116
Journal of Occurrences.
FEB.
FROM the following notices, and from the documents contained in the preceding article, may be seen of what sort of government, aud of what sort of men, the celestial empire is composed.
No. 1. Circular to her majesty's subjects.
The imperial minister and high commissioner having failed to conclude the treaty of peace, lately agreed upon by H. M.'s plenipotentiary, within the allotted period, hostilities were resumed yesterday afternoon. A Chinese force, employ- ed, under cover of a masked battery and strong field-work, in blocking up a channel of the river at the back of Anunghoy, was dislodged, the obstructions effectually cleared away, the guns in battery and deposit, amounting to about 80 pieces of various calibre, rendered unservicable, and the whole of the military materiel destroyed. This effective service was accomplished without loss, in two hours, by captain Herbert, of H. M.'s ship Calliope, having under his com- mand the steam vessel Nemesis, and pinnaces of H. M.'s ships Calliope, Sam- arang, Herald, and Alligator. The extent of the enemy's loss has not been ascertained.
On board H. M.'s ship Calliope, off South Wangtong, February 24, 1841.
(Signed) CHARLES ELLIOT, H. M.'s Plenipotentiary. No. 2. To her majesty's subjects.
The batteries of the Bocca Tigris have this day fallen to her majesty's forces. Several hundred prisoners have been captured, the enemy is in flight in all directions, and no loss reported up to this hour on our side.
H. M. ship Calliope, off North Wangtong, 26th February, 3 p. M.
(Signed)
CHARLES ELLIOT, H. M.'s Plenipotentiary.
No. 3. Public notice.
H. M.'s ship Wellesley, at anchor off North Wangtong, 20th Feb. 1841. The batteries at the Bocca Tigris having this day fallen to her majesty's arms, notice is hereby given that all British and foreign merchant vessels are permitted to repair to that point, and that they will be allowed to proceed higher, as soon as it is ascertained that the river is clear of all obstructions.
(Signed)
J. J. G. BREMER, Commander-in-chief.
This failure to conclude the treaty of peace, this perfidy with in- terruption of negotiations, can be rightly understood only when view- ed in connection with the whole course of events since the arrival here of H. B. M.'s expedition last June. Its objects were to obtain redress and indemnity for the past, with securities and immunities for the future. However; the instructions to the plenipotentiaries not having been here published, their import can only be conjectured from what has transpired. It should be carefully borne in mind, as we pro- ceed, that to make war on the Chinese, formed professedly no part of the objects of the expedition, provided its ends could be secured by other means; consequently a trial of pacific measures must needs first be made.
The first question with the plenipotentiaries was (or appears to have been) whether the forts at the Bogue should be demolished or left standing, while they with the naval and military force should move northward. The feeling of the British and foreign community here was almost unanimous in favor of the first measure; they chose the latter, and wisely-at least so we were inclined to think.
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It having been determined on-we presume in accordance with in- structions from the queen's government at home-to take immediate possession of Chusan, an advanced force under commodore Bremer moved forward for that purpose. The plenipotentiaries, with the
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