The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-26 00:00:00

8. The reports as to the amount of troops in the
city, which is acknowledged to contain 1,000,000 of in-
habitants, have varied exceedingly. I am informed,
however, that the fugitives from Chin-keang-foo have
reached this place, increasing the Tartar garrison to
about 6,000, including the adults of that nation resident

in the city, who are ail trained to arms, and perhaps the
most formidable opponents, as they fight for their fami-
lies and their homes. The Chinese regulars amount, I
have reason to believe, to about 9,000, besides the militia.
From the great extent of the walls, said to be 20 miles
in circumference, although generally too high to escalade
(from about 70 to 28 feet in the lowest part), and from
the canals, suburbs, swamps, and lake, in most place's
difficult to approach, it was evident that I could takethe
city whenever I pleased, by threatening it at such dis-
tant points, as to prevent the concentration of a large op-
posing force, the very difficulties of approach affording
the means of detaching small parties with impunity to
create diversions ; but I was well aware that the stand
would be made in the Tartar city. My force consisted of
4,500 effective fighting men ; most of the Europeans had
been with me since the commencement of operations in
China, and would, I was well assured, at once place their
colours unaided on the walls whenever I gave the order,
while all the new corps eagerly looked for a second op-
portunity of emulating their brother soldiers ; but it
was a great object to avoid a repetition of the horrors of
Chapoo and Chin-keang-foo, and Sir William Parker
and myself were therefore anxious to try the effect of a
demonstration.

9. Had active measures been called for, the north
angle was the only point against which the ships could
act, and I determined to approach or threaten the east
face in its whole extent, and the south-east angle. The
Cornwallis, Blonde, and heavy steamers, were accord-
ingly placed in position, the first within 1,000 paces of
the Ifung gate, with her broadside bearing upon a sort
of demi-bastion, which it was proposed to breach ; the
Blonde, so as to take the defences of that gate and bas-
tion in flank ; and the steamers, so as to destroy the
parapet of the wall on either side the point to be
breached. I instructed Major-General Bartley to enter
the city at this point with his brigade, consisting of her
Majesty's 18th and 49th, and the 14th Madras Native
Infantry, amounting to 1,800 men, supported by 300
Royal Marines.

10. On the 11th and following days the remainder of
the force, consisting of Lord Saltoun's brigade, the flank
companies of the corps at Chin-keang-foo, and the rifle
company, 36th Madras Native Infantry, together with
one troop of horse, and three companies of Foot Artil-
lery, with the whole of the light field train and Sappers,
were landed at a village about five miles down a
creek, from whence a good paved road leads to the
Taiping and Teshing gates. I established the force
in and about a large village, equi-distant from these
two gates, and decided upon my line of proceeding, in
case we should be driven to active operations ; this was
to threaten the two flank gates,, making the real attack
to the right of the Taiping gate, covered by the concen-
trated fire of the guns from the commanding slope of the
Chungshang hills. This point forced, the Tartar city
would virtually be taken, as my guns introduced by the
Taiping gate, could immediately be placed upon an
eminence perfectly commanding the inner wall and town,
at a distance of a few hundred yards, whilst the bulk of
my force, by a rapid advance on the Drum Tower in the
centre of the Chinese city, might cut off the troops de-
fending the north and east faces from the Tartar garrison.
11.—I have been thus circumstantial, my Lord, in
regard to my dispositions, in order to show what I could
readily have done, ably supported as I am, had not my
country's interests, and I trust my country's honour,
been equally maintained by a mere demonstration. On
the 17th I received the accompanying letter for the sus-
pension of hostilities, from her Majesty's Plen;potentiary,
who will no doubt fully report upon the various circum-
stances and communications that preceded the final happy
result. I understand that full powers were sent to the
Commissioners, upon the Emperor's hearing of the fall of
Chin-keang-foo ; and from their anxiety to pay the first
instalment, there can be little apprehension of the
Emperor's refusing to ratify a peace, which is called for
by the general voice of the cauntry. In the mean
time, until the whole of the first instalment shall be
paid, nothing shall be relaxed in our state of preparation
and precaution.
12. To his Excellency Sir Henry Pottinger I am
much indebted for his friendly readiness to aid me with
every information in his power, and for his uniform for-
bearance from all interference in the slightest degree
with military operations and movements. But it is not
for me to enlarge upon the able public services of this
high functionary.
To Sir William Parker I must be permitted to say
that Icannot too strongly express my sense of obligation.
We have worked together for the common cause,: and I
have ever found him, and the powerful arm over which
lie presides, desirous to meet my wishes, and prompt and
cordial in every conjoint undertaking.
13. It. is now my pleasing duty to bring to your
Lordship's notice those gallant officers and troops who
throughout the active operations in China, in a warfare
new to the British arms, exposed in various instances to
temptations of no ordinary kind, assailed by sickness
which in some cases left but few effective men in strong
corps, and often subjected to great fatigue, under a
burning sun, have never in any instance met a check,
not because their foes were few in number, devoid of
courage, or slow to hazard life in personal contact,but
because their own science, discipline, and devotion made
them irresistible.
From the officers commanding brigades and corps, as
from the general and my personal staff, I have uniformly
received the most ready and energetic assistance, and I
shall beg hereafter to submit their names, with those of
the several officers whom I have, on diffee.ent occasions,
felt myself called upon to mention. It will be a subject
of no ordinary gratification to me in after life, if I am
permitted to feel that I have been the happy means of
bringing to the notice of my Sovereign conduct so much
redounding to the maintenance of the high character of
her Majesty's arms. I have, &c.,
11. GOUGH, Lieutenant-General,
Commanding
The Righ.; Hon. Lord Stanley, Principal Secre-
tary of State, Colonial Department, Down-
ing-street, London. Expeditionary Land Force.
P. S. Aug. 29.—1 have the satisfaction to add, that I
have this day witnessed the signature of the treaty by
Sir Henry Pottinger on the part of her Majesty, and by
the Commissioners Kesng,
Elepoo, and Newkeing, on
that of the Emperor ; and that the ratification of peace
is no longer doubtful, the Emperor's assent to the terms
having been previously received, as will be seen by the
accompanying copy of a letter from her Majesty's Pleni-
potentiary to the address of Sir Wm. Parker and myself,
with its inclosure.
Under these circumstances, the Admiral has deter-
mined to send off a steamer direct to Bombay, and I
take the opportunity to forward this dispatch by my
Aide-de-Camp, Captain Whittingham, who has been with
me during the late operations, and is well acquainted
with my views in regard to China, and whom I beg leave
to bring to your Lordship's notice.
H. GOUGH, Lieut.-General.
(True Copy.)
•
H. GOUGH, Lieut.-General.