UNKNOWN. Destruction of the Chinese Arsenal by the French Fleet. London, August 23.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 69, 27 September 1884, Page 5

UNKNOWN. Destruction of the Chinese Arsenal by the French Fleet. London, August 23.

A "Times" despatch from Foo Chow, dated 7 o'clock this morning, says :— At 9 o'clock last night Admiral Courbet officially an nounced that he had received orders from Paris to make reprisals. The British ViceConsul left last night, and reached English gunboats at midnight. A despatch from Shanghai, dated this morning, says : Admiral Courbet lias announced his intention to bombard tho arsenal at Foo Chow to-day. The French Consul at this city has lowered his flag. Advices from Fekin of yesterday state that the Governors of Yunan and Quangsi have roceived imperative orders to march their forces into Tonquin.

HOSTILITIES BEGUN. A despatch to the "Times," which left Foo Chow at 2.15 p.m. to-day, says: Hostilities began this aftei'noon at 2 o'clock. EFFECT OF THE NEWS ON FRENCH RENTES. Paris, August 23, 2 30 p.m. — Three per cent, ren' cs opened this morning at 78 francs 2£ centimes for account, but since have fallen to 77 francs 92J centimes. A CHANGE FOR PEACE NEGOTIATIONS. I

Paris, August 23, 4 p.m. —Three percent rentes this morning before the regular opening of the Bourse were buoyant at 77 francs 95 centimes for account, on the report that Li Fong Pao, Chinese Minister, would continuo negotiations with the French Government.

RESULT OF THJR BOMBARDMENT. London, August 25. — A "Times'" dispatch says : The Foo Chow arsenal was destroyed yesterday after five hours' bombardment by Courbet's squadron. Seven Chinese gunboats were sunk and two escaped. The European settlement was undisturbed. The French fleet sustained no damage. Of the Chinese men-o'-war which escaped the French bombardment at Foo Chow, one was stranded and had her back broken. The other met AWth no mishap. The French shelled the barracks and camps near the Quantao. No resistance was made to the attack. The Consulate building was looted with Chinese soldiers, who .vere in uniform and armed. The French Chief of Stall' reports the loss of the French at six men. The "Times" correspondent be lieves that this estimate is untiue. An English pilot was killed on Saturday night, when the French opened their heavy fire, and it is believed that they sank one of their own torpedoboats. The Chinese fleet lately on tho Mm River, with the exception of two ships 1 , was biotted out. No surrender was allowed the disabled and sinking ships. Alter then guns wore silenced they were shelled for houis. Admit al Couibet opened fire at 2 p.m., and the Chinese replied almost simultaneously. The dockyard and arsenal were fired immediately, but with only partial success. Eleven vessels formed the Chinese fleet — mostly light river and coast transports — and wore really toys. The French had eight heavily armed ships, namely, the Volta, Dugay, Tourville, Delaining Aspe, Vipe're, Ljtix and Yillars. Several Chinese gunboats maintained bravely a desultory fire for about a quarter of an hour, when the siinvivorsor their ciews leaped overboard. The combat was practically finished in 7 minutes. Thf supeiior French artillery made the contest, after the disabling of the Chinese ye.-sols, no fight, but a massacre. This is tho opinion of every spectator. Two eighteen-ton gunboats of the Chinese fleet fought well, one sinking near the English man-of-war Champion, while one stationed above the junks made a good stand. The French kept up a fire on the arsenal, neighbouring buildings, forts, barracks and villages until o o'clock in tho afternoon, although resistance from the batteries ceased about 3 p.m. Some French and Chinese ships were engaged in olo.se proximity to the English men-of-war Vigilant and Champion.

THE FIIKNCJI VLLKT. </ The following is a list of the French vessels and other armament in the China squadron : — The Bayard, the flagship of the squadron, is a wooden ironclad of the second class. Her armament consist* of four 9\inch euns, en barbette ; six oh inch guns in the battery, and two centre-pi\ oted TV-inch guns on deck. She also carries fourllotchki&s machine guns and spar torpedoes. The Atlanta, wooden ; armament, sik 7 V and six 4/ inch guns. The Victorieuse and Triomphante, sister ironclads ; armament, six 9.\, one I\, and six iH-inch guns, protected by a six-inch armour. The frigate Tounille — armament, seven 7^-inch guns on deck, fourteen s \-inch guns in the battery, and torpedo apparatus. Her hull is of iron, cased with wood. The cruisers Villars and Chateau- lienard are of the second class. The armament of the former consists of fifteen 5£ inch guns and torpedo apparatus, while the ChateauRenard carries only seven s£ -inch guns. The cruisers Hamelin, Kers-aint, and Volta are of the third class. They each carry one 6.J; and five s£-inch guns. The Parseval, wooden, armament, four s| -inch guns. The Alouette, Pluvier, Eclair, and Trombe, all wooden paddle vessels, built for river service. They each carry three Hotchkiss machine guns. The gunboats Vipdre, Lutin and Lynx are the largest on the station. The former carries two 5J and two 4-inch guns, while the Lutin and Lynx each carry one 7^ and two 4-inch guns. The Leopard and Fanfare, also gunboats, are built of wood. They each carry one 7^ and one 4f-inch gun. The Surprise, an old wooden gunboat, carries two s^-incb guns. The remainder of the fleet are all gunboats, built especially for; service in China, and consist of the Carabine, Contelas, Escopette, Estoc, Framee, Hache, Javelin c, Massuo, Musquelon, and the Yatagan. They are all built of wood. Their armament consists of 6£, s^, and "2^-inch guns. In addition to these there are several transports.

ENGLISH SYMPATHY FOR CHINA. New York, August 26.— The "Sun's" cable special from London of August 25th says :—": — " Public opinion heie regarding the Franco-Chinese trouble is rapidly changing from an attitude of apathy to one of positive sympathy for China. The general feeling is that the action of Admiral Courbet at Foo ChoAV in continuing a heavy cannonade on the defenceless junks crowded with Chinese sailors for several hours after they had ceased to reply to the French guns, was simply barbarous. The cause of China is not unpopular in London. The urbanity and courtesy of the Marquis Tseng and staff, and the appearance of the Chinese musicians and playei^s at the Health Exhibition,conciliated feeling here in favour of the Celestials, while the constant attacks of the French Press have irritated John Bull not a little. In addition to this, there are many families who have relatives and friends *in China whose lives are now in peril by reason of the action of the French fleet, which, it is feared, will exasperate the Chinese against all Europeans

The feeling of German houses here, many of Avhich do a large Eastern trade,' is that the French are taking literally Bismarck's advice to blaze away at the Chinese without' meddling the treaty ports. It is reported that Bismarck warned France so to conduct operations as not to interfere with neutral commerce. A special from Shanghai says : The arsenal of Foo Chow is in ruins. Eighteen hundred workmen are out of employment. The arsenal cost 42,000,000 francs, and the arms and ammunition destroyed were valued at 140,000,000 francs.

OIIARfJES OF CRUELTY REPELLED. Paris, August 26.— The papers here indignantly repel the charges by the London " Times" that cruelty was exercised by Admiral Courbet at Foo Chow, and 1 indulge in violent abuse of England. "Le Voltaire " attempts to say that, France has no need to exculpate itself to a country which set fire to Alexandria. Admiral Courbet destroyed the Chinese gunboats because he could not weaken his crews by occupying them. "Le Soleil " and "La Republique Francaise" approve Admiral Courbet's energetic course. " All he did," they say, " was to obey orders in the hope of effecting a prompt settlement of the existing difficulty." Cassagnac advocates an alliance between France and Germany.

GENERAL MILLOT TO BE RECALLED". Paris, August 2G. -Th "Figaro" pays : General Millot is to be recalled, from Tonquin, because it is considered that he is Responsible for the difficulties' since the Tsintsin treaty was made.

THE FORTS 13EL0W POO CHOW DESTROYED. London, August 2S. — A Shanghai despatch of yesterday says: The Minyam forts below Foo Chow were tilenced Tuesday evening. To-day there is heavy .cannonading between the French fleet and Kin-pai forts, which are situated at the northern mouth of the Mm River. A "Times" despatch says the Kin-pai forts were destroyed. FERRY COMPLAINS OF ENGLISH CRITICISM. London, August 2S —The Paris correspondent of the " Times " says : Ferry, in a private conversation, complained with much vehemence of the strictures of the "Times" regarding Courbet's conduct at Foo Chow. "The French press," he said, " showed no such spirit when the English bombarded Alexandria. The English press, by egging China on, is siding against Europe. The confidence it gives the Chinese may next be turned against England. The commercial nations are naturally uneasy at our action, but once resolved on redress, M*e must deal blows which will tell." Ferry disavowed the policy of colonial conquest. "My whole duty," he declared, "is to finish an enterprise originally ill-conceived and ill-managed. We want a peaceful occupation of Tonquin, and want to enforce on China the respect she owes to us. European interests need not be alarmed at this ; we aie acting for the civilised world."

OFFICfAL ACCOUNT. Pahis, August 27.- The official report of the bombardment of Foo Chow on Saturday has been received from Admiral Courbet, and is as follows : — Foo Chow, Angust24. A good beginning has been made. We opened /ire /esterday, and in four hours nine Chinese men-of-war and twelve junks were sunk, and the Krupp battery commanding the arsenal silenced. Our loss is six killed and 27 wounded. The fleet suffered noserious damage, except the boiler of a torpedo boat burst. The Chinese losses are heavy. During the night the fleet was beset by burning wrecks and logs. The torpedo cutters will clear all this away to day, and afterwards we will bombard the arsenal. We shall not leave the river before the 29th or 30th. The officers and men are animated with the greatest ardour. One of our torpedo boats bank a large Chinese cruiser. The vessels which took part in the action were the Volta (which hoisted my Hag), the Dugay, Trouin, Tiimnplmnte, Villars, D'Estaine, A<*tic, Lynx and Yipere, with two torpedo boats.