728480-1842-28-Jul-1842 — Page 1

N. 19. VOL. 1.

THE FRIEND OF CHINA,

AND

CIRCULAR.

HONGBONG GAZETTE

PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY MORNING.

HONGKONG, THURSDAY, JULY 28TH. 1842,

about 50 miles beyond the City of Shang- TO HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S SUBJECTS IN CHINA. hai, and in this Reconnoissance two addi- THE gratifying duty of announcing fur-heavy Guns, were taken and destroyed; tional field works, each mounting four ther highly important successes of Her Ma- bringing the total of ordnance captured in jesty's Combined Forces, again devolves these operations up to the astonishing num- on Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary in China. ber of 364, of which 76 are of brass, and After the necessary delay in destroying chiefly large handsome Guns. Many of the Batteries, Magazines, Foundries, Bar- the Brass Guns have got devices showing racks, and other Public Buildings, as well that they have been cast lately several as the Ordnance, Arms, and Ammunition, of them have Chinese characters signi- Captured at Chapoo, the Troops were re-em-fying "the Tamer and Subduer of the Bar- barked, the 23rd of May, and arrived, dignified by the title of the "Barbarian".

and the Expedition finally quitted barians", and one particularly large one is that Port on on the 29th, off the Rugged Islands, where it remained until the 13th of June, on which day it crossed the Bar,-which had been previously surveyed and buoyed off,-into the Yangtsekiang River, to the point where that River is joined by the Woosung. K At this point the Chinese Authorities had erected immense lines of works to defend the entrances of both Rivers, and seem to have been so confident of their abi- lity to repel us, that they permitted a very close Reconnoissance to be made in t

two of the small Steamers by their Excellencies the Naval and Military Commanders in Chief on the 14th Instant, and even cheered and encouraged the Boats which were sent in the same night, to lay down Buoys to guide the Ships of War to their allotted positions of attack.

At daylight on the morning of the 16th, the Squadron weighed anchor, and pro- ceeded to take up their respective stations, which was scarcely done, when the Batte ries opened, and the Cannonade on both sides was extremely heavy and unceasing for about two hours: that of the Chinese then began to slacken, and the Seamen and Marines were landed at once, under the fire from the Ships, and drove the Enemy out of the Batteries before the Troops could be disembarked and formed for advancing. Two hundred and fifty three Guns (42 of them Brass) were taken in the Batteries, -most of them of heavy calibre, and upwards of eleven feet long. The whole were mounted on pivot carriages of new and efficient construction, and it was likewise observed, that they were fitted with bamboo sights.

The Chinese High Officers and Troops are supposed to have fled in the direction of the Cities of Soochow, Hangchowfoo, and Nanking. The same High Authorities have made another indirect attempt to retard active operations by an arowed wish to treat, and have also given a satisfactory proof of their anxiety to conciliate by the release of 16 of Her Majesty's Subjects (European and Natives of India) who had been kidnapped; but as the overtures were not grounded on the only basis on which they can be listened to, they were met by an intimation to that effect."

Goo save the QUEEN Dated on board, the Steam Frigate Queen, in the Yangtsekiang River, (off Woosung) the 24th day of June, 1842.

HENRY POTTINGER

HM's Plenipotentiary,

TRANSLATED FROM

FROM THE PEKING GAZETTE.. THE EMPEROR'S EPITOME OF PAST EVENTS

THE imperial commands have been received as

follows:

1, the Emperor, in consequence of opium, flowing in poisonous torrents, thoughout the central King dom, have already transmitted my commands def- initely ordering that in every Province the most rigorous prohibitions should be set on foot. As Canton was the place where the outside barbarians carried on their commercial dealings Chu was on a former occasion specially sioned to proceed there to institute examinations, The barbarian merchants of every nation readily yielded to restraint, but it was only the rebel bar- barian Elliot of the English nation, who made false

Price 1 monthly Or 12 yearly

several of our high literary officers and a number also of our generals of division, and wielding their deadly weapons among the common people. The leading criminal and innumerable difficulties brought upon our realms, caused us to issue our commands to the Yih King to head a grand vanced upon the enemy for several days, the pi- army, exterminate. Having ad ratical horde of English barbarians, retreated from Ningpo and forthwith attacked Chapoo.

and

چھر

While these said rebellious hordes were at Can- amount of money, and in Che Keang their plan was ton they schemed to grasp the greatest possible to plunder and to rob the people for their own pur- poses. What, we may exclaim are the crimes that our people have committed, that such calamities should be poured upon them? When I, the Em- peror, reflect upon these catastrophes my immost soul is racked with intensest grief.

Governors, Lieut. Governors, the ministers, with all Let the generals of the army, the commissioners, the literary and military look up and understand the deep anxiety of the imperial bosom and let them hasten to avert the misfortunes which now

overwhelm them.

and troops to say, that such is the strength of the At present, it is customary for both our officers barbarian ships, the destructive power of their guns, and the murderous nature of their troops, that it is most difficult to contend with them, and con- sequently, when they behold these piratical hordes they, struck with alarm (and like the blowing gale) are the first to flee, being inexcusably unaware that if these pirates get well into the country, they must early perish of themselves, through the dangers which surround them. And the rebels being so dexterous in gaining victories all our troops lose spirit and do not properly contend with them. Those traitorous natives who adhere to the bar barians, are poor and ignorant people, who either scheme to avoid difficulties, or being enticed by gain, with a willing heart follow the pirates, that for a season, they may feed themselves and their fa- milies.

1, the Emperor, am the lord of all the people. beneath the heaven, and were I to remain quiet regardless of matters of great moment and the wickedness of the past, and hearing of the wide spread desolations of the opium poison we were not to enact the most decided prohibitions then would we on the one hand he unworthy of the great trust imposed upon us by our august and imperial sire, and

on the other hand, would prove ourselves unable

to protect the lives of our people. Reflecting thus,

how can we do otherwise than put forth the most strenuous, and thorough exertions, in prohibition of the drug?

Now, these abandoned barbarians, are filled with determinations of desperate opposition, and fully bent upon marauding our territories and

The Casualties in the Naval Arm of the pretences, in order to excite disturbance, which injuring our people, we therefore grant to ye

Expedition amounted to two killed and twenty five wounded, but the Land Forces. had not a man touched. It appears almost miraculous, that the Casualties should not have been much greater considering how well the Chinese served their Guns. The “Blonde" Frigate had 14 shot in her hull, the "Sesostris" Steamer 11, and all the Ships engaged more or less. The loss on the part of the Enemy is supposed to have been about 80 killed, and a proportionate number wounded.

On the 17th of June some of the lighter vessels of the Squadron advanced up the Woosung River and found a Battery deser- ted, mounting 55 Guns, of which 17 were brass

On the 19th two more Batteries close to the City of

opened their Guns

on the adve dron but

sides the

Division of the light Squa

Couple of Broad. and the Batteries

City whe troyed

Government Granarie

occasioned Lin's unhappy management and his

banishment to the cold country,

During the sixth month of the twentieth year, the said English, were found stealthily spying about in the offings of Che Keang, and having captured Ting- hae, they afterwards proceeded to the post of Teen tsin and offered up a memorial. We having or dered Keshen to proceed to Canton to make thorough investigation, the barbarian rebels the left Ting hae. But these rebellious barba proving themselves false and unstable satiable, in their demands, destrove

wounded our officers and tresses olation among all our black haired the seaboard, arousing the indignation of both and men. It is in consequence of these things,

for the I, the Emperor, issued my comman ing forth of our troops. After this and the generals were sent to, Canto barians were found rushing into the

ng out the position of the prox stly_requesting the Hong

the money

he high

generals of the army, and of divisions and, to our high minister, full power to act in hostile array that the punishment to be inflicted upon the rebels may he clearly manifest to all. All the veteran and

hrave troops therefore who are forward to advance to combat, without delay, shall be rewarded with special favours, and those who shall dare to retreat,

bly put to death. You thus act-- be that victory will be certain, realms donnitely guaranteed

lost and the pirates enter, people and devastating the land, that the laws of the realm still remain, will be impossible for ye again, leniently to.

Prohibitions have been laid upon Opium through for the lives of our people, and that ved is the reason why we barbarian pirates. It is

high ministers and

in all their doings

ercise of UST be