Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-01-30
FOREIGN News.

Our latest foreign advices bring us the
following account of difficulty that has
occurred between the British, American
and Chinese, at Canton. s-.. "
The Naval force brought by Admiral
Seymour Canton consisted Of three frig-
ates, one brig and five steamers. The
details do not materially differ from the
account forwarded by the City of Wash
ington. Some of the forts taken were
burned, and others were occupied by the
British artillery. One hundred and Sc
venty guns were spiked. Nothwithstan-
ding the capture of the forts the Cover
MOI. refused the apology demanded. He,
however, sent to the admiral 12 persons,
purporting TO be the captured seamen, but
they not proving to be tho same. the En-
counter opened her fire on the city walls,
the artillery CO. operating from the capts
red forts, while the steamer proceeded up
the river and shelled the forts on the
heights.
On the goth the walls were preached
and the city was entered, but subsequent
ly the position gained was Abandoned
A large number of war junks were also
destroyed, as before reported. In the en-
counter with the junks the steamer Bar
racouta received eighty shots in the hull
and rigging. The Bogue forts were cap
tured on the 18th of November. On the
18th the Chinese renamed the Barrier
forts and fred into the mail steamer Can
ton. The British loss in all the operations
was but trifling. ~ Pa. ".' a..
The English and American ladies at
Canton were previously removed to Hong
Kong, together with the treasure.
A detachment of marines from tho
American ship Portsmouth guarded the
factories. '. '.'. ..
The account of the American affair
with the Chinese is not very full. 1t is
said that an American ship was fired into
by the Chinese fort in Macao roads,
whereupon the Portsmouth proceeded to
destroy it, at the same time notifying the
Chinese authorities that unless instant re-
paration was made, hostile operations
would ensue. i
The United States steamer San Lacinta
was at Whampao, anchored off French Is
land with the Portsmouth and Levant.
The British consul on November 5th,
informs the European community at Can
ton that the Admiral deemed it inexpedi-
ent to disclose future measures, but he
saw no immediate prospect of quiel.
The mail steamer which brought this
news met a French frigate approaching
the scene of hostilities. ..'"
SWITZERLAND AND PRUssIA.-Warlike
preparations continued to be vigorously
made by Switzerland and Prussia. Hopes
Of peace, however, preponderate. Mean
time the American minister had gone to
Berlin to offer. as reported, the medita>
ton of the United States. .-
Other IMPROBABLE reports of good Off.
ces on the part of the United States pre-
vail.
The Presidents message to the Swiss
Federation is published. The substance
of it is that all the foreign ministers at
Berne had made proposal that if the
Swiss authorities would give up the trial
of the Neufchatel prisoners, their respec>
tive governments would endeavor to in
duce Prussia to recognize the absolute in
dependence Of Neufchatel. But the pro-
position fell to the ground.
The Federal Assembly before adjourn
ing passed DEGREES that the Federal Coun7
Gil will continue to, endeavor to-. procure
the pacific recognition of the indepen-
dence of Neufchatelz:, affirming the
military leyees ordered 5, granting I'M
limited credit and authority to the Fe-
deral Council to take Interior measures to
defend the country to the last extremity,
and authorizing loan of SO, 600 francs,