Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-12-31
sAOKNG OF THE IMPERIAL PALACE.

sACKING OF THE IMPERIAL PALACE.
Correspondence Of The North China Herald.
Camp OF the British Army, mile distant from
tae Northeastern Gate Of Pekin, Oct. 9, 1860.
We encamped here on the 9th. On the same evening
the Emperors Summer palace luenminl uen, was taken
possession Of and yesterday hessrs H. 5. Parkes and
Henry Loeb we're liberated and returned 10 the Embassy
The Summer Palace il about five miles bya crcnitous
road northwest of the camp outside the earthwork
a. ption OF il is given in Stauntons account OF Lord
Macartneys embassy and other works on Chna but no
pen can describe correctly the that has taken place
there within the two last days lndiscrmnste loot has
been allowed The public recepuOn-ha, the state and
ivate bedrooms anteroOms boudoirs and every other
apartment has been ranSaeked articles OF vru, OF Ia
tive aud foreign workmanship, taken, or broken If too
large be carried away ornamental httce-"ork screens
Jade stone ornament jars, clocks, watches and other
pieces Of mechanism curtains and iurnture-none have
escap d De ructOn. There extensive wardrobes
Of every article of dress coats richly embroidered in
silk and gold thread in the imperial dragon pattern
boots held-dresses fans, &c; in fact rooms all but ILL
ed with them StoreroOms OF manufactured silk in rolls
such as may be bought in Canton at $50 and $50 per
piece By u calculation made in the roOm' there must
have bScn 10000 or $4,000 pieces. Hundreds were
thrown down or trampled on, and the floor covered
thickly with them, men throwing them at each
other aud all taking many as they could carry They
were used instead Of rope to secure the loading OF carts
illed with them. Throughout the French camp we're
tents, or beds and coverids.
In the afternoon yesterday, party Of French went
through the apartments with sticks breaking everything
that rtmlned-mirrors screens panels, &c lt Is said
that they did in revenge for the har6arous treatment
the released prisoners their countrymen had we'd.
treasury containing large quantty OF gold ingots
and syeee silver Is under charge of guard and is TO be
divided between the English aud French.
The total value OF property destroyed would amount
10 a large instalment OF the indemnity claimed.
The Commander-n-Chief and general officers have
waived their right 20 share. gold Jug OF great value
was presented TO the COMMANDMENTS Chief by the army
Nearly all the articles sold at very high prices are
enameled and inaid vases and ornaments realizing full
Shanghai prices for such articles the fact OF their hav
ng been the property of Hen Fung adding imagin
nv value 10 everything The scene where the sale was
held in the Temple Llnasir occupied by headquarters
was worthy inc pencil oil an art@ h4a us Imperial
palace uniuiured, it would have sold for enormous
amOuS than threctourths having been destroyed
or taken by the French.
The utter destruction Of the interior of the Summer
palace where be it remembered, Lord Amherst, Am
bAssldor from England, insulted, is but small pun
shment for the Emperors contumacy and the treatment
OF the prisoners who captured whilst peaceful
mission yet the like visitation being inflicted Oh the pal
lace in Pekiug might be impoilic though deserved
Tha would only utterly destroy the present govern
ment but prevent the organization of under
our protection should it be desirable to do so.
The Emperor reporter 10 nave EOue 10 MS placP,
Zeho in Tartary where Lord Mccartney was received.
lie has thirteen wives with him.
p. S.-rhe seige guns have arrived, and believe the
gate will be summoned tomorrow. There is 1 report
that a part of the Summer palace is on fire. The build
ings are many aud detached yet think very probable
they viii be destroyed the feeling being strong against
the Chinese account Of the barbarous treatment OF
the prisoners.
The following is separate account Of the affair at the
palace
The French column, together with Col Patte's Brig
AIDE Of Cavalry advancedon luen-minl uen the Eoglsh
column rather Peking large body Of the enemy
having been observed near the village occupied by
The French eaISred with only two casualties two Off
GERS being wounded by the eunuchs Of the palace The
following day, signs being visible the Engish fired u
guns attention, and later in the morning the
COMMANDMENT Chief learned where they we're. Lord
Elgin, Mr. Ward Sir H. Grant Sir Il Napier. and their
respective stalls proceeded TO the palace and found the
French had been comfortably established there and that
great proportion Of the principal v1luabes had been al
ready taken away leaving the heavy bat less valuable
articles for the Eogsh, at least what the French could
not carry they left for No description give an
idea Of the splendor of this residence The
reception hall ia paved with marble aud painted with
gold azure and scarlet in the mos, gorgeous style The
throne OF the Emperor il OF beautiful carved wood, aud
the cushions embroidered with gold dragons attracted
general admiration every inner chamber and saloon
very handsomely tted up and the rolls Of silk satin and
grapes all Of splendid workmanship peudidy furnished
GUNNER bund4 aud puggarees for ths French soldiers,
who appear have adopted custom in this respect.
The jadsstOne and China OF great value and some
Sevres China OF Louisa QuatOize would have delighted
the eyes Of many a curio laneier; and presentation
sword with the English OF arms studded with gems
and evidently of antiquity gave riEe TO some specua-
ton The last treaty of Tien.tsn also found aud
the immense quantity Of loot OF al kinds made it almost
impossible to know what to take away. Some idea OF
the quantity Of silk may be given by the fact that fowls
v,1 In hn vgitlru and
sltns All the ladies had disappeared, but their little
japanese dogs, something resembling King Charles
spaniel running about in a distracted state. Mr..
Wade secured some valuable books and papers-some,
VIC believe for the British Museum. The Emperor had
left the day before hut his destination IS believe
known. II is said that panic took place amOogit the
French and that they evacuated the palaces, returning
however when the alarm subsidized One thing is certain
our allies take care of themselves.
TnE FATE OF JOSEPHINE PREDICTED ToR THE EMPRESS
ErGESIE-The LOndol correspondent Of the New Or
leans Delta reports the following extraordinary gossip
respecting the Empress Eugenie:
Il is reported she grieyed much after her sister
the Duchess dAbe and would rise in the middle Of the
night 70 visit the chapel where the remains kept aud
stay there her pees PRAYING the cold stones, nc
entreaty prevailing her to return to the palace
day broke aud the spirit spell was over Tor she IS moi
only bigotedy religious but faithful believer In sp r
itua communication with those who LETT Tor bettei
happy mixture for the formation Of character which
loves TO dwell in mysticism; the Scotch second
sight" and the Spanish "quicklOuch being stock OF
which a Bohemiinlmight travel In the power of ne
romarcy, she has implicit faith, aud it is related
her visit to Asers recently that she went into the ten
Of one Of the chiefs Of tribe and the conversation
turning upon necromaney the head beauty OF the hareu
proposed the introduction OF Nubian bag, who she
said was all potent In the blac art-naturally enough
il may be thought when her color is taken into con
sidrratiOn. The sOrcereSs entered developed 10 ugh
fitting garment not proper 10 be worn before gen men
as il closely casped the skin from toe to neck and thu
exhibiting the hdeou4 physiognomy which the nubian'
are renowned for the whole covered with white tur
ban The witch WAS in frenzy OF passion, which caused
Eugene 10 shrink bach into the Of the chief lady
RI the harem who would have dismissed the woman
mad not an irresistible impulse and the acinAtob OF th
dark art which is so ntermixed with her own tempera
ment induced her desire all the knowledge which the
demonac looking being could impart With volublitl
that seemed as though reading from the book OF fat
ITSELF in clear bold type the bag poured Out the secret
Of the past with unerrng fidelity and paused when thu
future came to the point in her pleasant discourse
S;eeled for the result and craving TO know the seere
hans of the future she begged earnestly for future detail
HRNUINE ENGLISH CASTLE SOAP "a lArs
NS.ai . DfuRRisls.