The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-18
FOREIGN MISCELLANY.
From the Easf.

FROM the hasts
The November overland mail reached London on
the 18TH OF December. The accounts from China
are to the 29th OF October. The death of Rear Ad
miral Sir Francis Collier, commander in chief o
the naval forces in the East Indies, is announced
The Hong Kong Overland Register gives the fol-
lowing summary Of intelligence:
The Chinese government still retain the head and
hand of the unfortunate Governor Amaral, refusing
TO surrender them until three Chinese soldiers tho
principal witnesses of the murder, shall have been
given up.
A voluntary contribution of $4,000 has been
made by the more wealthy citizens, churches and
converts of Macao, TO meet the necessities of the
government at the present juncture.
The past month has been marked by an unusual
activity on the part Of ships of in the sup
preston of piracy in these waters. We mentioned
in our last that formidable fleet of fifty large
piratical junks, under the command Of notorious
pirate chief named Shap- ing tsai, had been dis
covered in bay called Ten-pakh, ON the wes
coast, by her majesty 3 steamer Medea. Five iunks
were destroyed the occasion by the boats Of the
Medea, after which the fleet appears 10 have divided
large junks, under command of Chui-apoo. the
murderer Of Captain Da Costa, proceeding up the
northeast coast; the other, under Shap-' 'ng- tsai
himself, proceeding to the southwark.
The northern squadron has been totally de-
stroyed. Twenty three large junks, averaging FIVE
hundred tons each, mounting from twelve to eigh-
teen guns, three new junks on the stocks and two
dockyards, full of naval stores, totally de-
SuOycu Uy tuc hnob anu Shell Oh the ury tlc "a
of October, in an inlet called ePirates' Cove, .
about fifty miles to the northward of Hong Kong;
and out of 800 men who manned them, four hum
dred have been killed, and the rest dispersed with
out resource.
Flushed by this splendid success, a second expe-
dition, consisting of the Columbine Fury, and the
honorable company's steamer Phlegethon, with
drafts of marines and blue jackets from the Hast
ings, sailed on the Sth inst for the southwest in
search Of Shap ing tsai and the remainder Of the
pirate fleet. No account of the expedition has
reached Hong Kong up to this date, and a good
deal of anxiety prevails concerning it, the south
west coast is very imperfcctly surveyed, and the
vessels must have encountered very bad weather
the whole time they have been out.
Our obituary Of the month, we regret to say, is
unusually heavy. Fever Of a malignant type had
broken out at Shanghae, and great number of the
residents suffering from sickness of one form
another. Hong Kong continues perfectly healthy
In our last summary we mentioned that fears
entertained for the safety of the American
bark Coquette. Nothing has yet been heard of her,
and il all but certain that she has been lost
The casualties in the China seas have this season
been unusually great To the clippers Syph and
Coquettc we have to add the names of two other
missing vessels-the Greyhound, which left Singa-
pore for this port the oath of August last, and
the Anna Eliza, which sailed hence for Shanghae
the sth September, and had not reached that
port on the 18th inst To these we have to add the
British bark Sarah Trotman, recently lost on thc
Percadoret, on her voyage from Shanghae to this
port crew saved.
The Register of a later date October 29) gives
the result Of the expedition, comprising the Colum-
bine, Fury, and Phlegethon, above referred to.
The Columbine first had a fight with large
piratical junk, which was blown up by the pirates,
after sharp cannonading. just as boats from the
Columbine were boarding. The crew, supposed 10
be ninety in number, perished in the explosion. OF
the boarders officer and marine were killed
the others badly wounded
Afterward the Fury had an engagement witt
sixteen junks, with the result following:
At 10. 80 a. m. the steamer returned their fire
and the first shell set Of their number in flames
At l0.45 a. m. the firing opened from the far.
therInost junks, and another the right
which also commenced rapid fire. Matters pro
ceeded in this style until 80, when more Of ths
junks took fire from the shell which exploded in
board and the exertions Of the pirates became now
for the first time, scnsibly diminished. Within
ten minutes two large junks blew up, with fearful
effect on their neighbors well Themselves, and
these were succeeded by three others in rapid sue
cersion. A shell now entered one Of the largest
from the foremost 6S FOUNDER, and she almost i'm.
mediately followed her predecessors. Another also
proved 20 be on fire, and exploded Their detach-
ment ON the right seemed now hors de combat; mum
bcrs might be seen jumping from the stern of the
still remaining junks, against whom the grape told
with fatal effect. Such escaped took 10 the hills
A harassing fire was still kept up from those OF
the left Of the creek. At this period the boats wer,
despatched, under cover of the fire from the Fury
10 inspect and whether any fire RATS were IL
preparation. and they returned nj thirty minutes
past four O'Clock, towing out one of the smallc
1unks from the detachment on the right, which haC
been fire, but extinguishcd, and those on board
were presented with specimen Of our would b,
fishing friends. She was fitted 10 row twelve larg,
sweeps ON either side, and mounted no less thar
seventeen guns, mostly Of English manufacture
some evidently Of very recent period; the beet o
these were taken on board, and are now in Hong.
Kong; the vessel was afterward destroyed. BY
two p m, the firing on the part Of the Chinese had
ceased.
party Of marines were now despatched on
Shore under cover Of the boats 10 examine and de-
stroy the various houses and 10 prevent the descent
Of tho enemy, who were watching on the surnInits
Of the various hills which surround this beautiful
and well chosen site, while others Of the force were
busily engaged firing the yet remaining junxs; this
accomplished, they returned on board.