The weekly Columbian., 1857-01-31
WEEKLY COLU MBIAN
LATER FROM CHINA.
Bpmbardment of Forts by the Americans.
The City of Canton set on fire.
ENGLISH AND CHINESE DIFFICULTIES.

fridge, Captain Chesebrough, we have
Hong kong papers to November goth, in
elusive
The difficulties between the English
and Chinese have assumed very serious
aspect. The Viceroy of Canton has not
only refused to accede to Admiral Sey-
mour's demand for personal interview
within the walled city, but has solicited
the consent Of the Emperor to exterm-
nate the rcd-haired barbarians-that Is,
the English. A long war is expected by
the Chinese. The Admiral, after destroy
ing all the war-iunks and forts his vessel
could reach, has blockaded Canton. hold
ing such forts and points as could be made
tenable in which position he has deter
IN ned to remain quiet until a sufficient
force can be forwarded from Calcutta or
England with which to take and occupy
the walled city. Its thought that troops
can be had from India in about five
months. The foreign part of Canton Is
completely deserted except by the Eng
lish forces. The factories have been
turned into barracks and storehouses, and
the garden into camp. One million
dollars worth of cotton and S3,000,000
of other goods were locked up for safety.
The Mandarins have prohibited the Com
pradors from visiting the factories, or do
ing business of any kind with fol eigners.
Large rewards are offered for the arrest
of any one disobeyiug this edict.
On the 10th of November, the Ameri
:. II. ~,
having a boat belonging to the U. S. sloop
of-war Portsmouth, with the American
flas flying, and containing Captain Foote,
of the Portsmouth, and three other Amer
leans, fired into several times, from one
of the forts between Canton and Wham-
poa. The Portsmouth aud Levant were
tow-d up to Whampoa (the San Jacinto
drawing too much water TO accompany
them to punish the insult, when three
other forts in the neighborhood opened
fire upon the vessels, which obliged our
forces to capture the four fplts, which
they accomplished in three days, though
with loss of six men killed and eight
cen wouaded No apology being made
10y the Viceroy, for the original insult,
Commodore Armstrong proceeded to
completely destroy the fots; after which
the vessels were to proceed up to, and
anchor off the city, and co-nperate with
the Eugii<h The Commodore wrote for
an additional force, by the mail of No
venlber, via Calcutta 1t is expected
that the whole foreign trade with China
will be stopped 10y the bombardnent of
the other four forts. The Niceroy of the
Two Twangs has already order ed through
the Mandarins, that the people of Foo
chow and Annoy cease trading with the
foreigners. AT Swatow, large depot
for sugar and opium, the foreigners have
been obliged to fee At the large fire
which occurred at Canton, over 1000
houses were destroyed, together with all
the mating and sugar storehouses, in
which all the stock of the above articles
in first hands was stored.
The San Francisco Bulletin has fur
ther Information as to the Chinese diff
cuties, which it obatins from Captain
Chesebrough, of the Mary IVhittridge,
just arrived from Hongkong, with a mem
orandum of the latest news. From this
the Bulletin learns that, the force from
the American vessels being SMALL three
days were occupied i'll capturing the f,rts.
After their capture, no apology being
made from the Viceioy for the insult to
the flag Commodore Armstrong proceed
ed to demolish them Six killed and
eighteeen wounded were the casualties
on the American side. Some hundreds
were killed of the Chinese--our howitzers
proving deadly effective A plan of CO.
operation was formed between Admiral
Seymour and Commodore Armstrong for
future demonstrations.
Five of the forts which had been taken
by the English, and then abandoned, were
renamed by the Chinese, and it was
four of these which the Portsmouth and
Levant recaptured. The Chinese made a
faint attempt to recapt'lre one OF the forts
by night, but the effort amounted to no
thing
The remaining fort, called the French
Folly, situated in the northern outskirts
of Canton, was to be reeaptured by the
English on the Sd of December, but from
the new defences erected. it was thought
that the English would lose many men IN
the attack. The English forces had Ia
ken, and were destroying the Bogue forts.
Many thousand guns have already been
destroyed by the English and Americans
in the different forts and junks. Some of
the guns of Chinese manufacture, found
in the forts, had ten inch bores, but no
shot of that size could be found, the guns
being loaded with three or four small