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

warded it to his Excellency her Majesty's plenipotentiary, Hereafter, if any lawless characters conceal themselves on
and requested his instructions in the case, board foreign lorchas, you, the said Consul, shall of course
These instructions of her Majesty's plenipotentiary, be informed of the same by declaration (from the Imperial
which I have now received, are to this effect. Commissioner), in order that you may act in conjunction
That as it is clear that the Chinese authorities have vio- (with the Chinese authorities) in the management of such
lated the 9th article of the Supplementary Treaty, which affairs."
requires that all Chinese malfaisants in British ships guilt I should state to your Excellency that I hold such clear
be claimed through British authorities, I beg to inform I and conclusive proofs of the facts which your Excellency
your Excellency that her Majesty's Plenipotentiary requires attempts to aeny, namely, that the lorcha had the British
yon to furnish me with an apology for what has taken ensign flying when boarded, and had an Englishman on
place, and an assurance that the British flag shall in future I board, that no doubt or question in respect thereto can for
be respected ; and I am to intimate to your Excellency a moment be admitted.
that if forty-eight hours are allowed to pass without a I should further state to your Excellency that British
compliance on yoer Excellency's part with this demand, I interests alone are placed under my care or control, and
am then to concert with the navalauthorities the measures not those of other foreign nations. Whenever, therefore,
necessary for enforcing redress, lawless characters conceal themselves on board a British
lam also to add that, on any sufficient evidence being vessel, it will be very proper that reference should be made
given that British shim or British subjects have been en- to me in the manner stated by your Excellency, and that
gaged in piratical practices, they will be proceeded against I should co-operate with the local authorities on the mea-
without hesitation, and that an application to the proper sures necessary for their apprehension • but in the case of
authority, Chinese offeniers will not be harboured on a vessel under any other but a British flag I cannot be
board British vessels, but that all proceedings must take called upon to interfere.
place according to the conditions of the treaty.—l have, But not only is it on all future occasions that this course
kc., should be pursued ; it must also be adopted in the present
(Signed) HENRY S. PARKES, H. B. M.'s Consul, instance.
His Excellency Yeh, Imperial High Commissioner, As to the offer of your Excellency to send back ten of
Governor-General of the Two Kwang, &c, the Arrow's crew, it is my duty to represent to you that
twelve men havinz been carried away, the same twelve
men must be returned, and in the manner previously de-
manded ; that is, they should be taken by Chinese officers
to their vessel and given over to rise there. If but one of
their number be missing I cannot undertake to receive
them. But it is very far from my intention to give these
men, when they are surrendered to me, their liberty. I
shall receive them, but ought to detain them in safe ens
todv until all the requirements of the treaty in their case
shall have been fulfilled.
To resume ; my letters of the Bth and 12th October con-
tain, as I have often had occasion to state tai your Excel-
lency, the satisfaction required in this case, namely, an
apology for what has occurred, an assurance that it shall not
be repeated, and the strict fulfilment of the provisions of the
treaty in the proceedings necessary to be taken with the
Arrow's crew; and I should add, that if your Excellency
cannot assure me that these demands will be conceded, it is
in vr.in for you to again address me on the subject.—l
have, &c.
(Signed) HARRY S. PARKES, H.B.M.'s Consul.
His Excellency Yeh, Imperial High Commissioner,
Governor-General, &c.

Yeh, Imperial High Commissioner, Governor-General,
kc., addresses this declaration to Mr. Parkes. the British
Consul at Canton

At the hour of Wei (from 1 to 3 p.m.), on the 14th day
of the ninth month (12th October), I received the state-
ment addressed me by the Consul, which I have well con-
sidered.

I find in reference to the twelve men, Le-Mingtae and
others, who were seized on board the lorcha, that by my
direction, the Prefect of Canton examined them cleatly
and thoroughly, and duly submitted to me in his repel t
copies of the truthful depositions he had taken. Where-
upon the three men, Woo•Asin, Le-Mingtae, and Leang-
Keen•foo, are reserved for further and more strict exattii-
Dation, and the Assistant Magistrate Hen was directed to
take the remaining nine, Leang-a-Paon, and others, and
return them to their own vessel. These particulars were
also distinctly communicated (to the consul) in the decla-
ration which, as the records show, I then addressed him.
But he has uow forwarded to mo another " statement"
on this subject, on which I have to remark that it is stated
in the deposition of Woo-Asin, "that this lorcha belongs
to Leo-Aching, who began to build her on the 14th day A*
the 7th month of the 4th year of Hein-fung (7th August,
1854), and on the clay on which she was completed lie
bought her from the foreign firm Polo (Block), a register
for which he paid one thousand dollars, and he also en-
gaged the foreigner Aloo to take care of the vessel, paying
him thirty dollars a month as wages."
Thus it had been ascertained by the previous examina-
tion, that this lorcha is not the property of a foreigner,
and at the same time when the raval officers seized the
twelve men, and brought them to my yamun, I directed
that they also should be examined as to the matter, and
they stated that when they went to the lorcha to seize the
men they saw no foreigner on board ; that at that time
no flag had yet been hoisted on board the lorcha ; that
they beard that the flag was stowed a .vay below, but they
themselves saw nothing of it. Therefore they seized the
men anti brought them away.
Hereafter, Chinese officers will on no account without
reason, seize anti take into custody the people belonging to
foreign lorchas, but when Chinese subjects build for them-
selves vessels, foreigners should not sell registers to them,
for if this be done, it will occasion confusion between
native and foreign ships, anti render it difficult to distin-
guish betwee❑ them. Thus may all parties conform their
proceedings to the conditions of the 9th Article of the
Treaty.

Hien-lung, 6th year, 9th month, 19th day (14th Octo-
ber, 1356). (True translation.)
(Signed) HARM' S. PARKES.

British Consulate, Canton, Oct. 15, 1850.
Sir,—At about 10 a.m. yesterday I received your Ex•
cellency's declaration, which I regretted to see evinced no
desire on your Excellency's part to grant the satisfaction
demanded in my letters of the Bth and 12th instant. It
compelled me, therefore, as had been previously intimated
to your Excellency, to concert with the naval authorities
the measures necessary for enforcing redress.
Having waited until one o'clock, the Commodore in
command of her Majesty's naval forces in this river passed
the barrier in a powerful steamer, and anchoring her by
the Leihtih forts, came on to Canton in another steamer,
and having selected one of the largest junks from the fleet
of Chinese war•vessels at. anchor below the Hacchow Fort
(Dutch Folly), hauled her out from among them, and took
possession of her.

British Consulate, Canton, Oct. 2.1, 1856.
Sir,—lt is with deep regret that I inform your Excel-
lency that the Imperial Commissioner and Viceroy of those
provinces, has been so ill-judged as to withhold up to this
hour the satisfaction demanded for the outrage committed
by his officers on the Arrow lorcha.
That your Excellency may know the form in which our
final demands were presented, I have the honour to enclose
copy of the representation containing these, which, as your
Excellenc-, is already aware, I was directed by her Majes-
ty's Plenipotentiary to forward to the Imperial Commis-
sioner, allowing him twenty-fourhottrs for compliance, and
which I accordingly delivered to his Excellency yesterday
at six o'clock p.m.
I add two extracts from my letters to the Imperial Com-
missioner of the Bth and 12th, referred to in the above en-
closure, from whichyour Excellency will learn that the de-
mands authorised by her Majesty's Plenipotentiary consist,
of the surrender of the Arrow's men i❑ the particular man-
ner therein described, an apology for what has occurred,
and an assurance that the British flag bhall be respected in
future.

By way of complying with the demand for the above
assurance, the Imperial Commissioner wrote to me this
morning, " Hereafter, if any lawless characters conce,l
themselves on board foreign lorchas, you, the said Consul,
shall of course be informed of the same by declaration
(from the Imperial Commissioner), in order that you may
act in conjunction (with the Chinese authorities) in the
management of such affairs."
This may, perhaps, be considered a sufficient assurance,
though th: word " British," in place of " foreign," should.
have been used.

As to the surrender of the men, his Excellency offered
early this morning to give up 10 of them, but 12 having
been seized, I declined to receive a smaller number. He then
forwarded the 12, but not in the manner required in my
letter of the Bth (see Enclosure No. 2), and demanded that
I sn)uld at once return two of them without any "proper
officer" being deputed to conduct with me the necessary
exawination. I again declined to receive them on these
conditions, or in any other manner than that described in
my letter of the Bth, and the men were again taken away.
Finally, no apology of any kind has been tendered.
Thus your Excellency will see that, although the Impe-
rial Commissioner may be said to have yielded to one of
the three demands, there yet remains two which he has
not complied with, and it cannot therefore be maintained,
I submit, that he bas offered the satisfaction which the
case requires.
It appears to me, therefore, that I have no alternative
but to place the matter in the hands of your Excellency,
and as my letter to the Imperial Commissioner was circu-
lated among the British and foreign community of Canton
last evening, they are already apprised of the resort to force
which the violation of treaty rights on the part of the Im-
perial Commissioner may at once occasion.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) HS. PARKES, H.8.31.'s Consul.
His Excellency Rear-Admiral Sir Michael Seymour,
X.C.8., Naval Commander-in-Chief, &c., cc.
Coromandel, off the Barrier Forts, Oct. 23, 1855.
Sir,—l have the satisfaction to inform your Excellency
that in furtherance of the decision come to in our confer.
ence on the morning of the 20 k inst., at which H. tt.'s COl2
sill at Canton was present, I have this day taken possession
of the four forte known as the Barrier Forts, without
casualty on our side, but with the loss of four orfive killed
on the part of the Chinese, solely arising from their ill-
judged resistance to our forces, two of the forts having
tired upon us, with guns in position and small arms.
After renderin, the forts incapable of interfering with
our operations in the river, I shall proceed to Canton,
where I shall continue such further operations as circum-
stances may render necessary.—I Lave, &c.,
S;re M. .
His Excellency Sir John Bo(wring,) LL.D., her SEYMOUR.
Majesty's Plenipotentiary, Hong Kong.
Superintendency of Trade, Hong Kong, Oct. 24, 1856.
Sir,—l have to acknowledge your Excellency's despatch
of yesterday, and to express my high satisfaction at the
prompt, able, and successful manner in which the naval
operations have been cart ied out, in accordance with the
arrangements made at our conference of the 20th inst.
I cannot doubt that the Imperial Commissioner will
now feel the absolute necessity of complying with the
demands which have been made, and I have to add that
if your Excellency and the Consul should concur with me
in opinion, that the circnmstances are auspicious for re-
quiring the fulfilment of treaty obligations, as regards the
city of Canton, and for arranging an official meeting with
the Imperial Commissioner, within the city walls. I shall
willingly come to Canton for that purpose, and request
you will kindly give me the means of conveyance thither.
—I have, &c.,

I have to inform your Excellency that a naval force is
now before the forts of Whampoa, those of the Leihi ih
barrier, and also at this city, and to remind you that the
matter which has compelled this menace remains still un-
settled,_

Deeply it is regretted that it should have been °col•
gonad by the disregard on your Excellency's part, of res.•
son, justice, and the obligations of the treaty.—l have,&c.,
(Signed) H. S. PARKES, Consul.
His Excellency Teh, Imperial Sigh Commissioner,

Sybille, at Wharnpoa, Oct. 15, 1,55.
Sir,—l have the honour to acquaint you, that yesterday
after Mr. Parkes, her Majesty's Consul, had received the
letter from the Imperial Commissioner (an extract of whi,;h
I hive already forwarded to you), I returned to Virharnpaa,
when I found tho Barracouta had arrived the previous
evening. The tide suiting, I desired Commander Fortes-
cue to proceed immediately up Junk Passage as near Can-
ton as he could go with safety to the steamer. He lost no
time in doing so, aed anchored towar,lB evening some way
above the barrier, at Whampoa ; the Coromandel at the
same time embarked the Sybille's marines, and took in tow
her boats, and proceeded up the river to carry out the de-
termination to seize one of the Government junks.
The lora', Arrow, when the outrage upon her was com-
mitted, was lying below the Dutch Folly (where she still
remains) surrounded by Imperial junks, and as the act was
done in a very public manner in that conspicuous position,
it appeared to me be.it, that a reprisal should be made in an
equally public way, by taking one of the mandirin junks
lying at the same place. Those most conveniently situated
had sailed during that and the previous day, and, with the
strong tide running, it was difficult to select a suitable
vessel. After cutting one adrift from her moorings the
tide carried her into a position from which she could not
have been extricated without much difficulty and Ines of
time ; another one was therefore seized, and the Coroman-
del brought her clown to Whampoa during the night, where
she now lies under the guns of the Sybille.
This junk, which, with others about her, as we passed
in the morning, carried the imperial flag, appears to be one
of many vessels in the hire of Government lying at that
anchorage, and used for war purposes or as transports, as
occasion requires ; and I am assured she is of the class,
and very similar to the junk that boarded the A.rrovr.
I understand she has on board a valuable cargo.
I am happy to say that this service has been performed
wit hout any casualty, though considerable disposition to
resist was shows by the surrounding mandarin junks, the
tampions being removed from many of their guns and
other preparations made.
The Coromandel returns to Canton this morning; I
shall keep the Sybille's marines oa hoard her as a guard.—
I have, Ice. (Signed) CHs. G. J. B. ELLIOT,
Commodore and Senior Officer in the
Canton River.
His Excellency Rear Admiral Sir Michael Seymour,
K.C.8., Commander-in-Chief.

(Signed) JOHN BOWBING
His Excellency Rear-Admiral Sir Michael Seymour,
K.C.8., Naval Commander-in-Chief, Canton.

rsh nsulate, Canton, Oct. 23, 186.
Sir, —I haveß toiti reportCoto your Excellency the arrival at
this city of his Excellency the Naval Commander-in Chief,
and to inform you that the forces under his Excellency's
command have this morning nosses4ed themselves of the
Four Barrier Forts and the Mass° Fort, and have com-
pletely dismantled and rendered them wholly unavailable
for offensive purposes.
However much he may regret this resort to force, which
your Excellency, by the violation of the treaty has elm -
polled, his Excellency will proceed to the destruction of all
the defences and public buildings of this city and govern-
ment, unless you at once comply with every demand which
has been made.

Yeh, Imperial High Commissioner Governor-General of
the two Kwang Provinces, ke.
addresses this declara-
tion to Air. Parkes, the British' Consul at Canton.
On the 17th day of the 9th month (15th October), I re-
ceived your statement representing that your demands had
not been complied with.
I, the minister, have therefore considered the matter,
and find that the party who was plundered by the pirates
went and seized subjects of China on board a lorcha, built
by a Chinese in China. It is a matter, therefore, is
which, from the first, foreiviers have no concern. The
lorcha, too, had the flag of no foregoer hoisted at the
time, nor was there any foreigner on board the lorcha ;
therefore the men were apprehended and taken before the
tribunals.

Should these movements occasion or lead to the destruc-
tion of ary British property, the British Government will
demand from that of China full compensation for the same.
—I have, &c., _

(Signed) H. S. PARKES, Consul.
His Excellency Yeh, Imperial High Commissioner, &c.

Yeh, Imperial High Commissioner, Governor-General of
the Two Kwang Provinces, &c., makes this declaratien
to Mr. Parkes, the British Consul :
At five p.m. on the 2.3 d inst. I received your statement,
I informing me that the Naval Commander-in-Chief of your
honourable nation had arrived with his forces at Canton,
having the same morning taken possession of the Barrier
Forts and Macao Fort, all of which had been completely
dismantled, and their ammunition destroyed.
I, the Minister, have been made aware of these circum-
stances before your communication reached me.
I find that the rules of propriety have hitherto been in-
variably observed by your honourable country in your
commercial intercourse with China.
• Now, when the twelve men or criminals were seized on
board the lorcha on the Bth October, I at once deputed a
special officer to conduct their examination. He found that
nine of their number had committed an offence, and on the
10th instant they were returned by an officer to the lorcha;
but you, the Consul, declined to receive them. Early on
the morning of the 22d instant I forwarded to you, with a
declaration, Leang-Mingtae and Leang-Keenfoo, the two
criminals concerned in the case; the Woo-Agin, the wit-
ness, and the above-mentioned nine men—in all 12. The
same day at 12 o'clock, I received a :tatement, in which
you made no allusion to this circumstance.
This lorcha was built by the Chinese Loo-A-ching. When
he was boarded by the Chinese soldiers, they were not
aware that she was a foreign lorcha ; she was anchored
near the Dutch Folly, and she was originally a Chinese
vessel.
It is an established regulation wi,h the lorchas of your
hononrable nation that when they corns to anchor they
lower theircolours, and do not rehoist them until they again
get under weigh; we have clear proof that when the lorcha
was boarded her colours were not flying. Row then could
they have been taken down ? Who could have incited you,
the said consul, to attack, on the morning of the 2:3d inst.,
the Barrier Forts, burning the forts, and wounding or kill-
ing six of the Chinese soldiers ; and again on the 24th
inst., to attack and burn the Macao Passage Fort, when e
of our soldiers received contusions. It was because I, the
minister, am at peace with your honourable nation that
the soldiers in no instance offered resistance ; but if you,
the said consul should of your own will again resort to
violence, and occasion trouble among the people of this
city, who will not submit to such proceedings, then I, the
minister, shall find it difficult to employ persuasion on your
account. I therefore inform you of this beforehand.
Furthermore, your honourable nation has hitherto re-
verenced the spirits of heaven and the Sabbath-day, and
justice and propriety are held by yon in esteem; but does
the destruction of forts correspond with such professions?
Yon, the said Consul, should well consider this.
21th October, 18&i, 7 p.m.
True translation.
(Signed) H. S. PASSES, Consul.

Hereafter, if any lawless characters conceal themselves
on board foreign lorchae, you, the said Consul, shall of
course be informed of the same by declaration (from the
Imperial Commissioner), in order that you may act in con-
junction (with the Chinese authorities) in the management
of such affairs.
You further inform me in the statement under acknow-
ledgment, that a naval force has seized and retains posses-
sion of a large junk, forming one of the fleet of vessels at
anchor, below the Hacchow Fort (Dutch Folly).
I find that the junk in question is a trading junk, and
the property of Chinese merchants, who, although fault-
less, have thus ben suddenly involved in trouble by the
acts of the said Consul. Where in the treaty will he find
authoritylor such proceedings as these? I, the minister,
in any course of action, must not exceed the rules of strict
propriety, nor go beyond the bounds of the laws in any
punishment that I impose.
Nine of tho twelve men who were seized on the 10th day
(Bth October) were returned on the 12th day (10th Oct.)
to you the said Consul, but you refused td receive them.
At the present moment the examinations of ten of these
men have been taken and completed, and these men shall
be immediately given over to you, the said Consul, if pm
are content to receive them. In the event, however, nf
your again declining to do so, then I, the Minister, shall
myself set them at liberty.
This declaration is sent in reply to your statement.
Hien-lung, 6th year, 9th month, 231 day (21st October,
1856.) (True translation)
(Signed) HARRY S. PARKES. I

British Consulate, Canton, Oct. 21, 1856.
Sir,—On the morning of the Bth inst., the British lord-,a
Arrow, when lying among the shipping P.nchored before
thie city, was boarded, without any previous reference
being made to the British consul, by a large force of Chinese
officers and soldiers in uniform, who, in the face of the
remonstrances of her master, an Englishman, seized and
carried away twelve Chinese, out of her crew of fourteen,
and hauled down her colours.
I reported all the particulars of this public insult to the
British flag, and grave violation of the 9th Article of the
Supplementary Treaty, to your Excellency the same day,
and appealed to you to afford satisfaction to the insult,
and to cause the provisions of the treaty to be, in this case,
faithfully observed.
But your Excellency, with a strange disregard both of
justice and treaty engagements, has offered no reparation
or apology for the injury, and, by retaining the men you
have seized in your custody, signify your approval of this
violation of the treaty, and leave her Majesty's Govern.
meet without any assurance that similar aggressions shall
not again occur.
Your Excellency was warned, by what took place on the
evening of the 14th inst., of the dangerous consequences
to which a refusal of justice might lead ; but your Excel-
lenci treats with indifference that warning, and also the
several protests made to you, not only by me, but by her
Majesty's plenipotentiary. •
I am therefore instrncted by her Majesty's plenipoten-
tiary to inform your Excellency that twenty-four hours,
to count from the delivery of this reprtsentation, are
allowed your Excellency to accede to the demands made to
you in my letters of the Bth and 12th inat., and in the
event of these demands not being complied with within
the time named, her Majesty's naval officers will have
recourse to force to compel complete satisfaction.
I have, &c.,
(Signed) HARRY S. PARKES, H B.M.'s Consul.
His Excellency Tell, Imperial High Commissioner,
Governor-General, &c., &c,

British Consulate, Canton, Oct. 22, 1856.
Sir,—l had the honour to receive at half-past 8 this
morning your Excellency's declaration of yesterday's date,
in which you state that " the lorcha Arrow had the flag of
no foreigner hoisted (at the time that she was boarcle(l),
nor was there any foreigner on board the lorcias, therefor.
he men were apprehended and taken before the tribunals.

ceedings yesterday were confined to the taking of the fort
called the Dutch Folly, without opposition.
To-day, being Sunday, is kept as a day of rest. I pur-
pose resuming offensive operations to-morrow.
The Encounter, Sampson, Barraccnta, and Coromandel
are at anchor off the factory ; the Comas guarding the
barrier in the Macao passage of the river.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) M SZYMOUR,
His Excellency Sir John Bowring, LL.D., ker
Majesty's Plenipotentiary, Hong Kong.

Superintendency of Trade, Hong Kong, Oct. 27, 1' 56.
Sir.—l have received with extreme gratification your
Excellency's report (dated 25th inst.) of the capture of the
Blenheim Reach Fort, that of the Macao passage, the Red
and Cha-min Forts, and of your intention, with as much
regard as possible forlife and private property, to continue
your hostile operations until satisfaction is obtained from
the Imperial High Commissioner. lam also gratified to
find that the factories are adequately protected.
I can only renew my congratulations on the most suc-
cessful issue of all your naval operations, and hope our
diplomacy may be equally auspicious.—I have, &c.,
(Signed) JOHN BOWRING.
His Excellency Sir Michael Seymour, K.C.8.,
Naval Commander-in-Chief, &c.

British Consulate, Canton, Oct. 25, 1856.
Sir, —I have received your Excellency's declaration of
last night, and have laid it before his Excellency the
Naval Commander-in-Chief.

He directs me to inform your Excellency that he consi-
ders such a communication, being for the most part a re-
petition of previous misstatements, to be at this time
entirely out of place.
His Excellency having been compelled to take much
trouble in order to redress a wrong committed by your
Excel!ency, it will be necessaur to guard against the recur-
rence of such difficulties by providing freer means of com-
munication between your Excellency and her Majesty's
officers.

In the matter of the Arrow many communications were
addressed to your Excellency both by her Majesty's Pleni-
potentiary and Consul, of which your Excellency took no
notice. They were therefore unable to convince your Ex•
cellency by personal argument of the injustice you were
persisting in, and hence the present difficulties have been
brought aboull.

The twelve men sent to the consulate at noon on the 22d,
together with the communication from your Excellency,
which accompanied them, were returned, because the de-
mands made in my letters of the Bth and 12th of October
had not been complied with, as was clearly explained at the
time to the Nankee, Assistant Magistrate, who brought
them.

Can it be possible that he did not represent these parti-
culars to your Excellency? If so, it is another proof of
the dangerous consequences which the want of direct per-
sonal communication between her Majesty's officers entails
and how indispensable such communication has become.
His E.tcellency the Naval Commanderin-Chief directs
me to add, that when your Excellency is prepared to ar-
range these questions satisfactorily, and to furnish the re-
paration demanded for the outrage committed on the
Arrow, he will then desist from further operations ; and
as he is careful to respect the property of the people, he is
not apprehensive that these movements, which are directed
solely against your Excellency's Government, will incite
hostility on their part.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) H. S. PARKES, H.B.M.'s Consul.
His Excellency Yell, Imperial High Commissioner, &c.

Yeh, Imperial High Commissioner, Governor-General,
kn.' addresses this declaration to Mr. Parkes, the Bri-
tish Consul.
At noon on the 26th Oct. I received your statement and
have well considered it.

On the morning of the 22d Oct. I addressed you a decla-
ration, and with it sent you the 12 men, thus, therefore,
returning to you the whole number that had previously
been seized. You, the said Consul, received (the letter and
men), and thus had knowledge (of the fact). Was not
this proceeding in perfect accordance with (the demands
made in) your letters of the Bth and 12th Oct. ? Why then
did you as before refuseto receive them, and proceed with-
out reason to burn and destroy the forts of this city ?
But the minister also knows full well what you, the said
Consul, have in view. For a certainty it is nothing less
than a desire on your part to terminate the course taken
by the Envoy Davis in the spring of 1847. Little indeed
do you know that the people in China form the basis of the
nation and that the people of liwang•tung are very different
from other commanities.

As to what you say in your statement under acknow
ledgment about respecting the property of the people (let
me inform you) that the forts you destroyed on the 231
and 24th Oct. were all built or repaired at the cost of the
people to guard against the attacks of thieves or rebels.
The destruction you have committed has therefore fallen
upon the people, and the people being enraged at these
proceedings, trouble will inevitably ensue.
But you, the said Consul, must alone decide whether
what I now say is to be believed or not. True translation.
Oct. 26, 1856. H. S. PARLIii.

British Consulate, Canton, Oct. 27, 1855.
Sir,—l have received and Mid before his Excellency the
Naval Commander-in-Chief your letter of yesterday after-
noon.

A reference to my previous letters of the Bth, 12th, and
224 October will show very clearly that your Excellency
has never yet offered the satisfaction demanded for the
matter of the Arrow, and you now refuse to entertain the
proposal for direct personal intercourse made to you by the
Naval Commander-in-Chief in my letter of the 23th. His
Excellency, therefore, directs me to inform you that he
shall resume offensive operations, and that your Excellency
is alone responsible for all the evil consequences that may
ensue.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) S. PARKES, Consul.
His Excellency Yeh, Imperial High Commissioner, &c.

Encounter, at Canton, Oct. 29,1856.
Sir,—ln continuation of my letter of the 26th inst. I
have the honour to inform your Excellency, that, seeing the
measures which had been taken to compel the High Com-
missioner to yield compliance with your just demands
having proved of no avail, I opened fire at 1 p.m., on the
27th, oo the Governor's Compound in the New City, from
the stern pivot gun of the Encounter, and continued it till
sunset, at intervals of from sto 10 minutes. The Barra-
couta at the same time also shelled the troops on the hills
at the back of the city, from a position at the head of Sul-
phur CI ealc.

No change in the state of affairs having followed, I yes-
terday resumed offensive operations from the Dutch Folly,
where I bad placed two guns in position, having previously
given the fullest warning to the inhabitants in the vicinity
to remove their persons and property, an occupation they
were engaged in during the whole of the previous night;
our fire in the direction of the city walls, aided by a con-
flagration of a large portion of the houses in our line of
attack, has materirlly furthered our object of opening a
clear passage between the Dutch Folly and the walls of
the city, and will, I have reason to hope, facilitate our
further operations.

The fire has reopened on the city walls this morning
earlier than I intended, in consequence of the Chinese
mounting guns on the walls opposite the ➢utch Folly.--
I have, &c.,

(Signed) M. SEYMOUR.
His Excellency Sir John Bowring, LL.D., her
Majesty's Plenipotentiary, Hong Kong.

Government-house, Hong Kong, Oct. 30, 1856.
Sir,—l have to acknowledge your Excellency's despatch
of yesterday, advising the continuance of hostile opera-
tions, consequent upon the unsub,invd obstinacy of the Im-
perial Commissioner. I venture to hope that the pressure
will soon be irresistible and the final result all we could
reasonably anticipate.
In addition to the small body of Artillery sent up to be
placed under your Excellency's orders, we have thought it
desirable to despatch an officer •f Engineers (Captain Cow-
per), who will be at your Excellency's disposal for any ser-
vice required It his hands.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) JoRN BOVIRING.
His Excellency Sir Michael Seymour, K.C.8,,
Naval Commander-in-Chief, &c.

Return of Officers, Seamen, Royal Marines, and Royal
Artillery, engaged in the capture of a portion of the City
of Canton, on the 29th October, 1856.
Her Majesty's Ship Calcutta. —W. K. Hall, C. 8., cap-
tain; W. R. Rolland, commander; H. H. Beamish, lieu-
tenant ; F. J. Campbell, lieutenant ; Robert Boyle, rapt.
R. M. • R. P. Henry, Ist lieutenant, R. M. ; W. W. All-
nutt, 2d lieutenant, R. M. ; W. R. Kennedy, midshipman ;
S. Osborne, midshipman ; C. H. Eden, midshipman ; A.
B. C. Booth, midshipman ; H. H. A'Court, midshipman ;
E. W. Pearn, master's assistant; F. T. Holdsworth,
naval cadet ; 97 seamen; 104 marines.—Total, 14 officers,
97 seamen, 104 marines. Grand total, 215.
Her Majesty's ship Sybille—The Honourable C. G. J. B.
Elliot, commodore 2d class, '
commanding the forces - E. F.
Dent, lieutenant ,- Henry Swale, Ist lieutenant, R. M.,
slightly wounded; A. T. Brooke, midshipman; H. T.
Price, midshipman ; 53 seamen ; 1 marine.—Total, 5 offi-
cers, 53 seamen, 1 marine. Grand total, 59.
Her Majesty's ship Winchester—J. H. Bushnell, lieu-
tenant, in charge of field piece, highly active and zealous ;
P. W. Pellew, acting lieutenant; P. F. James, acting
second master; P. C. Penrose, captain, R.M., com-
manding detachment ; C. W. Burton, first lieute-
nant, R.M., acting adjutant ; 43 seamen, 39 ma-
rines, 34th company, John Lyne, acting lance corporal,
mentioned for gallant conduct in bringing off killed and
wounded men.—Total, 5 officers, 43 seamen, 39 marines.
Grand total, 87.
Her Majesty's ship Nankin—The Hon. K. Stewart, cap-
tain ; R. Carter, lieutenant ; W. W. Howell, mate ; A.
Rattray, M.D., assistant-surgeon, transporting wounded ;
V. Scholefield, midshipman ; 68 seamen • 3 marines.—
Total, 5 officers, 18 seamen, 3 marines. drand total, 76.
Her Majesty's sloop Bittern--W. T. Bate, commander
C. G. Johnston, master; George Gordon, surgeon, volun.
teer ; 4 seamen ; 11. marines.—Total, 3 officers, 4 seamen,
11 marines. Grand total, 18.
Her Majesty's steam-ship Encounter—Robert Gibson,
lieutenant ; J. S. Twysden, lieutenant, in charge of field
piece, highly active and zealous ; 22 seamen.—Total, 2
officers, 22 seamen. Grand total, 24.
Her Majesty's steals-ship Sampson—Marines 10.
Total, 10 marines.
Her Majesty's steazra.sloop Barracouta--T. D. A. For-
tescue, commander; W. K. Bush, lieutenant ; J. H.
Tully, acting 2d mast,er ; J. M. Ironson, assistant-surgeon,
actively employed in carrying the wounded from the shore
to the Dutch Folly ; 50 seamen ; 11 marines.—Total, 4
officers, 50 seamen, 1 4 marines. Grand total, 68.
H.M. sloop Corn-us —Marines 17—Total, 17 marines.
Royal Artillery
fi..ons Hong Kong—Guy Rotton, cap-
tain ; 5 men ; the rctniainder of the party of Royal Artil-
lery remained at Ulf, Folly to serve the guns in covering the
storming party._!'Total, 1 officer, 5 men. Grand total, 6.
Encounter, at Canton, Oct. 25, 1856.
I Calcutta-14 oil icers,Slu9"setaYen, 104 marines. Total,
215. Sir,—l have the honour to inform your Excellency of Sybille-5 officers 53 seamen, 1 marine. Total, 59.
my proceedings since my letter of the 23d instant.
After rendering the guns in the forts
possession of uselss, I set fire to the buildings, and then
proceeded to Canton, where I found the Encounter lying 87.
which I had taken the forces as a volunteer.
Winchester-5 officers, 43
off the factories. I had sent the Sampson and Barracouta Nankin-5 officers, 68 sr
to secure the free navigation of the Blenheim Reach, and Bittern-3 °dicers, 4 P
, Assistant-Surgeon Orr, of the 59tb, Regiment,* landed with
reansen, 39 marines. Total,
nmseean,
en marines.ot Total,
semen, 3 marines. Total, 76.
'll 18.
on myarrival I found that those ships had taken possession Encounter-2 officer,:
of the Blenheim and Macao. Forts without resistance ; the ' Sampson-10 mari.nes. Total,n 10. ' 24.
:Ira, 50 seamen, 14 marines. Total, 68.
latter I retain temporary possession of.
, Comas
-17
--Imaroiffi Yesterday morning I proceeded down the Macao Reacb
ca's. Total 17.
whore I met the Barraconta; and at a given signal, the Royal Artillery- - 1 officer, 5 men. Total, 6.
fort opposite the factory and the Bird's Nest Fort were Grand Total---`39 o
taken quiet possession of, as were afterwards the two forts artillerymen ' 5
marines, . rilotal, 580fficers, 337 seamen, 199
called (I think) Cha-min, commanding the paasage. The From this 7-lumber must be taken the boats' crews, about
gang were rendered unserviceable.-1 have, &c.,
180 leaving, number who were actually at the breach
(Signed) M. SEy3fouß , , the
' about 400.
Rear-Admiral and Commander-in Chief.
His Excellency Sir John Bowring, LL.D., her
Majesty's Plenipotentiary, Hong Kong.

KILLED.
Her ry West, marine, Bittern, slug wound in head.
amea Lulharn, marine, Bittern, sing wound in head.
Encounter, at Canton, Oct. 26, 1856.
Sir,--I beg to acquaint your Excellency that my pro, IWOUNDED.
I HenryrfenrY Swale, Ist lieutenant, R.N., Sybille, wound of
4 peck from sing very slightly.