The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-08 00:00:00

CHINA.

The news from China comes down to the 28th
of Jidy, and affords grounds for forming hopes
of an approaching termination of the war there;
.After the arrival of the reinforeeinents, 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
manx 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 andpermitted
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 rind 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 as 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 Julie, 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 bath
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 16th the squadron
weighed anchor and proceeded to take up their respec-

tive stations, which was scarcely done when the batteries
opened, and the cannonade on both sides was extremely
heavy and unceasing for about two hours; that of the
Chinese then began, to slacken, and the seamen and ma-
rines were landed at once, under the fire from the ships,
and tirOve the enemy out of the batteries before the
tronpSicould be disembarked and formed for advancing.
Two hundred and fifty three guns (fortv-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 man touched. It appears almost
miraculous that the casualties should not have been
much greater, considering how well the Chinese served
their guns. The Blonde frigate . had fourteen shot in
her hull, the Sesostris steamer 11, had all the ships en-
gao-ed more or less. The loss on the part of the enemy
is supposed to have been about 80 killed, and a propor-
tionate number wounded. '

Oa the 17th of June, some of the lighter vessels of the
squadron advanced up the Woosung river, and found a
battery deserted, mounting 55 guns, of which 17 were
bras 3.

On the 19th two more batteries close 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 took 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
WoosunOvith 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 astonishirg 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 were 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 HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S SUBJECTS DI

CHINA.

Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, &c., &c., has much sa-
tisfaction in promulgating, for general information, 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
been 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 buffering which has fallen on the Chinese soldiers and
inhahitants, in spite of every effort made to induce the
former to surrender, as well as the latter to trust to our
Clemency and kind'treatinent 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 see terminated on an honour-
able and lasting basis.
God Save the Queen.
HENRY POTTINCER.
Government House, Hongkong, June 4,

Dated Cornwallis, at Chapoo, May 23.
Commanders Kellet and Collinson, who have been
indefatigable in s urvcying 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 lauding, to take up excellent positions against
the sea batteries,,c9nsisting of two works mounting seven ,
and five guns, 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 all were thronged with Chinese soldiers,
who also lined their defences on the heights to a e.onsi-
de rable extent with matchlock men and numerous jinjalls.
Against these field works: the Sesostris was an-
chored, for 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 fire. - •

By the exertions of the Nemesis, Phleget)- on, and
Queen steamers, and the boats of the "3"
Starling, Columbine, Bentinck, an,,d Al.geris-ring vessels
ne, together
with those of the transports, con....ucted by Lieutenant
Somerville, the troops were
... put on shore in admirable
order, under the able el:"
tection of Commander Charles
Richards, of the I."' "
the Getters) —ornwallis, before nine o'clock, when
push ~ with his accustomed energy, immediately
..A 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 us, 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. AiALCOLM, Secretary of Legation.
Dated Head-quarters, Chapoo, May 21.
The fleet arrived at an anchorage [thirteen miles from
this, on 14th instant. On the 16th his Excellency Sir
William Parker and myself reconnoitred the defences of
Chapoo ; when we made our dispositions fur 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 man 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-
gctlier with several arsenals, which shall all he 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 ; seven officers, 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, w has received
_three
rather severe wounds, and Captain Campbell, 55th, a
most zealous officer.
s Eastern Expedition.
Commanding Land Force
(Signed) IL Gotan,
• (True extract.)
G:.A. MatcoLx, 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 Mat.
'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.
air Hugh Gough's best thanks aro 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
announce
that
deep feelings of regret he has experienced at the loss of
one of our brightest ornaments, Lieut.-Colonel Tomlin-
son, 18th'Ileyal Irish, who fell at the head of his corps,
nobly doing his duty. His honourableto remains will be
at
committed to the deep to-morrow, in accordance with
the ex
express wish
Lieutenant-Generalo hislirothiear
hoaffipcpeyrs.
The
Lieutenant-Colonel Mountain C. 8., De put 3 'Adjut ant
General, whose zealous exertions have been so frequently
recorded, is doing well, as also the other wounded
offi-
cers and men. _ _

(Signed) J. B. Goucx, Major,
Deputy Quartermaster-General, 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 t
articles to
the same parties. After this money was Pad' eve
understand the claimants altered their minas' and
asked a greater sum. Commodore Kearney refused
s
to make another application, and the money remain
,

in the hands of the United States' Consul, to be by
him paid to the parties interested, on application for
it, and on their giving a discharge in full for all
claims against the Chinese authorities, arising from
losses sustained on the occasion in question.—Canton
Press, June 25.
Her Majesty's ship Vindictive, Captain Nicholas,
bearing the pendant of Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas
Cochrane, arrived at Hong-Kong on the 19th, after
an amazingly short voyage, she having left Torbay on
the 21st March. Particulars of the passage we copy
from the Canton Register (extra) of 23d June. Sir
Thomas Cochrane has hoisted his flag on board the
Blenheim, and will, for the present, we hear, remain
at Hong-Kong.
The Vindictive left Torbay on the 21st of March ;
arrived at Madeira in four days and a half, and at
Porto Praya, St. Jago, in ten days from England,
where she remained nearly two days and a half wa-
tering. She crossed the line on the night of the Bth
April, passed the meridian of the Cape of Good Hope
in lat. 38 deg. 30 min., early on the morning of the
3d of May, and passed without half gunshot. of the a
S.E. end of the island of Amsterdam on the 14th of
June, being just eleren days only from the meridian
of the Cape, a distance of nearly three thousand miles!
After leaving Amsterdam she unfortunately met a
gale of wind from the N.X.E, -which delayed her
several days, and took her within 400 miles of the
coast of New Holland, and she could with ease have
reached Swan River within sixty days from England,
the gale having been directly fair for it.
She arrived off Java head on the 30th of May, just
70 days from England. In the Straits of Sunda she
was unfortunately becalmed six days, and did not ar-
rive at Anjer until the sth of June, where she re-
mained one day, watering, and anchored In Hong--
Kong Bay ou Sunday morning, the 19th of June,
being her ninetieth day from Torbay, upwards of three
of which she was at anchor ; thus having completed
the .voyage in less than 87 days under sail.
The Vindictive was originally a 74, but was never
at sea as such, having been altered to a frigate on the
plan of Mr. Blake, the present master shipwright of
Portsmouth Dockyard, about nine years ago; and
strange to tell, for reasons which remain to be explained,
she was never commissioned until the end of last
year ; when Capt. Nicholas, at his urgent request,
was removed to her from the Belleisle, 74, which he
had before commanded in the Mediterranean fleet and
on the coast of Ireland.

Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane, whose -flag
she has brought out, Captain Nicholas, and, indeed,
every officer in the ship, are enthusiastic in her praise,
and they all unanimously agree in stating that she
has every good quality, and not one fault! She fre-
quently ran 296 miles i❑ the 24 hours, and once or
twice, it is said, above 300 miles. She is a beautiful
ship, and amongst her other matchless qualities is
that of being enabled to fire six long sixty-eight
pounders right ahead, and six right astern on a line
with her keel ; and the shot from her bow guns will
cross each other at the distance of 100 yards from the

ship.
We have been informed from Canton that a cho'i, of
tea, going down to the Bengalee, has been lost oa the
barrier between Canton and Whampoa.
We learn from letters, dated Canton, 19th ingt., that
Howqua had sent round a notice to the forP'.gners in
Canton, warning them against drinking Wring water,
and stating that the Hoonam soldiers .had poisoned
the wells at the back of the city. -
r-,
that about •20 Chinese had whence the fo-
reigners draw their water for dotic purposes; and
It is also said that Canton provincials and the
in-
fernal plan of revenge;
..- tillenesvictims to this
Hoonam troops hay;e been fighting and each
k• •
other in a fearPAl manner.
Letters r
e,ceived to-day (23d) from Canton, state
that the 9,b`ap
of tea -was got off with but trifling
`to the cargo.
damage
, Fier Majesty's ships Nimrod, Cruiser, and Wolve-
rine, and steamers Memnon and Hooghly have pro-
ceeded up the Canton river. Rear-Admiral Sir
Thomas Cochrane left Kong-Kong in the Memnon
steamer on Wednesday last to join the squadron,
whose object, it is supposed, is no other than to re-
connoitre. We regret to learn that much sickness
prevails at Hong-Kong, and that the European gar-
.rison are the principal sufferers, as well as the Euro-
pean wives and children of the soldiers lately arrived.
—Canton Press, July 23.
Letters from Canton, dated the 20th of July, men-
tioned that intelligence has there been received of thc
fleet being at anchor at Kong-soo, in the Yangtse-
kiang (probably the Kaou-tchaou of the French maps)
on the 4th of Jul?. Kaou-tchaou is some distance
above the great canal and the city of Ching-kiang-foo„
and no great distance below Nankin, and from that
position we suppose the entrances of the canal both
southern and northern to be under the control of the
forces, and Nankin at their mercy. Elipoo has sent
to Canton for two Hong merchants and two linguists
to go to Soo-chow, and the Canton authorities have
'consequently- ordered Samqua and Howqua's fifth
and only, stt-viving son on this errand ; with what
specific` object was not known ; the two Hong mer-
i•ckants were to have left Canton yesterday. It was
originally intended to have sent Howqua himself, but
his great age has at last exempted him from this duty ;
it is supposed by the Chekiang authorities that the
Hong merchants, being accustomed to deal with the
barbarians, will be of use to them in their negotia-
tions with the English, although the merchants are
aware thAt on a former occasion Sir Henry . Pot.
tinger refused to see them. We suppose they must
have obeyed these orders very reluctantly, for inde-
pendently of the great expense and, probably, squeezes
to which this journey will expose them, for Hong mer-
chants in the north are rara aces, and the reputation
of their wealth will have preceded them, their liberty
will be in some danger should they be employed in
negotiations, and these terminate differently from what
the Chinese authorities expect; in which case banish-
ment to Ele may very likely be the end of their mis-
sion. It is said that their being sent is with reference
to settling the terms for the ransom of Nankin. This
is, however, we suppose, mere conjecture. According
to Chinese reports the large city of Shanghae has
been taken by the British force, which is said to have
from thence penetrated into the country as far as SOo-
chow, and taken that town also. Shanghae is one of
the most important seaport towns in the empire, whose
trade is said to employ an immense number of junks.
We have no arrivals whatever from the north to con-
firm these reports.—lbid.

The usual success has attended the British arms at
Her Majesty's Plenipotentia, observes
tSbhaatnt.glb
eia ec.
Chinese " served their guns well :' and some
private letters that we have seen, state that the fire of
the Chinese was very severe, more so than ever before
tested; the Nemesigs'inrgigfoitblger wasw cutb to pieces; an
rairgtbilltearynnmab
belonging
amputated a t the shoulderas ob jboitsn t°tl
e; have
an:o-tethaelh ifs
.
man, belonging to the Pluto, lost botliged.
ancles, and Lieutenant Hewett, R.lll, of Iler Ma-
jesty's ship Blonde, lost his head by 's
round shot.
Before this Nankin and the command of the Grand
Canal must be in the possession of her Majesty's
forces ; but if it is the intention of her Majesty's
Plenipotentiary and the Commander-in-Chief to pro-
ceed to Pekin this year time is lost in these detailed
operations. Mr. Lay, the naturalist and interpreter,
was also severely wounded int he face by a splinter
to some of their war-junks—two forward and two
The Chinese have adopted the use of,pas(,l3dotlloeel
d-sgW:obta.iesefilllsedii
set
aft—but the manner in which they are worked had
not been clearly explained to us.
The Captain of the Chcbar left his ship in his gig
at eleven, A.m., on , the 2.2 d instant, to proceed to
was returned,
etitie,usferisnaypinurci,
thatthe
Canton. Ile ventured to go through the back pas-
sage, which is at present afiurius clauses. When he
arrived at the narrow pass which is lined by forts,
five Government boats started in chase, came up with
and rifled his boat, and theinlohaitm\s\e.l.laainufd boat's crew,
caonndcigonneveeyo,edf
thtehesihnipalrlectoei%C.
an English Captain and tle:drenaithaeidnisna'ailors
)e restored,
afttitellnofoofffitieleersa, who were requested to
in the
consoo house, and thither he was reline
frotNlviieedboat's crew was missing,. and
or their value
ufoiltibndbtisheexpplalacne
article taken out of the nearly every
taken of what was missing,
have
beOnene od
the missing articles should 1 given that
mpaaiyd, for.
trust the Chinese authoritiesdrowned in the scuffle,
will andif
so,
we
severe account. be
brought to *

, dated
M The;
ofollowing26thof
extracts from a private letter from
July, give information which
upon :
may be relied
" The Hong at
merchants Canton are generally,
well informed of theo‘
I events
here and in
the north—one of thempotreffressms e
that he has a letter
from a friend at Nankin, date corresponding with our
9th of J uly, stating that there had been a great deal
of fighting about there, but that it bad ceased on our
20th June, when the English were close upon Nankin,
and from what is further said it appears that nego-
tiations had commenced. I send you a newspaper of
this date, from which it will be seen that the Emperor
and the Imperial Commissioner appear to be less bold
in their language—the former studiously. dwelling on
the iniquities of ' Elliot," carefully avoiding alluding
to Pottinger. This may be :unningly done to have
an excuse for conciliating the latter, by yielding to
terms which the Emperor may pretend could not have
been admissable if proposed by the old offender. A
truce may perhaps be agreed to, but it is still toy opi-
nion that this year's campaign will not effect a final
settlement of our disputes with China.
It is reported that the ..kriadne steamer is lost on a
quicksand—no particulars received.
The Hong merchants state most positively, and
am inclined to believe it, that the second cropof blast
tea has so far failed, that half the chor of cvng°
duthat
not likely to average more than 350 chests,
an
very few will come up to 600. Prices of congou are
expected to open at 36 to 38
the of a ty-
, We have bad symptoms of the appro

phoon, and very bad weather has been experienced to
the southward.
It seems that the Chinese were so confident at Woo-
sing and Shanghae, that they defied our forces to
come on, and showed skill in the management of their
newly-cast cannon. The shots from the " Tamer and
Subduer of Barbarians," the " Great Barbarian," and
other guns of like names having been fired with pre-
cision and effect. Our sailors, however, drove them
out of the forte. The Chinese are much improved in
gunnery, and have made vast preparations for defence
this year; yet they have made overtures fur treating
which the Plenipotentiary wisely declines, except on
the terms he firmly laid down. At Canton the au-
thorities are anxious to preserve peace, and afford pro-
tection to the Fanquis.—Englishinan, Sept. 13.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

CHINA.

MACAO, JULY 20.