The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-04-18
THE NEWS BY THE ARABIA.

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papers of as late date the Sd instant and liverpool
papers of the 4th.
The preparations for the Atlantic telegraph expected
to be completed by the time originally named. About
$50 miles Of the cables out Of the 200 finished
and the aggregate rate of construction at the works OF
Messrs. Kuper Company, at Greenwich and AIessB.
! Neyall Company at Birkenhead, is more than 200
miles per week The whole line is to be shipped by tho
end of june and the communication hoped TO be estab
| lished by the middle of July
AS public attention just is almost exclusively di-
rected to affairs in the East make room for the fol.
lowing from the London Star of the Sd instant:
oHrS,
! BY the overland mail via Marseillcs, we have dates
| from Hong Kong TO February III.
These advces lend countenance to the ruor propa.
gated through the admiralty Saturday last respecng
| peace with China.
! Trade at stand The attention of the European
inhabitants OF Hong Kong chiefly directed to means
| for their protection against the Chinese.
Accounts received from the northern ports were more
| satisfactory.
Album the partner il not sole proprietor of the Chi
nesc shop called the Esing sop had been captured and
brought to Hong Kong, examined and committed for
trial, with nine Others in his employment one Of them
being his father Fortytwo other persons were also cap
turcd but were not put their trial The trial extend
ed over five days and resulted in verdict of guilty
by majority Of five jurors to Album and the 9TH
arrested on their leaving the court under re-
cent ordinance Since then application has been made
by interested parties, that Ahum shall be allowed to set
tie his affairs, and then be voluntarily dcpored Anoh-
petition presented that he should be dcported 10
Fo1nosa and third that he shall be detained in custody
as person too dangerous to be allowed 10 communicate
with the Nandarins 1t is understood that the prayer Of
| the last petition viii be listened to.
The Hong Kong correspondent Of the Daily News
writing the 17th February, says
1t is very generally credited that Commissioner Ych
has received the imperial commands as to his conduct
and policy for the future 1t Is said that the Emperor
had expressed the highest confidence in Yehs ability TO
deal with foreigners, and although recommending elem
eney, yet that falling the babarians to be driven
into the sea- Yesterday accounts received from
Canton to the effect that under Yeh's direction the
ploughsare had avesed the site of the late factories
which the commissioner Ind sown with salt.
His excellency the admiral returned to Hong Kong on
the 18th instant in the Niger bringing intelligence of an
engagement between the Hornet and two divisions of i'm
peral unks which successful without the steamer
sustaining any loss. The affair took place below Powder
Island On nearing, the juaks descended the creek to
meet or intercept the steamer When the latter was
within 500 yards of the unks, she opened fire with her
bow guns and steadily advanced to within 500 yards
When in - fthoms water broadsides of shot and shell
were poured into the nks The unks soon tried to es
cape, and with exception (Which blew up) they got
away with damage. second division came down to
Fazeckee Greek, when the Hornet joined by the
small steamer Hong Kong in command Of Lieut. Dent
of the Sybille These junks speedily rereaed with much
loss the upper division Of unks less Fortunate for
the Hornets guns peppered them till fall The
Baracouta sent by the adnitl TO support the Hor
net but reached too late TO DC Of service One Junk was
captured with ia guns, Two OF them being English "a
Founders. Three dead Cinnamon were found below
Next day scarcely the fragment of junk to be seen
Against these large fleets Of unks gunboats alone
can offer q really effective opposition.
Ihe honorable companys steamer Auckland had a
smart brush with Mandarin iunks Sunday last on
which occasion she was accompanied by the small steam
er Eaglet The engagement look place off Toong Chung
with four iullss heavily armed After smart fire
the junks we're captured and burnt The steamers boats
pushed for the Shore where, landing they captured
EWhi tl,pys al
set fire to village hy 10 the westward were oh
served extensive Notifications, which it was found were
too strong to he attacked without larger force One
man belonging to the Auckland shot dead through
the eye, and four others wounded. The Eaget
having expended all her ammunition returned Hong
Kong he Admiral sent the Niger yesterday to Join the
Auckland, and the Eaglct will follow tomorrow.
The following extracts from the summaries OF the
Mail and Register:
We China Mail February l5l understand that paper
has been forwarded hithor from Canton well as from
the North purporna 10 be decree of the Emperor 1t
directs the hgh authorities Of the coast provinces to be
the alert but not TO alarm the people expresses con-
fdencc in Yehs knowledge of the barbarian and his
consequent capacity to settle this affair with the British
whom If their loss in the engagements reported viz:
of 400 men, including the adypl has discouraged Them
sufficiently to cause cessation Of hostiltes their part
Ieh is not to be severe but they to be
halfway, lest concession in the present lead to
demand for other concessions That is to say, it must
not be supposed that the government Of China is not
ready to resist barbarian encroachment but with rebel
lion in the land, warlike preparations in the provinces
might he turned against it, II has enough otherwise on
hand now to talk of eNtemnang the barbarian, and
doubtless leh will be able to settle this quarrel which rs
yet local, and the Emperor desires may continue So
There WILL of couSe, be sign Of yeklg long IA
Canton maintains IL character city not to be taken
On Monday night the Goth Of January, an attempt
made by the Chinese to bum her Majesty ship Co.
mus by means of ire-rafts About midnight two large
junks, which had been well prepared craMmed with
fern, fggots, and all kinds OF inlammablc materials
well saturated with oil and besprinked with gunpow,eI
sailed up Elliot passage towards the Faham creek
strong breeze and food tide in their favor The egunrd
boat, which had just left the ship observed them aaf
Immediately hailed finding answer, she opened fire.
which was quickly followed by the ship, and this warn
ing caused the Chinese to fire their junks instantly and
escape. In few moments they wcrc in blaze and re-
taking her astcrn, the Other the bow. The Comuss Is
fore rigging has been damaged and her soreyad and
bows slightly burnt Notwithstanding the lnks were
perforated with shothoes, even under water, this did
not sink them, prevent several explosions taking
place.
The Bombay Times gives, from its correspondent.
the following account of the action in which the Persas
were defeated:
The general arrived the 2Th of January and the
evening the 3D. OF February the 18th Hghlanders and
the 26th regiment n having landed the day previously
force consisting of 420 sabres 200 European and 600
native infantry, aud eighteen guns, marched quietly
of camp in the direction of the hills The carried
only their blankets and 9reat-coats and two days
cooked provisions in their hayresacks the commissarnt
being provided with three days more in addition. With