AMOY, TINGHAI AND CHINHAI TAKEN.

543 brass guns made in imitation of some taken from the Kite, with military stores and provisions in abundance, were found, all of them brought from the mainland. A detachment was soon after sent throughout the island to drive off the scattering bodies of the enemy's troops, and announce to the inhabitants that they were now under English authority, and would remain so until all demands were fully complied with. The people evinced none of the alarm they had done the year before, and provisions came in, shops were opened, and confidence in these proclamations generally exhibited. A military government was appointed, and a garrison of 400 men left to protect the island.

The military operations in Chehkiang were conducted by Yukien, an imperial commissioner appointed in place of Ílípu, and Yu Puyun, general of the land forces; both these men had urged war, and had done all they could to fortify Tinghai and Chinhai, whose batteries and magazines showed the vigor of their operations. The English fleet proceeded to Chinhai, Oct. 9th, and a force of about 2200 men, with twelve field pieces and mortars landed next morning to attack the citadel and intrenched camp. There were nearly 5000 men in this position, who formed in good order as the English advanced, opening a well directed fire upon the front column, but quite neglecting the two lesser bodies sent to turn their flanks; and as the three opened upon them nearly simultaneously, their whole force was completely bewildered, and soon broke and fled in all directions. Knowing nothing of the mode of asking for quarter, while some fled into the country, the greater part retreated towards the water, pursued by the three columns, hundreds being shot and hundreds drowned. Sir Hugh Gough sent out a flag with Chinese written upon it, to inform them that their lives would be spared if they yielded, but not more than five hundred either could or would throw down their arms. The water was covered with dead bodies, and fully 1500 lost their lives. The town and its defences on the north side of the river were bombarded by the ships, and the troops driven out. Yukien endeavored to drown himself on seeing the day was lost, but being prevented he retreated to Yuyau, beyond Ningpo, where he committed suicide, as was said, by swallowing gold leaf. He was a Manchu, and could not brook his master's displeasure; and his atrocious cruelty to two foreigners who fell into his hands, one of whom was flayed and then burnt to death,

had aroused general detestation, and none regretted his death. About 150 pieces of brass ordnance, besides great quantities of gunpowder, iron cannon, matchlocks, and other military stores, were taken and destroyed. The guns and carriages in the fort and batteries were so well made and placed, that in some cases the victors on entering turned them against the flying Chinese. The frame of a wheel vessel, intended to be moved by human power was found near Chinhai, showing as did the brass guns, traversing carriages, and frigate at Amoy, that the Chinese were learning the machinery of war from their foes.

Ningpo was taken without resistance on the 13th, General Yu having retired on Hangchau. The people left the city in considerable numbers, and those who remained shut themselves in their houses, writing shun min, i. e. submissive people, on the doors. Captain Anstruther took possession of his old prison, where he found the identical cage he had been carried in, and released all the inmates to make way for his detachment of artillery. About £20,000 in sycee were found in this building, upwards of $70,000 in the treasury, many tons of copper cash in the mint, and rice, silk and porcelain in the public stores, forming altogether the most valuable prizes yet taken. Sir Henry Pottinger intended at first to burn the city, but on deliberation it was determined to occupy it as winter quarters, a garrison being left at Chinhai, and two or three ships in the river to keep open the communication. The plenipotentiary returned to Hongkong in February, 1842, leaving Sir Hugh and the admiral at the north, as the new colony required his presence.

The fall of Amoy, Tinghai, Chinhai, and Ningpo, instead of disheartening the emperor, served rather to inspirit him. His commissioners, generals, and high officers generally, did the best their knowledge and means enabled them to do, and when defeated, endeavored to palliate the discomfiture they could not entirely conceal by misrepresenting the force brought against them, and laying the blame upon the common people, the elements, or the inefficiency of the naval armaments. The troops sent home with tokens of victory from Canton, stimulated the war spirit in the western provinces. After they had gone, Yihshan concocted such measures of defence as he could, one of which was to enlist two or three thousand volunteers, or "village braves," near the city, and place them under their own officers. The people hav

IMPERIAL PLANS FOR RESISTANCE.

ing been taught to despise foreigners, were easily incensed against them, and several cases of insult and wantonness which occurred during the occupation of the heights were repeated and magnified in order to stir up a spirit of revenge. These patriots supposed, moreover, that if the great emperor had called on them, instead of intrusting the conduct of the quarrel to truckling traitorous poltroons like Kishen and the prefect, they could have avenged him of his enemies. This spirit was chiefly confined to Canton, and the defeats and losses experienced the year before had rather irritated than humbled it.

Consequently the truce was soon broken in an underhand manner by sinking hundreds of tons of stones in the river, some in boats, but mostly thrown into the water between hurdles. The Royalist levelled the fortifications at the Bogue, and Captain Nias destroyed a number of boats at Whampoa, and threatened the authorities in case they did not observe the stipulations. After the destruction of these forts and his retirement from the river, Yihshan directed his attention to erecting forts near the city, casting guns, and drilling the volunteers, who numbered nearly 30,000 at the new year. He also gave a public dinner to the rich men of the city, in order to learn their willingness to contribute to the However, since no serious obstaexpenses of these measures. cles were placed in the way of shipping teas by the provincial officers, from the duties on which they chiefly derived the funds for these undertakings, it was deemed advisable to let them alone. This supineness of their rulers did not please the people, and manifestoes were now and then issued expressive of their dissatisfaction, specially directed against the prefect, who was forced to resign his office. Bands of thieves on shore and in boats aggravated these troubles, and showed the weakness of their government to the well disposed, as well as the attendant evils of war.

The case was different at other points. The government supposed Amoy would be attacked, because the visit of the Blonde showed that the barbarians, "sneaking in and out like rats," knew of its existence; but the people thereabouts, except in the city and suburbs, took no particular interest in the dispute, and knew far less probably, within a hundred miles of it, than was known in most parts of England and the United States; no newspapers, with "own correspondents" to write the "latest accounts from the seat of war," circulated the progress of this struggle,

which to them was like the silent reflection of distant lightning in their own quiet firmament. The sack of Amoy was a heavy blow to its citizens, but the plunderers were mostly their countrymen; and when Captain Smith of the Druid had been there a short time in command, and his character became known, they returned to their houses and shops, supplied the garrison with provisions, and even brought back a deserter, and assisted in chasing some pirates. Rumors of attack were always brought to him, and his endeavors to allay their apprehensions were successful, so that, after the haifang, or sub-prefect, had resumed his authority no disturbance occurred. The explanations of the missionaries on Kulang su, in diffusing a better understanding of the object in occupying that island also contributed to allay their fears.

The loss of Chinhai and Ningpo, threw the eastern parts of Chehkiang open to the invaders, and alarmed the court far more than the destruction of Canton would have done. The emperor immediately appointed his nephew Yihking "majesty-bearing generalissimo," and with him Tih-í-shun and Wănwei, all Manchus, to command the grand army, and arouse the dwellers on the seacoast to arm and defend themselves. "Ministers and people! Inhabitants of our dominions! Ye are all the children of our dynasty! For two centuries, ye have trod our earth and eaten our food. Whoever among you has heavenly goodness must needs detest these rebellious and disorderly barbarians even as ye do your personal foes. On no account allow yourselves to be deceived by their wiles, and act or live abroad with them.” Such was the closing exhortation of an imperial proclamation issued to encourage them. In order to raise funds for its operations, the government resorted to the sale of office and titles of nobility, and levied benevolences from rich individuals, and contributions from the people; which when large in amount were noticed and rewarded. Kishen, who had been tried at Peking, and sentenced to lose his life, was for some reason reprieved to be associated with Yihking as an adviser, but never proceeded beyond Chihlí. Lin was also recalled from Ílí, if indeed he ever went beyond the Great Wall, and Ílípu, whose treatment and release of the prisoners at Ningpo had gained him the goodwill of the English, was also sentenced to banishment, but neither did he go beyond the Desert Yen Pehtau, the governor of Fuhkien,

CITIES ON THE COAST FORTIFIED.

was summarily dismissed from the public service for the loss of Amoy, and his inefficiency in devising measures of protection.

vernor.

Defences were thrown up at Tientsin and Taku, to guard the passage to the capital, but the bar at the mouth of the Pei ho was its sufficient protection. The great object of immediate attention, however, was the city of Hangchau, and fearing that the English would immediately advance upon it, the troops of the province and all its available means were put into requisition. An advance upon this opulent city would probably have been made by Sir Hugh Gough if he had had troops, but as it could only be approached by a land march from Ningpo, he deemed it advisable to wait for reinforcements, his small force being reduced to 600 men on entering that city. Chapu, the port of Hangchau, and Tsienshan, another seaport near by, were garrisoned by the goHu Chau, a brave general from Shensí, was dispatched to his assistance with 300 troops, but on the appointment of Yihking, his destination was changed to Tientsin. The rewards given to the families of those who had fallen in battle, and the posthumous honors conferred upon them by the emperor, stimulated others to deeds of valor, and a determination to accomplish their master's vengeance. Yukien, "who gave his life for his country, casting himself into the water," received high titular honors in the hall of worthies, and his brother was permitted to bring his corpse within the city of Peking, while the local officers were ordered to pay it due honor on the route to the capital. The names of humbler servants were not forgotten in the imperial rescripts, and a place was granted them among those whom the "king delighteth to honor." Thus did the Chinese endeavor to reassert their supremacy, though their counsels and efforts to chastise the rebellious barbarians were not unlike the deliberations of the rats as to the best mode of restraining the devastations of their enemy, the cat.

The occupation of Ningpo was an eyesore to the Chinese generals, whose movements were easily learned through native spies, one of whom in particular, nicknamed Blondell by his employers, was conspicuous for his services in this respect, and the fearThe genius of the people was often illessness he exhibited. lustrated in their contrivances to carry off plunder. Secreting valuable articles in coffins and ash-baskets, wrapping them around corpses, packing them under vegetables or rubbish, were a few