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Attack on Canton.
JUNE,
operations by land and water, placing H. M. forces in cominanding positions over the walls of Canton, the authorities on the 27th ultimo made overtures for the pre- vention of further hostilities, upon which the following terms were granted to them: "1st. It is required that the three imperial commissioners and all the troops, other than those of the province, quit the city within six days, and proceed to a distance of upwards of 60 miles.
"2d. Six millions of dollars to be paid in one week, for the use of the crown of England, counting from the 27th of May, one million payable before sunset of the said 27th of May.
"3d. For the present, British troops to remain in their actual positions; no additional preparations on either side. If the whole sum agreed upon be not paid within seven days, it shall be increased to seven millions. If not within 14 days, to eight millions. If not within 20 days, to nine millions. When the whole is paid, all the British forces to return without the Bocca Tigris, and Wangtong and all fortified places within the river to be restored, but not to be reärmed, till affairs are settled between the two nations.
"4th. Losses occasioned by the destruction of the factories, and of the Spanish brig Bilbaino,' to be paid within one week.
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5th. It is required that the Kwangchow foo shall produce full powers to con. clude these arrangements on the part of the three commissioners, the governor, the general of the garrison, and the fooyuen, bearing their excellencies' seals.
"Agreed to."
Scal of the Kwangchow foo.
An extensive evacuation of troops having taken place from the city, with their arms, but without display of banners, and five millions of dollars being paid up, and securities taken for the remainder, her majesty's forces have retired from their positions over the city. The places to be restored will be delivered up, as soon as the departure of the two chief imperial commissioners has been ascertained, and officially reported by the officer left in command before Canton. In this brief campaign of less than ten days, a resolute night attempt to destroy the ships of war by fire and other means has been repelled: a flotilla of upwards of 100 sail of armed and fire-vessels has been destroyed; a line of works mounting upwards of sixty pieces of artillery has been carried; and by an unsurpassable combination of masterly disposition, ardor, and constancy, a small British force (moved through a country presenting excessive difficulty, in the face of a numerous army,) wrested from the enemy, in the short space of 8 hours, a line of fortified and steep heights, protected by a well-sustained fire from the city wall, and dislodged a heavy and menacing mass of troops from a strong encampment on the left of their position. The whole course and results of these most remarkable and admirably executed operations, will reflect lasting honor upon the distinguished officers under whose command they have been achieved, and upon all arms of the force taking part in
CHARLES Elliot,
Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary.
the success.
No. 4.
The following translation is from a Chinese document purporting to be the substance of a report from the commissioner and general-in-chief, Yihshan, to his imperial master.
On the 29th of May, 1841, a memorial was forwarded to Peking, at the rate of 600 le a day, extra express. The tenor of it was as follows:
"Your majesty's minister, since the time of his arrival in Canton, seeing that Woochung, Tabwang-kaou, and Funghwang kong (First-Bar, Macao passage fort, and Swallows'-nest battery) had all been lost, has been engaged, in concert with the joint-commissioners, Lungwan and Yangfang in forming, defenses along the whole shore-line. At Neishing (northwest of the city), at the stone fort, at Wongsha (in the western suburb), at the landing opposite the Tsinghae gate (south of the city), at the grove of the temple of Hungwoo, on Wongsha and Eeshamee (alluvial islets to the eastward), &c., &c., guns were planted, and bands of men and officers were stationed. They were fenced round with double lines of sand-bags, supported by beams of wood and heaps of stones and shot; and to these were added pits dug in the ground to enable the soldiers to screen themselves from the enemy's fire. Everywhere, too, at the foot of the fortified
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