The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-07 00:00:00

' 11 , j:1 .eot
,N , MONDAY • V.EN
AtA_Rc H. 7, 1842.

tided ; there they had concentrated their forces, deter-
mined to stand or fall by the result, but they never once
calculated upon defeat. The lesson read to them that
day was a severe one, and one which it should be thought
would open the eyes of the Emperor. The loss sustained
by them was very great, and included several mandarins ,
of rank. Yu-Kiang, the imperial commissioner of the
province, the man who had been sent by the. Emperor to
exterminate the barbarians, thunderstruck at the result
of the fight; and afraid to meet his wrath, endeavoured
to drown himself, but, being rescued by his officers, he
finally terminated •his existence by swallowing. gold,
the fashionable method of committing suicide in this
country. He it was who had counselled the Em-
peror never to make peace with us, who had poisoned
his ear by false reports, who had offered rewards for our
heads—he it was who put Captain Stead, of the Pes-
tomjee Bomajee, to a lingering death—who had be-
headed many of the unfortunate Chinese who had been
friendly to us at Chusan. He was a cruel, but he was a
most talented, man. Under his eye had these districts
been put in a state of defence, and the various improve-
ments in warfare effected. The victory was complete ;
the whole military materiel of the province fell into our
hands. In Yu-Kiang's house were found all his plans,
maps, and papers, the edicts of the Emperor— in fact,
everything of importance. Amongst other papers they
got one, a letter to him from the Viceroy of Formosa, to
the intent that he had concluded a negotiation with the
Portuguese at Manilla for the purchase of guns, arms,
and military stores, and that a supply might soon be ex-
pected ; and another, a memorial to the Emperor, that
he purposed saving the lives of all his English prisoners,
provided they would teach them navigation, steam-boat
building, and other things connected with naval matters.
And now I have brought my history up to the occupa-
tion of Ningpo.
" NINGPO, OCTOBER 25.—We are still in this city,
and it seems probable now that we shall hold it during
the winter, the season being too far advanced for further
operations. And now we are holding five places in the
Chinese empire—Hongkong, Amoy, Chusan, Chinhae,
and Ningpo. The last report from Pekin is that the
Emperor is more obstinate than ever, and is about to
send down an army of 100,000 men to exterminate us
in toto, and another of 50,000 to regain Hongkong. The
arsenals and magazines here were abundantly supplied
with military stores of every description. In one alone
we found 150,0001 b. of
,powder. In the treasury we
were fortunate enough to get 51 boxes of Sycee silver,
nearly a hundred thousand dollars worth. It had pre-
viously been broken open by the mob, and a great quan-
tity carried off. Several banking houses have been
found, with coin to the amount of a million of dollars,
all in copper pice, the only stamped money in China,
1,200 pice to a dollar. It is known that these
banking houses are some way connected with Go-
vernment, but, as it has not been determined whether
or not they are wholly public property, the
general is somewhat loth to seize them for prize-
money. A chop has been despatched to Hang-cow-foo.
the capital city of the province, whither the mandarins
have retired, to the intent that, unless they pay down six
millions of dollars, Ningpo shall be declared British pro-
perty, and the other towns in the province shall, in like
manner, be taken possession of. Much depends upon
their reply with regard to our proceedings. Should they
accede :o our demand, we shall retire to Chinhae ; but
if they refuse, there's the rub :' will the plenipotentiary
order the city to be burned, the property to be confis-
cated, and the junks, of which there are many hundreds,
to be seized ? or shall we occupy the town, and, if so,
declare the Tartar dynasty to be at an end ? A decisive
blow must be struck ; it will not do to threaten these
celestials without performing, as they invariably impute
it to fear ; and with the small force we have here we
could not occupy this city during the winter, the guards
required being so numerous that the men are on duty
every other day, and out in all weather ; they will very
Soon be knocked up. Even now sickness is creeping in
amongst them. There have been a few cases of cholera,
brought on, it is supposed, by intemperance ; six marines
died in one day out of nine attacked. Fortunately it has
not spread.

Anstrutber, the hero of Ningpo, is our commanding
officer, and a very fine fellow he is. The way in which
he entered this town last year differed in some degree
from this year's occupation of it. He has recognised many
old acquaintances, amongst others a man who acted as his
servant, and purchased meat, &c., for him. The China-
man was delighted to see him, and seems to have been
very fond fichhim. Amongst Yu-Kiang's papers was
found a lithlraphed copy of a drawing which Anstru-
ther made for the mandarins last year, of the manner in
which the- Queen receives her ministers. Above is a de-
scription of it in Chinese, in which they say that the great
mandarins of the barbarians' country approach the royal
presence, and, bending on one knee, they smell'
her Majesty's hand. The cold weather is now
setting in, and worsted stockings and cloth trows-
ers by day are very c smfortable, and double blankets
at night are scarcely sufficient to keep out the cold. As
yet we have not had mttetirain. . This is a very fine city,
and a place of much trade itnd immense wealth. There
are several magnificent temples or Jhoss-houses, fitted
up in a truly splendid style. But runty as well give
you a short description of the ,city. Ning po-foo, the
'second city of the province of Cheheeang, of which
Hang-chow-fiso is the capital, is situated in a vast plain,
at the distance of twelve miles from the sea. The river
Limpo runs under its walls, and is navigable to shins of
almost any size, four fathoms being 'found in the centre
,1 of the channel. The walls of the city are 8,000 yards
in circumforence, and 22 feet in height. Its form ean-
not be exactly described, being pentagonal, approaching
to oval, with six principal gates and two water-gates.
At each gate there is a square bastion, at right angles
to the wall, and extending igaout fifty yards in front of
it. The streets are about -120 feet in breadth, for the
most part well paved, or rather flsgged, and run
through the city at right angles to each other. Nearly
in the centre of the town there is a remarkable obelisk
of a hexagonal form; and upwards of 150 feet in height.
The ascent to the summit is by twelve flights of stairs.
At each intermediate story thera are large windows,
which at night are lit up, and a lantern is moreover
placed on the summit. The date& its erection is unknown,
but, judging from its outward appearance, it must be of
a dilapidated condi-
jeungaged in repairing it
tvieerny: greatTbe agceb,intheseewbalalds bbeeineng
shortly before our occupation of the city. The view
from it is truly grand ; Ningpo being situated on an
immense plain, comprising 600 square miles. On every
side you behold a rich country, dotted with innumerable
villages, and every acre under cultivation. The tout
ensemble of the vale was particularly lovely and pleasing ;
in fact it more resembled a Nobleman's park. And
what would not any nobleman have given for such a
one, with two fine rivers winding gracefully through it,
and numerous canals intersecting the whole country ?
In most of the principal streets there are archways 100
yards apart, with various designs and figures cut out of
the solid stone in the most wonderful manner, anewith
the most minute exactness. We have discovered several
very large stores of sugar, cotton, teas, &c., &c. There
are some large granaries here. They are disposing of
the contents of one to the Chinese at a reduction in value
of 60 per cent., and by it we shall clear 14,000 or 15,000
dollars—about 3,300/. We have also made prize of
several large bells ; amongst others, one upwards of
eight feet in height, six feet in diameter, and five tons in
weight; worth more than 5001
" NINGPO, OCT. 28.—The courier whomwe despatched
to Hang-chow-foo with a chop to the mandarins re-
turned yesterday with the information that that city is
searched,e
aa
ris,eld2haaeblnil
nsnegtit
t:aritef afraid irdbo
returned,
to trust uat
unablestm hisatyo
surrounded with troops, that no one is allowed to enter
d
life
deit
amongstwithout t
the being
now be the intentions of the general and admiral. The
enapsitsa-einesr
2u3ghthey
packet.t he
last mail brought us out the naval promotions for the
caarept:urel oKf.eth.Be
6guce.fuo,rst,s
Com-
manders, and 34 Lieutenants. In fact it gave every
naval officer who was present a step, if he had served
long enough in the rank he held to entitle him to one.
" OCT. 30.---I shall close this letter shortly as I have
nothing new to inform. you of. There is some talk now
of our advmacing on Hang-Chow-foo this year. The dis-
tance acras country is 'about a hundred miles, fortr
miles of which the small steamers can traverse up the
riverfroni this place. After that we get into It branch of
the Great Canal, and by seizing upon about two
hundred and fifty or three, hundred- China boats, we
could convey the whole disposable force, out
1,000 fighting men
_under the walls of the city. It
Would be a bold stroke, but . there can be little doubt of
its success, and it would be a most desirable blow. We
could also go thither by sea, but in the strength of the
monsoon it would be difficult to beat up, though the
distance is only sixty miles by that route. Hang-chow-
foo is an immense city, upwards of fourteen miles in cir-
cumference within the walls. Canton, too, is fast has-
' tening to its destruction. The treety made last May
has been openly broken. They are staking up the river,
erecting new fortifications, and calling in fresh bodies of
troops. It cannot be spared a third time. Several curious
documents have been discovered at Chinhae. I sup-
pose you are aware that there is a tradition in this
cuuntry that China will be conquered by a woman
v
from the West ; hence the extreme jealousy with which
bA
'e
they regard the English ladies at Macao,
far to causewb as 'in the old
Company's time, even extended so
the stoppage of the trade, because one of them
The day after
visited Canton in disguise.
our occupation of Chusan a Chinese came to the quarters
of Sir Hugh Gough, and demanded to see the General.
He said he was a soothsayer, that he had
that a great consulted the
stars and the book of fate, and found therein
change was about to take Place—that the time was close
at hand when the Tartar dynasty would be otherthrown,
and the great English nation were to be the means ;
and, turning to Sir Hugh, he hailed him as Lord of
Pekin. Yepterday the same man appeared in this city.
At the entrance of the General's quarters a Hall of Jus-
tice has been established, where Pr. Gutzlaff, the chief
interpreter, sits, and dispenses it to all who require it,
acting the part of chief mandarin, or lord mayor,
or provost, if you like it. Hundreds daily throug this
place. The soothsayer, turning to the crowd, in-
formed them of what I told you, only a great deal more
in a long harangue. I forgot to mention another
striking part of his speech to the Geneneral. " Stoop
not to low things; strike boldly at Hang-chow-
foo; leave alone Chinhae and Ningpo. " One of
the documents found at Chinhae appeared to be
the Book of Fate. One part of it said that about
three years ago a great temple in the Tchekian province
was upset by an earthquake, and disclosed to view a
marble tablet, whereon was written many wonderful
things by no mortal hand. Amongst others; that in the
reign of the Emperor Taouhsvang, or some such name,
the present chap,. the plains of Canton should be de-
luged with blood ; and in another part, that the Ern.
peror had a dream, wherein he saw a vision which in-
formed him that in the twenty- first year of his reign the
empire should pass from his hands. That year is now
about to commence. . These .reports are strange but,
whatever may come to pass, there can be little doubt but
that the ultimate results of the China war will be of the
utmost importance. Sir Henry rottinger, it is said,

has demanded large f4itiforeements. He is not a
man to let the grass grow under his feet. From all
we have yet seen of him, he is a very proper per-
son to manage this business, A melancholy event
occurred here yesterday : the smi;pon of her Ma-
jesty's ship Larne committed suicide ;;.," cutting
his throat, being at the time non compos me,;!s.
The Larne sails with the dispatches the day after
to-morrow, 'direct to Bombay, and at all events will
catch the January mail. I should not mind being lord
of this very fine plain, 360,000 broad acres, at 40s. an
acre. When the Chinese empire comes to be partitioned,
they will not surely forget my services. In Yu-Fang's
house they found a paper, entitled, Confession of Stead,
thel3ar!)arian.' From its contents, it is too evident that
he was taken alive, and murdered by that infamous
wretch in a most horrible manner, as he boasted to the
Emperor of having cut him in small pieces. The fiend
it make's one's blood run cold to think of it. At Chinhae
we found his head suspended on a pole, along with that
of the unfortunpte Comprador, who was taken last year
at Chusan. It reflects the utmost disgrace upon our
authorities, that that man, who was in our employ, and
ought therefore to have had an Englishman's rights, was
not demanded from the mandarins with Anstruthcr and
the other prisoners. Engaged in furnishing fresh meat
for our troops, he was taken
,prisoner. No means Were
adopted for procuring his_ release, and they permitted
him to remain behind, knowing, as every one did, that he
would meet a barbarous death. Think of that !"