The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-01 00:00:00

rHE SUN, LO N DON,_ SATURDAY EVENING, AUGUST 1, 18W,*

4th instant at Jallundur. Zhere have been 'several fires
here of late.
R. MONTGOMERY, Judicial Commissioner.

guns, and all concentrating four cross fires upon this very
scot. Happily the danger has ceased. These are, or
rather were, the Bogue Forts. John Chinaman complains
that we don't fight fair when we from time to time take
these forts. Instead of going up to them like brave men,
we send a few small ships in for all the guns to fire at, and
when the guns are all at work some marines and blue-
ja?kets leap over the wall in the rear and drive the gunners
out. The Chinese are of a practical and reasoning turn of
mind. When asked why they ran away from a storming
party, one of them answered, in ray hearing, " No can.
Two piecy man no can stand all same place. S'pose you
must come in, I go out."
These Wantong islands are, I am told, to be occupied
by a force of Marines expected to arrive by the Sanspareil
about the end of July.
After passing this celebrated spot we come to a larger
island, called Tiger Island. It is a green hill and valley,
but with no trees upon it. Here are Commissariat officers
g it a depot for their bullocks.
laying plans for makin
Major Kearney, who as Assistant-Quartermaster-General,
has been associated with them in this service, comes on
board and tells me he here joins the expedition on duty,
having it in command to report to his General the military
character of the country through which it may proceed,
and its capabilities for purposes connected with his de-

INDORE.
( Prom the Alofuesilite, June 6.)
Copy of electric telegraph message,received from Colo.
nal Durand, at Indore :
"An express front Captain Lloyd, dated sth, Chota
Jadree, reporting rise of Neemuch troops on the night of
ld inst. All joined. The Artillery commenced. Fort
gate opened by a native officer. Officers known to be
saved —Captain Lloyd, Lieutenant Ritchie, Dr. Cotes,
Ist Cavalry, Captain Sir J. Hill, Lientenant,Ellice, Lieu-
tenant Stapleton, Quartermaster-serjeant and family.
" Artillery.—Lieutenant Walker and child, Dr. Clark,
Lieutenant Barnes.' Sergeant., fate of family unknown.
" 7th Qwalior Infantry.— Captain M'Donald, Lieutenant
Bose, Lieutenant Gurdon, Lieutenant Davenport.
The 72d officers safe with families.
" Dr. and Mrs. Hockin at Jewnd, Mrs. Buston and
family at Jewnd, Sergeant Brahyon, wife, and family, and
Mr. Williams at Jadree.
" H. A. PRINSEP, Aide-de-Camp.
" June 8, 1857."

CHINA.
HONG KONG, Jong 5.
The Chinese fleet has been destroyed in two decisive
engagements, but the sentiment of our navy has under-
gone an entire change in respect of the-n " timid" barba-
rians. More Englishmen have been killed and wounded in
these two conflicts than were disabled before the walls of

Acre.
The first expedition was under Commodore Elliott, and
the operations lasted during the 25th, 26th, and 27th of
May. The second was under Commodores Keppell and
Elliott, commanded by the Admiral in person. The first
I can only relate from hearsay.
If you will refer to the small chart of the Canton river,
recently published by the Admiralty, and which, so far as
it goes, is very correct, yen will see four creeks marked as
running from the Canton river eastward. The northern-
most of these is Escape Creek ; next, to the south, is
Tazokee Creek, which is, in fact, but part of Escape
Creek ; about four miles further to the south is an en-
trance called Second Ber Creek, and four miles still south-
wards is a larger inlet called Sawshee Channel. Only OA
mouths of these four inlets are marked in the chart. Thdji
were supposed to communicate with, each other further
inland, but nothing certain was knoll& upon the subject.
About five miles up Esaape Creak a large fleet of Man-
darin junks hed lain for some time, and here it was that
the operations counnencede '
On the morning of Moodily, the 25th of May, Commo-
dore Elliott, in the Hong Kong gunboat, followed by the
Bustard, the Staunch, thee Starling, and the Forbes, and
'towing the boats and boats' crews of the Inflexible, the
Hornet, and the Tribune, steamed into the creek, and
came upon 41 Mandarin junks, moored across the stream.
Each was army with a long 24 or 32 pound gun forward,
and also with from four to six nine-pounders. The first
shot Brad after she got within range struck the Hong
Kong, and for some minutes the shot came thick aboard
of her. The other gunboats now came up, and forming in
as loose order as possible immediately opened fire. The
junks stood for from° time, and returned the fire with
spirit. It requites no small amount of steadiness and
courage to wo k that large exposed gun, rising in the
bows of the junk and without a scrap of protection to
the man who fires it. After some little time confusion
seemed to increase. They are all swift vessels, impelled
by oars or sails. Several of them got under way and
turned for flight up the creek. Immediately they
did so they wore comparatively powerless, for their
stern guns were of small calibre and were not well served.
The steamers pressed on in pursuit; but the waters shoaled.
The gunboets draw from 7ft. to 7t. 6in. ; these flat-
bottomed junks can float in three feet. One by one the
steam gunboats grounded, but the Commodore's cry was,
" Never mind, push on." They had towed behind them
the boats of the larger ships. Quickly as a steamer gcit
fast into the mud the men swarme-d into the boats, manned
the gun in her bows, as l rowed off in pursuit. At last
there was not a steamer afloat, the junks were in full
up the creek, the rowboats were in hot pursuit. It
was hard work, for these are swift vessels, and with 40
Chinese pulling for dear life, they pass deftly through the
shallow and treacherous channels. The guns, however,.
in thy haws of the pursuers, told henvily, and when a boat
did get alongside the crews always fired a broadside of
grape, jumped out on the other side, swam ashore, and
were lost in the paddy-fields.
Sixteen junks ware thus taken and destroyed in the
main creek. Thirteen escaped by dint of swift rowing.
The sun was tremendous, and cases of sunstroke were
occurring among the men. One junk in its terror turned
up a little inlet to the right, and being followed was
politely led out. A squadron of 10 went up a passage to
the left, which is supposed to have a shallow channel up
to Ceuta). They were now, however, so utterly panic-
strickeu that upon being approached by four boats they
• were all abandoned and burnt upon the spot.
Thus ended the first day's work.
Commodore Elliott, however, was not satisfied about
those 13 junks. He had suspicions also that there were a
great many more in therm creeks.
The next day was employed in stopping the four holes of
this rabbit warren. *Captain Forsyth of, the Hornet was
now left t) guar l Escepo Creak. The Inflexible had her
broadsides bearing upon the entrance to the Second Bar
Creek. Captain Edgell in the Tribune took charge of the
Sawehee Channel. Alt the points of escape into Canton
river being thus closed, Commodore Elliott and his gun-
beats, with all the ships' boats of his squadron in tow, on
Wednesday morning set forth to explore the Sa,wshee
Oharene). For twelve miles his gunboats found water—
but found nothing else ; but the Commodore saw a very
remarkable pagoda, which he had seen before when run-
ning up the Escape Creek, and he felt convinced that these
creeks were all in communication, lie also met a China-
man who told him that four of his friends who escaped on
Monday had got away to a town whereof thispagoda is the
principal building, and which we now know to be Tung-
koon. Abandoning his steamers, therefore, he took to his
boats, and after rowing for 12 miles between paddy fields
rounded a point of the creek and found himself close in
with the town of Tung-koon, and also with a fleet of junks
(one of them of great size and splendour) and under a bat-
tery. The Chinese were utterly unprepared for this sudden
meeting. The English boats fired all their guns, gave a
cheer, and made a rush; the Chinese jumped overheard
without firing a shot.
Now, however,'eame the worst part of the affair. It was
necessary to destroy these junks, and it was desirable to
take away the chief junk. Bat the boats were in the
midst of a city. The crows of thoj auks established them-
selves in houses and fired upon the s dlors with jingalls.
The Marines were obliged to form and charge in the streets.
Toe Mandarin junk was found to have powder upon ber
deck put trains communicuting between her and the stree
Then a house close to her was set on fire, an 1 up she went
nearly carrying an English pion-ace up with her. Twelve
large junks were here destroyed. The sailors, who had so
sails in their row boats having now done their work,
bar lly cared to pull back again. Sails, therefore, were
improvised out of the mats and other spoil of the junks,
awl they came sailing down Sewshee channel in guise
which might have puzzled the master of each ship to re-
cognise his own boat.
In,this affair one man oat of every 10 engaged was hit
—a large average even in European warfare. Such was
the result of the expedition of the Escape Creek.
I shall describe the battle of Fatahan in all its details,
not only because it was the most desperate cutting-out
affair that has happened in these waters, but also because
it enables me to describe at the same time the theatre of
our operations and the present posiaon of the British force
in China. " I have sent home by this mail a plan of the
operations, and if Mr. liryld will publish it in a cheap
form, and if people will refer to it while reading may nar-
rative, I believe I can make the incidents clear to them.
If I do not it mast be my °An fault, for no one had a bet-
ter opportunity of seeing them.
On friday, the 29th of May, at 9 o'clock is the morning
Admiral Sir Michael Seymour, Commanding in Chief, left
the Calcutta line-of-b ittle-ship and hoisted his flag on board
the Coromandel, a small paddle-wheel steamer which had
been a passenger boat, and was very weak both in scantling
and armament. She bad been brought when our force
here was too small for its work; and her recommendations
were that her draught of water is not groat and hor ma-
chinery tolerably trustworthy. The latter cannot be sail
for the gunboats, which break down constantly. Their
boilers are worn out, but others are on their way, and all
will then be riekt. The Coromandel, however, is a lucky
boat. The Admiral uses her as a tender to the Calcutta,
- and takes his littie eggshell into a hot fire as confidently as
if she were a shotproof battery. She has been five times
in the thick of it, has been hulled over and over again,
but her vital part, her machinery, has never yet been hit.
The Admiral was accompanied by Commodore Heppe],
Commander Rolland, of the Calcutta; Mr. Fowler, flag-
lieutenant; Mr. Somerset, acting signal-lieutenant; and
Dr. Anderson, staff-surgeon. Lieutenant Douglas, of the
Calcutta, commanded the Coromandel. With the excep-
tion of Mr. Janes, the Admiral's Secretary, and of one in-
. divkluel who was there as the Admiral's guest, these were
the only occupants of the quarter-deck.
Bang goes the signal gun and the Coromandel is under
way. Four low, black, vixen looking screws immediately
show signs of movement and they are soon follewine in the
wake of the Admiral. These are the Haughty, the Opos-
sum, the Forester, and the Plover gunboats. Two of
these are armed with two long 36's and one 68-pounder;
the other two have not their large gun on board.
• Away we go, the Haughty holding her own well with the
flagship, and the others coming on some distance astern.
We pass through the archipelago of islands which lie in
the great estuary called the Mouth of. the Canton River.
We coast by the Castle Peak Bay, a large inlet where 17
jun' s sere destroyed some weeks since, and where those
papers were taken which have t tld us something of
the proceediegs of our enemies. We pass the pyramidal
islet of Lintin—the great feature of the entrance of this
river ; and as we lose it behind us we begin to see main-
line, or what is imagined to be mainland, on each side.
Thera are clouds upon the mountain tops, and I am told
that -within. that mainland there are creeks and channels
nthicaat Jeu
ftngainiiinweinthitely reticulated convolutions and commu-
way far up lute the large rivers which keep open the water
trated 80 mites country. Captain Keith Stewart pens-
• population, a
but noes g them and found a civil and friendly
rinth. There is a maps of any termination to the laby-
• one of thejnaks ; but itn" map
of them recently taken in
of a handful
of
rm,nin is like a picture by a pre-Raphaelite
-I,oit may be an aide mentoire to a
man who knows them,r titisof no use to a stranger.
Among them these pirates
prowl and bide, and here, when
close pressed, the Man larin lanky
lie and t of war take refuge.r
a steamer, as they
Here, also, they watch their opportunity, coming
down in case of opportunity mobtooei
mobbed the Coromandel on the 4th oe
ech. rrar
crockery,
twilrc'yka aechd shot,
Cornus not lone since, sending through
which took off a seaman's legs, went
rimers, and destroyed ail the captain's cheat the
• we
call ei eland," therefore, is only the banks of hat
channel which leads to Canton through this raze of shal-
low and narrcw waters'
Now we bug the right hand shore of this sickly pale
green river, and we pass a group of mamelons that mark
the entrance to a bay. This is Anson's Bay, and low down,
nearly level with the water, is a line of stone embrasures,
at which 12 large guns show their muzzles. These are
hostile guns. This is the fort of Chuenpee. There is a
sensible old Mandarin there who writes to Pekin that no
barbarian dares to look upon Chuenpee; but, be also gives
strict orders that no gun in Chuenpee shall ever be fired
on a barbarian ;so we have hitherto let him alum Wo
were in close range some time, bat no Chinaman showed
his eye over his gun,
The channel contracts. Away to the left there is an un-
limited. extent of rocks, shoals, and shallows; but the
channel runs between two hills. M
high shores interpose two green isletisdwaitbtv
thes $ n ebeot t
otes
mhoef
the hill which forms the right hand ba.nk raja two separate
lines of embrasures, built of very large stoics, are
now knocked about in strange coeeion,
similar lines of fortification, which circle their summits
like coronets. As we steam up between the islets and the
shore I look with horror on the place. Hera are four bat-
teries, each having embrasures for a hundred monstrous ,

smoke, and before the booming sound reached us the big
shot struck the waters about 200 yards a-head, driving the

spray high up in the air.
It was a beautiful line, straight from the vessel's bows,
and the spot was carefully noted, for it showed the range
for which the lower tier of guns was laid.
Yon/. Chinaman does not aim his guns at the moment
according to his judgment of thndistance of the object.
He practises at certain points which an assailant must
pass and notches the elevation on the carriage of the
gun.
Scarcely had the splash shown the gunner that his range
was short when another flash came from the higher tier.
The shot, with a rushing sound, passed over the ship a
little to the left, and dashing into a paddy field on our
port quarter sent a column of black mud up 30 feet.
All this time the Coromandel was advancing, and the
dawn was becoming day. It being certain that she was
within range, the fort opened in earnest at the steadily
advancing mark. First came a general salvo, then flash
after flash in rapid succession. Then the battery on the
other side of the island opened; rushing sounds came
strangely near and the waters sometimes splashed the
deck. Fortunately the ricochetting shot which a China-
man best loves IN as out of the question, for his guns were
high up upon the bill, end a small steamer, moving stem
on at a distance of 900 yards, is a little object and hard to
hit. The shot came near us and around us, but did not

partment:
Poor Kearney ! he was every inch a soldier, full of zeal
and hope ; after a career of honour at Sandhurst, a youth
passed in India, and many years lost in office duties at the
Horse Guards, the desire of his life was now about to be
accomplished. He was to see active service in this Chinese
war, and to acquire personal distinction, as he certainly
would have done, in military operations. We came out
together, and euriug the voyage acquaintance had aug-
mented into intimacy. When I congratulated him that
he was about to receive his baptism of fire it never occur-
red to me to imagine that such a man would be knocked
to pieces by a 32-pound shot from a Chinese junk, yet so
it happened.
Half an hour's steaming brings us to the entrance of the
Sawshee Channel—a broad water which runs away east-
ward into a plain covered with little round trees and well-
covered patches, having that peculiar air of greenness so
well imitated in Chinese landscapes—the tender green of
the young rice. This is the Sawshee Channel mentioned
in my account of Commodore Elliott's expedition. It is
supposed to lead to a large river to the eastward, but no
one knows. There are mamelon-shaped hills in the back-
ground—here all hills are of that shape—and Commodore
Elliott's pagoda is just visible; but beyond the scene of his
operations we know nothing.
At 4 o'clock we reach a wide reach of the river, called
the " second bar anchorage." and are in the middle of a
Eritish fleet. Hera we find. the Tribune, the Fnry, the
Hornet, the Bittern, the Sybille, and also the gunboats
Staunch, Hongkong, and Forbes. Seven of Commodore
Elliott's captured junks are also here.
We bad an opportunity of inspecting all these junks.
IVitli'one exception, the large gun had upon some former
occasion been captured and had one of the trunnions
knocked off. The manner in which this had been repaired
by the Chinese excited great admiration. They had pass-
ed a strong iron band round the gun, fitted a false trun-
nion to it, and kept it in its place by a firm iron breech-
ing. The prizes were full of cordage, mats, Chinese cloth-
ing, powder, loose balls, and shot holey.
On the next day (Saturday, 30th May) we steamed up
the river to Macao Fort, pass'ng many picturesque horse-
shoe-form
tombs, and some villages that had been destroy-
ed by the rebels. Out guns look out formidable and stern,
but the hundreds of stripa.ns aed junks which we meet
manifest no fear. The bamboats attach themselves to the
ships of war immediately they anchor. Thera is an air of
fearless confidence about the people which shows that the
industrious classes know that we have no intention to hurt
them. A few weeks since a Chinese who supplied our ships
with beef was behoaded—he and his wife and his children
-- yet the Admiral has found no difficulty in making ano-
ther contract for beef at about Gd. per lb. The boats come
round us with bananas and lemon syrup, and sweet pota-
+o3E4 and tho Chinamen are taking Jack's shillings and
English coppers at a most usurious rate of exchange. The
husbanclmen upon the banks pursue their labours in their
paddyfielde, not only as though no enemy were near, but
under the protection of his guns, for they know that while
we are here the Mandarin sailors and soldiers cannot come
down and do them spoil and violence, as is their wont.
We have a Chinese pilot, who, having got his wife and
children out of the clutches of the Mandarins and located
them at Hong Kong, wishes it to be understood that he is
not a traitor, but an English subject. He wears a glazed
hat and a regulation jacket. I thought at first that he had
cut off the last link which bound him to Whampoa—his
tail. But no, he has gone no farther than d compromise in
this respect—he wears it coiled round his head, inside his
hat. When it blows bard he ties it round his hat outside.
Oar branch of the river (the Blenheim Passage) now con-
tracts to the dimensions of the Thames at Richmond, and
but fur the banana and lychee trees one might expect to
see a punt and a chair, an elderly gentleman and a land-
ing-net. Ever and anon we come up to a British ship,
whose captain goes off to hold converse with the Admiral.
Thus we pass the leiflexible paddle steamer and the Niger
screw ; also the Cruiser and the Elk. Farther on we find
the Acorn, 12 gun brie-, and the Bustard gunboat.
Now we arrive at :bar made by the Chinese by sinking
junks filed with stoves. One narrow passage has been
partially cleared, and it is•said . that there aro 16 feet of
water over that part at high water. The Coromandel was
obliged to go at it at full speed, and some rotten timber
came floating up where the had got through. This bar is
not marked in the Adreiralty chart.
It is astonishing, not that this bar exists, but that a
hundred of them do not occur. At one time we had only
two ships here, and junks were accustomed to come out
and mob them.
Some way above this there is a boom half way across,
placed by the English to prevent the descent of tireships
at night. and, having passed this, the Blenheim Passage,
alone which we have come, debonches into the full river,
'aanti we have a channel to the left, which is called Fatshan
Branch. Tins channel leads up to the city of Fatshan, a
city reported to be rich in dockyards and arsenals, and.
about 12 miles distant. Thither it is said the moat timor-
ous of the magnates of C.).nton have retired in anticipation
I of oar attack upon that city. This Fatshan Branch is oar
ultimate destination. Up that channel is the fort and
the fleet we are going to attack. We see our battle-field
as we cross the mouth, and proceed directly up to Macao
Fort, which is placed at the top of a reach running down
directly to Canton. The fort is only two miles and a
half from the city.
In this entrenchment are 250 marines, a strong embra-
sured wall, surrounding a pagoda of three stories. The
whole is in capital order, armed with largo ships' guni,
and commanding the channel. The time is gone by when
the junks could come down and throw shot into the forts
and retire unmolested.
From the top, of the patio la we see the city of Canton
on the one side, and the fort and the junks on the other.
Admiral Seymour and Commodore Keppel are recon-
noitring the fort. Let 113 join the Marine officers and look
towards Canton. The chief part of the city is hidden
from us by the rising ground on Hunan's Island at our
feet ; but we look down the reach on a large suburb not
very unlike what we see on the banks of the Medway a
couple Of miles below Rochester-bridge. There are two
rained lines of forts, which I am told are the Shatneen forts,
blown up by the English when they retired from the city.
We can see also Gough Fort, which at this distance
looks not unlike Chester Cathedral, and stands on
an eminence far back. .We also see the celebrated
five-storied pagoda, which has an ancient and re-
spectable appearance, and suggests the idea that these
structures wre originally suggested as imitations of
the bamboo, just as the Corinthian capital was suggested,
by the Acaathus, the Gothic aisle by avenues of forest.
trees, and the Saxon arch by twisted willows. The Chinese
aro us busy as bees round Gough Fort. There is a great
encampment there. They are throwing up e•eleanktnents,
connecting the works with the city walls, and evidently
expecting the tactics of the last attack will be re-
peated in the next. They are immen4ely mistaken
The Admiral ani Commodore having completed their
survey we can now occupy the opposite aperture in this
pagoda. We see the fort we are 'to attack on Monday and
a portion of the junk fleet. All who would underatand
the operations must bear with me while I describe the
locality of them.
Just two miles from the month of the Fatshan Branch,
is a long low islend called Hyacinth island. There is a
steep hill on the left bank opposite to that island ; and
beyond it, and higher up the "Branch," two smaller tri-
butaries which go off right and left. These features map
our field of battle. Stand on the Thames below Twicken-
ham Eyot, bring the Star and Garter hill close up to it,
make two creeks branch right and left from the river
a'love the eyot, and you would have something like it. It
is tolerably well shown in the Admiralty chart, but the
two creeks are not quite correct, and the distance between
the island and the transverse creeeks is too great.
This is our fighting-ground. That hill has been con-
verted into a fort. Nineteen large guns are there inotna' ed.
Along the two creeks and across the channel above the
island 72 junks are moored, with their large bow guns so
placed as to command the channels on either side of the
island. A 6-gun battery is erected on the shore opposite
the fort. The fire of the 70 junks will sweep the narrow
channels on either side of the island. The fire of the fort
and battery will plunge upon them from either shore.
This is the position we have to attack.
The Chinese believe they are here impregnable. They
know you cannot get at the junks without first taking the
fort, and they believe that no man can go up that hill in
the face of their guns. Several vessels have from time to
time gone in and exchanged shots with the fort and come
' back again. This confirms their confidence.
We now return to our anchorage down the river, and
the captains receive their instructions for the attack on
Monday morning at 4 o'clock. The Coromandel is to go
in first, towing the Marines, and manoeuvring to take off
the firs while they arc landed; then she is to dash in among
the junks, the gunboats and the rowboats
following.
Hard
work for the little Coromandel.
On Sunday there was a large congregation on board the
flagship. The solemn words of the prayer before battle
fell heavy upon every ear.
It was scarcely 3 o'clock on the morning of Monday, the
Ist of June, when those who slept on the deck of the
Coromandel wrapped in their cloaks were aroused from
their sleep. A hushed movement among the sailors had
already begun. The steam was up. The vigilant young
commander, Douglas, was already at his post, and looking
through the darkness for tho arrival of the boats contain-
ing the Marines. They soon came, and in a long string
of crowded rowboats attached themselves to the
stern of the steamer. Then the Ad viral took his place
upon the bridge, the wheels slowly revolted, and the
Coromandel moved forth from the surrounding fleet. Those
dark hulls, seen dimly by their own lights, would appear
to be soundly at rest but for a hushed murmur which ever
and anon comes from the darkness, the hum of mon mus-
tering in secret.
The Admiral's last orders were, " Let no one up anchor
till lam well in with the fort. Respect private property ;
and do no violence to unarmed people." It was in obedi-
ence to the first of these that the Coromandel was allowed
to steam nut alone.
It
tThe passage through the bar was buoyed- with lights.
half-an-hour,
still black night as the steamer cleared it, and for
pi
,a, a
inie,-bh,3oirt.
f,
waswithth ata nh
steamere r freight of 300 red-coats in tow, she
a.. on at slow speed up to the mouth of the Fatshan
steamed
the enemy's co anxious
asthshineg
stteoaldoodky fao,rivthaefereodm
into
dawn
soon
randuernetlyt---alone. An almost imperceptible,
up when, from the right r4esel
became indistinetl
rocket shot up in the .iri
bank, and a minute after
the fleet of junks. bank a little a-heal of her, a
the re
it was answered b
-' John Chinaman is determined to
to ho caught napping" was darkness less opaque, and objects
visible. She had gone about a mile
; then ano talli earrkf,roamytuai the opposite
howeperp
fromwoseintet
show that he is not
thick
by
for another five minutes.
There is little twilight here ; the division between,
darkn3fe and broad daylight is almost to be measured
u oments. .
Now we could see the higher bills that form the, back.
ground to the for:;, an 1 tho Coromandel was abreast of a
village which is about 1,500 yards from the fort it,elf.
Suddenly, in the gray distance, a_ flash and a curl or

strike,
We reached the island--Hyacinth Island —and were
steaming up the left hand channel, directly to the fort.
Suddenly there was a concussion and a grating sound.
" Back your paddles, we aro aground." We were aground
upen a line of junks sunk across the channel. As soon as
the Chinese saw this they redoubled their fire. The boats
were cast off and told to row quietly under the land, while
the fort was occupied with firing at us. Lieutenant
Douglas took a dingy and a boat-hook and sounded the
obstacle. The Chinamen had left a narrow channel as an
eecape hole for themselves, close under the bank beside
us ; all the rest was blocked.
The Coromandel was too firmly fixed to benefit by this
information. It was dead low water, and she must float
in a few minutes. Meanwhile she was fulfilling her pre-
scribed duty, which was to take the shot of the fort. The
crew ran up and down the deck to try to start her, but in
vain. The Coromandel did not fire a shot ; in fact, she
had only one gun loaded. She could not afford to make
a smoke at this critical part of the river.
But now Keppel thought he had restrained himself long
enough to fulfil the Admiral's orders. He came upon the
paddlebox of the Hong-Kong gunboat, which bore his
pennant ; and, having with his quick glance noted the
soundings and the result, stood in between the Coroman-
del and the bank. There he was like a man enjoying him-
self. His blue trousers tucked up to the .top of his Rus-
sian boots, his white pith hat, his small, active, springy
figure, his constitutional good-humoured, devil-may-care
laugh—there was a ,man who, without the least ostenta-
tion, was ready to go into any fire that gunpowder and
iron could get up, and around him were men who were
quite ready to follow him. " May I pass, Sir ?" " Yes,
pass; we are aground."
Immediately behind the Hong-Kong comes the Haughty,
admirably handled. She is towing the boats of the Fury,
Inflexible, and Cruiser, lane steamers which can only
send their captains and their crews into these shallow
channels. Lieutenant Hamilton takes his little ship
through the narrow, steams directly for the fort, and
diverts the fire from the poor Coromandel, who, however,
is making violent !efforts to get free. Next come the
Bustard and the Tribune. They are waved to pass where
the Hong-Kong and the Haughty passed, but they
do not see, or they think they know better,
end they get hopelessly aground. It is a pity,
for the Hong-Kong has met with some stakes
of the other side of the channel, and those
junks whose painted ports we have been so long looking at
at, and which remained so steadily inactive while the
range was uncertain, have now opened fire, and are plump-
ing round shot into her with an uncomfortable precision.
I saw her struck three times while I looked at her.
The Plover gets up beside the Hong Kong, but cannot
break the barrier. It is here that Sergeant Christian had
his head taken off by a round shot. And 'hew the Opossum
having cast off her boats goes up the right hand channel at
full speed, and dashes into the fire. Several of the other
gunboats are aground astern ' . but the ships' boats have
taken to their oars. Crowded with men, and cheering
lastily, galley and gig, pinnace, launch, and barge come
racing up. The scene is like a regatta, but Death picks his
victims es they pass.
But now the tide is making and the Coromandel is free.
As she steams up tothe foot of the fort the fire slackens--
only now and then an obstinate gun gives out. The hill is
now comparatively free frets smoke, and the scene is as
plain from the paddlebox of the Coromandel as if it were
enacted upon the stage for our amusement. The boats'
crews and Marines have lauded and are mounting that
steep hill. They have taken the precipitous side, where the
fat Chinamen, who had prepared to receive them by the zig-
zag path, never thought they would come. The Chinese
gunners are trying in vain to depress their guns so as to
sweep them with grape. Failing that, they aro rolling down
32-pound shot upon them, and throwing stink-pots which
do not explode, and three-pronged spears. They have have
not much time for this amusement. Commodore Elliott,
with a middy by his side; is running a race with Captain
Boyle, who commands the Marines, and is nearly up to the
embrasures. Captain Boyle fires his revolver at a Chinaman
who is trying to fire his matchlock at him. He misses him,
for the gallant captain is too much blown with his race to
shoot with accuracy. The Chinaman in return roils a
couple of huge shot down at the captain and then takes up
a spear of prodigious length and hurls it at the middy. A
shot from Commodore Elliott's revolver settles this brave
man's career. I saw him afterwards near where he fell,
grim and fierce in death.
Mired with the marines, and but little behind the fore
rank, climbed the post-captains and commanders. We can
recognise Corbett, and Forsyth, and Leckie (and by his
side Major Kearney, conspicuous by his helmet-shaped
pith Ufsiand Fellowee contending vigorously with the
laws oiargravitation. Edgell is hit ; no, he has only slip-
ped, while dodging a ronnt,shot, and has rolled halfway
down the. hill. Fie gets up and shakes himself. and re-
commences. Mounting the same precipitous ascent with
quick elastic step, his flag-lieutenant, Fowler, by his side,
goes the Admiral himself. He went off from the Coroman-
del in his own boat, unobserved by many on board. He
has no weapon, not even a walking-stick, to help him up;
, yet he outstrides many of the marines. He goes to see
what next is to be doneand we will make haste to join him.
This part of the affair is soon over. The gunners sulkily
retire as the storming party arrive, lent they lire their guns
within N yards of their assailants. They walk away down
the back of the hill, and it requires many shots from the
Nlarines to make them run. The Marines fire very badly;
running up hill is not a good preparation for rifle-shooting
at moving objects.
From the top of the bill I have a most magnificent pa-
noramic vie vof the operations below. Lieut. Fowler has
brought one of the Chinese guns to bear upon the junks,
and the junks fire up at us, but neither do much damage.
Now Elliot and his captains run down to their boats and
follow the Haughty, which is already clear of the island
and up with the junks beyond. The marines descend into
the psddyfields at the foot of that side of the hill fort
which faces the junks, and, up to the waist in water, they
, take pot shots at the Chinamen. The Haughty drives right
stem on into one of the two large junks that have been
sweeping the channel, and cracks her like a nutshell. For-
syth jumps first on board, and the crew jump overboard.
It is the old story, " 'Spo-e you come, I must go." The
shots must be flying furiously down there, for thirty
junks ,are blazing away their twelve gnus each at the
intruders, who rush into their creek from our side
of the island, and forty are equally rapid in their
discharges upon the boats that have gone up on the
other side. How any mortal thing tan live in that hell of
flying ii on it seems impossible to conceive. The secret, I
believe, lies in the resolution of our men. They pull directly,
up alongside, and from the elevation of the guns the inevi t-
aide broadside of grape passes over their heads. I saw this
hsppen in the case of Commodore Elliot's bout, which
emerged unharmed from a discharge I thought had annihi-
lated it. The junk had coolly waited till the boat was
alongside, and then poured in its shot. It all passed high,
and when the smoke cleared away the crew were running
across the paddyfields, and the Marines were shooting them.
The game was soon up. First came a rash of fire and a
loud explosion. A pillar of white smoke rises high into
the air and swells at the top like a Doric column. Then
another and.another, and the guns cease, and the cannon
smoke blows away, and the beat's crews are rowing from
junk to junk, and in two long lines, almost as far as the
eye can reach, lie the junks—some kindling, some in full
blaze, but all stranded and abandoned. In one of these the
sailors rescued an old man and a boy, chained to a gun, and
left to burn. In another, a woman and child were tied
with whisps of bamboo to a 33 pounder. There were many
which the sailors could not enter, and perhaps these also
had their victims.
We have been looking down upon the junks which Slay
across the Fatshan Branch, and also along the winding
creek that stretches away at right angles to the left. Our
view of those which lay along the creek that bears to the
right was not quite so near. Bat here the contest ceased
about the same time. Right and left, covering an immense
extent of narrow water, the junks lie, prizes either to us
or the flames. Wo have leisure now to count them—they
are 72. '
For the first time I appreciate the far-sighted wisdom of
the admiral's plan of attack. By leading up his ships at
dead low water be not only obtained the advantage of a
rising tide when his steamers grounded upon the shoals and
unknown impediments, but he also made sure of finding
the junks all aground, knowing, as he did, that they
wore moored along each shore, to leave the channel clear
for ordinary traffic. Thus the crews were obliged either
to fight or run. Had he taken them at even quarter
flood they bad been afloat. Some of the hindermost
would have been destroyed, and by fire or by sinking
would have choked the channel, while the rest would have
escaped up the numberless creeks, which the Chinamen
only know.
While some are plundering and some are thinking of
breakfast there is heavy firing in the distance. People
ask where is Keppel ? We must follow his fortunes ; for
all is not over yet, and there is much to tell.
When Commodore Keppel passed us at dawn he steamed
away up the channel to the right of Hyacinth Island, until
lie came under the six-gun battery, and within fire of the
junks. Here his vessel ran aground, and, the Plover
cowing up, the Commodore transferred himself to her ;
• but as she could not get up, he got into his own galley,
and, followed by the rowboats of the Calcutta, the
Bittern, and the Niger, pulled straight away throughsthe
fire. The big junk that lay across the channel was
boarded in her own smoke. As usual, when the assailants
grew very near the Chinamen fired a broadside and also a
train, and slipped into the water on the other aide. The
boats were scarcely free of her when she blew up. Right
in among the 35 junks dashed Keppel and his cheering
dare-devil, receiving their firs and driving the crews
away as they approached. Vain were the Chinamen's
stinkpots, their three-pronged spears, and their ingenious
nets, so contrived as to fall over a boat's crew and catch
them like herrings, while they spear them through the
meshes. To utilise such ingenious inventions John China-
man must wait till the boats come alongside, and this he
has not yet tutored his nerves to accomplish.
Through this wilderness of junks they palled, driving
out their crews by sheer audacity, and leaving little to be
be does by those who should come after. They shot
through the lines up in to the vacant channel. Some of
his boats had been hulled by the junks ; perhaps some
lingered to pay a visit to a deserted Chinaman, or to stop
his mouth ; bat Keppel still pressed onward, and where he
goes he always gets some to follow. Where could he be
going ? Was it information or was it intuition ?or was he
resolved to attack with his seven boats the city of Fatshan
and its population of 200,000 people? I have not asked
him and he has not said, but I suspect the city was his
object. With four gallops and three boomboats, carrying
a gun each in their bows, they speed away from the con-
i quoted junks and hold on for nearly four miles ; but now
t',,ero are jui, masts in sight, an'l every one knows that a
fight is coming. A little further on, and they corno, upon
their prey, and also upon one of those strong positions
which the Chinese have now learnt to take.
At the part of the Fatshan Branch—which they had-

now reached there is an isand shaped like a leg of mutton
placed lengthway in the river. The Woad part is towards
the British boats, and across the knuckle end 20 large
junks lie moored to the shore and aground. The conse-
quence of this position is, that to attack them the British
boats must pass through one of two passages, both of which
narrow to a funnel ; and upon that narrow neck of water
the whole fire of the twenty junks will be concentrated,
One of these funnel passages has been staked
and is impassable. Two other bas not water
to carry two boats abreast. At this perilous pas-
sage Keppel and his crew now dashed. The three
boomboats took the gronnd in attempting to follow. The
base of this triangular island consists of high land which
the grounded boomboats could not fire over, so their guns
were useless; the apex, or to use my more familiar illus-
tration, the knuckle part, was low paddy fields, which the
junks' guns could not sweep across. It was a position
worthy of a C trthaginian—locue insidiis natus.
Na sooner did the boats appear in the narrow passage
than 20 32-pounders sent 20 round shot, and a hundred
smaller guns sent their full charges of grape and canister
at a range of 500 yards right among them. The effect was
terrible. Koppel was sounding with the boathook for
water for the heoutho its and went back amid the storm to
get them up. They start afresh, and make another effort
to get through. The Commodore pushes on a-heal. There
was Captain Leckie in his galley, with Major Kearney by
his side. Thera was Captain Rolland in the launch of the
Calcutta, and Lieutenant Seymonrin thebarge of thesame
ship. The Tribune's cutter was in among them. The Hong
Kong, who had worked herself up through the mud to
within 500 yards of the scene of action, had sent her gig.
Perhaps there were others, bat amid so much smoke and
fire even those who were in it cannot agree as to minute
details. If the gunners of the Excellent had been in those
Chinesejunks, and had worked these 32-pounder guns, they
could hardly have thrown the round shot straighter. Kep
pel's galley, not a large mark, is hit three times in two mi-
nutes ; a 32-peunder shot strikes Major Kearney in the
breast, tearing him to piec v3s. He must have died without
a sensation. Young Barker, a midshipman of the Tri-
bune, who wore upon his finger a ring bequeathed to him
by his brother, who was killed at Inkerman, is down, mor-
tally wounded. The Commodore's coxswain is killed, and
every man of his craw is wounded. But the miracle is not
that the men are falling, but that any escape. The God of
Battles is there, and wonderful are the instances of His
merciful protection. Captain Cochrane has the sleeve of
his coat torn away by a shot, which leaves him unharmed.
A. round shot enters the Tribune's boat and passes along
her lino of keel, from stem to stern, without touching a
man. " That was close, Victor," said Keppel to.hia flag-
lieutenant, as a cannon shot passed between their heads.
Fortunately for himself, Victor (Prince Victor of Bohen-
lohe, as thorough and as unpretending a British seaman as
if his name were Drake or Jervis} was leaning forwards,
and using his handkerchief as a tourniquet to stop the
bleeding of a seaman whose hand.had just been shot off,
otherwiae that ball must have taken Victor's head off. At
this time the galley was disabled, `end she was drifting
down under the guns of the junks. Even Keppel
saw that it would not do. The' matter was, however,
settled for him, for the next shot tore away the stern
sheets of his galley while he was fortunately stand-
ing up with the tiller ropes in his hand, " Seymour, you
must take me in," and he stepped from his sinking galley
into the barge of the Calcutta. Aid the other occupants
of the galley were also removed into the barge ; all except
tho mangled corpse of the coxswain and the favourite dog
of the Commodore, who had been accustomed to be tended
by that man, and would not leave his body's With this
freight the wreck of the galley drifted with the rising
tide up towards the janks.
Now the boats retired amid a sounding of gongs, strange
shouts of triumph, and a redoubled fire. They retired to
the Ming Kong, which was aground astern ; but, sup-
ported by the Starling, threw shot and shell up among the
Junks, and received hem them a full equivalent for theirfire.
The Commodore was waiting for reinforcements and for
more water in the river ; and meanwhile be piped to
dinner. The men were getting their `rations, and were
devouring them when the fire 'from the junks slackened.
" Three cheers for the Blue," cried a Raleigh boat that
that now came up. " Man the boats, lads ; those rascals
aro getting afloat." Off they go again dinnerless, but in
high spirits, and under a fire so hot that the Calcutta's
launch is sunk, and Captain Rolland has to scramble into
another boat.
This time they find water enough in the narrow pas-
sage, and, dashing through the shot, find the enemy
afl )at and in movement. It has now becomes a chase.
These junks, manned by from 60 to 400 rowers, go faster
' than our heavy boomboats can follow. But shrapnell shell
go faster than even a snake junk ; there are twistings in
the creek that are not shown in the chart, and in following
those windings pursuers and pursued often find themselves
side by side with an interval of land between them. They
fire at each other across these peninsulas, and the guns are
so well served, and the shells are so terrifying, that every
now and then the crews leap out and the junk is deserted.
Spike the guns and push on. Six miles this hot chase
lasts, and there are now but eight junks uncaptured ;
when rounding a sharp point pursued and pursuers rash
almost together into the city of Fatshan. A. Chinese town
is not seen afar off ; the pagoda and the pawnbrokers'
warehouses are the only high buildings. Three of the
junks escape, the other five are headed and are abandoned.
But the braves of Fatshau would think it a shame that
' their five junks should be taken from under their oyes.
They turn out in martial array ; they ring bells and beat
gongs, they come filing down a fosse, so covered from view
that only their waving banners and their brandished
swords and shields are visible. "We are terrible; flee
before us !" they are supposed to sing or cry. Koppel has
his ownsway of nettling these matters. He turned his
marines out of his boats, drew them up on the margin of
the suburb and poured into the Fatshan militia such a
volley of Minis balls that the Chinese army went quickly
back up its fosse again. Havproposed to land his howit-
zers and pass the night in the city---a daring scheme,
which might have produced a ransom of half a million of
dollars or utter destruction, as the fortune of war might
incline. A. message from the Admiral, however, recalled
him- He had his five junks towed out before him, and as
he left. the city he stood up in the stern-sheets of his boat
and sb.ookhis flat good-humouredly, saying, " You rascals,
I'll come back again to you soon ;" and those extraordi-
nary Chinese, they, too, laughed —a broad, good-humoured
grin—and so they parted.
It was 3 o'clock when' Comtriodore Keppel returned to
the flag-ship, which was now anchored where the Chinese
Admiral's junks had been moored at the commencement
of the engagement, As be came down his lost dog recog-
nised the yellow Raleigh boat, and swam off to his master.
Not a junk was preserved. Their materials are so in-
flammable that they readily ignite one another, and as
we can make no use of them they were not worth saving
at the price of danger to the men. As it was, the
shot from their heated guns rushed about in a most
unpleasant manner. At sundown the view from the
deck of the flagship was a mixture of the grotesque
and the sublime. The boats. were all adorned with bar-
baric spoils; banners of every amplitude, some of them
adorned with colossal pictures of the fat god Fo, flaunted
upon the breeze. Mandarins' coats and mandarins' breeches
were freely worn. Commodore Elliott's crew were equipped
each with a Mandarin's hat and foxes' tails. They had
dutifully reserved one for the Commodore, but I must
confess I did not see him put it on. Around, far as the
eye could reach, following the windings of this maze of
creeks 89 war junks were smouldering or blazing, and
every fivo minutes an explosion shook the sir. The Can-
.nk, ore greater than
yeh,
gained
dheaen i
tonese had said that Commodore Elliott's expedition in
Escape-ateek only captured a few deserted fishing boats.
From their own verandahs they could see and hear what
h
tain Fatshan branch. It was bruited in
mandarin of high rank, Hongkongaaiifrom Pekin to Canton. If fso, he has now
g
experience. Then came Dr. Anderson's
nhd s
comefirst
donerhsat
sad labour of WI arshalling the wounded for transport and
collecting the reports of the assistant-surgeons. But the
public despatches will tell all this; enough for me to state
that in these two battles of Tang-kooft and Fats'oan SI
men have been killed and wounded. That night the two
Commodores slept, side by side, the sleep of the weary on
the deck of the Coromandel, and so ended the let of June.
Nexatpmpetere
morning,
dngth as we passed down the river, two war-
junkse miles astern, and fired a gen. They
were chasing tho barbarian fleet.

JUNE 10, 12 O'CLOCK.

After we have closed oxr despatches, and while the Aden
is getting her, steam up for departure, the mail-boat Singa-
pore, Captain Grainger, is announced to be entering the
harbour. She brings General Ashbnrnham and his staff,
who all appear to be in good health. They left Bombay on
the same day that the news of the disasters in India
reachei that city by telegraph. Lord Elgin left at Singa-
pore.
•

RETURN OF CASUALTIES IN THE FORCE ENGAGED IN THE CAPTURE
AND DESTRUCTION OF CHINESE WAR BOATS IN ESCAPE CREEK,
ON THE 25TH OF MAY.
The Hornet's Pinnace.—Richard Warren, 8.8., severely;
Edward Roche, A. 8., slightly.
CASUALTIES ON THE 2TII OF MAY AT TOUNG-KOUAN.
The Sybille's Boats.—Henry Matthews, private, R.M.,
seriously; Thomas M`Donald, A. 8., severely; Richard Han-
naford, private, R.M.,
Raleigh's Boats. —Mr. A. Dup les, midshipman, severely ;
Mr. Pilkington, midshipman, slightly : William Tre win, A.B ,
dangerously ; James Mansell, leading seaman, severely ;
Edward Pepper, A. 8., severely ; W.ll am Drew, leading sea-
man, severely ; Luke Sharp, private, R.M., severely : Wm.
Fugwell, A. 8., slightly.
Tribune's Boats.—Lieut. Norman, bullet through right
cheek; William Lanpidge, A. 8., bullet lodged in left cheek,
dangerous ; William Nelson, leading seaman, bullet wound,
right shoulder; Benfield. Howe, private, bullet wound, right
hand; Edward Strickland, private, bullet wound, upper lip ;
Robert Groves, sail mate, bullet wounds, left hand and leg ;
Thomas Clack, private, bullet wound, spine, dangerous ; and
Henry Halfyer, private, bullet wound, left thigh.
Inflexible's Boats.—Lieut. Bacon, slightly ; Mr. Magrath,
Assist .nt-Surgeon, slightly; William Yeo, boatswain's mate,
severely ; Colin Grant, A. 8., severely; Thomas Farmer,
A. 8., slightly. ..<
Fury's Boats.—James Carry, gunner's-mate, slightly ;
George Grogan, corporal, R.M., severely ; Chas. O'Donn..ll,
private, severely ; William Keechee, AB. severely ; and
James Gibson, leading seaman, severely.
Total wounded, 31.

A RETURN OF CASUALTIES ON BOARD HER MAJESTY'S GUNBOATS
AND BOATS OF THE SQUADRON puma THE OPERATIONS IN THE
FATSLIAN CREEK ON MONDAY, THE IST JI7NB
KILLED. • .
Raleigh.—Commodore's Galley.—Pacr Tolhurst, captain
of the forecastle, Launch.—Thomas Coleman, A. 8., mor-
tally wounded, since deao„, Pinnace.—John, Dart, A. 13.,
Simeon Bone, private, Royal Marines.
Nankin.—John Smith, private, Royal Marines, killed on
board the Hongkong.
Tribnne.—Barge.—Richard Harper, A.B. Pinnaco.—Mr.
H. Barker, midshipman, mortally wounded, since dead.
Highflyer.—Pinnace.--bfr. E. C. Bryan, master's assistant.
Niger. —lst Gig. George Griffin, A. 8., mortally wounded,
since dead ; Thomas Christian, sergeant, Royal Marine Ar-
tillery, killed on board the Plover gunboat.
Hornet.—Cutter.—Thomas Cronin, ord.
Fury.—Gig.—Major Kearney, Deputy-Assistant-Quarter-
master-Gentral, who, being on duty in the Canton river,
gallantly volunteered his services in the boats.
Plover Gunboat—Charles Mead, mortally wounded, since
dead.

JUNE 9
When the Admiral had returned t) his anchorage a,
naval court-martial was held on board the Svbille upon
Commodore Koppel and his craw for the loss of the Raleigh.
The report of the officer sent to survey the spot rendered
this trial almost a matter of form. It was chiefly remark-
able for a speech from the Commodore, who appeared with
his breast quite covered with orders and medals, and
never allu led in any way to himself during the whole of
his defence. The fact is no great loss has been sustaine I
in the Raleigh. For modern naval warfare, and especially
in these seas, your old 50-gun sailing ships are useless. They
are pleasant as marine residences, but for fighting you
might as as well arm your men with bows and arrows. The
Commodore received back his sword, and is left iu co m-
mand up the river.
To-day I visited the wounded men. All the severe
cases are on board the Hercules. With the exception of
two cases—one where the poor creature has the back of
his head shot away, and lingers still with half a brain—the
men are all doing well. The main deck of the Hercules
might be envied as a hospital ward by the surgeons of
Guy's or Bartholomew's. Many of the wounds are of the
most frightful description. They are all caused either
by cannon shot or jagged pieces of iron. It is wonderful
to find the men sce cheerful under the ,pressure of
such wounds. I heard no moan or sob all the time I was
in the ship. -Yet there was one poor fellow who was even
then having extracted from his shoulder small bits of a
comrade's skull, whickbad been smashed and scattered in
splinters by a round shot." `I: talked mnchlo Jenkins, the
seaman of Keppel's galley, whose life Prince Victor saved
by timely twisting his haukerchief over the stump. Jen-
kins is a very intelligent fellow ; he looks calmly at his
stump—perhaps he thinks of England and Greenwich, and
strikes a balance in his mind. Upon the whole I must re-
port that up to this present time no wounded men could
possibly be better cared for than those of this Chinese
squadron.
In Hongkong we are now listening for the gun which
will announce the arrival of the mail. It is a great incon-
venience to every one here that it is so arranged by the
authorities that one mail comes in either about 12 hours
befOre the other goes out, or about 12 hours after it is gone,
thus causing uncertainty and most precipitous haste in all
matters mercantile. Why not arrange the arrivals and
departures for alternate weeks ? I dare say there is some
stupid clerk in some inaccessible office who has some stupid
reason for inflicting this annoyance upon us.
The merchants have at length resolved to make a demon-
stration upon the Chinese question. It appears singular
that they have not done so before; but the politics of
Hongkong are very intricate, and there were objections to
all previous propositions. The Dents have now taken the
matter in hand, and an address to Lord Elgin is in course
of signature.
After the usual congratnlations, the address proceeds
thus :
" Wo venture upon no opinion at present respecting the
readjustment of our relations with the empire at large,
though always prepared to hold our advice and experience
at your Lordship's command; but upon that branch of the
question which we distinguish as the Canton difficulty, we
would take this, the earliest opportunity, of recording our
opinion—an opinion founded upon long, reluctant, and we
may add traditional experience—hat any compromise of
it, or any sort of settlement which shall stop short of the
complete humiliation of the Cantonese—which shall fail
to teach them a wholesome respect for the obligations of
their own Government in its relations with independent
Powers, and a more hospitable reception of the foreigner
who resorts to their shores for the peaceable purposes of
trade, will only result in further suffering to themselves
and further disastrous interruptions to us.
"Many of us have already been heavy sufferers by the
present difficulty. It must be apparent to your lordship
that our best interests lie upon the side of peace, and upon
the earliest solid peace that can be obtained. But, not-
withstanding this, we would most earn,:stly deprecate any
settlement of the, question which should not have elimin-
ated from it the very last element of future disorder."
This means, " You must take Canton, my lord, and
negotiate at Pekin with Canton in your posseseion." *acia

is the opinion of every one here, from the highest to the J
R MAJESTY'S THE A ... .I
lowest. Even those Chinese who live by gratifying Eng- 1--r- FARE WELL PERFORMANCES A 1.-
lish tastes, painting portraits of vessels for uxorious sea I REDUCED PRICES.
captains, or selling puzzles, bamboo chairs, and grass-
• THIS EVENING, SATURDAY, Aug. 1,
cloth handkerchiefs, are quits of the same opinion. They LE NOZZE DI FIGARO,
ask, " Why not that soijee men come catchee that city ?"
I am obliged to close my despatch without any tidings , with the following powerful east :
Stissannah, Mdlle. Piccolo:llin' ; Cherubino, Mdlle. Spezia;
of the mail. We aro, of course, most anxious to know
whether it brings Lord Elgin, and whether General Ash-
to be The Countess, M M
dlle. Ortolani ; areellina, Madame Perna ;
Il Coate cPAhnaviva, Beneventano ; Basilic., 8....1art ; Curzio,
burntana coe down iq her from Bengal. I e
able to subjoin is n a postsCript a list of killed andho wopunded, Mercuriali; Antonia, Corsi ; Bartolo, Rossi ; and Figaro,
and Mr. Secretary Wade's feport of the contents of the B Aletti
epers taken in the junks. These last, I understand, are To conclude with the new Ballet Divertiss m:lent, by Paul
p Taglioni, entitled
rather curious than important.

ALPHEA.
Male. Mario Taglioni, M. C,;eehetti, and M. Charles.

PRICES :

Pit Tier, Grand Tier, and One Pair.. ...... £2 12 6
Two Fair
Half Circle 1 1 0
Pit Stalls 0 12 6
Gallery Boxes 0 12 6
Gallery Stall;
Gallery Side Stalls 0 3 0
Pit
Gallery
No free Est.—Applications to be•made at the Box-office of
the Theatre. Doors open at 7, Jpera to commence at half-
past 7.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.
Farewell Performances at Reduced Prices.
THIS EVENING, SATURDAY, Aug. 1--LE NOZZE
DI FIGARO and ALPHEA
MONDAY, Aug. 3—LA FIGLI A. DEL REGGIMENTO.
Last Scene, LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR.
TUESDAY—IL DON GIOVANNI.
WE DNESDAY—FIG ARO.
THURSDAY, (Last Night)—LA TRAVIATA and the
Last Act of I PURITANI.
The NATIONAL ANTHEM will folllw the Opera.
The entertainments in the Ballet will combine the talents
Madame Rosati, Madlles. Katrine, Boschetti, and Marie

Prices as above.

THEA TR E-R OYA L, DRURY-LANE
Lessee, Mr. E. T. Smith.
OPEN EVERY EVENING.
GREAT EQUESTRIAN AMERICAN and CONTINENTAL
COMPANY.
Prices—Pit and Promenade, is ; Boxes, 2s. 61., 25., and ls.
6d. ' • Galleries, 6d. Doors open at half-past 7. Commence
at 8. _ .

JACK THE GIANT KILLER, with novel effects.

OYAL -PRINCESS'S THEATRE,
U. THIS EVENING will be performed
Shakespere's Play of
THE TEMPEST.
Preceded by LIVING TOO FAST.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET
• Lessee—Mr. J. B. Buckstone.
THIS EVENING, to commence at Seven o'clock, with
the new and greatly successful original Comedy, entitled
VICTIMS, in which Mr. Buckstone, Mr. Howe, Mr. William
Farren, Miss Reynolds, &e., will appear.
After which, the successful Classical Love Story, un-
der the Apple-lation of ATAL ANTA.; or, The Three Golden
Apples : in which Miss M. Oliver will appear; also Miss M. ,
Wilton, and Miss Ellen Ternan.
Followed by ACTRESS OF ALL WORK, in which Miss
Anna Maria Quinn (from the principal theatres in Australia)
will sustain six characters.
Orchestra Stalls (which may be retained the whole of the
evening), 6s. each. (No charge for booking.)
First Price. s. d. Second price. s. d.
Dress Boxes
Upper Boxes ... 3 0 Upper Boxes 2 0
Pit .........
Lower Gallery 1 0 Lower Gallery ........... ... 0 6
Upper Gallery 0 6No half-price to Upper Gallery.

THEATRE ROYAL, AD EL PHI.
LesF:eo—Mr. Ben. Webster.
TIES EVENING, will be performed the new drama of
GEORGE DARVILLE, in which Mr. BenjaminWobster, Mr.
Wright, Mr. Paul Bedford, and Madame Celeste will perform.
After which, the new sketch of WELCOME, LITTLE
STRANGER. Mr. Wright. Mr. Paul Bedford. &C.
To conclude with " FEARFUL TRAGEDY IN THE
SEVEN DIALS."