The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1859-09-28
FARTHER PoINr, Sept. 25.

14th inst, has passed here, on her way
TO Quebec.
An accident occurred on board the
Great Eastern, which will prevent her
from starting on her trip TO Portland for
about three weeks. The feed-pipe casing
in one of her tunnels exploded during the
trial trip with terrific force. Five of the
firemen were injured so as to cause death,
and others are wounded. The damage
TO the fittings is serious, but the ship and
machinery received no harm.
LATER.-The explosion on board the
Great Eastern occurred on the 9th, when
off Hastings. The funnel was blown in
to the air tearing to pieces the grand
saloon and doing great damage to the in
ternal fittings of the vessel. The guests
on board had just Quilted the saloon, and
all fortunately escaped injury. The ex-
plosion was terrific, but the ship resisted
the shock, the frame sustaining no injury.
The accident made so little difference in
the movements of tho ship that her en-
gines were not stopped till she reached
Portland, her place of destination. The
coroners inquest on the firemen killed
showed, first, that the supply of water to
the boilers through the water jacket was
stopped, because of the failure of the
auxiliary pumping power; secondly, that
stop in the stand. pipe which acts
safety-yalye was turned, apparently in
tentionally, so that the pipe was useless.
The injury to the fittings will be repaired
at an expense of about $4,000. During
the trip the Great Eastern was almost
without motion, when other vessels met
with were tossing on stormy sea.
The overland mail brings important
news from China, the war with the Eng
lish and French forces having been re-
newed. The allied squadron having at
tempted to enter the Peiho with the
English and French Ambassadors, the
Chinese assembled in great strength, and
defeated the attempt. Nearly 500 Brit
ish are reported killed and wounded, five
Of their gun-boats being lost. The allies
were finally forced TO retreat 1t is re-
ported that the American Minister has
reached Pekin unmolested.
LArEsT.-LoNDoN, Wednesday The
China mail has arrived, bringing complete
accounts of the Peiho affair, which result
cd in The total defeat of the British forces,
with the loss of no less than five gun
boats, and about q third of the whole
force engaged. The mouth of the river
was effectually barred by iron stakes and
booms. This bar was rakcd by the fire
Of the newly constructed forts on the 9TH
or side of the river, mounting 90 to 100
guns. Admiral Hopes operations, in the
first instance, were Enthusiastically pacific.
A solitary man-ofwar boat carried in his
first message, the Fury and two gun-boats
being left outside the bar, while the rest
of the squadron was laying 30 miles off,
The Ambassadors, finding no proper Of
fcers TO receive them, decided to remove
the bar and pass up the river. Six or
seven hours, however, were spent in vain
eudeavors to effect this, and, during that
time, not gun was fred from the forts,
although the gun-boats were at distance
of 500 10 700 yards only, and some OF
them had got aground. At / 80 p. NJ,
the signal for action was run up, and the
Opossum and Plover pushed in close up
to the first barrier. Suddenly, about
p. NJ, the guns in the forts opened fire,
and the action became general. The
fire of the Chinese, both in weight and
precision, was such as was never be-
fore experienced at their hands. In about
two hours the fire of the Chinese began
TO slacken, and was soon after almost
silenced, although almost every shot of
theirs told, while The British guns did
comparatively little damage 10 the mud
walls. AT about p. NJ. the signal was
made for the troops to land, and there
were then no doubts of speedy victory.
Just as the first boat touched the shore,
the forts opened perfect hurricane Of
shell, jingall balls, and rockets, which
moved down the men as they landed
The ships threw in as heavy n covering
fire as they possibly could. The enemy's
fire continued so heavy, and the mud on
landing being up to the knees and some
times to the waist, that, out of 1000
men who landed, barely 100 reached the
first of the three wide and deep bitches
which, after some 500 yards Of wading
through the mud, presented themselves.
Of the gallant forces who got through
the mud difficulties scarcely 30 had been
able to keep their rifles or ammunition dry.
Nevertheless, they boldly forced the ditch
es, and some so of them, including q
crowd of officers, succeeded in getting as
far as The third ditch. They would Ger
tainly have made good attempt to scale
the walls, but their ladders had either
been broken 10y shot or had stuck in the
mud. With the one, however, which re-
manned, ten devoted men sprang forward
three of whom were Immediately shot
dead, and five wounded severely. Or
ders were at last given TO retreat. Rus.
sian features were distinctly visible amono
the men manning the Chinese batteries