The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-22 00:00:00

OVERLAND MAIL

EXTRAORDINARY DISPATCH

FROM CHINA.

RECAPTURE OF CAUBUL.

TREATY of PEACE WITH CHINA.
The following important intelligence was
brought to Malta on the 13th instant, from
Alexandria, and forwarded to Marseilles by the
Locust steamer. Caubul has been again taken,
and General Pollock and General Nott have,
with their victorious troops, met in the capital of
Affghanistan. Some severe fighting took place
on both routes, •but the British forces main-
tained their high character, and defeated
the enemy with comparatively little loss
in every encounter. A number of the
prisoners detained by Akbar Khan were
found in safety at Caubul, and strong hopes
existed that Lady Sale and the rest would spee-
dily be set at liberty. Akbar Khan had fled to
the mountains.

In China the success has been equally com-
plete. The city of Nankin has been captured,
and the treaty of peace between Great Britain
and China vas signed on the 29th of August on
board the Cornwallis, a ship of the line, anchored
in the river Yang-zse-kiang, under the walls of
this great emporium of trade and commerce in
China. The Tartar troops made great resistance.
Their leader fought to the last, and on finding
every hope of success or retreat vain, he shut
himself up in his chamber, ordered his servant
to set fire to the house, and perished in the flames.

CHINA.
On the 11th October, the Honourable Company's
steam frigate Sesostris, Commander Ormsby, arrived
at Bombay, bringing news from Nankin to the 31st
August, and Hong-Kong to the 10th September.
The last mail informed you of the capture of Woo-
sung and Shanghae, in the Yang-tze-Keang, and of
the destruction of numerous batteries and defences on
the banks of the Woosung river ; and it was stated
that the fleet, had proceeded towards Nankin for the
purpose of commencing operations against that city.
The squadron set sail from Woosung on the 6th
July, and on the 14th arrived opposite some batteries
built on a range of hills commanding the river, from
which a fire was opened on the leading ships. The
guns were instantly silenced, and the whole of the
defences destroyed. On the 20th the vessels an-
chored abreast of the city of Chin-Keang-foo, which
commands the entrance of the Grand Canal, and the
next morning the troops were disembarked, and
marched to the attack of the Chinese forces. One
brigade was directed to move against the enemy's
camp, situated about three miles distant, where
from 1,500 to 3,000 men, it was reported, were as-
sembled ; another was ordered to co-operate with
this division in cutting off the expected retreat of the
Chinese from the camp of the city; while the third
received instructions to escalade the northern wall of
the town. The Chinese, after firing a few distant
volleys, fled from the camp with precipation, and dis-
persed over the country. The city itself, however,
was manfully defended by the Tartar soldiers, who
prolonged the contest for several hours, resisting with
desperate valour the combined efforts of the three bri-
gades, aided by a reinforcement of marines and sea-
men. At length opposition ceased, and ere nightfal
we were complete masters of the place. Chin-Keang-
foo, like Amoy, was most strongly fortified, and the
works in excellent repair. It is supposed the garri-
son consisted of not less than 3,000 men, and of these
about 1,000 and 40 mandarins were killed and
wounded. " The Tartar General," says Sir H. Pot-
tinger, " retired to his house when he saw that all
was lost, made his servants set it on fire, and sat in
his chair till he was burned to death ! His private
secretary was found, the day after the assault, hidden
in a garden ; and on his being carried to the spot, re-
cognised the half-consumed remains of his master,
who was worthy of such a death."
Our list of casualties was heavy : three officers of
the land-force, and one of the navy, being killed, and
nine of the former, and two of the latter, were
wounded.* One hundred and fifty-four men of both
services were killed and wounded.
Leaving a strong garrison for the retention of
Chin-Keang-foo, the fleet proceeded towards Nan-
kin, which was about forty miles distant, and arrived
on the 6th of August, when preparations were imme-
diately made for an attack on the city. A strong
force under the command of Major-General Lord
Saltoun, was landed, and took up their position to
the west of the town ; and operations were about to
be commenced, when a letter was sent off to the Ple-
nipotentiary, requesting a truce, as certain High
Commissioners, specially delegated by the Emperor,
and possessed of full powers to negotiate, were on their
way to treat with us. The attack was consequently
deferred, but the Commissioners did not arrive till the
15th. Their names and rank are thus given :-
1. Kee Ying, of the Royal Family, and Comman-
der-in-Chief of the Tartar troops in Kuang Sung.
2. Eleepoo, Lieut.-General of Shapoo, formerly
Governor of Chekeang, but degraded for liberating
the prisoners last year.
3. Gnu, General of the two provinces, Keeang-soo
and Keeang-see.
After several visits, and a good deal of discussion
between the contracting Powers, matters were ar-
ranged to their mutual satisfaction ; and on the 29th
of August the treaty was publicly signed on board
her Majesty's ship Cornwallis, by Sir H. Pottinger
and the three Commissioners. Of this convention,
the following are the most important articles :
" 1. Lasting peace and friendship between the two
empires.
" 2. China to pay twenty-one millions of dollars in
the course of the present and three succeeding years.
" 3. The ports of Canton, Amoy, Foo-chow-foo,
Ningpo, and Shanghai, to be thrown open to British
merchants; consular officers to be appointed to reside
at them, and regular and just tariffs of import and ex-
port (as well as inland transit) duties to be established
and published.
" 4. The island of Hong-Kong to be ceded in per-
petuity •to her Britannic Majesty, her heirs, and
successors.
5. All subjects of her Britannic Majesty (whe-
ther natives of Europe or India) who may be con-
fined in any part of the Chinese empire, to be uncon-
ditionally released.
" 6. An act of full and entire amnesty to be pub-
lished by the Emperor under his Imperial sign ma-
nual and seal to all Chinese subjects, on account of
their having field service or intercourse with, or re-
sided under the British Government or its officers.
" 7. Correspondence to be conducted on terms of
perfect equality amongst the officers of both Govern-
ments.
" 8. On the Emperor's assent being received to this
treaty, and the payment of the first instalment,
56,000,000, her Britannic Majesty's forces to retire
from Nankin and Grand Canal, and the military posts
at Chinhai to be also withdrawn, but the islands of
Chusan and Kolengsoo are to be held until the money
payments and the arrangements for opening the ports
be completed.
It appears the Emperor at first objected to throw
open the port of Foo-chow-foo, on the ground that as
this place was within 70 miles of the tract of coun-
try where the black teas are grown, the English
would take their cargoes in here, instead of at Canton,
(which is 400 miles off), and consequently the trade
of the latter place would be ruined. The Plenipoten-
tiary, however, refused to yield the point, and his
Majesty was obliged ultimately to give way.
At the time the Sesostris left Nankin, the Manda-
rins appeared most anxious for our departure from
from
this neighbourhood, and the 6,000,000 do
re-
quired to be paid ere the expedition would be
with-
drawn was in the course of collection. Four millions
indeed had been already tendered, as an instalment,
but Sir H. Pottinger refused to receive any thing less
than the whole gum.

* LAND FORCE.

Killed.—Col. Driver, 6th M. N. I. ; Capt. Collin-
son, 89th R.I. ; Lieut. Gibbons, H. M. 49th.
Wounded.—Lieut. Bernard, 18th R. I. (slight) ;
Lieut. Badeley, IL M. 49th (dangerously) ; Lieut.
Grant, same regiment (slight) ; Major Warren, 55th
regiment (severely) ; Lieut. Cuddy, same regiment
(severely) ; Capt. Simson, Rifles (severely) ; Ensign
Travers, 2d M. N. I. (slight); Waddle, Madras Artil-
lery (severely) ; Jamedar, 2d M. N. I. (severely).

NUTT.
Killed.—Major Uniacke, Royal Marines.
Wounded.—Lieut. Crouch, Midshipman Lyons.

It will be observed that in no one provision of the
treaty is there the slightest allusion to the opium
trade—the actual cause of the war—and it is said that
although the Commissioners were very desirous of in-
troducing some article on this point, Sir H. Pottin-
ger refused to admit it, stating that the Chinese must
impose .restrictions on their own subjects, if they wished
to prohibit the traffic. Thus, recognised by neither
power, the opium trade will henceforth be a system of
dangerous but lucrative smuggling; and doubtless
soon prove the source of fresh jealousies and misun-
derstandings with the Chinese. We can but regret
that the question as to its lawfulness has not been
finally set at rest.
Immediately after the signature of the treaty, it
was dispatched to the Emperor for ratification, and on
its return, which was expected in about ten days,
Major Malcolm was to convey it to England, yin
Suez, by the Hon. Company's steamer Auckland.
At the time of the settlement of differences, sick-
ness had begun to appear extensively among the men
both of the land and sea forces. Upwards of 100 be-
longing to the 98th Regiment had died.
When the first instalment of the 21 millions of dol-
-1 ars is paid, the troops return to Chusan. There are
at present off Nankin, her Majesty's ships Cornwallis,
Blonde, Modeste, Childers, Clio, and Algerine ; her
Majesty's steamers Vixen and Driver, and the East
India Company's steamers Auckland, Queen,
Phlegethon, and Medusa, which vessels retain their
position until payment of the instalment.
The Tennasserim steamer was dispatched to Cal-
cutta with the tidings of peace, and arrived safely "
the 4th instant. Pluto,
Her Majesty's ships Endymion, Calliope, and Dido,
and the East India Company's steamer Proserpine,
are stationed off the great canal. The steamer Ne-
mesis was to proceed to Formosa, to obtain the release
of the captured crews of the Anne and Nerbudda.
At Hong-Kong there remain her Majesty's ship
Blenheim, Wolverine, and Warspite, and the E35'.,
India Company's steamers Memnon and Hooghly.

OFFICIAL DISPATCHES'
(From the Friend of China, Sept. 10.)
CIRCULAR.
TO HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S SUBJECTS IN s
Her Britannic Majesty's Plenipotentiary, &c. in Chin,
has extreme gratification in announcing to her Majesty
subjects in China, that he has this day concluded am:
signed with the Chinese High Commissioners,
deputed
to negotiate with him, a treaty, of which the fofollowingare the most important provisions.
1. Lasting Peace and Friendship between the two en-
•

pires.
2. China to pay Twenty-one Millions of dollars in the
course of the present and three succeeding years.. .
3. The ports of Canton, .Amoy, Foo-chop-foo, N'a6r—
and Shanghai, to be thrown open to British mercholi
Consular officers to be appointed to reside at them, and
regular and just tariffs of import and export (as well as
inland transit) duties to be established and published.
4. The island of Hong-Kong to be ceded in perpetuity
to her Britannic Majesty, her heirs and successors.
5. All subjects of her Britannic Majesty (whether nit'
fives of Europe or India), who may ba confined in °I
part of the Chinese empire to be unconditionally miens"'
6. An act of full and entire amnesty to be published
by the Emperor under his Imperial sign manual and seal
to all Chinese subjects, on account of their having held
service or intercourse with, or resided under the British
Government, or its officers.
7. Correspondence to be conducted on terms of per-
fect equality amongst the officers of both Governments.
8. On the Emperor's assent being received to this
treaty, and the payment of the first 6,000,000, dollars,
her Britannic Majesty's Forces to retire from Nankin.;
and the Grand Canal, and the military posts at Chinhal
to be also withdrawn, but the islands of Chusan and
Kulangsoo are to be held until the money payments and
the arrangements for opening the ports be completed.
In promulgating this highly satisfactory intelligence?
her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, &c., purposely refrains
from any detailed expression of his own sentiments g 5 to
the surpassing skill, energy, devotion, and valour, which
have distinguished the various grades, from the highest
to the lowest of all arms of her Majesty's combined
forces, during the contest that has led to these moment-
ous results.. The claims which have been thus established,
will bedoubtless acknowledged by the highest authorities.
In the meantime, her Majesty's Plenipotentiary congra-
tulates her Majesty's subjects in China on the occasion
of a peace, which he trusts and believes will, in clue Sloe'
be equally beneficial to the subjects and interests
England and China.—God save the Queen. •
Dated on beard the steam frigate Queen, in the Yang-
tze Keang river, off Nanking, this 29th day of
_August'
1842.
(Signed) of both

HENRY POTTINGER,
Her Majesty's Plenipotentiarf
(True Copy) G. A. MALCOLM, Secretary or

Legation.

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