Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-12-09
From The London Spectator, 20M Octl
PROGRESS OF THE OPIUM. w AR.

ihOGRESS OF THE OPIUM-NAR.
u - impossible to read the accounts Of the mil
Itniy Operations in China without shame and dis.
gust. II is not war, hut sheer lnchcry-a bnltn
~ wen stocked preserve Of human beings. Capt.
Bingham, Of the Royal NAVY in book which we
have not seen, Lut which the Standard has quoted
WIN n justly Indignant commentary thus de-
scfibes The capture Of Ningpo:-
"hhout l2OUO LChuesel advanced upon the
southern and western gnles, the guards retiring
before them On the Chinese penetrating to the
lnaIkei-placc in the centre of The city, they were
received 10y heavy FIRE from our troops drawn
| up THIS sudden check dumped Ihrr nrlor
That Their only Object appeared 10 be 10 gct om The
ciiy as fast rs lhey could ia doing which they
were crowded IN dense masses in tho narrow street,
| Inc artillery now coming up, unlimhered within
one hundred yards Of Tie crowded (ugihues, ard
poured in a destructive fire of grupe and canister
so awful was the destruction of human life, TINT
The bodtS iCere Obliged 10 be remoued 10 The sidtS IF
fhe street 10 GHot0 the guns 10 ddrnace aud The pur
suit was followed up by them the artillery and
The Forty ninth Regimen, for several miles,
! Sncii scenes, i appciss, arc conluua'iF recuir,
ing III Cayain Bnghau's narrative. For instance,
we read Of the British placing large body OF Chi
nese between TWO fires aud Hi ling six hundred
win the loss of only one man: the Chinese
could da nothing against the terrific broadsles Of
the ships, the shells. anl the rockets" Again, we
are Told Of q Chinese army thrown into confusion
troops which had advanced under while
they were engaged with n llird aud of fifteen
hundred of them being killed with tie loss 81 six
teen British killed aud n few wounded. Nor are
The armed sodery OF China the only sufferers
/ with such tremendous bonbardment as had
been gong on for two hours in this densey popu-
lated neiEhburhood, it must he expected that pit
liable sights were TO he witnessed AT one spot
we're l0ar children struck down, while :he frantic
'aher was occasionally embracing their bodies, or
making attempts TO drown himself in neighbour
ing tank. Numerous SINH scenes ,cere Witnessed"
There can he no mstnhe as to these facts. The
Chinese are muscular race that they do not CT
elninaie'y shrink from pnn--thut they can brave
dea'h-ha been shown repeatedly in the course
OF these massucres. But they have no practical
experience OF wdr; they are armed /; and The
tremendous effects of British artillery, bombs, aud
rockets, ARE to hem nj once fearful and iucOn-
lcelvable. The contest between them aud the Brit
ish forces is more unequal than that between tie
surprised aud bawIdered mob Of Manchester nad
The armed sOldiery Ut PeieroO. They are lacked,
shot and drowned, without resistance, overcome
Ivy their own sense OF bel plessncss and their excl
led imagnnons and the details Of the bulchery
are such that we should iee siclleHed to see it eX
erclsed on cattle or game.
And ii is u hatchery Of which there can be no
end SO long as British troops remain in China.
The territories subject TO The Emperor Of China
are us large as the hole of Europe. The super
alone (lhc districts on the Sea-cu;is The great
nal, and the Two great rrers,) is more than twice
The size OF the British Islands. This large space
Is dntied ut intervals with towns us large aud
crowded as our first rate aud second rate manu-
iacturng towns. The inhabitants are prejudiced
against. inrciguCrs: they Identified with the
civil government Of tho country for the career OF
once Is open TO every one who chooses 10 study,
ana schools aud colleges and foundations for poor
scholars are numerous Such a population can
guy be kept IN subsection by present force. il
"i effect nothing 10 take one fOwn ai.a ,noys>5A
To Gnother every town that il taken must he gar
ilsonet or after the cnptuIe Of every second town
TIE BRUSH army uust move back To relake that
"hIch surrendered 10 them before it. he Occu~
patton of Chinu by the British must he a constant
succession OF popular Instructions aud military
executions. Aud IN the preparation Of these con-
unnous oulrageS on humanity, one British army
alter another will be alsOI bed us II tall irgate is
sucked down into quCksand, producing no ef
iects, leaving no trace OF its having been there.
| The troops necessary for HE defence of the rest
OF The empire vii be drafted of for the still begin.
ling, never ending conquest OF China, leaving US
naked 10 The aggression O.! any enemy.
The Chinese Government is aware of this
source OF strength arising OF It's very weakness.
IL Is strong in the power OF rouuess numbers in
hnuely dispersed. Ii feels confident that though
he foreign invaders were to kill year by year ten
tines us many ms they have killed since the war
began, the natural increase Of tho population
would more Than I'LL mp the vacuum. Army after
army is sen, into HE field, where certain defeat
awaits; town after town is defended with fore
| knowledge that il must fall. The Chinese Gov
eminent looks forward, and not without reason. to
The time when their fierce and irresistible ussaiI-
ants will be stretched in sheer exhaustion on the
top of the hccatombs they Strengthening pass
ing away like pestencc, famine, amt Other nys-
FERROUS vsi;aons Aud the rulers think, so
think and feel the people.
Is it sign OF wisdom in the British nation TO
persist in Il struggle which can only weaken it
Is II II sign OF humanity 10 sanction such whole
sale butchery of human beings? Is it IL sign of
morality 10 do all This in order that u poisonous
drug may be snus gied into the markets of China