The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-03-16
TIL K DISPATCH III.
IUESpAf MORNING. -. ........ MARCH Is. 1855
-ec~~>~e-S->~-s~
Incidents OF the Capture OF Canton.

Ne have heretofore published the material fact
connected with the siege and capture OF Canton bu
some other incidents, related by the correspon
dent OF the London Times, are interesting
THE isPIRIAL PRISONERS essDUeTEp TO HEsp-ouaa-
TKgs.
FIRST marched Pehkwei, whom have already
oescrioed, and after him, with rolling STEP almost
gigantic in stature, and immense In bnlk came the
fartar denerai. As be passed close ty me mea.
sured him by myself; he must be quite six feet
ionr inches high. They were nshered into a small
room at the end of the coIlonade where the
General and the two Admrals wcrs assembied.-
The two maBdarins took their seats as though they
mad come of their own free will to pay an ordina-
ry visit. The Tartar General, with his head tbrown
back so that you only the inside of the brim
OF bis Tartar cap. looked not unlike ourown
Eighth Harry, as Hoibein shows him. There is
great show ofdignity and courage about that mar
tial Tartar, but he is only type and specimen of
the great Imperial sham of which he forms part.
He Is an empty imposture. During the fight ne
never appeared upon the walls,
After the night he did nothing TO gather his
1000 men around him. When the French came he
made no defence, but ran from room to room. and
was dragged from a filthy closet IL he had been
taken by Tai-pings Instead of Europeans. he would
be bowling at their feet. Knowing himself per
sonally safe, he swells himself and tries to look
majestic. lie believes he has to do with men more
superstitiously obsequious 10 Chinese rank than
the Coolies of Canton are, so he tries to awe them
by his presence Perhaps he is right. There is
too much of this nonsence. The interpreters catch
the mania of mandarin worship from their teach.
ers and their Chinese books, and our ieaders-pre-
disposed by the truly English Difference of higt :
sounding tftles-catch tbe infections folly from
the interpreters.
z Room tor the great mandarin, Preceded by
Colonel Hooker, with his sword drawn. accompa-
MED by Commodore Elliott and Captain Key, and
followed by two files of Marines, waddles the great
Yeh himself. lie is not ushered into the small
room, but into the Admirafs room. To place him
with the Governor and General wonld be to con-
fine pike with two gudgeon. pew-kwei and
Tseaag-keun shook at the sound of his footsteps
Ii he had six headmen in his train. and if we all
stood kidnapped men before him. he could not
hold his head more haughtily. 1t is a huge, SEN
sual, fiat face. The profile is nearly straight from
the eyebrow to the chin. lie wears his Mandarin
cap, his red button and his peacocks tail. but in
other respects has the ordinary quilted blue tinic
and loose breeches, the universal winter wear of
this part of China. lie seats himself In an arm.
chair, and some inferior Mandarins who have
pressed in after him. stand round aud make him a
little court. The officers who fill the room are
passing TO and fro upon their own duties, and, of
course, refrain from staring at him. Yet no one
can look npon that face without feeling that he is
ia the presence of an extraordinary man. There
is ferocity about that restless rowing eye which
almost makes you shrink from it. IL is the ex-
preston OF fierce and angry, but not courageous
animal. While the long nails of his dirty iugers
are trembling against the table, and his eyes are
ranging into every part of the room in search of
every face, his pose of dignity is too palpaby sn-
nated to inspire respect, even if you could forget
his deods. But no one can look upon him with
contempt.
A.frr.