell flew hurtling right over the hill, and was lost
to sight and hearing. The last hit the hill precisely
at the spot to which it was directed. I shall ab-
stain from offering any opinion whatever en the
gun until it has been tested in action ; but I have a
word to say about the carriages. I minutely exa-
mined those which were out to-day. They are
made of the best teak, and most substantially put
together, having been ordered expressly for with-
standing the wear and tear of China, where the
roads are few and bad and the sun frightfully hot.
Both in quality and workmanship they are excel-
lent, though I fear their great weight will knock
up the horses in a long campaign. While ship-
ping the guns in the Thames a hook was inserted
into the hand iron of a limber box, full of ammu-
nition, by which it was hauled up, and the iron was
torn out of the wood. These hand irons, fixed on
either side the limber box for the gunners to-hold
on by, are not intended to bear a weight, there being
strong iron bolts let into the box itself by which it
should be lifted. I saw the particular • hand iron
and limber box in question ; nothing could be
sounder than the wood or better than the workman-
ship. The guns were, however, sent out from
Woolwich without a proper supply of field gear,
such as headstalls, picketing ropes, &c., which were
purchased at Hong-kong at a very considerable
expense. The sewing of the harness had also be-
come rotted by damp during the varied and tedious
voyage from Woolwich to China. However, the
leather was sound, and all the saddlers in Hong-
kong were set in requisition to resew the stitch-
ing, which they have done effectually. We have
fortunately succeeded in gaining the con-
fidence of the country people here, so that supplies
can be of tained in any quantity and at reasonable
prices. One day last week a commissariat officer
secured 154 bullocks and cows, and twice as many
sheep. A force of 1,500 men and one or two ships
will
therefore be left to guard Tah•lien hwan, where
stores will be k,ept and hospital marquees
erected for the sick. Mere they will remain until
the tuThcialth
.bein g put Y months of September and October
they can
thence to the wean be sent to Hong Kong, and
main en permanaLe. An hospital ship will also re-
serious cases, ce In the bay to receive the more
While tvo others will accompany the
expedition to the Gal I. Though the country people