The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-03 00:00:00

YE.RNMENT DESPATCHES FROM THE
CHINESE WATERS.

THE LONDON GAZETTE EXTRAORDI-
NARY, SATURDAY, AUG. 1, 1857.
' ADMIRALTY, Aug. 1, 1857.--The Lords Commis_
stoners of the Admiralty, at a late hour last night,
received. despatches from Rear-Admiral Sir Michael
soymour, of which the following are copies :
OPERATIONS IN CANTON RIVER.
Calcutta, at Hong Kong, June 10, 1857.
have the honour to report proceedings in
the tr Canton river since my letter by the packet of
25th Ai-a)t•
The arrival of the Tribune and Amethyst having
enabled me to reinforce Commodore Hon. C. G. J.
B. Elliot, the senior officer in the river, that officer
at once commenced offensive operations against the
junk forces ; and on the 25th and 27th ult., he took
the gunboats and the boats of her Majesty's ships
under his orders, up the Escape Creek, against the
fleet which has been so long stationed in its inner
waters, where he had the good fortune to capture
or destroy about forty mandarin war-junks, in a
manner which has called forth my with() approval.
I b-g to invite the attention of the Lords Commis-
sioners of the Admiralty to Commodore Elliott's
enclosed report of his proceedings, and to the offi-
cers he has named for their conduct in the affair.
In my letter, No. 119, I signified my intention
of proceeding up the Canton River. I accordingly
embarked iu the Coromandel steam tender, Lieut.
Sholto Douglas commanding, -on the 29th May,
and with the remaining gunboats, and the boats of
H.M.S. CalcUtta under the command of Com-
mander H. R. Holland,- arrived the same day at
second bar.
I was reluctantly under the necessity of depriv-
ing myself of the urgently proffered services of my
flag-captain, W. K. Hall, whose presence at Hong
Kong has long, under trying circumstances, proved
most beneficial to the colony.
Having now an adequate force at my disposal, I
lost no time in taking the necessary steps for an
attack on the war junks, which have been visible
up the Fatsbam Creek since the 4th of January
las', when they made so determined and well-
arranged an attempt to recapture the Macao
Fort, and block up the channel. The enclosed
copy of a general memorandum to the squadron,
and abstract statement (numbered 2 and 3) will
show my arrangements and 'the disposition and
nature of the force selected for the purpose, which
proceeded on the 31st of May to the upper part of
the river.
Just before day break on the Ist of June I ad-
vanced up the Fatsham Creek in the Coromandel,
the Haughty following, having in both vessels de-
tachments of seamen, under the command of Corn
modere the Hon. Chas. Elliot, and of Royal
Marines in charge of Captain Robert Boyle, R.M.,
and the other officers and bolts attached to the Ist
Divi ion, in order to capture a fort with' outworks,
mounting 19 guns, on an advanced elevated point,
which commanded the approach to- the position oc-
cupied by the junk forces. The flight of several
signal rockets showed that the Chinn-se were fully
alive to our proceedings. When within about
1,500 yards of the fort the Coromandel grounded
on a barrier of sunken junks filled with stones,
and the enemy opened fire. The landing party of
seamen and marines were immediately put in the
boats and sent a-head, and under a very heavy fire
of round and grape, in which the junk fleet joined,
the fort was almost immediately in our posse-sion,
Commander Elliot setting the good example of
being one of the first in it. The landing was par-
tially covere Iby the fire from the Haughty. One
of two of the guns in the fort were immediately on
the war junks. Happily this important service
was effected without loss. The position was a re-
markably strong one, and, defended by a body of
resolute troops, might have bid defiance to any
attack. The Haughty, having landed her party,
went on with Commodore Elliot and the boats of
the Ist Division, to co-operate with Commodore
Keppel. I ordered a portion of the Royal Marines,
under Lieutenant and Adjutant Burton, to remain
as a garrison in the fort, and sent Captain Boyle,
with the remainder, about 150 in number, to the
scene of operations by land, to cut off the
enemy retreatiug from the junks and to
prevent the advancing boats being annoyed
by gingalls or matchlocks from a large vil-
lage aejoinin6,!--a favourite tactic with the
Chinese. One half of this force was ultimately sent
back to the fort, and the remainder rejoined the
squadron up the creek.
As .soon as Commodore the Hon. H. Keppel per-
ceived the men of the Ist division ascending the
heights, he advanced up the channel on the east
'tide of Hyacinth Island, with the gun and other
boats of the 21, 3d, and 4th divisions, in order
stated in the prow arcane. With the exception of
the Haughty and Plover, the gun-boats soon
rounded, but, agreeably with my instructions, the
boats were pushed a-head. The junks, which were
admirably moored in position to enfilade the whose
of the attacking force, soon opened a very heavy
fire, keeping it up with great spirit until our boats
were close alongside, when the crews commenced
to abandon their vessels, and to effect their escape
across the paddy fields. The blowing up of one or
two junks hastened this movement. In about 20
minutes we had possession of about 50 junks.
Leaving the 3d and 4th divisions to secure the
prizes, Commodore Keppel then proceeded about
three miles further up the creek, where more mast
heads were visible, and found 20 junks moored
across the stream in a very strong position, which
opened such a well directed and destructive fire,
that-he was obliged to retire and wait for reinforce-
ments. The hunch of the Calcutta was sunk by a
round shot, the commodore's galley had three
round shot through her, and several other boats
were much injured. On additional boats coming
up, the commodore shifted to the Gilcutts's black
barge, and again advanced, and after a severe action
the enemy gave way. They were pursued as far as
Fatsham, a distance of seven milks, and 17 of them
captured and burnt. In consequence of my orders_
not to molest this large and important city, the
three junks which passed through the creek on
which it is built effected their escape.
The result of the expedition was the capture of
between 70 and 80 heavily armed junks, mounting,
on an average, from 10 to 14 guns (many of then
long 32-pounders), nearly all of European manu-
facture. As no object would have been gained by
removing the prizes, T caused them, with a few ex-
ceptions, t i be burnt ; and the flames and nume-
rous heavy explosions must have been seen and
heard far and wide.
This engagement opens a new era in Chinese na-
val warfare. Great judgment was shown iii select-
ing the position for the fleet, and the Chinese, par-
ticularly the last division attacked by Commodore
Koppel, defended their ships with skill, courage,
and effect. I enclose a list of casualties, which I
regret to state is large, amounting to 3 officers and
10 s amen and marines killed, and 4 officers and 40
seamen and marines wounded ; but it is to ms a
matter of surprise that, under the circumstances of
the case, the loss was not greater. •
I deeply regret to report the death of Major
Kearney, Deputy-Assistant Quartermaster-General
to the China Expeditionary force. This officer was
on duty in the Canton River, and gallantly volun-
teered his services in the boa's. He was killed by
a round shot in the Fury's gig in the attack npun
the upper division of junks.
I had the wounded collected as seen as possibl
and sent them to Hong Kong the same evening, in
charge of Dr. Anderson, staff surgeon of the Cal-
e t a. •
The force remained at anchor on the night of the
lst. of Jute, in the position before occupied by the
junk fleet, and on the following morning dropped
down to the main river, towing five of the captured
vt-133015, which were the only ones saved from the
general conflaeration.
In the execu ion of these important services I
need hardly state that every captain, officer, and
man did his duty' and where all I are so-distin-
gui.lied themselves I refrain from making
indi-
eelese 0
fore, considel Should their lordships, th• re-
two engagements as.wortby of
spee:al merks otfi'their approval, I would beg to sug-
gstervstitchea,.t due regard should be paid to seniority and
I must net, however •
abipm,
notice
the
gallant and
to bring te their lora•
efficieet assistance
afforded me by Com telocloreasKi
eiTtse:and
vkelaenr
adl Elliotdi via ,i
time. captains iu • charge of tbe
Commodore' Keppel lsd the R
on
h tha ofd threechie r
C
and the fact of his galley havingjunks
-d
shot through it,-and five men, ol
six, killed or wounded, is the hest pro ,eroun roe7t)hel
manner in which he maintained his position,
Commodore Keppel's report of his proceedings
is herewith eneloied, and I beg to add a tracing of
the Fatsham Creek, showing the position- of the
forts and of the junk forces, before the commence-
ment of the at7acke
I left the river, on the afternoon of the 3d, for
the purpose of receiving the mails from England,
and of waiting the arrival of Lord E'gib.
All 'is perfe3tly quiet to the northward. The
squadron continues generally healthy, but latterly
there hat been a slight increase of fever and dysen-
tery, which may be expected at this season of the
yeir.—l have, &c., .

M. SEYMOUR,
Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.
I beg to add that Mr. G. Rvmond, master of
the Encounte', at Ma,.:ao, volunteered his services