The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-30 00:00:00

0.1 the 4th of November the Volage joined the fleet at
nong-Kong, while the Hyacinth was left at Macao to
watch events in that quarter. The discomfiture of Ad-
miral Kwan's squadron was soon „followed by the refusal
of all trale to the English with China.
CAPTAIN ELLIOT.

On the breaking up of the East India monopoly, in
18371, when a Commission under the Royal sign manual
was issued, appointing three superintendents of the
English trade with China—Lord Napier, Mr. Davis,
- and Sir George Robinson were the three Commissioners
selected. The death of Lord Napier, shortly after,
created a vacancy, to which Mr. Davis succeeded, while
Captain Elliot, of the Royal Navy, began his advance-
Ment. Till this period he had filled the useless office of
Master-attendant, which at this period became superflu-
ous, by the abandonment in England .of the scheme for
levying duties on our ships in the Canton river; and on
its abolition, Captain Elliot was appointed Secretary to
the Commission. Shortly afterwards, on the resignation
by Mr. Davis of his station, and the embarkation of that
gentleman for England, Captain Elliot succeeded as a
member of the Commission, according to the general
tenor of the sign-manual instructions. The smugglieg
tragic had, since the opening of the trade, increased
alarmingly ; and four years after, when the traffic had
grown to its great height, Captain Elliot, who by this
time had succeeded Sir George Robinson, wrote thus to
the Secretary of State :—" There seems no 'doubt, my
Lord, that the Court has finally determined to suppress,
e's, more probably, extensively to check, the opium trade;
the immense, and, it must be said, the most unfortunate
increase of the supply daring the last four years, the
rapid geowth of the east coast trade in opium, and the
continued drain of the silver, have no doubt grealy
alarmed the Government?' The license in this nefarious
treffie now became unbounded, and impunity complete.
Captain 'Elliot, in his dispatch, dated Jan. 26, 1838,
observed that " the manner of the rash course of traffic
within the river, had probably contributed most of all to
to impress (on the Chinese Government) the urgent
necessity of repressing the growing audacity of the
foreign smugglers, and preventing their associating them-
: selves with the desperate and lawless of their own large
cities." From this, it appears Captain Elliot's opinion
was,fthat it was the opium trade within the Bocce Tigris,
not the mere existence of the trade, but the barefaced
mode of carrying it on, which exasperated the Pekin
Gorertunent. " While," wrote Captain Elliot in the
Fame dispatch, " such a traffic existed in the heart of
.ear regular commerce, I had all along felt that the
Chinese Government had a just ground for harsh mea-
sures towards the lawful trade, upon the plea that
there was no distinguishing between the right and
the wrong." For these reasons, Captain Elliot urgently
app lied that he might be " vested with defined
sod adequate powers for the reasonable _ control of the
men whose rash conduct could not be left to the-operation
' Chinese laws without the utmost inconvenience and
• visa.:, and whose impunity was alike injurious to British
(!erecter and dangerous to British interests." Fully
afraid that the growing- importation and smuggling
within the river being unchecked would drive the autho-
rities to some violent measure, Captain Elliot addressed,
in November, 1837, a memorandum to the Government
at home, recommending a special commissioner to be sent
to Chusan, or some other principal point on the coast,
away from the influence of the Canton Mandarins, fur
the adjustment of this perilous business ; the Govern-
nt, tiowever, in reply, declined taking any such steps
at•that time. On the visit of Admiral Sir Frederick
• aleitland, in her Majesty's ship Wellesley. July 12.
1838, and his obstruction by the Viceroy and Hong mer-
chants, Captain Ekiot proceeded to Canton, and for-
. warded to the city-gates an open paper for transmission
to the Governor by a Mandarin ; the paper being left
(pen, and not bearing the character of a pin or petition,
isogild not be received by the Vioeroy. Captain Elliot
then declared that he had formally offered to set forth
the peaceful purposes of the Admiral's visit, and if the
Viceroy did not accept these explanations his business at
Canton was concluded, and he should forthwith retire.
Subsequently a British boat was fired upon in the Bocca
Tigris ; Admiral Maitland demanded reparation ; but a
Mandarin captain-of-war junk gave ample satisfaction in
writing, and the Admiral shortly after departed. Two
months alter the departure of the Wellesley a seizure of
opium was made at Canton, the property of a British
trader, the obnoxious parties punished, and then the trade
re:epentel. A few days after a native opium dealer was
strangled, and wriot tool: place on the occasion, by which
the Esropeans, who endeavoured to resist the execution,
• were driven back to their factories. On the occasion of
this imminent danger Captain Elliot called a meeting,
anti, finally, ordered that the small smuggling-eraft, be-
longing to the English, should proceed .outside the river
within three days, and offered to co-operate to put
an end to the smuggling, and a stagnation of the trade en-
sued. Shortly after another native opium smuggler was
strangled in the square before the foreign factories,•and
affairs had so far attracted the attention of higher quarters,
that a Kin-chae, the High CominiSsion Lin, came
duwa to Canton, and while junks and boats of war were
ooliecting, and fire-ships preparing, Commissioner Lin
required a bond that " the ships should thereafter never
again dare to bring opium • and that, should any he.
brought, the goods should be forfeited, and the parties
suffer death :" he further threatened, that on non-com-
pliance, the foreigners would be ancrificed,and three days
were given for reply. Captain Elliot, upon this distress,
immediately proceeded to the house of one •of the leading
;:aglisli merchants, Mr. Dent, whom the Chinese Corn-
. 'Tflissioner had summoned before his tribunal in the city.
Captain Elliot, and other residents,who had been totally
unconcerned in those opium dealings, were then seized,
and deprived of food and drink, and he had -to choose
between death and implicit obedience as alternatives, or
to deliver up opium to the value of two millions and a
half sterling, a great part of which was, at that time, on
the high seas, and entirely beyond reach. Until, how-
ever, the opium to the full amount was delivered up, an
arc of boats syres formed, filled with armed men, the ex-
tremes of which' touched the east and west banks of the
river in front of the factories ; the square between, and
the rear, were occupied in considerable force, and before
the gate of the hall, the whole `sody of Hong merchants.
awl a large guard, were posted day and night, the latter
with their swords constantly drawn ; so close an impri-
. sonment is not recorded in the history of our previous
intercourse. Captain Biliot, thus detained under the
threat of death, was compelled to purchase opium to the
amount of from 35,0001. to 40,000/. to make up the quan-
tity, and was then released, when the imprisonment and
blockade at Canton also terminated. Leave was then
given for all to qatit except sixteen individuals, who lila-
' mataly took their. departure, under an edict from the Go-
venter never to return. Captain Elliot took the first
•: opportunity to write to Lord Auckland, Governor-Gene-
ral of India, detailing that," course of violence and, spo-
which had broken up the foundations (to use his
own words) of this great trade, as far as Canton is con-
eerned, perhaps, for ever." lie, at the same time applied
7 for as many ships of war and armed vessels, for the pro-
testion of life and property, as could be detached from
the Indian station. captain Elliot did not quit Canton
biles:elf, till the 25th May, when the sixteen proscribed
• individuals had left that place in safety, and the persons
al no other British subjects were in jeopardy. In the
debate of the 13th of May, in the House of Lords on this
point, the Duke of Wellington observed, " he had never
known a person filling a high station in another country
treated in such a manner as Captain Elliot had been
treated by the authorities of the Chinese Government at
Cantos." Some time afterwards an affray took place
between some English or American sailors (for the
truth • Las not bcen ascertained) and a party of Chinese, when
a native named Lin Welke lost his life. Captain
proeeeded to the utmost verge of' his powers, with a
affbrd the Government all reasonable satisfaction view
setting in action the criminal jurisdiction, and
y
placing
six of the English rioters on their trial. The Mandarins
were invited to attend, hut did pot think fit to comply.
Ili •of the men were found galley of riot and assault
only. • These proceedings did not satisfy Commissioner
Lin. who moved down to He:mg-shin a place 40 mites
from -Macao, with about 2,000 soldiers, insisting epen
the delivery of a British subject in lieu of him killed ; to
which, after every possible inquiry, Captain Elliot re-
nted to comply. This state of hostility was greatly
aegraeated by a barbarous murder committed by some
Ceinese mandarin boats on the defenceless crew of an
Eagiish schooner, when seven Laseats were massacred,
and a passenger on board mutilated and left for dead. In
addition to this, the convention entered into by the Chi-
nese Commissioner for carrying on the outside trade was,.
by some pretence, broken through. A rencontre took
place between the Volage and Hyacinth British vessels
of war eta a fleet of war junks. The contest was spirit-
edly sustained by the Chinese Admiral Kwan, but in the
end he was utterly defeated. Several of the junks were
sank, and a number of Chinese sailors killed or wounded.
All communication was afterwards cut off by Commis-
*eller Lin, and various attempts were made in the roads
se burn the British ships and poison the sailors. The
Governor-General of India was now invested with full
power; to declare war and direct its operations. The
sehsequent transactions relative to this belligerent de-
elsration, appear elsewhere.
MAJOR.I.-'llATT.—This officer signalised himself dur-
ng the attack on the Chuenpee and Ty-kok-tow forts,
when he commanded the forward movement of the gal-
lant Cameronians. During this attack he himself was
s: ea a long way in advance-, under the very defences of the
enemy, with the most nonchalant antiadmirable coolness,
The Gallant Major, on looking through
rough an embrasure,
saw there was a body of Chinese close- to it when he
orally turned to the only soldier with him,"
a marine, and
said, " Just shoot me one these fellows w-1.
you . The
at tion followed the word, and the Chinese retired !orth-
with.

CAPTAIN SCOTT REICNOLDS.—This officer, of her
:Majesty's 49th Regiment, especially mentioned - for his
cotlspicuous bravery at the recapture of Tinghae, by Ge-
neral Sir Hugh Gough, is eldest son of the late Major
Thomas Reignolds, of the Scots Greys, who was many
years on the staff at Brighton, and who full at the batti.2
of Waterloo.

Sta HuGH Got:Gm—This officer commenced his mili-
tary career in the city of Limerick Militia in 1793. lie
serve:l with the 9d battalion of the i tii until September,
17r,;G, at the Cape of Good Hope. Lieut. Gough, with
the. 87th Foot, next served throe years in the West
Wa.:.; with the attack on Porto Rico, under Sir
Ralph Abercrombie ; at the capture of Surinam, in Au-
gust, 1;99, and throughout the whole of the brigand war
i St. Lucia. In August,
borne tou
Erope, in c 1300,
consequence of ill health. He suc-
Lient. Gough returned
ceeded to
a ci"nlmny as a senior Lieutenant in June,
vos. In 1304 served in
for Portugal,
Guernsey, under Lieutenant-
General Sir John Doyle. Purchased
1803, and in December, 18 his' majority in
03' embarked the 876 Major . Gough •cl
at the memorable battle of Talavera, and was severely
wounded, receiving a medal of distinction for his valour.
His plour during the'siege of Cadiz was so conspicuous
that it Thomas Graham honoured him, and two
other
officers, with Brevet rank, from the date of his dia-
patches, beingbein the first instance of the kind which oc-
curred in the British army. On the 31st of December,
1811,- Lieutenant-Colonel Gough repulsed at Tarifa,
with his eight companies,
500 strong, no less than 1,800

picked troops, who assaulted the breach. A
,general
order on this occasion spoke of his conduct as "surpassing
all praise," and the Prince Regent. ordered the word
" Tarifa" to be thereafter imprinted 'on the regiment's
colours. He next commanded at Vittoria, where the
87th lost half its number; on this occasion he was ho-
noured with the thanks of Picton, and. received a third
medal of distinction. He commanded at the battle of
Nivelle, and was severely wounded there ; on this ,occa-
sion he was honoured with the Cross; and the officers of
his regiment presented him with a valuable vase. •
To enumerate the whole of the attacks in which
this Gallant Officer has borne part in China, and
'been the directing guide and leader to victory, would be
to relate almost every late attack, since his valour has led
him to be foremost in the field at advance, and the last
to retire. The latest piece of active service in which his
operations were signalized with his great and customary
success was at the taking of Chapoo, on the 18th of May
in the present year. On that day the Cornwallis, Blonde,
and Modeste, took up a position close to the batteries,
and opened ir fire, to which a very feeble response
was made by the forts. The troops, under Sir Hugh
Gough, were landed in a fine sandy bay to the eastward,
when, quickly pushing over the heights, they came to a
causeway leading to the city, where they were joined by
the naval brigade, who had landed to the westward of
the heights. Up to this point the Chinese had fled in
every direction, and their defences had been carried with-
out any material loss ; but three hundred Tartars had
here thrown themselves into a joss-house, and, not bring
aware that quarter would be given them, defended them-
selves most desperately, forty only being taken /prisoners.
Neither did these yield, until their comeades.were buried
in the ruins of the temple, which fell upon them. The
loss to our force was, consequently, much greater than
has been before experienced by us, viz., eleven killed and
fifty-two wounded ; among the former, the gallant Col.
Tomlinson, of the 18th regiment ; while in the list of
those severely wounded were the zealous Adjutant-Gen.
Col. Mountain and Captains Campbell and Jodell, of
her Majesty's 55th and 49th Regiments.
SIR HENRY POTTINGER.—This Gallant officer, to whose
superintendance and direction so many of our recent
signal victories in China are attributable, was appointed
sole Plenipotentiary in July, 1841, and landed in August.
at Macao, the passage from England to China, by the
Overland route, having been performed in the short time"
of 67 days. No sooner had Sir Henry arrived than
vigour Was infused into every movement. The expedi-
tion to the north was instantly decided on, and the equip=
ment of the transports rapidly forwarded. Sir Henry
Pottinger, immediately on his arrival, issued the follow-.
ing notice, dated the 12th of August :
In taking charge of the offices of. her Ma-
jesty's sole Plenipotentiary. Minister Extraordinary,
and Chief superintendent of Trade in China, Sir
Henry Pottinger deems it requisite and proper to
publicly notify-, that he "enters on his important func-
tions with the most anxious desire to consult the wishes,
and to promote the prosperity and well-being, as well as
to provide for and secure the safety of all her Majesty's
subjects, and. other foreigners, so far as the concerns of
the latter can be affected by hie proceedings, at this time
residing in any part of the dominions of the Emperor of
China ; and that he will be ready and happy, at all
times and under all circumstances, to give his best at-
tention to any question that may bd submitted to him.
At the same time it becomes his first duty to distinctly
intimate, for general and individual information, that it
is his intention 0 devote his undivided energies and
thoughts to the primary object of securing a speedy and
satisfactory close of the war ; and that he therefore can
allow no consideration, connected with mercantile pur-
suits, and other interests, to interfere with the strong,
measures which he may find it necessary to authorise
and adopt towards the Government and subjects of
China, with a view to compelling an honourable and
lasting peace.
" Sir Henry Pottinger is conscious, that among the
persons to whom this notification is addressed, there are
few individuals who are not as well qualified as himself
to form a correct estimate of the reliance to be placed on
the agreement and promises of the Provincial Govern-
ment of Canton. He has intimated to that Government
that he is willing for the present to respect the existing
truce, but that the slightest infraction of its terms will
lead to an instant renewal of actual hostilities in this
Province ; and it is accordingly to be borne in mind that
such an event is not only highly probable, from the well
understood perfidy and bad faith of the provincial officers
themselves, but also because they may be compelled, at.
any moment, by orders from the Imperial Cabinet, to set
aside and disavow their own acts. With these views and
sentiments, it only remains for Sir Henry Pottinger to
warn her Majesty's subjects, and all other foreigners,
against putting themselves or their property in the power
of the Chinese authorities, during the present anomalous
and unsettled state of our relations with the Emperor ;
andlo declare, that if they did so, it would be clearly
understood to be at their own risk and peril.
" Sir Henry Pottinger avails himself of this opportu-
nity to announce, that the arrangements which have been
' made by his predecessor, connected with the island of
Hong-Kong, will remain in force until the pleasure of
her Majesty, regarding that island and those arrange-
ments shall be received. And on this point Sir Henry
Pottinger further desires to call the attention of all con-
cerned, to the public notice issued by her Majesty's Ple-
nipotentiary, on the 10th of June last.
"Dated at Macao, on the 12th day of August, 1841.
(Signed) "HENRY POTTIN GER,
"Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary."
On the 22d of August Sir Henry Pottinger made for
Amoy, accompanied with the fleet, which consisted of
the following vessels, in three divisions, led by the Ben-
tinek surveying vessel, Commander Richard Collinsen :
—Wellesley, 74, Rear-Admiral Sir William Parker,
K.C.B, Commander-in-Chief, &c., Capt. Thomas .Mait-;
land, C.B. ; Blenheim, 74, Capt. Sir Thomas Herbert,
K.C.B. ; Blonde, 42, Capt. Thomas Bourchier, C.B. ;
Druid, 44, 'Capt. Henry Smith, C.B. ; Modeste, 18,
Capt. Harry Eyres, C.B. ; Pylades, 18, Capt. Talavera
V. Anson; Cruiser, 16, Capt. Henry W. Giffard; Colum-
bine, 16, Capt. Thomas J. ,Clarke ; Algerine, 10. Com-
mander Thomas H. Mason ; Rattlesnake, T.S. Mr.
James Sprent, master, R.N. ; Sesostris steamer, 'Capt.
Ormsby, H.E.C.S. ; Phlegethon steamer, Lieut. James
M'Clcverty, R.N. ; Nemesis steamer, Lieut. W. H.
Hall, R.N. ; Queen steamer, Mr. Warden, H.E.C.S. ;
Marion, transport, with Lieut.-General Sir Hugh Gough
and staff.
In addition to the above were fifteen transports, with
her Majesty's 18th, 26th, and 55th regiments, a wing of
the 49th, and Madras rifles, the guns, engineers, and ar-
tillery ; besides which were six transports, carrying pro-
visions for the force, and coals for the steamers.
This second northern. expedition arrived off Amoy on
the evening of the 25th, and stood in towards the har-
bour, anchoring about dark. The batteries on Quemoy
Islands fired a few rounds at the ships, which were re-
turned by the Modeste ; but as her shot fell short she
discontinued firing. Early the following moaning an
officer of low rank, with a flag of truce flying in his
boat, came off, with a message from the Mandarins, to
know what so large a force wanted in the inner waters ;
and if it was not for trade they were to loose sails, and
go away immediately, " ere the Celestial wrath should be
kindled against them." To this message the following
answer was returned :

" On board Her Majesty's ship Wellesley, off Amoy,
August 26, 1841.
" TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE ADMIRAL COMMANDING IN

CHIEF OF THE NAVAL FORCES OF THE PROVINCE OF

FokiEN.
" The undersigned, Sir Henry Pottinger, Bart., her
Britannic Majesty's Plenipotentiary ; Sir William Par-
ker, Commanding-in-Chief the naval forces ; , and Sir
Hugh Gough, Commanding-in-Chief the land forces of
the British nation in these parts.
" Thera being certain differences subsisting between
the two. nations of Great Britain and China, which have
not been cleared up, the undersigned Plenipotentiary,
and the Commanders-in-Chief, have received the in-
structions of their Sovereign, that unless these be com-
pletely removed, 8.P.(1 secure arrangements made, by ac-
cession to the demands last year presented at Tientsin,
utaksiu.srie;
they shall regard it as their duty to resort to hostile
measures
efodr it'illeeneipnofoterncetirna re3n•ta on fdin
theirdme
amncial
earl
nB.
cu th
efhe,
.moved by compassionate feelings, are aver se to causing
the death of so many officers and soldiers
as mustperish, and urgently request the Admiral Commanding-in-Chief
in this province forthwith to deliver the town, and all
the fortifications of Amoy, into the hands of the British
forces, to be held for the present by them. Upon his so
doing, all the officers and troops therein will be allowed
.to retire, with their personal arms and baggage, and the
people
shall receive no hurt ; and whenever these diffi-
culties shall be settled, and the demands of Great Bri-
tain fully granted, the whole shall be restored to the
hands of the Chinese.
If these terms be acceded to, let a white flag be dis-
played. from the fortifications.
(Signed) " HENRY POTTINGER, her Majesty's
Plenipotentiary.
" WILLIAM PARKER, Rear-Admiral.
" HUGH GOUGH, Major-General."
At a very early hour, on the 26th of August, the Ple-
nipotentiary and Commander-in-Chief embarked on
board the Phlegethon to reconnoitre the defences, which
were found strengthened by every means that art could
devise. The principal work was a battery, from eleven
to twelve hundred yards in length, and situated on the
south-western side of Amoy. This battery mounted
ninety heavy guns. To the southward and eastward of
this were several detached and smaller works, extending
to Sandy Point ; while to the westward of it, on Red
Point, was another very heavy fort of forty-two guns.
On the Island of Ko-long-soo, which is the key to
Amoy, and immediately opposite to these fortifications,
were some powerful batteries, mounting in all seventy-
sik guns, which the Chinese were busily strengthening
with sand-bag batteries. On the Island of Causoo, and
raking the passage, was another fort ; while several
were on the north shore, fronting the river, or inner liar-
benr,. Huantong. san.The whole was found to be a re-
marl:ably strong position. During the reconnoitring, a
few shots were exchanged between the steamer and bat-
teries. The morning had been intensely hot without a.
breath of wind; but was succeeded in the afternoon, by a
Pleasant sea-breeze, when the squadron weighed, and
stood in to its work of destruction. The Modesto hail
the honour to lend, followed closely by the Blonde and
Druid, which ships were to engage the batteries on KO-
long-too, and at the entrance of the harbour. The line-
of-battle ships, with the Sesostris, Queen, and Bent inch,
were to attack the long batteries ; the Nemesis and
Phlegethon, tilled with troops, and covered by the re-
maining ships, were to keep ready for disembarking
them when ordered. It was about I P.M. when the.
force weighed, the port division leading in, and exchang-
ing a few broadsides, as they passed, With some batte-
ries on the islands of To-a- ts, Sio-ta, and Che-soO, and
then proceeded on to silence Ro-long-soo, to the batteries
of which they approached within pistol-shot. The
Blonde grounded, but fortunately broadside on to the-
forts. After this the Marines under Captain Ellis, of
that distinguished corps, were landed, and were speedily
followed by a detachment of the gallant 26th, underiMajor
Johnston ; on seeing which numbers of the Chinese fled.