The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-07 00:00:00

THE BOMBARDMENT OF CANTON.

1 DESPATCHES FROM ADMIRAL SEYMOUR
AND SIR JO RN BOWRING.
(From the London Gazette of last night ) •
ADMIRAL ri-, JAN. 5.
The following. despatceee have been received from
Rear-Admiral Sr Michael Seymour, K.C.8., Comman-
der-in-Chief of her Majesty's ships and vessels on the
East India and China Station :--
OPERATIONS AT CANTON.
Niger, at Canton, Nov. 14, 1856.
Sir,—ln the sixth paragraph of in) general letter (No.
91) of the 15th ultimo, I alluded to the Chinese authori-
ties having a few days previously forcibly seized the na-
tive crew cf a lorcha, under English colours, and that I
had demanded redress.
I have now the honour to report, for the information
of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that on
the Bth of Oct., the lorcha Arrow, with a colonial regis-
ter from the Governor of Hong Kong, was boarded whilst
at anchor at Canton, by a Chinese officer and party of
soldiers, who, notwithstanding the remonstrance of the
master, an Englishman, seized 12 of her crew, bound
and carried theta away, and hauled down the British
flag. Her Majesty's consul after... Yards remonstrated with
the officer who had seized the men, but without effect.
This outrage was immediately brought to the notice of
the Imperial High Commissioner by Mr. Parkes, her
Majesty's consul, whorequired the 12 men to be returned
to the Arrow by the same officer who had carried them
away ; that an apology should be made and an assurance
given that the British flag should in future be respected.
Tneir lordships will, however, observe, on perusing the
documents which accompany this despatch, that although
the 12 men were eventually sent back, it was not in the
pubic manner in which they bad been carried away, and
all appearance of an apology was pointedly avoided.
On the 11th of October this unpleasant occurrence
was officially reported to me by Sir J. Bowrine, her Ma-
jesty's Plenipotentiary in China, and his excellency sug-
gested that the seizure of an Imperial junk would pro-
bably produce the desired reparation. I accordingly
directed Commodore the Hon. C. G. J. B. Elliot, of her
Mejesty's ship Sybille, senior officer in the Canton river,
to carry out Sir John Bewring's suggest on, and I de-
spatched the Barracouta steam sloop and Coromandel
tender to afford him the means of 'doing so. A junk
was '.eeized,* but it led to nothing. I then sent tier
Majesty's steam frigates Encounter and Sampson to join
the Commodore (the former to lie off the factory), in the
hope that the presence of such an imposing force would
show the High Commissioner the prudence of com•
plying with our demands ; but his Excellency appeared
determined on resistance.
At this period Mr. Parkes proceeded to Hong Kong
to consult with Sir John Bowring and myself as to the
best measures of compulsion to be adopted, and we all
considered that the seizure of the defences of the city of
Canton would be the most judicious, both as a display of
power without the sacrifice of life and of our determina-
tion to enforce redress ; experience of the Chinese
character having proved that moderation is considered
by the officials only as an evidence of weakness.
I immediately moved the Calcutta above the Bsgue
Forts, as high up as her draft of water permitted, and on
the morning of 23.1 October, proceeded on beard the
Coromandel steam-tender for Canton, with the Sampson
and Barracouta in company, and the detachments of
Royal Marines and boats' crews of her Majesty's ships
Calcutta, Winchester, and Bittern, and, the boats of the
Sybille with the commodore. On approaching the Blen-
heim Reach I diverted the Sampson and a portion of our
force up the Macao passage, to prevent the Chinese from
stopping up the channel, and to capture the Blenheim
Fort. I then went on with the Coromandel and Barra-
couta to the Four Barrier Forts, about five miles below
the city. Anchoring the two steamers above the forts,
I despatched the boats and took possession of them. An
ill-judged attempt at resistance from two of the forts,
which tired on our ships and boats, resulted in the death of
five Chinese soldiers. There were about 150 guns, from
One font bore to 4 pounders.
I now directed Commander Fortescue, in the Barra-
conta, to follow the Sampson, and having spiked the
guns, destroyed the carriages and ammunition, and
burnt the buildings in the forts, I proceeded to Gunton,
where I arrived at 2 p.m., and learnt that the boats from
the Sampson and Barracouta had taken quiet possession
of the Blenheim Fort, and also of Macao Fort, a very
strong position on an island in the neddle of the river,
mounting 86 guns, which I have garrisoned and shall
retain for the present.
Her Majesty's Consul, by my direction, immediately
informed the High Commissioner of my arrival, and of
the aggressive measures which he had compelled me to
take in consequence of his refusal to redress the wrong
committed by his officers ; also that I should continue
such proceedings until reparation should be made. His
Excellency's reply was very unsatisfactory.
On the morning of the 24th I landed a portion of the
Marines to aid the detachments from the Sybille and En.
counter, already at Canton, in the protection of the fac-
tory, and proceeded in the Coromandel to join the Bar-
racouta, off Macao Fort. Then, at a preconcerted sig-
nal, the Bird's Nest Fort, mounting 35 guns, and a
small fort, opposite the city, wtiich might have annoyed
the factory, were taken without opposition, as were sub-
sequently the Shemin forts, at the head of the Macao
passage. The whole of the guns were rendered unser-
viceable, and the ammunition destroyed.
As the state of affairs now appeared so very unpromis.
ing, I considered it advisable to take effectual measures
for the protection of the factory. The remainder of the
Royal Marines, and a body of small-arm men, were
therefore landei. Advanced posts and field pieces`were
stationed at all the assailable points, barricades thrown
across the streets, and the boats kept vigilant watch to
guard against the approach of fire rafts and attacks isy
water. The execution of this important duty I en-
trusted to Captain W. K. Hall, C. 8., my flag-captain,
whose zeal and activity throughout the whole of the
operations I cannot too highly commend. The Royal
Marines were in charge of Captain P. C. Penrose, R.M.,
of H.M.S. Winchester, who showed great ability and
promptitude.
Captain Cowper, Royal Engineers, who bad been sent
from Hong Kong to afford me the benefit of bis profes-
sional experience, was of great assistance in pointing out
and remedying the weak points in our position.
A body of American officers, seamen, and marines,
under Commander Foote, of the United States corvette
Portsmouth, provided for the interests of the American
community.
On the 25th I took possession of the Dutch Folly, a
fort witb 50 guns, on a small island opposite the city,
where I afterwards placed a body of 140 officers and
men, under Commander Rolland, of the Calcutta. All the
defences of the city being now in our hands, I considered
the High Commissioner would see the necessity of sub-
mission, and I directed Mr. Parkes to write and state
that when his Excellency should be prepared to arrange
the points in dispute, in a satisfactory manner, I would
desist from further operations ; but the reply did not
answer my expectations.
An attack'was made at 12.30 p.m. by a body of troops,
supported by a much larger force, which occupied the
streets in the rear. Mr. Consul Parkes was on the spot
at the time, and warned them to retire, but ineffectually.
The guard of Royal Marines, in charge of Captain Pen-
rime, then quickly drove them back with a loss, as we
understand, of 14 killed and wounded.
The 26th, being Sunday, was observed as a day of
rest.
Early on the morning of the 27th, I caused another
letter to be written to the High Commissioner, to the
effect that, as satisfaction had not been offered fur the
affair of the Arrow, I shouldresumbye offensive
al enisilievgeopera-
tions ; and his Excellency baring,
mea-
sures, and determination to refuse reparation, produced
this display of force, I concurred in opinion with Sir
John Bowring, that this was a fitting opportunity for
requiring the fulfilment of long-evaded treaty obliga-
tions ; and I therefore, in addition to the original de-
mands, instructed Mr. Parkes to make the following
communication :
"That to prevent the recurrence of evils like the
present, which have been occasioned by the disregard
paid by the Imperial Commissioner to the repeated
applications for redress and satisfaction, made to him by
letter in the matter of the Arrow, by her Majesty's
Plenipotentiary and the Consul—writing, in consequence
of the closing of the city to foreigners, being the only
means of communication—l demanded for all foreign
representatives the same access to the authorities and
city of Canton (where all the Chinese high officials re-
side) as is enjoyed under treaty of the other four ports,
and denied to us at Canton alone."
No reply having bees made, I determined to open fire
on the High CommissionoesCo
hismpo Eandx(ctehleleYncayin,sunr)e,sia.
large space of ground within the old city, surrounded
dbyenaceh,
high
hd
wall,
consequently hili
thefirst
governmentsotw
asfired from h
property.
r 0 At ce-
°or
10-iinienh ivglYp'aottl p.m.,
of the Encounter ; and, at intervals
of from five to ten minutes, the fire was kept up
from that gun till sunset. The Barracouta at the earns time
shelled the troops on the hills behind Gough's Fort in
the rear of the city, from a position she had taken up at
the head of Sulphur Creek.
A proclamation was this day issued, under the High
Commissioner's own seal, and placarded publicly, offer.
ing a reward of thirty dollars for the head of every Eng-
possession of her
iiB
h Majesty'san. COonnesuolf. the
Nearly originals
al is l
thein Chinese servants now
quitted the factory.
A detachment of 18 gunners of Royal Artillery, under
Captain Guy Rotten, joined me. I stationed them at
first in the Dutch Folly, where they performed good
eerVice.
No change baying taken place in the aspect of affairs
from the proceedings of the 27th, I resumed operations
on the following day from the Dutch Folly, where I
placed in position two of the Encounter's 32-pounder
h guns. I had previously given the fullest warning to the
inhabitants in the vicinity to remove their persons and
property (Captain Hall having landed twice for that pur-
pose), in which occupation they were engaged during the
whole of the night. I began firing shortly after noon,
my object being to open a clear passage to the wall of
the city. This was materially furthered by a conflagra-
tion of a large portion of the houses in our line of attack,
which opened the wall to our view. I ceased firing at
sunset.
Captain the Hon. Keith Stewart, of her Majesty's
ship Nankin, joined me on the morning of the 280, with
140 of his crew and two field-pieces. Sixty-five of the
crew of the United States corvette Levant also arrived
to Protect American interests, making their total force
140 officers and men, under Commanders Foote and
Smith.
Our fire re-opened earlier on the morning of the 29th
than was intended, owing to an appearance as if guns
had been mounted on the city wall during the night.
At 11 a.m. Commander W. T. Bate aneMr. C. G