Directory_and_Chronicle_1842 — Page 417

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Journal of Occurrences

199

ed more than sixty imles-a direct distance of about 45 miles. At a distance of 36 miles up, the river is called the Tá-hwang pú, “the Great yellow anchorage," having 13 fathons of water

Of Wasung we know nothing, except of its long line of mud batteries, now demolished. These extend a considerable distance on both sides of the river, but chiefly on the north, where the Cornwallis, Blonde, Modeste, Clio, Columbine, &c., took up their respective positions. In some of our letters, mention is made of " war-junks," flying before the steamers.

Shanghái (stands in a direct line of seven miles from the mouth of the river. The advance upon it was made by a combined force, on the 19th. Colonel Montgomerie commanded the marching party. After a mo- inent's resistance, and before the general had landed, the garrison fled, leav- ing the British masters of the city. It was here, on Wednesday the 22d, that sir Henry, accompanied by lord Saltoun, rejoined the naval and military commanders-in-chief. The wall is 33 iniles in extent; that of Ningpo is 51; but its suburbs are more extensive than those of Ningpo. The gardens of the Chinghwang miáu, in which sir Hugh and three regiments were quarter. ed, are extensive, and built in good style. There were many summer and grotto-houses, separated by arms of the garden-pool, affording quarters for the soldiers. Gardens are very generally attached to houses, excepting the meanest and poorest, and afford excellent fruit. In one of the houses a very extensive library was found, having more than thirty book-cases. As in other cities, the pawnbroker's shops were numerous and extensive; and in one of them the artillery was quartered. Many had been broken open, and robbed by the mob. But almost all the houses and shops were shut up. Provisions were abundant and good. Hamlets of two or three houses, or single farmsteads, surrounded each by a fence, diversify the landscape around Shanghai and Wúsung. The ground is entirely flat, producing cotton, rice, &c.; and it was not till the steamers had gone a considerable distance above the city, that high land appeared. The country was very fertile, but did not show signs of a very high degree of population. In going up the river, the distinct separation of the layers of deposited soil strongly reminded those who had been in Egypt, of the Nile. Numbers of ancient tombs, on one side, have been undermined by the river encroaching on the bank; and sometimes held together, projecting unsupported; and at other times they have crumbled to pieces on the shore.

2. The British forces arrived off the mouth of Pei hó (80 a report from Cauton states) on the 10th instant, and inmediately occupied four of the forts, and put forth a proclamation, declaring that they had not come to pos- sess themselves of the territory of the Chinese, or to fight with the people, but only desired to see the emperor face to face, and hold with him a con- ference on matters of great importance. This report assumes to be founded on a dispatch from the General Council of State, addressed to the governor of Canton, and received by him on the morning of the 23d. It is added that, the emperor, who on account of the war this year had not taken his departure to the north at the usual time in the fourth month, set off for Je h6 on the 11th; and that the British said they occupied the forts only temporarily, in order to give rest to their troops after their long detention on board ship; and that they had killed some of the Chinese troops, because the officers opposed their entrance into the forts. We cannot vouch for the correctness of this report, though we are inclined to regard it as substantially correct.

3 The third member of the cabinet, Wáng Ting, is dead, and the emperor has published a long edict on the occasion, deploring his loss, setting forth the merits of the aged minister, &c.

4. A Chusan affairs were becoming, at the commencement of this month.