The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-14 00:00:00

vessels. I should have stated that the Plover, Lee,
and Kestrel, all sank in the course of the evening
of the 25th, and the Haughty and Cormorant (de-
spatch vessel) early next morning. Thanks to the
untiring efforts of our gallant tars, however, the
Haughty and Kestrel have, under a heavy fire from
the forts, been floated again, and are in compara-
rative safety, while all the valuable contents of the
Cormorant, Lee, and Plover have been either saved
or effectually destroyed. All who have witnessed
the operations are loud in their praises of the gun-
boat officers, who have done duty like heroes. It
has undoubtedly been a most unfortunate affair ;
but, whatever befell, no one can deny that the men
did all that mortal men could do. The point selected
for landing certainly appears to have been ill
chosen, but yet, as we could not get past even the
first barrier, it seems that after all it was as good
as any that was accessible ; and, as to the expe-
diency of the attack being made at all, I would
only ask—what would they have said in England,
what would the world have said, had we declined
the attack when, as far as we knew, we had only
rascally Chinese to contend with ?
" Time, I am confident, will .prove that Euro-
peans were our principal opponents, and that to
have succeeded in our attempt we should have had
at least five times, if not ten times, the force we had.
" Lieutenant Peard of the Cormorant is particu-
larly worthy of mention for his conduct. Besides
being in action all day with his vessel, he landed,
was first in the ditches, took back a message to the
boats and returned again to the advanced trench.
Lieutenant Peard had served in the trenches during
the whole of the siege of Sebastopol.
"The great majority of the men hit are either
dangerously or severely wounded, but I am happy
-to say they are almost all doing well. The weather
is very favourable for them, being cool, with fresh
breezes from the north and north-east.
"The French, out of their small landing party-
of e, ? men, had 15 killed or wounded. The Ameri-
cans aosisted us considerably, by means of a small
steamer -with which they towed up several of our
boats into action from the large ships, and also
after the action, by taking out to their respective
ships a number of our men, to whom they showed
every kindness. They were loud in their praises
of daring our men showed, and have sent large
presents of fresh meat and vegetables for the
benefit of our wounded.
" The following vessels were actively engaged :
Coromandel, 2 guns, tender to flag-ship, Clutter-
buck, lieutenant-commanding ; Cormorant, 4 guns,
gun vessel, Wodehouse, commander ; Nimrod, 6
guns, gun vessel, Wynniatt, acting commander ;
Plover, 2 guns, gunboat, Rason, lieutenant-com-
manding ; Opossum, 2 guns, gunboat, Balfour,
lieutenant-commanding ; Haughty, 2 guns, gun•
boat, Broad, lieutenant-commanding ; Lee, 2 guns,
gunboat, Jones, lieutenant•commanding ; Kestrel,
2 guns, gunboat, Bevan, lieutenant-commanding ;
Janus, 2 guns, gunboat, Knewitt, lieutenant-com-
manding ; Banterer, 2 guns, gunboat, Jenkins,
lieutenant-commanding ; Starling, 2 gins, gun-
boat, Whitshed, lieutenant-commanding; Forester,
2 guns, gunboat, Innes, lieutenant-commanding.
Also a small French gunboat with one bow gun."
From a letter of the 10th July we learn that the
troop-ship Assistance was then off Saddle Islands,
near Shanghai, having brought down 150 of the
worst cases of the wounded. It was to start
early next morning for an anchorage near Ningpo,
among the Chusan Islands, where it was expecte d
there would be a favourable place for lying in
until the hot weather should be past. Magicienne
and the Coromandel arrived at Shanghai from the
Peiho on the 10th inst. Poor Captain Vansittart,
we regret to say, was scarcely expected to live.
His leg had been amputated beneath the knee, and
it was thought that another amputation would be
necessary, as affording the only chance for his life.
The last accounts of the admiral were that he was
doing well. There had been only three deaths on
board the Assistance after she left the Peiho, and
the great majority of the wounded on board were
getting on wonderfully well.

(From the Daily Press, July 19.)
Incredible as it may appear, it is positively as-
serted in hi 'h quarters at Shanghai that the Taoutai
has sent a letter to Mr. Bruce, stating that he is
commanded to inform his Excellency that the
attack of the forts at Taku on her Majesty's ships
was a mistake, for which the Emperor expresses
sincere regret, that the mandarins who committed
the outrage had been decapitated, and that the
Emperor would be happy to meet Mr. Bruce at
Pekin, and arrange matters amicably.

(From the Straits Times, Ext 7 a, August 1.)
We regret to learn that Captain Vansittart is in
a very precarious condition. His leg was ampu-
tated below the knee, and it is feared that a second
amputation will become necessary.—Hong Kong
Register, July 22.
The Rev. Mr. Huleatt, also wounded on the 25th
of June, arrived at Hong Kong by the Aden on the
18th inst., and we believe is doing well. He pro-
ceeds to Europe by this mail.—lbid.
It is stated that some of the wounds inflicted on
our men at the late attack at the Peiho were caused
by Minie balls. If this be true it is significant.—