Star.
London, England, 1803-09-20 00:00:00

CHINA.

We have received a letter from Bombay, by the
late Exprefs, dated the 4th of April, which fays," A
communication has been received here from China,
detailing the circumftances of a deciftve a'tion hav-
ing been fought near Lindi Shao, between the troops
orthe King and the Rebels. It appears, that the
firit alarm the Government had of the near approach
of the rebels, was furnifhed by fome intercepted pa-
pers. which were entrufled to a perfon who bad pair-
ed the fiontier. The King, in confequence, took his
departure from his capital, and advanced with thirty
thoufand men to defend the pairage of Linth Shao.
His Majefly arrived on the 6th of the 12th moon, at
fix in the evening. The Rebel army had advanced
fome hours before them, and had no apprehenfion of
the King's movements. The enemy's fleet, however,
were time enough to land their ammunition and a
large portion of their artillery. The contending ar-
mies at length met, and a dreadful conflia enfued ;
the enemy was repulfed (even times, and as often re-
turned to the afrault ; they at length mounted the
ramparts of the baflion, where the King was him-
fell. It was at this period that the fight became
fanguinary beyond defcription—the King, placed in
the centre of his guards, (word in hand, dealt de-
ftrudlion all around. About the conclufion of the
afternoon, the ramparts were entirely cleared, and
the gates were ordered to be opened ; the King then
attacked and followed the rebels to the banks of the
river, where the engagement was renewed with re-
doubled fury, and the molt dreadful (laughter com-
menced; for the gun-boats played upon them in
front, and the river being broad and rapid, and night
coming on, thoufands perifhed in the water. Want:
Touata, fon of the Ufurper, whofe brother was King
of Cochin China, and he himfelf Governor of Tonk.
ing, fled to the mountains; but his younger brother
bad not equal good fortune. Thirty General Officers
and Colonels, as well as s z,OOO men, were taken pri-
loners ; the numbers which are drowned are Rated
at sOOO. The day after the battle, the King came
to the capital, and iffued orders to attack the fugitive
rebels in every direaion in the province of Quin Hon.
In confequence of this order, which was immediately
complied with, their army was attacked on the third
of the fecond moon, in four different pofirions--to
the South, General 0110 T lAM Q.OOll, with 40,000
men ; to the Eali, the Queen's coufin landed 30,000
troops; to the North, General DIME Tea with
70,000 men; to the Wen, General Donna was
appointed, with ttoootr. All the paffages were guard-
ed with bong detachments. On the oh, they forced
a defile to the North, which is called Benda Moun-
tain t and the Generals of the Northern Divifion
were fortunate enough to effete a junction in due
plain of Mon San. The lots of the enemy was in-
conceivably great, the killed amounting to stooo,
and the peifoners to 6000. On the 7th, they again
gave battle : the marine force was added to the army
of the North, and advanced to the fouthward gra.
dually, until the eyth of the moon, when a complete
junaion of all the armies was effe&ed, to the num.
ber of two hundred thoufand men ! The enemy ap•
peared to cover anaztent of fix miles at the foot of
the Mountains. Thai: Commander in Chief, Sense
Piton; the General of the Rebel Marine Force
which had been previoufly burnt by the King, named
Tutu Do; the General Dou Douseroo, and their
recitative attendance, decamped in the night of the
w6th or t 7th of the ad moon, and retired to the
Mountains of Laos. Thus matters remain, accord-
ing to the latell intelligence received at Bombay; but
certain advices have been tranfmitted from China,
Rating that the King, with a view to era& this for.
snidable rebellion, which has trifled with more or
lefs conference for there forty years, and at the fame
time to give due energy to his Government, had (et',
oat on the t9th of the sd moon,. with an army of
Socwoo, to Tonking, to be publicly crowned.