The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-12-31
the Capture Of Pekln-Treasures of Chi

nese fAIace,
The capitulation of Pekin TO an Allied force
of French and English has been announced.
There was no fighting except in taking the
summer palace of the Emperor, when IL
about Eve miles outside of the city. This was
,,sen nv the French, who killed two out of
,uantv men defending it. A letter says:
Ma aesor.ntiou can give an idea Of the splen-
aor of this residence. The en- trance or recep-
ton hall Is paved with marble, ana painted
with gold azure, and scarlet, In the most gor-
reous styie. The throne OF Tue Emperor is OF
s.an,ifui carved dark wood, and the Gus HONS
anhroasred with gold dragons, attracted
general admiration every inner enam Der ana
saIooa was very handsomely fitted up, ana
lie rolls of silk, satin and grapes, All OF spieh-
did workmanship, spIendidIy furnished cum
merbund aud puggarees for the ffencn SOL
diers, who appear 10 have adoP'ed our GUS
tom In this res pect. Inc Jade .tohe ahu caina
were of great value, and some Sevres CHINA CT
I,ouisa u ua;orgs would have delighted The
ewes of many acurto fancier and presenta-
ton sUord. with the Englsh coat OF arms,
studded with gems nd evidently Oh an uquity,
gave rise ~ some speculation. The last treaty
IF r,.u- tsin was Also found, aud the immense
quantity Of loot CT all kinds made IL almost
i.s JssieIe 10 know what TO take away. Some
idea OF the quantity of silk may be given by
The fact that fowls, old pots, tSc., were wrap
ped IN the most costly silks and satlns. All the
ladies had disappeared, bat their little Japan
ese dogs, something resembling King Charles
spaniel were running aoou. IN 0istrac ted
state.
The public reception hall, the state aud pri-
yate bedrooms, ante-rooms, b0udoirs, and
every other apartment, has been ransaeked;
ARTICLES of yertu, OF native aud foreign work
m.nsnip, taken, OF broken II TOO large TO be
carr ed away ornamental lattice work,
screens, jade stone ornaments, Jars, clocks,
watches, and other pieces OF mechanism, cur
tains and furnlture--hone have escaped de-
strucuon. There were extensive wardroDes
of every al tlcie of dress-coats richly en-
broidered Ia silk and gold thread, III the i'm
perial dragon pattern; boots, head-aresses,
raus &c; IN fact, rooms all but nlied with
them. Store-rooms OF mauufac tured SILK Ia
rolls, such as may be bought III Canton al $50
10 $50 per piece. by a calculation made IN the
rooms, there must nave oeen $4,000 or $4,000
pieces. Hundreds were thrown down and
Irampled On, aud tue noor covered tnlckiy
wan The III, rne4 were throwing them at eaca
olner, and ali taking many As they could
carry. They were used stedd ui rope 10 ST.
cure the loading OF carts niItd WIN tnem.-
Throughout the French camp were nuuufeus
Oh pieces, some h-aped up, otners used ~ lnaae
tents, or beds and coveriIds.
la aIteraJon yesterday, party OF
EreAgn wehL tarougu the apartments with
sucks, breaking every thing lnat reindlnede-
mirrors, screens, panels, &c. 1t is sand that
they dIu revenge Tor tue parbarous treat
meat the released prisoners, tneIr Country
men, mad received.
A treasury containing q large quantity of
gold IngJLs and sycee SILVER, Is under charge
OF guard, duu Is 10 De uiNideu pet"eea Tue
Engisn and French.
me total OF property destroyed would
amount TO Il large ms tallment OF the indemnl-
ty claimed.
In of the ante-rooms of the state bed
room at the summer palace, the treaty OF
Tlen-tsin, Ia Engiisu aud Chinese, sigueu by
Lord EigIn, was found. / had been LnroWu
on The ground by some one, and lay III the
heap of broken articles, tlli the Eugilsn paper
evidentiy attracted the eye OF the person VINO
discovered 1t.
A general order from the British Command
erin nlef desired that ali articles taReu by
officers and men were 10 be sentln ior sale by
public auction tor the benefit of the srmy,
which was done. Ali were permitted 10 have
the articles they had brought away tor them
selves valued, aud have the option OF taking
or rejecting them. Macy beautiful cuTios and
souvenirs were thus obtained at a nominal
price. The sale realized S22Uu0, which, win
the value of the treasure, estimated al SO ,UOU,
is 10 be divided as prize money ON the spot.
The Commander III Cne and general officers
have waved their rignt TO share. A gold jug,
Of great value, was presented 10 the Commhn-
der In Chief by the army. Nearly all the ar
ticles were sold at very high prices, large
enamelled and inlald vases and ornaments
realizing full Shangnae prices Tor such arli-
cies, The fact OF their having been the proper
~ OF Hen Fung adding an Imaginary value 10
everything. Inc scene where sale was
held, in the temple Lamaslri, occup pied by
headquarters, was worthy the pencil of all
artist. Had his imperiai Majesty handed over
the whole OF the contents OF that palace I'M
injured, ii would have sold for enormous
amount, more than three fourths having been
destroyed or taken by the French.
AN IRISH UISCUssioN.-A contractor who
was building d tunnei on 4 certain ONO rail-
road observed, one morning, that The face OF
member Of his gang had its surface all spotted
with bruises and plasters.
"Ah jimmy said he, "What have YOU
been dOin' -
Not vary much, sur" answered Jimmy,
81 was jist down at Billy Mulligans last
night, sur, an hun an me we had bit av
discooshen fUld sthickS."
T. Sxr-s THE 'DIsPATCHn STEAM
S~4 POWER
p II n It n G . FFICE.
Coraer Of Main AID Thirteenth Streets, Riehmoads
Virginia.
This establishments, being the most complies