Directory_and_Chronicle_1842 — Page 173

1842.

Official Reports of Capturi, of Amay.

155.

received of the force of the Chinese for the defence of Amoy, vary from 5,000 to 10,000 troops; and it is with sincere pleasure I am enabled to transmit your lordship so small a list of casualties amongst the crews, and the masts and rigging of the squadron. The resistance made by our opponents would have justified the apprehension of greater injury. Under the protection of their well constructed casemated works, they stood on soine points firmly to their guns. We have no knowledge of their actual loss, inore than 60 dead bodies were I believe found in the batterics; but nearly all the wounded, and many of the slain, were carried off by their countrymen. His excellency the commander of the forces will probably give your lordship an account of the munitions of war and government stores which have fallen into our hands, including a large quantity of gunpowder, and a foundry for cannon, where some guns of very large calibre, newly cast, have been discovered.

We have been constantly employed in destroying the guns; and as far as it has been practicable the batteries taken on the 26th. The last two days, cominander Fletcher with a party of seamen and marines has been also detached in the Nemesis, and with very commendable zcal, has completely disabled the northeast and southwest sides of the bay; and the fortified islands at the entrance, of which your lordship will find official returns inclosed. The superiority of the bay and Inner harbor of Amoy has much exceeded our expectations. The anchorage in the former appears excellent; and the latter, as far as our hasty surveys have gone, affords perfect security for ships of any class and to a great extent, with a reasonable prospect of proving a healthy situation. Sir Hugh Gough and myself have therefore entirely concurred with his excellency sir Henry Pottinger, in the expediency of retaining possession of the island of Kúláng sũ, which will at any time give us the command of Amoy, until your lordship's wishes, or the pleasure of her majesty's government is known. For this purpose, a sufficient garrison will be placed on the island by the general, and I propose to leave captain Sinith of the Druid, with the Pylades and Algerine for their support.

The wind is unfortunately at present adverse, but your lordship may be assured that the expedition will proceed to the northward the moment it is practicable in the further execution of our instructions. I have the honor to be,

My lord,

Your lordship's most obedient servant, W. PARKER, Rear admival.

[INCLOSURE No. 1.]

On board H. M. S. Wellesley, Off Amoy, Aug. 26th, 1841.

To his excellency the admiral, commanding in chief

of the naval forces of the province of Fukien.

The undersigned, sir Henry Pottinger, bart., her Britannic majesty's plenipoten- tiary, sir William Parker, commanding in chief the naval forces, and sir Hugh Gough, commanding in chief the land forces of the British nation in these parts.

There being certain differences subsisting between the two nations of Great Britain and China, which have not been cleared up, the undersigned plenipoten-

villages, of which there are five, two of them large, trees are to be seen preserved apparently for the shade which they afford. The guava flourishes in the gardens, and the vine trained over trellis, is occasionally met with.

"In the maps, the city of Amoy is placed on a kind of blind passage creek, but the fact is very different; it occupies the whole breadth of the northern extremity of the island of the same name, round which there is apparently a passage, so that large