Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-03-12
From the London Times Febluar; 10 ]
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The last mail gHve US expectations of ImuIsdiate
attack. Tho Operations commenced al TIE last few
DAYS of December and W. will venture TO BAY that
never did such motley little orce atienpt end cue.
coed iu great an en'erprse Ii may, pelliapa, De
considered as undiguitod TO vaunt Of military ex.
ploiis over so weak and unskul race as the Chi
neae yet certainly ih- attack OF city as large As
the Suigey Suburbs OF London, containing a million
of inhabitants, g-r.soned by al army, and defended
by plenty of heavy gIu~, 90 nredltable enterprise
for some four FIVE thousand kng.iu.l end French
soldiers sailors and marines Not the least aufp..slng
part OF the operations is that tue eet arrived at Can.
ton at all. The position which the two squadrons oc'
cupicd is ono which II might be thought lesa war
lka people han the Chinese would have been able to
defend. Eirscty opposite Canton, between the city
and Hnnan lslsIa. ;.e forces Of the two European
powers were draWDup the channel II naturally not
more than 800 yards wide aud tn,s width is almost
entirely covered with boats, in which lU0 Otb people
live A narrow space between two lines OF floating
dwellings, il occupied 10y the steamers and gun bosIs
of tho two nations. Back from the river, on its
northern bs.s. extends the city OF Canton in sori
of semi circle beyond H. and furthest from the river
ara several hi,Is Of considerable height-Bne jacket
Ill., spiked and scarped ths sids whence Lord
Cough attacked it the Cough Fort, mounted With
IS guns and Just inside the wall The Magazine Till,
alsn mounted With guns. which command all the other
po.i,inns. Tn these hills arms Of the river extend,
PROTECTING the city Two sides. Towards the river
ser ia the most crowded part oi Canton. the city
uhurb inhabited by vast population. just inside
The river wall is Yeh's "yannm,' and higher up the
r,v-r to tho west Of the city, is the ruined space
where once stood the European factories.
On Christmas day the last of the iorcea came up
On the 9th appeared general order announcing the
commencement OF operations. Notice was sent TO
the governor that the bonbarlment would begin in
fortyeight hours. This term would expire on Saur'
dsy night, but it determined to give the Chinese
annthe1 day of grace, and begin the FIRE on Monday
morning. On Monday morning, then, the 18th Of
December, and at the dawn OF day, the fire began
slowly and regularly. ror hours the squadron con-
.pued their leaureiy fire. but iiere was no sign ct
Welding About mid day the debareaon of the land
force began. The landing place WAS at kuper creek
to the of the city. The object was to seize first
fort called Lins fort on the east and then the hill
defen to the north Of the city The force was d.
yded into four divisions. Three were in advance
The right brigade Of English sailors; the centre
wa. i..aa up OF the 39h regiment, artillery, sapprr-,
and marines snd to I'll. lett We're the French, 9O1
strong. The fourth division, composed entirely OF
marines. was the reaarsa. copmanded by Colonel
Holloway.
Darkness put an end TO the operations OF the 18th,
and during The night the effects Of the fire were seen
in the blazing houses throughout The city. The d.
struction AT certain points Seem 10 have been very
great, but il ~ thought that only inferior dwellings
near the walls have persisted. On the 18TH the AZ
saut on The hill defence WA made. At eight o'clock
the five stored pagnda WAS carried by The bayonet
the Magazine bill vas taken soon after and Cough d
fort in our possession before the day was over.
tegeucs a. to the conclusion of the affair. Ii cannot
be doubted, however, that few days later Canton
must have been in the hands "i the asslants Their
position was in fact, such that they cond entirely de-
sroy The city, should its rulers inhabitants continue
obstinate. IGdeed, the place which seems easy
enough To defend in the fret instance against an
enemy, becomes untennble when he has once made
good hi. ground at csrtain poin'a. The English and
French have undsurbed possession Of Iionan TN the
South of the Canton river, and their sluadron'
occupy the river is-lf and are able 10 send shells
entirely over the city far as the hill forts
On the 2S.h of December the fire to have been
s,udiously repressed, so rs mo- TO nnre the place
more il;aH WAS necessary to insure compliance, but
the force in the river was evdeutly powerful enough
to destroy the city in a few days for the "yamum
and mos, of the public buildings near the river
and exposed to the full hrs of the Aeets Further
more. the whole East and North of the city Eas com
mandrd by our troops. L-ss than threa thousand
men had landed on The Monday, taken Lins Fort
which commands the place from the East, and the
nes day had captured the whole of the hill forts to
the North. These situated on exactly the opp"
side Of the river, and consequently Canton is
now between two fires, and al The mercy of the con
querors.