The Sun.
London, England, 1842-01-08 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 1842.

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Admission to the whole, One Shilling.

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

Yesterday a crowded meeting was held in the Lecture
Room of the Social Institution, Mount-street, LaMbeth,
for the purpose of considering the necessity of supporting
Mr. Southwell against the proceedings lately adopted
against him by the clergy of Bristol, for some free opi-
nions on religion, written by him in a new work, pub-
lished by him and others in that city, which were held to
be blasphemous. The room was crowded soon after
eight o'clock. About half past that hour Mr. Huggett
moved that Mr. Hine take the chair, which was unani-
mously agreed to.
On taking the Chair he said he would. at all times be
found ready to do his part to uphold and disseminate
truth—truth, which would yet make this a great, a re-
flecting, and a happy country. —Mir: eStsitthwell Mid' been
Mon scandalously treated—nay, he would say persecu-
ted, by a knot of self-elected theologians—a set of bi-
gotted Magistrates, who persecuted him in the most
tyrannical manner for merely publishing his opinions.
He trusted the time would soon come when priesthood
would be put down, for the priests had done
more harm than tyrants ; at least •he was in-
clined to give them the palm. He believed that
religious freedom must depend upon the Charter, and
he Was glad to say that the demand for it was extending
even among the middle classes. Mr. Southwell deserved
well of the country for the article for which he had been
punished, and he trusted that it would be widely dis-
seminated throughout the country. At all events, he
must be as well defended as it was possible he could
by any means, and that would only be as he de-
served, and he hoped that a Jury would on this occasion
be found to act without fear and without prejudice.
Frselom must progress—it would progress, notwith-
standing the tyranny of Magistrates, or even of a corrupt
Jury, and consequent tyrannical imprisonment.
Mr. HETHERINGTON appeared to move the first reso-
lution amidst cheering. He had much pleasure in doing
so, or in any way lending his aid in so glorious a cause
as the advancement of perfect liberty of opinion. If any
one advanced opinions that could not stand the test of
truth, don't punish him in any other way than by refuting
h'in. He had stood and defended himself against a chrirge
of blasphemy, but he stood up not for his own opinion, but
for the right of esery one to put forth his own opinions freely
as the air blows.—(Here Mr. Southwell entered the room,
amidst loud cheering.) It was the duty of every man,
and every woman, too, to stand forward and support
those who led the way to the final attainment of such a
blessing. Was the present position of the country in
arts and sciences attained by the persecution of any
man who found fault with a building or a picture? No;
it was by leaving opinion entirely free. Why, then,
should -it not also be so with theology ? He
was of Dr. Johnson's opinion, that " Truth is
the basis of all excellence," and he was for pursuing it at
all hazards and all risks. He moved a resolution to the
effect, that the interests of scciety demanded that free-
dom of opinion upon all subjects should be established ;
that to the practical recognition of that principle, as re-
spected the arts and sciences, we owe those improve-
ments which had advanced this country to its present
glorious eminence ; and that the social and political
freedom of the people would never be consolidated until
prosecutions for the free publication of opinion on theo-
logical and political subjects were abolished.
Mr. RYALL seconded the motion. He was one who
differed much from many of the opinions put forth by
Mr. Southwell—he professed himself a believer not only
in the Christian religion, but also in what had been
called the Jew's book ; but, at the same time, he would
not only allow any one who pleased to write against and
vilify either, but they might burn both, without his lift-
ing a single linger to prevent them.—(Cheers.) If they
could not maintain their own way by the truths they
contained, he would never have them maintained by per-
secution. Let them not attack the inspiration of the
Bible ; let them grant that ; but claim it for Byron,
Goethe, and many of our poets—nay, he would claim it
for many who were present.
Mr. SAVAGE supported the resolution. The very
book which Mr. Southwell had called the Jew's book,
showed that the race of vipers, by whom he was perse-
cuted, were es old as the time of Jesus of Nazareth, for
he himself had been persecuted for what was, as now,
the sin called blasphemy, viz., the sin of speaking against
the race of the priesthood. One thing was clear to the
minds of all, that that one crime was only a clime
against one class, for they would never find that any
one prosecuted the so-called crime except one of that
class whose interests were attacked. There never was
a prosecutor for blasphemy but was either a priest, or the
paid hireling or tool of one. In the words of
St. Paul, he would call upon them all " To stand fast in
that liberty with which God hath made them free."—
(Cheers.) Therefore let them stand fast on behalf of
those who were pioneers in their own cause. Let them
support Mr. Southwell, who now had the serpents—the
viper race—at his heels.—(Cheers.)
The resolution was then passed unanimously.
Mr. NEESOM then rose to move, " That the prosecu-
tion of Mr. Southwell for an alleged libel, contained in
an article in the Oracle of Reason,' was impolitic and
unjust. Impolitic, because it was not calculated to
change or correct his opinions, if erroneous, nor
prevent their pernicious influence on the public ; and
unjust, because to punish bins for freedom of
opinion was incompatible with civil and reli-
gious liberty, which was his ,inherent right. Any
one so punished was deserving of public sympathy and
support, and that meeting pledged itself to aid him in
his defence by every means in its power." The Resolu-
tion contained his own opinions, and those of the meet-
ing he felt certain, in such forcible language, that he
was satisfied they were all anxious to pledge themselves
to use every effort in their power to save Mr. Southwell
from the fangs of the persecutors who now oppressed
him. He would only further say that until the working
classes bade farewell to the pipe and the pot they would
continue to be enslaved.—(Cheers.)
Mr. CARPENTER seconded the motion, on the broad
ground that every person, be he who he might, had a
right to give the utmost and freest expression to what-
ever opinions lie might conscientiously adopt.
Mr. TENNANT advocated the cause of Mr. Southwell,
as his case might very soon become their own. The
state of the law with respect to blasphemy was a disgrace
not only to England, but to the boasted intelligence of
the nineteenth century. Mr. Southwell deserved to be
well supported by the members of that Institution, for he
had been its main support. The resolution was then
agreed to unanimously.
Mr. SOUTHWELL then appeared, and was received
with three cheers. He could assure them of the truth of
the adage that it was much easier to hear censure than

applause. He was among them again, as well and as
hearty as ever, and as determined as ever to fight the
spirit of tyranny and bigotry in a manful manner.
What he contended for was, that he had as perfect aright
to express his own opinions in as free a manner as the
Lord Chancellor of England. They had never had the
liberty of the press—it was all fudge ; but he was deter-
mined to maintain the right at the hazard of his life.
—(Cheers.) What the result of the approaching trial
might be, he knew not ; but • one good must
come from it—truth. Truths which had never yet been
spoken in a Court of Justice would then come out.—
(Cheers.) He at considerable length defended the
article on the " Jew's book." It would, at all events, do
that which he had challenged—it would prove whether
he was to be put down with the strong arm of the law,
or by reason. his only object was to emancipate the
press, and therefore it - was that he had put his
name to the title-page of a book which con-
tained truths or opinions which no man in
Europe had ever dared to give expression to
through the press. If he succeeded in his wish,
he would, at all events, leave the world better

than he found it—if he established his principle he would
leave the world a more thinking one, and, therefore, a
more happy one. He would say, unless they roused
themselves, so far from progressing they would retrogade,
so far as the liberty of the Press was concerned ; for
there were spirits at work numerous and crafty, and
determined to put a gag in every one's mouth ; for their

own sakes, then, he called on them to come forward and

assist those who were willing to take upon themselves
the brunt of the battle. As they found him then he
would be found in the Bristol Court. Sir C. Wetherell

might doom him to two, three, four, or five years im-
prisonment, but in the Court before him they would not
make him tell a lie or speak one insincere thotight. The
article on the Jew's Book had done its work, and it would
be followed up. There were a dozen of them who
were determined that opinion should be free—it
was for them to assist them in that deter-

urination. He gladly acknowledged the extraordinary
support ho had received from the Social body, as it was
well known that he had separated from that body; it was,
therefore, the more disinterested, and showed that they
practically carried out their own doctrines. No one who
supported him was understood to agree either in the
matter or the manner of the article alleged to be blasphe-
mous. They did neither, they supported the great doc-
trine that opinion should be corrected by opinion alone;
they merely supported the freedom of the press. He
fought for a principle, and was sustained by principle ;
and even if he died under the visitation, his labours
must have done some good. He thanked them for the
kindness of his reception, and as he might not see them
again for a year or two, he trusted they would fearlessly
examine what had fallen from him, and they might de-
pend upon it tyranny and superstition would soon
bite the dust.

Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the
meeting separated.

CHINA.

OFFICIAL ACCOUNTS
OF THE

CAPTURE OF AMOY.

(NOTIFICATIONS.)
Calcutta, Saturday Night, Nor. 20, 1841.
Fort William, Secret Department, Nov. 20, 1841.
The Right Honourable the Governor-General of India
in Council has the highest satisfaction in publishing, for
general information, the annexed copies of Despatches
from the Military and Naval Commanders-in-Chief of her
Majesty's forces in China., reporting the capture, on the
26th of August, of the town and fortification of Amoy.
By order of the Right Honourable the Governor Ge-
neral of India in Council.

(Signed) J. H. MADDOCK,
Secretary to the Government in India.

Head-Quarters, Ship Marion, Amoy Harbour,
To tke Right Hon. the Earl of AuSeekpltaenmdb,eGr..l3.B
vernor-General, &c. &c. 561,41.
GO.

My Lord—l am happy to be enabled to report to your
Lordship the complete success of the operations against
Amoy, with very trifling loss; my anticipations in re-
gard to the preparations of the enemy, have been fully
realised, but I did not calculate an so feeble a resistance.
2. The expedition left Hong-Kong harbour on Satur-
day, the 21st August, lintju cogsevence of light winds
the fleet did not cleat thifLeffirisit' passage
the-23d, and on the evening of the 25th we'iii•rftedin the
outward anchorage of Amoy, a few shots only having
been fired as we were running through a chain of islands
which form the mouth of this anchorage, and most of
which the Chinese had fortified. As it was blowing
very fresh, I could not get on board the flag-ship until
the following morning, when I accompanied their Excel-
lencies Sir Henry Pottinger and Admiral Sir Win.
Parker in the Phlegethon steamer, to reconnoitre the
defences, with a view to the commencement of imme-
diate operations. The enemy allowed us to do so with-
out firing a shot, and the plan of attack was at once
decided upon, a summons having been previously sent in,
requiring the surrender of the town and island of Amoy
to her Majesty's forces.
3. The enemy's defences were evidently of great
strength, and the country by nature difficult of ac-
cess. Every island, every projecting headland, from
whence guns could bear upon the harbour, were
occupied, and strongly annelissommencing from the
point of entrance into the ffiner harbour on the
Amoy side, the principal sea line of defence, after a
succession of batteries and bastions in front of the outer
town, extended for upwards of a mile in one continuous
battery of stone, with embrasures roofed by large slabs
thickly covered with clods of earth, so as to form a sort
of casement, and afford perfect shelter to the men in
working their guns. Between some of the embrasures
were embankments to protect tho masonry, and ninety-
six guns were mounted in this work, which terminated
in a castellated wall, connecting it with a mange of pre-
cipitous rocky heights, that run nearly parallel to the
beach, at a distance varying from a quarter to half a
mile. Several smaller works were apparent at intervals
amid the rocks.
3. The entrance to the inner harbour is by a channel
about 600 yards across between Amoy- and the island of
Koo-lang-soo, upon which several strong batteries were
risible, and some of these flanked the sea line and stone
battery. It appeared expedient, therefore, to make a
simultaneous attack on these two prominent lines of de-
fence.

4. It was proposed that the two line of battle ships,
with the two large steamers, should attack the sea-de-
fences on the island of Amoy nearest the town, and that
some of the smaller vessels of war should open their fire
to protect the landing of the troops, which was to be ef-
fected below the angle formed by the junction of the cas-
tellated wall with the sea-line while the remaining yes-
sels should engage several flanking-batteries that ex-
tended beyond these works.
5. At the same time the two heavy frigates and the
Modeste were to run in and open their fire upon the
works of Koo-lang-soo, where I instructed Major John-
stone, with a company of artillery and the three com-
panies of the 26th Regiment, supported by 170 marines
under Mafor Ellie,., to land in a small bay to the left of
the batteries, which they were to take in reverse.
6. About half-past one o'clock the attack commenced,
the enemy having previously fired occasional shots at the
ships, as they proceeded to their stations. Sir William
Parker will, no. doubt, communicate to your Lordship,
the very conspicuous part taken by her Alajesty's ships on
this occasion. From the difficulty of getting the boats
collected in tow of the steamers, the troops did not land
quite so soon as I could have wished, notwithstanding the
judicious arrangements of Captain Gifford, of her Ma-
jesty's sloop Cruiser, who conducted the disembarkation.
The 18th and 49th regiments, however, lended about
three o'clock, with very very little opposition. The for-
mer regiment I directed to escalade the castellated wail
while the 49th were to move along the beach, and get
over the sea face or through the embrasures. These two
operations were performed to my entire satisfac-
tion, and the greater part of these corps were soon in po-
sition within the works, and rapidly moved along the
whole lino of sea defence, the enemy flying before them.
Upon reaching the outskirts of the outer town, they were
joined by a party of marines and seamen, whom Sir W.
Parker most judiciously landed in support, and whom I
directed to occupy a rocky hill in our front, in the
neighbourhood of which firing was still heard. This
duty was promptly and ably performed by Captain
Fletcher, of her Majesty's ship Wellesley, and Captain
Whitcornbe, of the Royal Marines.
7. While these operations were going on upon the
Amoy side, the island of Koo-fang-soo was ably attacked
by the frigates, and the troops landed. Major Ellis,
with some of the Marines and Cameronians, who first
landed, climbed up the rocks to the left of the eastern-
most battery, and, gallantly driving the enemy from the
heights, which were defended with some spirit, continued
his progress to the north side of the island, while Major
Johnstone, who, closely
followed up with the rest of the
troops, proceeded across it and carried the remaining
works, thus putting us in possession of this very im-
portant position. Major Johnstone reports that Brevet
Captain Gregg had an opportunity of distinguishing
himself in driving a large body of the enemy from a
battery, upon which he came unexpectedly with a detach-
ment of twelve men.
8. On Amoy, a chain of. steep rocky hills running
from the range already mentioned transversely to the
beach, still intercepted our view of the city, though the
wader town lay beneath my advanced post. The guns
having been landed by the exertions of the Artillery and
Sappers, and brought on far enough for support, had a
strong force opposed our advance, I decided upon forc-
ing the position in my front, which appeared extremely
strong, and well calculated to be held during the night.
Having made the necessary disposition, I directed the
18th Regiment to advance up a precipitous gorge, where
the enemy had two small works, while the 49th were to
pass through the outer town by the road to the same
hills, extending their left, after gaining the pass, to the
works above the beach, so as to open a communication
with the shipping. This movement was also executed
with spirit, the enemy merely firing off their guns and
flying ; and at dusk I found myself in a position close
above the city, and perfectly commanding it.
9. Owing to the boisterous state of the weather, and
the delay in the return of the steamers, the 53th Regi-
ment had not yet landed ; but this was effected at day-
light the following morning, I regret to say, not without
loss, a boat having been swamped, and fire men unfor-
tunately drowned. Thus reinforced, I pushed strong
parties of the 18th and 49th Regiments down to the out-
skirts-of the city, in the north-eastern quarter of which,
upon irregularly rising ground, and closely surrounded
by a dense mass of buildings, appeared the walled town
or citadel. Having carefully reconnoitred this place, I
satisfied myself that, although there was-a Concourse of
people passing and re-passing at the northern gate, the
walls were nut manned. I therefore thought it advisable
prevailing panic, and having
sent
advantage of tsoeuttakae a ossfitthhee•
Captain Cotton, the 'command-
ing engineer, to reconnoitre the approach to the eastern
gate, which he promptly effected, I directed, upon his
return, the 18th to adraece, having the 49th in support,
and the 55th in reserve. The advanced party of the
18th escaladed the walls by the aid of ladders found on
the spot, and opened the eastern gate, which was barred
and barricaded from within by sacks filled with earth
and stones. The remainder ed the Regiment passed
through it and manned the other gates, the enemy
viously abandoned the pl„e,
having pre leaving it in pos-
session of the mob, • .11 had whit.already begun to plunder
the public establishments.
10. I occupied the citadel with the 18th and Sappers,
placing the 49th regiment in an extensive building with-
out the public office of the Intendant of Circuit, from
whence they Gould give protection to the northern sub-
urb, and command the communication to the interior by
the only road on this side the island. The artillery I
placed in a commanding position upon the top of a pass
between the city and the outer town, with the 55th in
support, occupying a range of
_Public buildings, in which
h
the Sub-Prefect of Amoy clef -1.
8 court.
is a principal third
11. Amoy class city of China, and
from its excellent harbour and situation, appears to bG
well calculated for commerce. The outer town is divided
from the city by the chain of rocks I have mentioned,
over which a paved road leads through a pass that has a
its summ
covered gateway at The outer harbour
skirts the outer town, while theit.
city is bounded in nearly
its whole length by the inner harbour and an estuary,
which deeply indent the island, including the outer town
and the north-eastern suburb. The city cannot be much
less than ten miles in circumference, and that of the cita-
del, which entirely commands this suburb, and the inner
town, though commanded itself by the hills within shot
range, is nearly one mile. The walls are castellated,
and vary, with the irregularity of the ground, from
twenty to thirty feet in height ; and there are four gates,
having each, in an outwork, a second or exterior gate, at
right angles to the inner gate, The citadel contained
five arsenals, in which we found a large quantity of
powder, with store of material for making it ; gingals,
wall pieces, matchlocks, and a variety of fire-arms of sin-
gular construction ; military clothing, swords of all de-
scriptions, shields, bows and arrows, and spears, were
also found in such quantity as to lead to the conclusion

• that these must have been the chief magazines of the
province. Within the Sea-defences first taken, there
was a foundry, with moulds, and materials for casting
heavy ordnance.
12. All these have been destroyed, and so much occu-
pied my time, considering, too, how much the troops
were harrassed by patrols to keep off Chineseplunderers,
and by other duties incident to the peculiarity of our
situation, that I abandoned my intention of visiting the
interior of the island. These plunderers -flocked into
the city and suburbs, to the extent, as the Chinese them-
selves reported, of many thausands, and I regret to say
that several gangs penetrated into the citadel, and com-
mitted much devastation. Indeed, with the prospect of
leaving Amoy so soon, I doubt that our marching
through the island might rather hare frightened away
the peaceable householders, and led to further plunder
by the mob than have been of any advantage. Such in-
deed was the audacity of these miscreants, that I was in
some cases obliged to fire in order to disperse them ;
bnt I am glad to say but little loss of life occurred.
13. lam most happy to be enabled to state that the
conduct of the troops has been exemplary; some in-
stances of misconduct have, no doubt, occurred, but when
it is considered that they were in the midst of tempta-
tion, many of the houses being open, with valuable pro-
perty strewed about, and many shops in every street
deserted, but full of sham-shu, it is matter of great satis-
faction that 'these instance were so few.

14. euring our stay upon the island I did all in my
power to prevail upon the respectable merchants and
householder's, who had so much at stake, to aid me in
protecting property, which they readily promised ; but
their apprehension of appearing to be our friendly terms
with As-was- a*- sweat., that I could-01344u wo afrdejaal
assistance from them, and was unable even to get a
Chinese to remain with the guards at the gates and
point out the real owners of houses within the citadel,
for the purpose of granting them free egress andingress.
15. Our departure being determined upon, I could
take no measures for permanent occupation, and as the
wind was strong against us, we were kept on shore four
days in a state of constant watchfulness, until yesterday
at half-past two, P. M., when the preconcerted signal for
embarkation was given by the Admiral. By half-past
six o'clock every soldier and every follower had been em-
barked (without a single instance ofinebriety occurring)
on board the steamer, which transferred -the troops on
board their respective transports during the night.
16. The three companies of the 26th regiment have
remained upon the island of Koo-lang-soo, which her
Majesty's Plenipotentiary has determined to hold for the
present ; and I have strengthened Major Johnstone, who
is in command, with a wing of the lath regiment and a
small detachment of artillery. This little force, amount-
ing to 550 men, will, I trust, together with the ships of
war also left behind, be sufficient to hold this small but
important possession.

17. To the Commanding Officers of Corps and De -
tachments, Lieutenant-Colonel Craigie, 55th Regiment,
Lieutenant-Colonel Morris, 49th Regiment, and Lieute-
nant-Colonel Adams, 18th Regiment, Major Johnstone,
26th Regiment, Major Ellie, Royal Marines, Captain
Knowles, Royal Artillery, Captain Anstruther, Madras
Artillery, anti Captain Cotton, Commanding Engineer,
my best thanks are due ; and I have received the most
cordial and active support from the officers of the gene-
ral and my personal Staff; Lieutenant-Colonel Mountain,
Deputy Adjutant-General, Captain Gough, Acting De-
puty- Quartermaster-General, Major Ilawkini, Deputy-
Commissary-General, Dr. French, Superintending Sur-
geon, and Lieutenant Gobbett, my A.D.C.
18. I cannot too strongly express to your Lordship, in
conclusion, my sense of obligation to his Excellency
Rear-Admiral Sir William Parker, for his ready support
and judicious arrangements upon every occasion, as well
as for having given me, at the disembarkation and em-
barkation, and during the whole period of our stay at
Amoy, the able assistance of Captain Gifford, to whom
my best thanks are due.

19. I have the honour to inclose a list of ordnance cap-
tured, and a return of the wounded on our side upon the
26th ult., and have no means of correctly estimating the
killed and wounded of the enemy, but it must have been
severe, and we know that several Mandarins were amongst
the former.—l have the honour to be, my Lord,
Your Lordship's most obedient humble servant,
(Signed) H. GOUGH, Major-General,
Commanding Expeditionary Force.
RETURN OF ORDNANCE MOUNTED ON THB DEFENCES AT
AMOY, WHEN STORMED AND CAPTURED ON THE 267/1
OF AUGUST, 1841.—BATTERIES ON • THE ISLAND 6F
AMOY, EXTENDING FROM THE SUBURBS Or AMOY,
NEARLY OPPOSITE THE EAST END OF THE ISLAND OF
E6O-LANG-SOO, ALONG THE SHORE IN A SOUTH-EAST
DIRECTION.
The guns were all of Chinese manufacture, _except t6l
En,lish, which were old, but without any date.
Five iron guns had burst when fired by the Chinese.
One hundred and fifty-three iron guns, not mounted,
were found, principally of small calibre, from three to
six-pounders.

GENERAL ABSTRACT.

Island of Amoy
Island of Koo-lang-soo
Batteries on south-west side of Bay 4l
Little Gonne

Total.
Guns not mounted ..

343
157

Grand total

(Signed) J. KNOWLES, Capt. Royal Artillery.
N.B.—Fifty pieces of ordnance, of small calibre, cap-
tured in the citadel, not included in the above.
(Signed) ARMINE S. 11. MOUNTAIN,
Lieutenant-Colonel, D.A.G.
EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.

RETURN OF KILLED AND WOUNDED OF THE FORCE UN-
DER THE COMMAND OF MAJOR-GENERAL SIR HUGH
GOUGH, c.n., &C., ON THE 26TH OF ♦UGUST, 1841,
AT THE CAPTURE OF THE BATTERIES, HEIGHTS,
CITY, AND CITADEL OF AHOY :
Head-quarters, Amoy Castle, Sept. 1, 1841.
Rank and File.
18th Royal Irish Regiment, wounded 2
49th Regiment, wounded 7
Total wounded - 9
(Signed) ARMINE S. H. MOUNTAIN,
Lieut.-Col., Dep. Adjt.-Gen. Expeditionary Force,
Major-General Sir Hugh Gough, K.C.B. Commander,
~.•

in Chief, ExpeditionariForce, China.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF AUCKLAND,

G.C.8., &C., &C.

Wellesley, in the Bay of Amoy, Aug. 31, 1841.
My Lord,—lt is with much gratification that I have
the honour of announcing to your Lordship the capture
of the city ofAmoy and the island of Koo-lang-soo (which
forms the west side of the harbour), together with their
strong lines of batteries and sea defences, mounting
above 228 guns, by the combined forces of her Ma-
jesty, after a short but vigorous attack, on the 26th

inst., with very trifling loss on our part.
The expedition, comprising the ships of war here-
after named, and twenty-one transports containing the
land forces, military and victualling stores, &c., under
the command of his Excellency Major-General Sir Hugh
Gough, sailed from the anchorage of Hong-Kong on
the 21st, and fortunately arrived off the islands at the
entrance of Amoy Bay by sunset on the 25th. It was
then beginning to blow strong, but favoured by a fair
wind, and good moonlight, with the advantage of the
local knowledge of Captain Bourchier, of the Blonde, the
fleet were pushed into the bay, and anchored in secu-
rity for the night.
_ _

A few shots were discharged at her ➢Lajesty's ships as
they passsd between the fortified islands, but no mischief
was done.

It blew too hard during the night to admit of any
boats leaving the ships to sound or make observations ;
but no time was lost after daylight in reconnoitering the
Chinese positions, in which the General and Sir Henry
Pottinger did me the favour to accompany me, in the
Phlegethon steam-vessel.
We found the batteries and works of defence on the
entire sea face strengthened by every means that the art
or these active people could devise ; presenting-a succes-
sion of batteries and outworks, from the extreme
this out-
atoh:araredes pointstquarterseep
a ti of
rocky
f amextensive
f the
mountain
et bay,traaunsne
ea until
where a high barrier wall was constructedodyf
o
within
beachrth: hm°harbour
ahor aebnl o)f
otouluoir ett,
sea ; and from this latter point a strong casemated work
of granite, faced with soil, and occasional small bastions
with parapets of stone, to afford flanking defences, was
continued to the very suburbs and entrance of the har-
bour, from whence were masked batteries with sand bags,
until opposite the north-east point of Koo-lang-soo
altogether 152 gnns.
On the island ofKoo-lang-soo, which is the key of Amoy,
strong batteries, mounting in all seventy-six guns, were
also placed in every commanding .position for flanking
the approach to the harbour (which is scarcely half a mile
wide at the entrance), and protecting the accessible points
of landing.
As it was of the utmost importance, with a view to
ulterior operations, and the advanced period of the pre-
sent monsoon, that we should be delayed as short a time
as possible at Amoy, it was determined that the batte-
ries within the barrier wall and on the island of Koo-lang-
soo should be immediately attacked by the squadron,
and the troops landed within the barrier as soon as it
might be practicable, to take the batteries in the rear.
For this object the Wellesley and Blenheim were or-
dered to anchor against the strongest batteries on Amoy,
and as near the entrance of the harbour as possible,
leaving the Cruiser, Pylades, Columbine, and Algerine
to engage the extreme point of the line, and cover the
landing of the troops, flanked by the heavy guns of the
Sesostris and Queen steam-vessels, the Phlegethon and
Nemesis being appointed to receive the troops, and tow
in the boats for landing them.
The attack of the island of Koo lang-soo, where we had
reason to apprehend the water was shoaler, was as-
signed to Captain Bourchier, of the Blonde, with the
Druid and Modeste, 150 marines under Captain Ellis,
and a detachment of the 26th Regiment, under Major
Johnstone.

Pending the necessary preparations for disembarking
the troops and moving the ships into their appointed
positions, a communication was received from the shore,
requesting to know the object of our visit, to which the
answer No. I was returned.
About a quarter past one, a steady and favourable
breeze having set in, the squadron weighed, and pro-
ceeded to their stations. The Sesostris, being the most
advanced, received a heavy fire before any return was