Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-10-29

ny Inc raDDlC anu OnlneSe SOIuIcrS. we
have news from Canton up TO the morning of
the Goth, at which time the English were still
storming the city. The land forces had pos
session of the heights in the rear of the city,
while the men.of-war had possession of the
river in front and to the westward. The
loss of life on the part of the Chinese has
been tremendous. There are between 40
and so thousand Tartar and Chinese troops
inside the city, into which the men-of- war
are pouring incessant vollcs of shells and
rockets, in order to drive them on, TO close
engagement with the English soldiers on the
heights.
The English have sustained considerable
loss.
On the 2Ist May Capt. Elliot issued at
Canton the following.
Circular.
"In the present situation Of circumstan-
ccs, Her Britannia Majesty's Plcnipotent-
airy feels it his duty TO Recommend that the
British and other foreigners now remaining
IN the factories should retire from Canton
before sunset. CHARLES ELLIOT,
H. M. Plenipotentiary.
British Factory, 21st May, 1871.
The paper from which the above is taken,
then proceeds to state tho preparations made
by the Chinese with the view of commence
ing hostiities : In many of the packhouses
and even on their roofs, guns. had been
planted every street leading to the rivers
edge had become masked battery and
pennons and flags over every one of them
soldiers were seen every where, and even in
the Hong merchants warehouses whilst teas
were being weighed. -
The whole river side from the French TO-
ly to the most northern end of Canton pre-
sened one continued line offortifcaton, and
a large number of guns were planted on
Dutch and French follics. A new fort had
been built at Shaming, and it was known
that an immense number of fire RATS had
been prepared in many creeks in different
parts of the river. In fact the magnitude of
the Chinese preparations prove that they
were now bent upon most determined ress-
lance, and TO drive the English out of the
river without much greater loss of time and
that to effect this a simultaneous attack on
the different positions Of the English was in
tended.
The following extract from letter dated,
Macao, 3Oth May, 1871, gives concise
statement of what occurred subsequent to
the issue ofthe above note by Capt Elliott.
On the evening Of the Goth, all the Eng
llsh residents had embarked, and only four
or five Americans, confiding in the assurance
OF the Chinese, remained in the factories ;
the same nighttime Chinese commenced hos
tilities by sending fleet of fire-boats and
RATS against the vessels of war lying near
the city, but without doing them any damage.
This act was avenged by the Pyades, and
steamer Nemesis, they attacked and des-
troyed battery near the Factories, and
about forty fre-boats, and as many fire
RATS.
On the morning of the 22d an American
resident (Mr Coolidge, was seized by the
Chinese, and taken from his factory at the
same time that a boat belonging 10 the
American ship Morrison, with three passen-
gers and seven seamen, were captured, soon
after leaving the factories for Whampoa,
and the party carried prisoners into the ci-
ty.
From this, the time was occupied by the
English, IN concentrating their forces near
the city, until oath, at 4 p. NJ. The Hya-
ciath IS, Modesto Is. Pylades IS, Nmrod
IS, Coiu;nbus l6, Cruzcr lG, and Algerine
10, having taken up their position in front Of
tie city and suburbs, opened their fire upon
every offensive point of the Chinese, who
returned it with considerable spirit at first
but were soon compelled to desert their guns
AT . L. NJ. body of soldiers, about 400
were landed at the foreign factories, in the
vicinity of which, they found the Americans
who mad been taken prisoners two dave no.
fore, examined by the authorities, and re.
leased.
Another statement says that Mr. Miller
one ofthc passengers, has been so very bad
ly wounded that his life is despaired of; one
of the crew is likewise missing, probabl,
killed, and all the others arc more or les
wounded, and suffering from the privaton
they have since endured. Mr.. Coolidge ha
been liberated in tho same manner as tn,
others
The firing was continued until about 9 P
NJ, when the suburbs were on fire in sew
, cral places, and nearly all the batteries OF
shore in possession OF, or destroyed by tn,
English.
While this was going on in frort Of Can
ton, Gen. Cough was landing his troops
, 1900 men, at the foot of the heights, in rea
! of the City, and on the morning of the 25ll,
he commenced operations: particulars o
!. the days work are not yet known further
! than that with loss of some 40 killed ant
wounded, four batteries were taken from tn
! Chinese, and great numbers of their officer
J., and soldiers killed, the heights commandn
the city taken, and the British forces en-
! treGcned upon them.
I; The loss Of the Chinese on this occasio
u is variously cs,matedsat 8 to 5000, and eve
h as high as 10000 men, and they now find I