The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-28 00:00:00

treated in D. proper manner. But what as to the
convention ?

The following letter contains some interesting
particulars :

" Camp before-Pekin, 24th Oct., 18600..
"In my last dispatch on the 13th or 14th inst., I told you
I of the occupation and sacking of the Emperor's palace of
Yuen-min-yuen, and the surrender by the authorities of the
An-tin gate (Gate of Peace) a quarter of an hour before the
wall was to have been breeched if not opened peaceably.
The force that then entered still occupy the position; the
French on the east, the British on the western ramparts,
with field-pieces commanding the city and walls. Several
brass guns were taken, one of very large size, 11 feet long,
ornamented with devices and Mantchou characters, the
others of various dimensions. There is also one made of
wood and cleverly sheathed with copper, an excellent imita-
tion of a brass gun. No one is allowed to pass through the
gate without a pass, and then only permitted to advance
about 100 yards, where a rope is stretched across also to
keep the Chinese back, who congregate there in hundreds
to look at the barbarians and listen to the bands. There are
six shops within this space, in which there is only grain,
dried fruits, joss paper, &c., for sale. There is also a mar-
ket for fruit, vegetables, &c. From the rampart there is an
extensive view over the city and surrounding country, but
there are so many trees in the city, that ono can see but
little of it, the houses being principally of only ono storey.
The public buildings are higher, the roofs of which, being
of glazed tiles, green or yellow, have a good effect. The
streets are wide and more regular than in the southern
cities, but the houses and shops have an appearance of
poverty and dilapidation that was unexpected in the capi-
tal of the Celestial Empire.
"Of the unfortunate party that were captured by San-
ko-linsin's army on the 18th ult., at Chan-kia-wan, Capt.
Brabazon, Quartermaster-General, R.A., the Abbe Luc,
and some French belonging to the Scientific Society are still
unaccounted for. The two former are believed to have
been decapitated by order of a Tartar general who had them
prisoners with him. He was wounded in the battle of the
21st, and in exasperation ordered their execution. The
account is given by Chinese Catholics, and the Russians
say twe Europeans were decapitated at Stone Bridge, Pah-
li-chao, near Tung-chow, where the Tartar camp was. The
authorities pretend ignorance on the subject, but the cir-
cumstance of tho bodies not being produced gives colour to
the truth of the report. The number of French who were
of the party is not correctly ascertained, but there appear to
be four or five still unaccounted for. Those who providen-
tially escaped, after much torture, are Messrs. H. S. Parkes,
C.B. ; H. Loch ; Captain Escayriac, a French officer ; 5
French privates, and 11 Sowars, together 19. Those who
unhappily sunk under the inhuman treatment of the bar-
barous, cruel foe, and whose remains were sent into the
camp are—W. De Norman, attache to the British Lega-
tion at Shanghae ; Mr. T. W. Bowlby, special correspon-
dent of the Titnes ; Lieutenant and Adjutant Anderson,
Fano's Horse ; Private Phipps, King's Dragoon Guards ;
four Sowars and throe French—together 11. The bodies
could only be recognised by the dresses, in which in some
instances they appeared to have been wrapped after
having been stripped. A description of the state of these
poor victims is too horrifying to be related. The tight-
ness of the cord with which they were bound ate into the
flesh, and caused a lingering and painful death
by mortification. The bodies of the Sowars were given
to the Sikh cavalry, who, as is the custom, burnt them.
The French were delivered to our allies, and the four British
wore buried in the Russian cemetery outside the An-tin
gate of Pekin on the 17th.
" At noon the procession formed at the Llama Temple,
and marched in the following order to the Russian cemetery,
half a mile from the city, the band of the Rifles playing a
slow march :

One Troop Dragoon Guards.
One Troop Pane's Horse.
An officer and 20 men of each European corps (armed).
The Commander-in-Chief,
I Chief Mourners.
The Earl of Elgin,
The corpses on gun waggons, each drawn by six horses.
Mourners.—Nearly all the officers of the English, and a
large number of the French army, including General
Montauban, Commander-in-Chief.
Pall Bearers. Pall Bearers.
Major lIn.A . Anson, Hon. T. Thurlow,
V.C.,A.D.C. Att. to Embassy.
Mr. C. S. Compton, Mr. Col. Biddulph,
Captain BOWLBY. Military Secretary.
Farquharson, I Hon. Wortley,
A.D.C. Att. to Embassy.
Mr. H. Loch. Cap. Grant, A.D. C
Mr. T. F. Wade. Mr, Cap.Lane,A.D.C.
Mr. H, S. Parkes, DE NORMAN. Lt.-Col. Crealock,
C.B. Military Secretary
Two Privates Private PHTPPS, Two Privates
King's Dragoon King's Dragoon Kings' Dragoon
Guards. Guards. Gtiards.
Two officers Lieutenant Two officers
Fane's Horse. ANDERSON. Fane's Horse.
The burial service was read by the Rev. M‘Ghee,
chaplain to the British forces. The priest of the Greek
Church attended by request, in his pontifical robes, holding
on high the emblem of our faith. Father M'Ghee, the
Roman Catholic priest attached to the British army, was
present. Three volleys were fired by the infantry. It was
a mournful and affecting ceremony to witness these poor
Christian victims of heathen barbarism laid in their un-
timely grave. The cemetery is about a quarter of a mile
outside the northern wall of the city. The grave is on high
ground, just within the inner gate. The coffins were laid
side by side, from the north to south. Private Phipps,
then Lieutenant Anderson, then Mr. DoNorman, and then
Mr. Bowlby. The Royal Engineers are to place a tomb
over the poor fellows, and if the British Government does
not erect a monument to their memory it is to be hoped
that it will be done by private subscription.
A proclamation, at which a free translation is given
below, was issued by the commander-in-chief of the Bri-
tish forces.
"PROCLAMATION BY SIR HOPE GRANT, K.C.B.
" October 15, 1860.
"'Whereas certain officers sent to Tung-chow with the
knowledge and consent of the Imperial commissioners, Tsai,
Prince of I, and Muh-yin, for the purpose of arranging the
conditions of a pacific reception of the allied Ministers at
Tung-chow, were, on the 18th September last, in defiance of
the flag of truce,under protection of which they were travel-
ling., treacherously seized by PrinceSan-kolinsinand his col-
leagues ; the army which they commanded has been defeated
and dispersed by the allied forces. Those are.now en-
camped outside the north wall of Pekin, and are in occu-
pation of a gate of the city. It has since come to light that
the officers and men treacherously seized have been sub-
jected to usage so barbarous that several of them have died.
This atrocity, for which the Chinese authorities alone are
responsible, they must be made to expiate, and as it ap-
poars that he persons before mentioned, who were cap-
tured in violation of the usage which protects those who
pass between hostile armies, wore first maltreated at the
palace of Yuen-min-yuen, the commander-in-chief has
decided upon the complete destruction of the buildings
thereto belonging, and, further, upon the exaction of a
sum of money, to be paid in compensation for what they
have endured, to the survivors of the parties seized, or to
the families of those who have lost their lives in captivity.
If this sum be at once paid the authorities and people of the
capital will be treated as those of Tien-tsin and Tung-
chow have been ; let them remain peaceably where they
are; but if the sum be not paid within the time appointed,
or if peace be not immediately made by the signature of the
required convention, the commander-ia-chief will not be
answerable for the consequences.'
" The first condition was complied with on the 20th, and
the second carried out on the 24th."

THE SACK OF THE SUMMED PALACE.
The following account of the Summer Palace and
Gardens of his Celestial Majesty at
(Yuen-rain-Yuen) is from the same source
Before attempting to describe the beauties of this lovely
neighbourhood, it will be necessary to say a few words on
the capture of the palace by the French, and how it hap-
pened that the French were on the spot before the English
troops. I will therefore quote briefly an account of the day
(Gth October), submitted to me by an officer in the cavalry
brigade :—" At early morn the army started from the Brick-
kilns, where it had halted the day previ‘us, and proceeded
onwards, keeping the right of the north-east angle of Pekin.
The French were advancing on the left. At 11 a halt was
called, while the line of operations was discussed. Accord-
ing to report, the enemy were encamped in front of the
Tih-shing gal eon the north face of Pekin. It was determined
that the Fro.enthche
laenftdhEanngd,listhhesohiohuelrdtahtelvraingchet,tlnedthienr,ththise
oreordekreaetptaincll the enemy's camp, while the British cavalry,
under the orders of 13rigadier PattEl commanding, should
pen
to cut off
en spot or, the broad road' loading
the enemy's retreat
northfi n t hferiormwtahye t
go
astoe%
northwards. The Cavalry Brigade then left the rest of the
column, and worked in a north-west direction, until they
found the road on which they were ordered to talcs their position, The skirmishers rep' prtecl largo bodies of Tartars
inoving to the 'north.,' and"tWo squalrans of Probyn's
Horse were sent after them, but the Chinese gut the hint
, and
and made off too fast. A tow stlc44l wpthnheard.
ttfill.e° bieighlitliin?tectniPpletatwlieyr"mt4ete ttQ'w"ui lived at
" 4'onob3 who Were
Wit. are

The opening of Tien-tsin a a port of trade, the
removal of the interdict on emigration to British
colonies, the cession of Kowloon to Bong Kong
are unobjectionable stipulations, which the Chinese
well know are for their interest, as well as for ours.
They are the only points in the convention which
are of real value to England and to China. It is
to be regretted that other points of no importance
should have been thrust in, so as to endanger the
stipulations which all wish to be carried out. The
first article, in which the Emperor expresses his
regret for the unfortunate affair at Taku in 1859,
is put in a felicitous way, and all honour is due to
those who have drawn it up. Every one regrets
that unfortunate occurrence, for which Mr. Bruce
is responsible. The ninth article, which provides
for the immediate evacuation of Chusan, shows that
the Chinese are quite aware how far they commit
themselves. The Chinese have always entertained
the idea that Chusan is the key to China; and if any
intelligent reader examines the history of the
first war, he will see that the occupation of
Chusan has been the point to which the court of
Pekin has ever attached the greatest importance
in matters of foreign policy. It is singularly
curious that the Chinese Government—regarding
which there are not wanting people who suppose
it to be tottering to its fall—should fall back upon
its old traditions. Chusan has always been the key
to China. It has been occupied by the Japanese,
and it is difficult to regard the stipulation that
Chusan should be ceded in any other light than as
a preparation on the part of the Chinese to future
action.

But the eighth article of the treaty is one more
easily signed than enforced. That article provides
for the promulgation of both the treaties throughout
the empire. It is undoubtedly bad and serious
that the virgin capital of China should have been
violated by• the allies, but that the fact should be
advertised to the utmost corner of the empire is
something altogether beyond human endurance.
The signature—in undisturbed sulkiness—of such
a provision is one thing, the carrying of it out is
quite another. But these things must be allowed
to go on to their own conclusion ; one thing being
certain, that time, the great mediciner, will work
his own cure, although what member of the diseased
complication will suffer most from his purgative
doses is a question upon which• we declino to
hazard any conjecture.