The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-08-11
SELECTIONS OF FOREIGN NEWS.
cHlNA--cArTuRE OF THE pEIHo FORTS.


f8
[From tho Correspondent os the London r,mesl
GU1 or PEonELEs, May l9.--The gunboats went oyer
the bar th, afternoon, with paddebox and ships boats
In tow fu OF seamen and marines from the fleet TheiI
appearance as they entered the mouth of the river
picturesque in the extreme numbers of little M coored
flags, in which allies always indulge waved brightly
In the setting sun, while the red coats of the marines
formed gay contrast to the blue jackets Of the sailors
The gunboats on In close order, pulling forth jets
of white smoke, though they were painting beneath
the dense of human beings with which their decks
were crowded Their aspect sufficiently imposing to
cause no little excitement among the valiant defenders
OF the batteries shore Mandarins horseback and
on foot followed by parties of carrying flags visited
the different batteries, apparently giving orders The
men all stood to their guns and turned out in single
ne along the whole length of the steep glacs to
make as imposing array possible. Any compunc-
ton we might have felt In giving the brave garrison
little severe treatment the was considerably
diminished by the nsoent message they sent through
Count Puatin and which, condensed the expressive
slang of the puglist amounted simply to request to
to 'come on
May 20.--At O'Clock this morning Captain Hall and
the French agcaptan proceeded shore with flag Of
truce and letters from the ambassadors and admira in
forming Tan that 1t being necessary for the safety of the
former in tho prosecution of their search for properly
qualified commissioner that the forts at the mouth Of
the Pclho should temporarily change garisons e the
SAID Ian, was allowed two hours ct the expiration OF
which delay If they not surrendered they were to
be taken. = se
The order Of the day as follows The Cormorant
Fusee and Mitrale to attack the two forts on the north
side the Nimrod Avalanche, and Dragonne to engage
the three on the south Upon the admiins moving up
the river they to be followed by the boats
towing landing parties Those destined for the attack OF
the northern FORTS towcd by the Stauhch and the Bus.
ard to be composed of from the Pique the Furi-
Gus, and the Surprise, under tho command Of CAPTAIN
Sir Frederick Nicholson Captain Sherard Osborn and
Commander Crcsswell The Slaney and the Firm to
and their parties composed of men of the Calcutta
Fury, under the command of Captain Hall and Com.
nandcr Lecke, Tor the attack the southern forts
The Lcyen and opossum told off to tow the French
landing parties, the former to the southern the lat.
ter to tho northern attack Precisely at ten o'clock
the signal was given for the ships get iuto position
and the Cormorant whose screw had been iynpatieny
revolving for minutes previously went of at full
speed like an arrow from bow She had hardly steamed
twice her length when the southern forts opened
heavy fre upon her distaining reply her commander
Saunarez stood gallanty on and took up his postion
with the utmost deberaton and greatest precision His
conduct called forth most glowing eulogy from the a
miral. When he did open fire, it was with tremendous
one shot upon the southern forts in re-
turn for the attention they had honorcd him with he
concentrated his fire the northern forts Shot she'll
and grape rained in upon them and before his French
supports had got into position hc had very nearly sue
ceeded in silencng their fire. Meantime the Nimrod
whose movements had been somewhat thrown ont by the
French gunboats not coming up time received the
centrated fire Of the southern fors which Captain Dew
returned with interest Fortunately although the China
were ~ hall, J I l1i''acl'y' .ney
,ytlstar1ra that ~ Sr,,I ~ 'e,y i'uo u'hage. NOT
were nretty bot snsr.rai g.. "oo, aha Dfasohne
lost one killed and t6res o,nad Wy Io,ne, oy
bpll bovs not haa ~ -, ~ .oa. eius ''ueK hcr
force enoaccd beyonI ,h ft s4 sny y suc rcncn
killed l;ttla hef Ia,, .n sa. AZ. lous olSeis were
followed by tha at f ,,,,.. ny NV auais passeu'
tbev ,vero = orr,sd A. = pa;,.. N .o no " whici'
Onossun ,y avaroI a,,.,sS seoonu mas,er OF .ne
Ind nassed over tba H;nrad m ~ luunu sno. WINCH
n Il e,vr nufa fba
allied faps were aoat;n vor 49,, go. .o wy
fntry and cnvarv ahont mia aatant as;s r. s m
time In our experiences of Chinese ~ "a - .h. @ .J
Jackets have had nm onnortnit ~ l1
ies Of cavalry It l. nao;os ~ ~ .s asv
larlv apnreriate AZ ! n,,ar,ar nost &c., az, az
marty or, tbc south s;,la hrst nr a. 80 ~
Of TIE Cbinamen ,vho .s s.'"o
les and ed across tho ad r,a;n =, sras ~
Of which ,yere randlv 49,, I :. wy ~ 70, NJ ~.
parties Of skirmishers foowed =, ana mt a
trsatin r,.ssas a. az ~ Anu na'oseo .ne TO
a,la nor Witch ,h xt - I Po,.ls i'1 " pel'in
I,nsta ri and sto,,ch 49, 90. s s,s'o, ., i0 opon'ui
IN tbn ohor s;Ja T .ou'.1 ~ n'oc' uio c,te'ny
bowevcr from httor., ~ 49,. .1'aiy ~ SileeA
0e of tbe r;vor or an tr -, e.IS; pa. "' e ~
svnr,n rec.ntion !. th !. "''NA 5,o .ito'n
voun,irg three en ~ Nall ~, A'''''s w. "'u
was sru,ai;,y s;lo,,cod 80 ~ : 80. ~ ~, n, ~ sy :,
Furions Who bad henr n l -, ~ ~. s' NV ~. ,'.o
tant came nm inst n limo ~ ~, -; n.l
ounboats COMING m ~ snprort the ~, - ~ an,
thew reached the onn,s;tn erd ~ M las, H.; - ~, -
nsula Il was found however Tint the rh;nas had