The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-07 00:00:00

CHINA.

The news from China comes down to the 28th
of July, and affords grounds for forming hopes
of an approaching termination of the war there.
After the arrival of the reinforcements, the ex-
pedition on the 13th June entered the Yang-tze-
Kiang, the most magnificent river of China, on
the banks of which the Chinese had erected
many strong fortifications, and garrisoned them
with large bodies of their best troops. Having
passed three days in making observations and in
taking soundings, which were seen and permitted
by the Chinese, the fleet at daylight on the
16th prepared for action, and on the ships taking
their stations the batteries from the shore
opened. The progress and results of this con-
flict have been officially published in the follow-
terms :

-CIRCULAR TO HER MAJESTY S SUBJECTS IN CHINA.
The gratifying duty of announcing further highly im-
portant successes 'of her Majesty's combined forces, again
devolves on her Majesty's Plenipotentiary in China.
After the necessary delay in destroying the batteries,
magazines, foundries, barracks, and other public build-
ings, as well us the ordnance, arms, and ammunition,
captured at Chapoo, the troops were re-embarked, and
the expedition finally quitted that port on the 23d of
May, and arrived on the 29th off the Ragged Islands,
where it remained until the 13th of June, on which day
it crossed the bar, which had been previously surveyed,
and buoyed off, into the Yangtszekiang river to
,the
point where the river is joined by the Woosung.
At this point the Chinese authorities had erected im-
mense lines of works, to defend the entrances of both
rivers, and seem to have been so confident of their abi-
lity to repel us that they permitted a very close recon-
noisance to be made in two of the small steamers by
their Excellencies the Naval and Military Commanders-
in-Chief, on the 14th inst., and even cheered and encou-
raged the boats which were sent in the same night to lay
down buoys to guide the ships of war to their allotted
positions of attack.
At daylight on the morning of the ]6th the squadron
weighed anchor and proceeded to take up their respec-

On the 17th of June, some of the lighter vessels of the
squadron advanced up the Woosung river, end found a
battery deserted, mounting 55 guns, of which 17 were
brasa.

On the 19th two more batteries elese to the city of
Shanghae, opened their guns on the advanced division of
the light squadron, but on receiving a couple of broad-
sides, the Chinese fled, and the batteries, which contained
48 guns (17 of them brass) were instantly occupied, and
troops tuok possession of the city, where the public
buildings were destroyed, and the extensive Government
granaries given to the people.
His Excellency the Admiral proceeded up the river
Woosun,g with two of the small iron steamers on the
20th inst., about 50 miles beyond the city of Shanghae,
and in this reconnoisance two additional field works, each
mounting four heavy guns, were taken and destroyed,
bringing the total of ordnance captured in these opera-
tions up to the astonishing number of 364, of which 76
are of brass, and chiefly.large handsome guns. Many of
,the brass guns have got devices, showing that they have
been cast lately ; several of them have Chinese charac-
ters, signifying " the tamer and subduer of the barba-
rians," and one, particularly large, is dignified by the
title of the " barbarian."

The Chinese high officers and troops are supposed to
have fled in the direction of the cities of Soo-chow,
Hangchowfoo, and Nankin. The same high authorities
have made another indirect attempt to retard active
operations, by an avowed wish to treat, and have also
given a satisfactory proof of their anxiety to conciliate
by the release of 16 of her Majesty's subjects (Europeans
and natives of India) who had been kidnapped ; but as
the overtures were not grounded on the only basis on
which they can be listened to, they %i ore met by an inti-
mation to that effect.—God save the Queen.
Dated on board the steam frigate Queen, in the Yangts. '
zekean river (off Woosung) the 24th day of June, one
thousand eight hundred and forty-two.
(Signed) HENRY POTTINGER,
Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary.

CIRCULAR TO lIER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S SUBJECTS IN

CHINA.

Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, &c., &c., has much sa-
tisfaction in promulgating, for general inormation, the
annexed extracts of official dispatches, under dates the
23d and 21st of May, which have this day reached him
from their Excellencies the Naval and Military Com-
manders in-Chief, announcing the capture of the port
and city of Chapoo.
'Whilst her Majesty's Plenipotentiary must feel, in
common with all her Majesty's subjects, great thankful-
ness and pride at this most important success, he partici-
pates most warmly in the expressions of regret which have
ben recorded by their Excellencies the Naval and Mili-
tary 'Commanders-in-Chief of her Majesty's combined
forces, at the losses which our gallant countrymen have
sustained in killed and wounded, as well as at the amount
of suffering which has fallen on the Chinese soldiers and
'inhabitants, in spite of every effort made to induce the
former to surrender, as well as the latter to trust to our
clemency and kind treatment of them.
The whole of the prisoners made, have been sent back
to the Chinese high officers, who had subsequently made
overtures for accommodation, but which it is impossible
to pronounce to be sincere. Her Majesty's Plenipoten-
tiary, however, indulges the strong hope, that the irre-
sistible power of her Majesty's arms will, at no distant
period, compel the Government of China to come to
terms, and thereby put a stop to a war, which it is his
anxious duty and wish to sec terminated on an honour-
able and lasting basis.
God Save the Queen.
HENRY POTTINGER.
. -

Government House, Hongkong, June 4,
• ••• Dated Cornwallis, at Chapoo, May 23.
Commanders liellet and Collinson, who have been
indefatigable in s urveying every part we have had to
navigate, succeeded during the night in thoroughly
sounding between the anchorage and the shore, which
enabled the Cornwallis, Blonde, and Modeste, while the
troops were landing, to take up excellent positions against
the sea batteries, consisting of two works mounting seven
and five grins, about one-third of the way up a steep hill,
at the eastern extremity of the suburb, and crowned
with a joss-house, occupied by a large.body of men ; and
three other masked batteries, mounting 30 guns, in front
of the suburbs ; making a total of 42 guns of different
calibre. These ail were thronged with Chinese soldiers,
who also lined their defences on the heights to a consi-
derable extent with matchlock men and numerous jinjalls.
Against these field works: the Sesostris was an-
chored, fur the purpose of dispersing them with shells
as our troops advanced, and the inhabitants at the suburbs
and city were duly warned to retire out of the line of
our tire._

By the exertions of the Nemesis, Plilegethon, and
Queen steamers, and the boats of the covering vessels
Starling,. Columbine, Bentinek, and Algerine, together
with those of the transports, conducted by Lieutenant
Somerville, the troops were all put on shore in admirable
order, under the . able direction of Commander Charles
.Richards, of the Cornwallis, before nine o'clock, when
the General, with his accustomed energy, immediately,
pushed forward at their head—the ships, by a precon-
certed signal, opening their fire at the same time on the
batteries. A few shot, however, put the men stationed
in them, and at the joss-house on the summit of the hill
opposite to or, to a precipitate flight, and not a moment
was lost in landing the seamen and marines of the
squadron, under Captain Bourchier, of the Blonde, and
the officers named in the accompanying list, who got
possession of the batteries before the mines which were
prepared in them could be sprung, and having succeeded
in cutting off several of the Chinese troops that were
endeavouring to reach the suburbs, joined our land
forces on their approach to the city.
(Signed) WILLIAM PARKER, Vice-Admiral.
A true extract, G. A. MALCOLM, Secretary of Legation.
Dated Head-quarters, Chapoo, May 21.
The fleet arrived at an anchorage ',thirteen miles from
tWr, on 14th instant. On the 16th his EsLellency Sir
William Parker and myself reconnoitred the defences of
Chapoo ; when we made our dispositions for its attack.
On the 16th the fleet came to anchor about four miles to
the east of the city ; and the troops were ordered to pre-
pare to land at daylight next morning. By eight o'clock,
on the 18th, every men was on shore without being op-
posed. By ten o'clock the whole range of heights and
fortified encampments, forming the principal military de
fences of Chapoo, were in our possession ; and by twelve
I was on the walls of the city, having escaladed the east-
ern angle, during the confusion and panic occasioned by
the previous attacks ; and having cut off the retreat of a
large portion of those who defended the heights, which
fortunately were the enemy's best, troops, composed of
Mantchoo Tartars. The Chinese had about 8,000 regu-
lars, 1,700 of whom were Tartars. Their loss must have
been very great: as we have buried from 1,200 to 1,500
men. We have made but few prisoners, and those are
principally wounded. From eighty to ninety guns have
fallen into our hands, all of which lam in the act of de-
stroying except the brass. Vast quantities of jingals,
with some thousands of matchlocks, and innumerable
bows and arrows, have also fallen into our hands, as
have also a foundry and gunpowder manufactory, toge-
gether with several arsenals, which shall all be destroyed.
I regret to add that this has not been effected without
a greater loss than I anticipated. One officer, one ser-
geant, and seven men killed ; sevenofficers, one sergeant,
and 42 men wounded, of the military arm, and about five
or six of the marines and seamen. In the list of killed, I
feel deep regret in naming it, is Colonel Tomlinson, an
officer of high promise. Amongst the wounded are
Lieutenant-Colonel Mountain, Deputy, Adjutant-General,
a very superior staff-officer, who has received
_three
rather severe wounds, and Captain Campbell, 55th,
most zealous officer.
(Signed) IL GouGu, Lieut.-General,
'Commanding Land Forces Eastern Expedition.
(True extract.)
G. A. AfALCOLX, Secretary of Legation.

GENERAL ORDERS.
By his Excellency Lieutenant-General Sir Hugh Gough,
G.C.8., commanding Expeditionary Land Force.
Head Quarters, Chapoo City, 19th May.
The Lieutenant-General has again to congratulate his
brave comrades in arms on another very brilliant achieve-
ment executed with their usual gallantry by the Chinese
expeditionary force.
Sir Hugh Gough's best thanks are due to all ranks, and
he again has to request officers in command of corps and
detachments to convey to their respective officers and sol-
diers his highest sense of approbation.
The Lieutenant-General commanding cannot deny
himself the melancholy gratification of recording the
deep feelings of regret he has experienced at the loss of
one of our brightest ornaments, Lieut.-Colonel Tomlin-
son, 18th Royal Irish, who fell at the head of his corps,
nobly doing his duty. His honourable remains will be
committed to the deep to-morrow, in accordance with
the express wish of his brother officers.
The Lieutenant-General is happy to announce that
Lieutenant-Colonel Mountain, C. 8., Deputy-Adjutant •
General, whose zealous exertions have been so frequently
recorded, is doing well, as also the other wounded offi-
cers and men.

S J. B. GOITGII, Major,
Quartermaster-Genera',Deputy (igne)d
Acting for Deputy-Ad-
jutant-General, Expeditionary Force.
(True copy) G. A. MALCOLM, Secretary of Legation.

We learn that the claims handed by American citi-
zens to Commodore Kearney for losses sustained dur-
ing the attack of the British force on Canton, amounted
to about 7,800 dollars ; that these were demanded by
the Commodore, and that the Chinese paid 10,000
dollars instead, the surplus being, we believe, intended
for the parents or nearest relatives of the boy Sherry,
who was killed during the attack on the Morrison's
boat; besides which, the Hong merchants have sent
about 2,000 dollars worth in teas and other articles to
the same parties. After this money was paid, we
understand the claimants altered their minds, and
asked a greater sum. Commodore Kearney refused
to make another application, and the money remains

tire stations, which was scarcely done when the batteries
opened, and the cannonade on both sides was extremely
heavy and unce9sing for about two hours; thst of the
Chinese then be,an to slacken, and the seamen and ma-
rines wera landel at unce, under the fire from the ships,
and drove the enemy out of the batteries before Vie
troops could be disembarked and formed for advancing.
Two hundred and fifty.three guns (forty-two of them
brass) were taken in the batteries, most of them
of heavy calibre, and upwards of eleven feet long. The
whole were mounted on pivot carriages of new and effi-
cient construction, and it was likewise observed that they
were fitted with bamboo sights.
The casualties in the naval arm of the expedition
amounted to two killed and twenty-five wounded, but the
land forces had not a roan touched. It appears almost
miraculous that the casualties should not have been
much greater, considering how Ivell the Chinese served
their *runs. The Blonde frigate had fourteen shot in
her hull, the Sesostris steamer 11, had all the ships en-
gaged more or less. The loss on the part of the enemy
is supposed to have been about killed, and a propor-
tionate number wounded.