The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-01-18
VLRY IMPOaTaxY FROM CHsa.


The lnoia mails had arrived there, with advices
from Bombay to the Sd of December Calcutta the
22d of November; Madras, the 9th of November;
Ceylon, the 2sth of November; Hong Kong, the 10Th
Of November, and Shanghai the 9Th of November.
serious collision had taken place at Canton be
tween the British authorities and Yeh the Chinese
Governor General.
A lorcha under the British flag at anchor off Can
ton was boarded on the Stb OF October by Chinese
force, ard twelve OF the crew seized Consul Parkes
proceeded On board, and was insulted and threaten
ed with violepce. The emonstrances made TO Yeh
were treated with contempt
On the 2lst Of October the matter was placed in
the hands OF Admiral Seymour.
hostile measures commenced on the Oath of
October. The iorts of Canton were taken, and seve
raj OF them destroyed.
Yeb persisted in rejecting Admiral Seymour's de-
msnos for satisfaction, or even an interview.
On ths eSth Of october fire was opened on the
city walls and on the Governors palace.
The city walls were preached and stormed on the
29 h Of October. The troops penetrated to the pa
lace, but were withdrawn in the evening.
The loss was three killed and twelve wounded
Attempts at negotiation continued fruitess, and
oD the Sd ard 4th of November the old city WAS
bombaIded
On the 9th of November 23 war junks were at
tackled by the Barracuda and all destroyed
Time was again granted to the Chinese, but no
signs were given of submission.
According to the last accounts the Bogue forts
had been captured. The factories had been almost
totally vacated by the foreign community.
Property to a large amount had been destroyed by
fire.
Commerce was at stand still.
From the Lol don Times Dec 80
The man who "drew Pram's cur tains at the dead
of night and told him half his Troy was burnt was
doubtless an abrupt and i'll bred person, little versed
in the language Of courts and extremely dstasteful
TO The awakened royalty of Hum. He did not break
the news but blurted it out all at once and no doubt
gave his listener shock which he had not quite
recovered from when the lance of PyTnus put
an end to his existence. Such an abrupt and
uDmannerly messenger is in modern times the
electric telegraph, which, without caring whose
fee ings it may shock, whose sympathies IL may
wound, or whose nerves it may shake, blurts
out its message with blunt, unmannefly brevity,
leaving us to swallow it well as wemay On Sun
day night every citizen OF this metropolis went to
bed in the profound conviction that, though things
might look squally in Switzerland and warlike in
Persia, we were enjoying with the Celestial Empire,
at any rate, the most profound and unbroken peace
On Monday we awoke to the SUDDEN conviction that
we ha0 iaken aud destroyed tne 1Orts, DfcaC0e0
stormed the walls. and bombarded the city OF Can
ton, and were probably preparing something more in
the way Of bringing our dispute with tue Chinese
au hortics TO point. The first feeling that
every one must experience on reading the
account 70 buntly and abruptly conveyed to
us OF all this slaughter and desolaon must be one
OF regret that nything should have occurred TO
render sire nu0us appeal 10 armed force neces-
sary and. secondly a hope that enough mas peen
done to render any thing moIe of the same kind
suLerfiuous.
by electric telegraph Is mu IN Ia the position oil per-
son who seeks to expand or explain the bare and
concise statement Of some ancient author with this
difference, however that any error he makes will
be Immediately detected, while the lost records
OF antiquity keep their own secret. Without
presumng therefore, TO add anything to the
bare narrative we have received, we
remark with pleasure that there Is appearance
OF haste in these transactions and that the British
Admiral appears to have acted with oil proper
forbearance. IL was on the Sth Of October that
the Chinese authorities, on what pretence we are
not appraised, boarded a vessel bearing the British
flag anchored off Canton, took away twelve of her
crew, and insulted and even threatened with
violence the British Consul, who went on board
toe ship 10 demonstrate against their conduct.
IL appears that remonstrance was then made TO
Yeh, the Governor General OF Canton, and treated
with the utmost contempt That there was no un
seemly haste may gather from the fact that nego
tiations seem to have continued until the 2lst-that
is, for period Of thirteen days, before the matter
was handed over to the Admiral; nor does the Ad
miral appear to have acted preciptatey for II was
only on the oath that hostile measures were com
meDced on which day are informed that the forts
Of Canton were TAKEN and several OF them destroy
ed. Time was again given to Governor General Yeh
20 reconsider his position but he seems 10 have been
more contemptuous than ever, for not only did he
reject Admiral Sey ymours proposition. but even re-
fused to grant him an Interview. After an
interval of two clear days, on the 9th OF
October, fire was opened on the town and the
Governors palace. Breaches we're made aud storm
ed with trifipg loss the goth and the troops pen
etrated to the Governors palace, bat were with
drawn in the evening. AS the loss was only three
killed and twelve wounded we may fhirly conclude
that the retirement of the troops not owing TO
any overpoweng force, but to motives OF prudence,
grounded on the obvious danger OF exposing hand
ful OF 70 surprise, to fire. to explosion, or to
the risk Of having their retreat cut of in the midst
Of one of tue most populous and closely but capitals
in the world.
Again attempts were made at negotiation, and a
period Of four days was allowed TO elapse, In
hopes no doubt, that the chastisement already In.
hicted and the misery II must have caused would
bend the stubborn will OF the Chinese authorities,
especially as the attack directed against that
very quarter OF the town, the southern district in
which the Yeh himself resided, Negotiations again
failing, the old city was bombarded on the Sd
and 4th Of November. In q town so thickly
inhabited. containing more than a million aud
a half Of inhabitants, the effect OF bonn
bardment must have been dreadful, and the
less of lie enormous We hear only, however,
Of the loss Of property by fire.. Again pause of
unks were attacked, and all sunk. As the fleet can
not approach nearer TO Canton than Is miles, these
operations must have been performed by small craft
and land forces, and the only assistance that the
feet was able 20 render seems 10 have been the de
struction OF the forts at the mouth OF the river which
bave been 80 often destroyed or captured by British
fleets. The operations seem 70 have been performed
with great vigor and promptitude and TO have com
pretended in few days almost as much fighting
and DESTROYING as took placp in the OF the