The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-23 00:00:00

o'clock, and took possession of it, but not Without some
resistance from the Chinese troops in that quarter. On
perceiving this movement, the main body of the seamen
and marines, who were already in the boats, immediately
disembarked opposite the Cornwallis and Blonde, under
Captain Bouchier, supported by Captain P. Richards
and Sir J. E. Home; aud, forming a junction with Com-
mander Watson's party, the whole line of the western
batteries were completely in our hands.
The Chinese in the eastern battery, which also suffered
considerably, retired shortly afterwards, when Com-
mander Ormsby promptly landed with a party of. men
from the Scsostris and Tenasserim, and destroyed the
guns and works.
The smaller steam-vessels equally contributed to the
success which attended Commander Watson's division,
and when the Nemesis and Phlegethon were disengaged
from the Modesto and Columbine, Lieutena-ats Hall and
M'Cleverty proceeded with their usual activity in chase
of 13 war junks which had fired on theta in their ad-
vance ; these were totally destroyed, each mounting
about three guns besides small arms, but the crews after
sustaining much loss made their escape. Three small
junks, newly constructed with paddle-wheels to work by
hand, were also taken. In performing this service the
Nemesis took the ground and remained some hours on
shore, but got off without injury ; and I must not omit
to notice the exertions of the Medusa and Pluto with
similar approbation. _ _ _

No time was lost in dispatching the available steam-
'vessels for the troops, and before one o'clock I had the
satisfaction of seeing the whole of the land forces disem-
barked without accident under their gallant General op-
posite to the Cornwallis, and in the afternoon the com-
bined forces entered Paoushan without resistance.

I now gladly acquit myself of a very gratifying part
of my duty in bearing testimony to the gallantry and
satisfactory conduct of the captains, _commanders, offi-
cers, and men of all ranks in the Royal and Indian navy
and 'loyal Marines under my command.
It would be almost invidious to particularise where all
have displayed the most emulative spirit of enterprise
and zeal, the whole being entitled to my unqualified com-
mendation ; but from the special position of my flag
captain, I may be allowed, without prejudice to these
sentiments, to express my acknowledgments for the very
valuable assistance which I at all times derive from the
unwearied exertions and good judgment of Captain P.
Richards, and I may add that my secretary, Mr. B.
Chimmo. and flag-lieutenant, C. E. Tennant, have inva-
riably attended me on every occasion of service with most
praiseworthy zeal.
I transmit herewith for their Lordships' information
lists of the killed and wounded, the damages sustained in
the respective ships, the names of the officers who were
attached to the landing parties on the 16th, and an ac-
count of the guns which have been taken.
It is impossible to state accurately either the force or
loss of the Chinese, as they are quick in removing those
who have suffered; but, from the number of bodies found
in different directions, I cannot estimate their killed at
less than 100, and a proportionate number of wounded ;
and, from various accounts, they must have had from
5,000 to 10,000 men for the defence of Woosung and
Paoushan.

Many additional guns have fallen into our hands at
and to the northward of the city ; a considerable num-
ber of those taken are of copper, which we are now em-
barking in the ships of war and transports, and as soon
as the destruction of the Chinese military stores is
completed, the General and myself propose to advance
on the city of Shanghae. I have, &c.,

W. PARKER, Vice-Admiral.
From a return of the killed and wounded on board
her Majesty's ships and vessels, and those of the Indian
navy in the attack on the batteries of Woosung, the 16th
of June, it appears, that two only, both of the Blonde,
were killed, and 25 in all wounded.

FROM HIS EXCELLENCY VICE-ADMIRAL SIR W. PARKER,
NAVAL COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, CHINA, TO THE SECRE-
TARY TO THE ADMIRALTY, &C.
Cornwallis, off Woosung Harbour, June 24.
Sir,—ln anticipation of our advance on Shanghae,
communicated in my letter of the 17th inst., I beg to
acquaint you, for the infortnation of my Lords Commis-
sioners of the Admiralty, that the Phlegethon and
Medusa were dispatched up the river on that day with
Commander Kellett, to ascertain if any obstruction
might be expected, either from the Chinese forces or
want of water for the steam-vessels in their passage with
the troops ; but they returned in a few hours, having
been stopped by two strong batteries on each side of
the river, about six miles above Woosung, that on the
left bank mounting 46, and on the opposite 14 guns ;
the latter opened a distant but ineffectual fire on the
steam-vessels.

The Modeste, Columbine, and Clio, towed by the Ne-
meSis, Phlegethon, and Pluto, were therefore immediately
sent in advance, with directions to Commander Watson
to take up a position as near as possible to these bat-
teries, without drawing their fire, until the expeditionary
forces joined ; but to destroy the guns and stores in
them, if the panic caused by the attack of the 16th should
induce the Chinese to quit them without much resist-
ance ; and I now transmit a copy of Commander Wat-
son's report of his having taken possession of both these
works without opposition.
The expeditionary forces were joined on the 16th by
the.llido, with eight transports, containing the 2d Madras
Native Infantry, and other reinforcements from India,
and, the destruction, of the guns and military stores at
Paoushan and Woosung being now completed, the troops
were embarked, on the morning of the 19th, in the Te-
nasserim, Nemesis, Phlegethon, and Pluto, which respec-
tively took the North Star, Modeste,Columbine, and Clio,
in tow, and proceeded up the river, the marines of the
squadron being'put on board the Medusa, in which the
General and his staff did me the honour to accompany
me, together with Captains Bourchier, Richards, and
Keppel, and a few boats from their respective ships to
assist in landing the troops. A force of about 500 men,
including some Horse Artillery, were also despatched
by the General by land towards Shanghae, which is
about twelve miles above Woosung.
With the exception of one or two narrow channels we
found no difficulty in navigating this splendid river, and
by half-past one o'clock had approached within sight of
the city, when the North Star, which was leading, ob-
served a range of batteries at the north end of it, which
soon afterwards opened a distant fire without doing any
mischief ; the squadron were then directed by signal to
cast off the steamers and engage, when the ships
promptly shot in to close positions, and on the discharge
of two well-directed broadsides from the North Star and
Modeste (by which four guns were dismounted) and a
few guns from the steam-vessels, the Chinese fled with
precipitation, and Captain Bourchier immediately landed
with the seamen and marines, and took possession of
the batteries, on which 49 guns (17 of brass) were
mounted, and a considerable quantity of arms of different
descriptions, the whole of which, with the exception of
the brass guns, were destroyed.
The troops disembarked in the city from the steam-
vessels nearly at the same, when they were joined by the
party that marched from Woosung, which had previously
entered on the west side, but the mandarin authorities
had all fled, and the principal inhabitants were departing
as fast as possible in every direction.
The Columbine and Medusa were sent to the south-
ward of the city to endeavour to check this depopulation,
but although the river at Shanghae is nut less than 650
yards wide, it was literally covered with junks and boats
of all sizes, carrying off furniture and goods. The re-
spectable inhabitants, however, who did remain, ap-
peared to regard us with less apprehension than I had
anywhere before seen, and they freely produced the sup-
plies of provisions, &c., that were required. We were
informed that the day before our arrival a serious affray
had occurred between the inhabitants and a mandarin
party, and several lives lost, in consequence of the heavy
exactions of the latter, for the avowed purpose of de-
fending the place, and their hasty
.abandonment of it on
OUT approach.
A large number of guns, arms, and other munitions
of war, as well as au abundant store of rice, were found
in the arsenal and magazine at Shanghae, and while the
land forces were occupied in examining and destroying
them, and the ships in getting off the brass guns, &c.,
feeling it very desirable to ascertain, as far as it was
practicable, the navigable course of the river and other
water communications of the interior, Captain Bour-
chier and Commander Kellett proceeded on the 20th
with the Phlegethon and Medusa, the barge, and some
marines of the Cornwallis, and a boat of the Colum-
bine, for 30 miles without interruption, when two bat-
teries of five guns each were observed on the left bank,
in the supposed vicinity of Sungkeang ; they were,
however, abandoned on the approach of the steam-
vessels, and Lieutenant 'Wise, with the boats and Ma:
rines of the Cornwallis, landed and destroyed them
without resistance, although a considerable body of
troops had assembled within a short distance.
Captain Bourchier's report of his progrets up the
river was so satisfactory, that I determined to prose-
cute the examination still further, and accordingly pro-
ceeded, on the following day, with the addition of the
Nemesis, and we succeeded in ascending 37 miles in-a
direct line, and 47 miles including the sinuosities of
the river above Shanghae, where we were stopped by
the shallowness of the water at the entrance of a large
lagoon ; but having spoken with some small junks
loaded with coal, which left Suchanfu only on the pre-
ceding day, we satisfactorily ascertained that there is
a water communication from the Woosung river with
that rich and populous city, and that we had actually
reached within 25 miles of it, with encouraging hopes
thatthe small steamers may convey troops within a
short distance of it, should it be desirable.
Commander Kellett's zeal on this service, and every
other in which he is engaged, exceeds all praise ; and I
have the satisfaction of herewith transmitting, for their
Lordships' information, a sketch, which he has drawn
with much ability, of the coast of the Woosung, from its
entrance as far as we have proceeded. It will convey to
their Lordships the best idea of the locality in which we
have been operating, and, I trust, prove a satisfactory
addition to our present geographical knowledge of these
parts.
The troops were all re-embarked at Shanghae early
on the morning of the 23d, when the squadron drooped
down the river, and they were in the course of the after-
noon transferred to their respective transports at the tn-
chorage of Woosung.
The surveying-vessels and light-ships of the squadr,'n
will now proceed up the Yang-tse-Kiang, and their Lord-
ships may depend that no time will be lost in proceeding
with the expeditionary forces in prosecution of further
operations.—l have, &c.,
W. PARKER, Vice-Admiral.

P.S.—I enclose a list of guns taken and deztroyed in
the batteries between Woosung and Shanghae, in the
arsenal and batteries at Shanghae, and above that city
on the banks of the river. •
(True copy.) W. PARKER, Vice-Admiral.

FROM COMMANDER R. B. WATSON, HER MAJESTY'S SHIP
MODESTE, TO VICE-ADMIRAL SIR W. PARKER, K.C.8.,
COMMANDER -IN-CHIEF, &C.
Modeste, Woosung River, June 18, half-past 1.
Sir,—ln pursuance of your Excellency's order of yes-
terday's date, I have placed the ships under my cora-