CHINA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17, 4 December 1861, Page 5 (Supplement)

CHINA

DEATH OF Til 15 KItIPEKOR

(i.'rom'tlie Overland Trade Report, Sept. 10.)

The all-absorbing cvei.it of the fortnight .is'the certain intelligence of the death of Ilien Fung, the Emperor of China, which took place on the "2-2 d nit; in his' palace at Zhehol, in Tartary, •whither he retreated on the advance 'upon Pekin ui'the. "allied forces in September last, and where In.-, had since remained. The entire reign of Ilien .Fung has been one continued unvarying epoch of disasters to the empire—haughty repeliance and. perfidy marked his foreign policy ; impotence and apathy the administration of the internal affairs of thu Empire.

Another skirmish appears to have taken place on the 20th ult., between the 11th Ohio Regiment unda: force of 40>.0 rebels, at Hawk's *Nest, a Tillage eight miles from Ganley, in the Kanawha Valley, in which fifty Secessionists are said to have been killed, and a iarge number wounded and taken prisoners.

On the morning of the 29th of August, the advanced posts of the army of the Fotomac, under General liichardson, had a skirmish with the pickets of the enemy near Bailey's cross roads The rebels were 200 strong, and the Union Forces, though inferior in numbers, completely defeated them, killing a large number, and taking several prisoners.

Towards the close of August it transpired Taut a .combined naval and military expedition was secretly despatched from Fortress Monroe, under the joint command of General Butler and Commodore ing-ham, 'the latter being- the senior officer of the United States squadron on the West Indian station. The destination, although of course concealed as much as much as possible, was understood to be the Atlantic Coast ofNotth Carolina, which abounds with an intricate network of passages, creeks, and inland waters, communicating with railroads and towns reaching far 'into the'■interior of the country. Ile^e lurk the privateers, which fly out through openings in the belts of reefs and sandbanks, and prey upon the passing- traders ; and here the coasting vessels have been plying up and down in undisturbed security. One hundred arid fity smail Vessels, laden with stones, intended to block up the few passages by which these ships can enter, were convoyed by the United -States squadron'; while, the men-of-war were ordered to destroy the forts and defences which the rebels occupied along the coast. THe expedition was .speedily and completely snceessful. The forts were., destroyed, and the :garrisons had to surrender.

The battle of Springfield iriay be considered a drawn one, inasmuch as neither .party pursued the other, nor retained possession /of the battlefield. Assuming1 it to be drawn, 'the advantage was much on the side of the Unionists^ %ho had only 5300 •engaged, against 20,000 of the Secessionists. The loss of the federalists is stated at 223 killed, and 721 wounded. * The. Confederate loss is stated to he much larger. General Lyon, who was in command of the Unionists, was forced to give battle or make a precipitate retreat, as the Federalists were endeavouring to surround liinij ~IIjs; troops,:after several hours' fighting, cut 'through the Southern army, and made good their retreat, but their brave leader was shot. One of his regiments having its colonel killed," he/led it on himself and '■while cheering his men on, was shot down. His loss is .universally mourned-by the North.' / ']

Great feavs are entertained for' the safefy of Washington. Since the battle of. Maii£sfea'ss the Southerners for several weeks advanced towards it step by s rtef>. Of late they h&ve fallen ..back from 'one position . id.. Another, b~*it whether from niere strategjj'Or as part df sonic connected nioveriient,. is not ascertained. .."'.- •'.'■■ . ;

The Secessionists of Missouri have been guilt; of a diabolical act. They destroyed a railrbac bridge on the Hannibal aiiet St Joseph; Eailrpaid over Pldti llive'i;, ninei .miles'etot of St^Jbseph,:!^ which a whole; passengerI:'tnjrin; containing''niearly 100 inoffensive' people—men", women; "and children —was precipitated^ip,tp r th,e r^yer, and seventeen killed, and other's' iiqrribly mangled., It,appears that the timber' supports of the' bridge; had nearly, b^vnt through, and the fire then exthir. guishedV thus leaving; no 7 suspfciqus , appearance" above th^^structui-e^sb tha^ 'whW thV 'ifkm entered 1 "the bridges at night the I;^av6 wa^y, ttiesuitiDgin'the fearM coiisequence^aßbye Stated;

The bid quarrel between.England and America Has broken out 'afresh. Mr., Russell's graphic picture of the never-to-be-forgotten stampede from Bull's Run, together with the'Viriticisms and reflections of the British:press,.have, as to have been expected, stirred again the smouldering embers of American ill-will into a llanie- The great Avord-painter has had to run the g-aimtlet of every sort of attack and menace from the more unprincipled portion of American journalism. Indeed, from some quarters the indignation has been so strong and so vehemently expressed, that he is evidently iiot a little in .'fear for his personal safety.