Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-10-08


CmNA-Tbe announcement Of the en-
gagemeni.betwee the French and English,
and Chinese, was 50 made up as to throw
little or no light upon the causes that precip-
itated so unexpected = ssnguinary an enconn'
ter. It was not until time had elapsed for
other, disinterested writers, to forward
their views, that we we're enabled to gath.
er the probable facts in the case, These put
the allies in the wrong, and go to show
that the terrible retribution which overlook
them, was only the result Of their own te-
merily and the natural consequences of q
willingness to use their power to cover avi-
olation Of the just right, Of the Chinese.
1t cannot be considered otherwise than
merited punishment for their insolence and
arrogance. They provoked the renewal of
hostilities ; but John Cbinaman will have
to suffer, probably, nevertheless. Bullying
weak adversary until some show of spirit
is aroused, and casus beli extOrted, aud
then crushing him under the weight of Brit.
ish vengeance" is one Of the great secrets
Of English supremacy and dominion.
1t appears that the Chinese emperor had
determined, some time since, to resist the
approach of another armed force to Pekin,
under pretense Of negotiation, and that the
British and French ambassadors were per-
fectIy aware Of this. The British embassa-
dor had been offered safe conduct by all.
other route. and an audience on his arrival
at Pekin. The emperor objected, as he had
q right to do, to the approach Of the repre-
sentatives of France and England TO bis
capital with o strong naval and military
force. as to compel submission to their
demands
When the feet reached the mouth Of the
Peho, they found that the forts destroyed
last year by Admiral Seymour had deen re-
built, and the river was heavily staked,
chained and doomed.
The British admiral determined to force
the passage. But he made no reconuois
ance of the forts, to learn their strength
and his feet of gun boats rushed into the
trap set for them, without any caution
where the deadly fire Of the Chinese soor
destroyed them. The land force was put
ashore in the same reckless way and perish
ed. After the disaster the British French
ministers returned to Shanghai, while the
American minister remained in the north,
and held an amicable interview with the
emperor'S mandarins, and would probably
be used as mediator
! The Americans did not wholly escape. The
U. S. flag ship Powhattan was in the gulf
at the mouth of the river, just in sight OF
the engagement. As soon as he (Com
Tatnall, heard of Admiral Hopes misfoI
tune in the dangerous wound be had recev
ed, taking his open barge, he went thr ough
the hottest FIRE from the guns of the forts.
When he came along side the admiraPs
vessel, which he visited simply from sympa-
thy, a ball struck the side of the barge,
which passed between him and Mr.. Trench
ard, his aag-lieutenant, tearing the clothes
and slightly grazing the side of Mr. Treach-
ard, and killing John Hart, the cockswain,
who was sitting just behind them. I'll
commodore had narrow escape for the
ball tore away the bench from which he
had just removed his feet John Hart be
longed to Greenport, Long Island, wher,
it is said he left wife and children. II,
was favOrite of the commodore, and wa
beloved by ALL