725997-1857-GOVERNMENT-NOTIFICATION-NO-26 — Page 1

No. 26.

The Hongkong Government Gazette.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

[JUNE 6, 1857,

Diplomatic Department.

His Excellency The Naval Commander-in-Chief has communicated to Her Britannic Majesty's Plenipotentiary, a Despatch from the Honourable Charles G. J. B. Elliot, of Her Majesty's Ship Sybille, reporting the complete suc cess of an Expedition against a Fleet of Imperial Junks in Escape Creek. The following Extracts from Cominodore "Eliot's Despatch, are published for general information.

By Order,

Superintendency of Trade, Victoria, Hongkong, 4th June, 1857.

W. WOODGATE,

Extracts from a Despatch from Commodore the Honourable C. G. J. B. ELLIOT, dated 29th May, 1857, to the address of His Excellency Rear-Admiral SIR MICHAEL SEYMOUR, K.C.B.

Sybille, 2D Bar, Canton River, 29th May, 1857.

I. I had the honour to report to you yesterday, that Her Majesty's Gunboats, Tenders, and Ships' Boats, captured or destroyed about 40 Mandarin Junks (Snake boats) on the 25th and 27th Instant. I beg now to report the nature of the operations moro

in detail.

2. The Fleet of Junks which formerly remained near the main branch of the River had moved to a position about five or six miles up the Creek. As it was very doubtful whether our small Steamers could get up to them, it was necessary to have a sufficient Boat force to follow up the Creek, independent of Gunboat support.

3.

At daylight on the 25th, our Force was in the Creek, and soon afterwards a Mandarin Fleet of about 40 Junks was observed moored in good order across the stream. The tide was a strong ebb, which rendered it less easy for the Junks to escape, and although it made our progress slow, it enabled us the better to thread the way amongst the shoals.

4. A heavy fire from the Junks opened upon the leading Steamers as they approached, but at too great a distance to tell with effect. Shortly afterwards, as the Hongkong got within good range, she opened fire, and was soon supported by the Bustard and Starling-the others being at distant range. The fire from the Junks then slackened, and they got underweigh; some were soon afterwards abandoned and the rest plying their oars endeavoured to escape up the Creek.

5. The Steamers followed, though very slowly on account of the shoal water; the Sir Charles Forbes and Staunch grounded early, then the Starling, and eventually the Hongkong ran ashore. The signal was immediately made for the Boats to go ahead, and a general chase took place. The Junk force divided, the main body of about 15 continuing up the main channel were followed by the Boats, led by Captain Edgell, who detached four Pinnaces up a Creek to the left to follow the smaller division; Commander Forsyth accompanied these Pinnaces, which succeeded in capturing them all (ten in number). Commander Forsyth speaks highly of the gallant way the Hornet's. Pinnace, under Mr R. A. Brown, Acting Mate, dashed in, unsupported by the other Boats, which she had distanced, against three of these heavily-armed Junks which struck to her.

G. The main body, followed by Captain Edgell, were soon beyond range of all, except the Hornet's Rocket Boat and Sybille's Pinnace, which kept within reach of them for a long time; and Captain Edgell brings to my notice the behaviour and most accurate fire kept up by Lieutenant Brock in the former boat, and by Mr Hudson, Acting Mate, in the latter. The chase was continued by this division, which I accompanied, for 12 or 14 miles above the place where the Steamers had grounded, when, the work for the men at the oars having been excessive, I decided to turn back, but with the view of getting at the Junks which we still had in sight, at a future time by another passage. 7. Near the point at which we turned, at the village of Tseen Tsune, we found the Lorcha Anonymą, which was captured last December, while in tow of the steamer Thistle. I burnt her.

8. On getting back to the Gunboats at night, I found that Commander Corbett, who had very properly remained with the Staunch on her grounding, the other Commanders having gone on,-had sent the Inflexible's paddle-box Boat after a Junk that tried to escape down a Creek to the right, and captured her. Commander Forsyth had returned with his party, and Lieutenant Dent, assisted by the Officers of the other Gunboats, had secured or destroyed all the prizes. The Chinese having returned to one of the Junks below, she was recap. tured by Mr Molloy, second Master, with the Starling's and Hongkong's Boats. Lieutenant Dent brought to my notice the conduct of that

Officer.

This

9. In all, 27 heavily-armed Snake Boats (belonging to the Admiral Su Hoy,) were captured or destroyed. Their Armament consists of one heavy Guu in the Bow, generally a long 32 or 24-Pounder, with from 4 to 6 lighter Guos; each Vessel pulls about 40 oars, service was fortunately accomplished with the loss of two men only wounded. The day was excessively hot, and I cannot speak too highly of the spirit with which the men stuck to their oars, through a harder day's work than I have ever before witnessed under a tropical sun. One or two cases (but not severe) of sun stroke occurred in the Gunboats.

At daylight next morning the Steamers proceeded down the Creeks with the Boats and ten prizes in tow, and attached with tho

10. Sybille, at the Second Bar.

11. Further arrangements were now made to follow up the War Boats that had got away. I had already, the previous day, stationed the Tribune off Sawshee Channel, and I now moored the Inflexible abreast of the Second Bar Creek, down which her Guns could then range. From the knowledge I now possessed respecting the various Creeks from Escape Creek downwards, 1 considered it possible to guard all the outlets to the River, and with a force of Boats to scour the Inland Creeks and compel auy Junks there either to meet that force or retire towards the main River. Commander Forsyth with his division took up his station in Escape Creek in the evening.

12. At daylight on the 27th I proceeded up the Sawshee Channel as previously arranged, the Boats being towed by the Steamers for 10 or 12 miles. I then sent the Bustard to strengthen Commander Forsyth's division, and desired Lieutenant Dent in the Hongkong to take with him the Inflexible's Pinnace, and go a short distance up the Second Bar Creek; (he succeeded in passing completely through into Escape Creek, and met Commander Forsyth.) Casting off from the Steamers, the Boats pulled up the Sawshee Channel, and we soon heard from the natives (who showed us every good feeling) that four of Su Hoy's retreating Squadron had on the 25th gone up to Toung Kouan, and that there were other Mandarin Junks there.(I beg here to mention the very great assistance I have received from the Rev. Samuel Beal, Chaplain of this ship, who was good enough at my request to accompany me each day as Chinese Interpreter; to his aid the successes of the expedition are in a great degree due, as I had failed to obtain an interpreter from Hongkong.)

13, About 10 miles from where the Steamers were left, we opened the City of Toung Kouan, and observed the mastheads of the War Junks. The Boats now gave way with a will; and though the Junks were in sight fully two miles off, they succeeded in taking them com pletely by surprise: the Boats, as they dashed in, firing into a small Battery which commanded the River, and into the War Junks, caused them to be immediately abandoned. The Junks lay scattered along the whole length of the Town, through which the River runs, and preparations were now made to destroy them with the exception of one, the finest and heaviest armed War Junk I have seen in China, which I hoped to be able to take away.

14. It soon became apparent that the Chinese Troops were not going quietly to submit to this proceeding without further resistance, and the Creek being narrow, with Houses on either side, they had every facility to pick off our men. gingalls and matchlocks opened; these increasing in number, presently gave considerable annoyance, and it was necessary to keep up a As we first passed up, only a few continued fire with some of the Boat's Guns, from musketry, and from the Tribune's Rocket Boat, which did good service, while other arti es were employed destroying the Junks, which occupied some time, as it was necessary to burn those at the upper end of the Town first, and so on in successiou, to enable our Boats to get back.

15. The chief attacks from the shore took place towards our rear, at the Battery at the lower end of the Town, where most of the casualties occurred. Commander Turnour was there most active and useful, and on two occasions landed in a very gallant manner with smail parties of Marines, under Lieutenant G. L. Blake, R.M., charged some two hundred well-armed men, and drove them beyond the embankments.

16. An attempt was made to tow down the fine War Junk already noticed, but she accidentally caught fire, and she was therefore destroyed with the others. That being accomplished the Boats returned down the Creek.