CHINA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 607, 1 September 1858, Page 3

CHINA.

CAPTURE OF FORTS AT THE FEIHO. (From the ' Overland Register,' June 7.)

[We are indebted to an officer of -the U. S. F. Mississippi for the following interesting account of the capture of the forts "at the mouth of the Peiho. He Avas present in his boat during the fight, and speaks in terms of high admiration of the Ayay in which both sides stuck to it. He describes the Chinese of the neighbourhood as a particularly tall, haudsome, poAverful race, and Aery fair, many of them six feet high aud upAvards] —

The U. S. steam frigate Mississippi reached this on Sunday evening, the 30th ultimo, having left the Gulf of Pecheli on the afternoon of the 22ud. She brings news of the commencement of hostilities. As negotiations had, as Avas to be expected, totally failed, Lord Elgin placed the affairs in the Admiral's hands, and he proceeded Avith his usual promptitude to bring them to an issue.

The mouth of the Peiho is defended by fort* on each bank, about a mile and a-half from tho upper edge of the bar, which averages from a half to three-quarters of a mile in width. Beyond this, and about four and a-half miles dis ■

tant, lay the larger ships. On the evening of the 19th all preparations were made for the attack, the gun-boats and ships lying inside the bar. At 7 a.m., Captain Hall, of the Calcutta, pulled in, and desired the forts to surrender, telling them if the flags were hauled down by 9 a.m., the forts would be taken possession of peacefully; if the flags were not hauled down, firing would commence, and the forts captured by force. Nine o'clock came, but with no signs of surrender, and another hour was given them. The two admirals were on board the gun-boat Slaney. with the English and French pennants flying. The Cormorant, which was the leading ship of the attack, had been lying close up to the forts on the right bank of the river, and the people in the forts had been observed training their guns on her. At 10 a.m., the yellow flag of battle was hoisted by all the gun-boats and steamers along the line, with the exception .of the Cormorant, which ran up the French flag, almost at the same moment running her anchor up to her bows and getting under way. On her deck were only to be seen three solitary individuals—the captain, Saumarez, the master, cbnning the ship, and the steersman; the men lying down at their quarters.. She gradually edged over towards the forts on the right bank, running past them in beautiful style, fired upon as she passed each fort without returning a gun. . During her passage she got hulled ten times, but, owing to closing so much on the forts their shot for the most part passed over her without doing damage. After passing them she ran over to the left shore, and, running into the mud with her broadside to the forts. on that side, commenced the action. She was followed by two French gunboats and the Nimrod, which latter vessel

came to the assistance of her comrade. The different gunboats took up their stations, and, as they fell into them, opened fire with precision. After about an hour's cannonading, to which the Chinese reply was quick but ineffective, the Slaney, with the admirals on board, ran straight up through the fleet, towing the attacking colums under Sir F. Nicholson, of the Pique, and Oppossum, towing another party, under Capt. Hall. The French supplied an attacking party for the forts on the right bank. The boats pushed off, and the men were soon on shore. Then followed the usual scene—the Chinese bolted, and the French attack being made very quick, a mine was sprung which caused considerable loss. The forts on the left bank were taken by the British without much loss, although mines were also exploded on their advance, by the bursting of one of which the carpenter of the Calcutta and two seamen were killed. In about an hour and forty minutes we were in possession of all the forts at the mouth of the river. The Admiral then proceeded on board the Cormorant; while Admiral de Genouilly went on board one of his gunboats. At this time, a mass of flamefrbm a number of -fire-rafts, was observed drifts

ing round a point of land higher up; by some mismanagement, the rafts were allowed to go too far over to the right bank, and there the leading rafts speedily grounded, while the others were helped into a like position by the boats of the fleet. Had they taken the right direction the Cormorant would have had a narrow escape, as she was rather tight in the mud. Sir Michael leaving the Cormorant, returned to the Slaney, but Admiral de Genouilly continued on board his own gunboat. The Slaney and Cormorant with other gunboats steamed up to attack a large fort mounting 31 guns, situated round the bend of the river, while the Nimrod was left to

direct her fire at the fort over the spit of ground. In a short time this fell into our hands, and in

about two hours and a half from the commencement of the attack, the action had ceased by the capture of all the forts. We are happy to say the loss on our side was very slight. Only one officer, the master of the Opossum, being severely wounded by a grape shot in the side and thigh. We have no exact or reliable particulars of the loss on the British side, but do not hear that it exceeds twenty-five killed aud wounded. Our allies, we are sorry to say, owing to the explosion of a mine, suffered more severely, 15 men, it is said, being killed, and 30 men wounded; some of the latter dreadfully burnt and torn by the explosion. Among the killed are four lieutenants. One, the first of the Fusee, was cut in two by a shot; another had his cap knocked off by a shot on which he exclaimed, "I am lucky to-day," but immediately fell down dead, without the mark of any wound on his person. The Chinese stuck to their guns manfully, and there were the usual acts of self-sacrifice. One blue button mandarin was found by the French in the fort which they captured dead beside a gun, having cut his throat. And in the assault of the highest fort of 31 guns a mandarin jumped out aud charged the party siugle-handed. The officers did all they could to prevent him being killed, but one of the men on the flank, at some distance, shot him through the neck, to the regret of those near who admired his brave action. About 98 guns were captured, 68 of which were brass or composition metal. Some were 8-inch guns, but Aye believe they had none of the usual appliances of sights. The loss of the Chinese is supposed to have been very heavy as the firing was very accurate, the shells bursting Avith great precision in the embrasures. The Chinese fired grape, and even attempted shells; but as their fuse Aras only a piece of common slow match the shell generally burst close to the gun.

Next day, the 21st, a mandarin Avent off to the Russian Ambassador, Avho had been acting in conjunction with Mr. Reed as a mediator between the parties. Count Poutiatine Avent with him to the French Admiral, but it Avas a loug time before they could persuade him togoand see Sir Michael; —eventually he did so, and asked for three days' truce." Sir Michael told him he could not give him an hour's truce, as they had given plenty .of time, and that hecertainly would at once proceed to Tientsin* with all his