New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-06-12
Attack on an American Boat in China.

are very stfohg symptoms Oh something more
than mere instinct. VALLEY Farmer.
- IS
Attack on an American Boat In China.
From the Eorth-china Herald Of March II
On Monday evening about dusk, as Mr.. Ayers
pilot-boa flying the American flag, was coming
up the reach one of the Taoutae's vessels. the
Clown, fred shot at her The boat, in which
was Mr.. Linklater and six Chinese, was soon
hailed round under the Compton, and the officer
on board ordered the Chinese sailors upon deck
and had them tied up to the mainmast, but
allowed Mr.. Linklater togo away, after having
overhauled the boat. AS soon as Mr.. Aver was
informed Of this proceeding he laid his complaint
before the United States Consul, who referred
him to Captain Kelly, and he accordingly vent
on board the United States ship Plymouth, and
Captain Kelly, upon hearing of the assault. very
promptly manned q boat, which was placed
under command of Lieut.. Guest, who proceeded
Immediately to the Compton and asked for the
captain, who was not to be found At last
Portuguese on board the Compton said he was
in command, ,and Lieut. Guest tonce demanded
&c how he dared to make prisoners of men under
the American fags' and demanded their re-
lease. The Portuguese replied he did not do it,
and that he had no authority to set them free
Whereupon Lieut.. Guest ordered his men on
board, which was done with the greatest alacrity,
and cut the prisoners from the mainmast, where
they had been tied by the hair.
1t was observad at this moment that some
men on the poop of the vessel were leveling
their muskets at the American officer and Mr.
Linklater, who accompanied him. Lieut.. Guest
very energetically leveled his revolver at the
Portuguese, telling him that on the first shot
being fired he would blow his brains out The
Portuguese, in great alarm, Immediately ordered
his men to desist. The crew and boat were then
taken off without further hindrance. There is
no plea offered for this gross insult to the
American flag, except that the boat had some
shot on board, which it is in the habit of carry
ing for ballast.
Mr.. Murphy, the United States Consul, in
correspondence with the Taoutae on this sub
ject, has laid down the doctrine that, under no
pretence whatever, shall property or persons
while under the protection of the United States
flag be molested by the Chinese authorities with
impunity. But if any claim is supposed by
| them to exist against persons OF property under
| the United States flag, the complaint must be
| made to him, the only person known in the
treaty to have the power of settlement.
| The promptitude with which the United States
Consul and Captain Kelly attended to this COM
plant, and the energy with which Lieut.. Guest
carried out his instructions, which were of a
very delicate and difficult nature, are very
! praiseworthy, and we hope will check the inso-
lent bearing of those in command of the ex-
Taoutae's ships, who are frequently firing, on
| some frivolous pretence, upon boats passing uI
and down the river
The KEY TO ST. PETERSBURG. An occa
sional correspondent of the New York Courier
and Enquirer, writing from London, gives the
following interesting sketch of Cronstadt, tbt
key Of ST. Petersburg
Batteries are fine things to look at, but no
SO seryiceable against ships as the uninitiatel
| might suppose. It is rare, indeed, that NOR
than six guns can be brought to bear upon
| single ship from the same battery; on the Other
hand, a ship will deliver broadside of fifty
guns direct upon a single gun; and all the balls
| thanks to the gunnery and Admiral Chads, tht
second in command, will strike within few
inches of each other To use the expression o
a naval friend, the balls will strike as though
| they were delivered from tube Most of the
| batteries are low, so low that q line of battle
ship could deliver its own balls down into them
Again, it is stated that these separate fortresses
can be taken singly, and then each fortress car
be employed against its fellow. Large vessels
| can get to Cronstadt. Merchant ships re
there, and therefore many of the squadron cal
approach the fortresses Once destroy these
and though the depth of the Neva is only MIN
feet, still the gun boats will be sufficient t,
destroy st. Petersburg. The buoys have beer
destroyed; but, on the other haud, the vessels
| have steam power, and can feel their way ant
| back out of shallow water.
The city of St. Petersburg is defended by
these fortresses of Cronstadt, which are situated
about twenty miles below the city, on the Neva
Now, reports are very different about tn,
strength Of these said fortresses, and apparently
the whole question depends upon the depth 0
water in the channel. If only gunboats and
steamers can approach them, then they are
safe; but if the present fleets can get within
effective range, then they are not sufficient,
strong to resist their broadsides, and St Peters
burg is at the mercy of Sir Charles Napier
| According to one account, furnished to me b,
one who has seen the fortresses, they are i'm
pregnable, and may be justly regarded as tht
keys of the empire; but then he left the coun
try at time Of peace, when the power of Cron
stadt was received as a matter of course, am
no one thought of questioning it.
Another informant tells me that he has seel
them often during the last summer excursions
and that it was we'll understood in st. Peters
burg that many portions of tire batteries wer
almost dummies that the guns in several stu
atons were not intended to be used, as the,
would be more dangerous to the defenders thai
to the parties against whom they were fired
This informant has been ordered out of Russia
with all other English.
FRE.-The spacious four-story edifce il
Charlottesville, Schohaire.. county, New York
known as the Charlottesville Seminary, was TO
tally destroyed by fire on Wednesday morning
The fire originated from stove pipe in one G
the upper rooms, near which some clothes ha'
been carelessly hung and in a few moment
after the fire was discovered the roof was il
flames, spreading with such rapidity as 10 def
all attempts at their arrest AT the time tn
fire was discovered nearly all the pupils (eigh
hundred in number) were in the chapel attend
ing morning service They Immediately dis
persed, and succeeded in saving most of thei
clothing, books, and furniture. Most of til
apparatus of the academy was also saved
Albany evening Journal.
=z---E-HE
While regiment of volunteers were march
ing through Camargo, a captain, observing tbs
one of the drums did not beat, ordered a lier
tenant to inquire the reason. The fellow, G
being interrogated, whispered to the lieuten
ant
al have two ducks and turkey in my drum
and the turkey is for the captain
This being whispered to the captain, he ez
claimed
"Why didn't the drummer say he was lame
do not want any of my men to do duty whe