Capt. Herbert, with the ships under his orders, took up a position on the western channel off south Wangtong on the 20th, and on the 22nd he proceeded in the Nemesis, with some boats of the squadron, to the channel at the back of Anunghoy, and destroyed a masked battery of twenty guns, which opened on them whilst employed clearing the passage, which the Chinese had been endeavouring to obstruct by driving down poles and mooring rafts across; this service was performed without any loss on our side; the guns in the battery were disabled by knocking off the trunnions, together with sixty found dismounted; the magazines, &c, were burnt. The enemy left about thirty of their number dead, and their colours were taken by Lieutenant Bowers, senior of H.M.S. Samarang,

From the prevalence of light winds, the line of-battle ships and Druid were not collected until the 24th. On the 25th I arranged a plan of attack on the fo midable batteries in our front, and of which it may be necessary for me to give some description. Partly surrounding the old fort of Anunghoy, and in advance of it to high water mark, was a new and well-built battery of granite, forming a segment of about two-thirds of a circle; on it were mounted forty-two guns, some of them of immense weight and large calibre; several strong entrenchments extended to the southward of this battery, and the ridges of the hill were crowned with guns, up to a camp calculated for about 1,200 men; at the north side was a straight work of modern erection, mounting sixty heavy guns: about 150 yards of rocky beach intervenes between the end of this battery and the northern circular battery, on which forty guns were mounted; all the works in the rear were protected by a high wall extending up the hill, on which were steps or platforms for firing musketry, and in the interior were the magazines, barracks, &c.

On the east end of the island of north Wangtong is a battery, with a double tier of guns defending the passage on that side, and also partly flanking a number of rafts constructed of large masses of timber moored across the river, (about twelve feet apart,) with two anchors each, connected by and supporting four parts of a chain cable, the ends of which were secured under masonry works, one on the south Wangtong, the other on Anunghoy: on the western end of north Wangtong is a strong battery of forty guns, flanked by a field-work of seventeen; indeed the whole island is one continued battery; on the extreme western side of the channel was a battery of twenty-two heavy guns, and a fieldwork of seventeen, protecting an entrenched camp containing 1,500 or 2,000 men. South Wangtong was not occupied by the enemy; it was an excellent position, and I therefore caused a work to be thrown upon it during the night of the 25th, and mounted two eight-inch iron and one 24-pounder brass howitzer; at daylight on the 26th, Capt. Knowles, of the Royal Artillery, opened this battery with admirable effect, throwing shells and rockets into north Wangtong, and occasionally into Anunghoy, which fire was returned by the Chinese with great spirit from a battery immediately opposite, having also kept up a fire during the greater part of the preceding night, (during the erection of the work,) which slackened towards 2 A.M., and finally ceased.

At 11 o'clock the breeze springing up, the signal was made, and the fleet stood in.

The attack on Anunghoy I entrusted to Capt. Sir H. Le Fleming Senhouse, of H.M.S. Blenheim, having with him the Melville, Queen steamer, and four rocket boats. The Wellesley, Calliope, Samarang, Druid, Herald, Alligator, and Modeste, were opposed to the batteries on the south, south-west, and northwest of Wangtong, and the forts on the western side of the channel.

In less than an hour the batteries on Wangtong were silenced, and the troops (under Major Pratt, of the 26th Cameronians,) which had been previously embarked in the Nemesis and Madagascar steamers, consisting of the detachments of her Majesty's 26th and 49th regiments, 37th Madras N. I., and Bengal Volunteers, together with the Royal Marines, were landed, and in a few minutes masters of the island, without any loss. 1,300 Chinese surrendered.

The Anunghoy batteries had now been silenced by the beautiful precision with which the fire of the Blenheim, Melville, and Queen, had been directed, and perceiving that the enemy were shaken, Sir Le Fleming Senhouse, at the head of the Marines and small-arm men, landed on the southern battery, and drove them in succession from that and the two others, and at one o'clock the British colours were flying on the whole chain of these celebrated works; and the animated gallantry displayed by the whole force, convinces me that almost any number of men the Chinese could collect would not be able to stand before them for a moment.

Our casualties are trifling, five wounded, slightly, in the whole force; the main-top-mast and fore-yard of the Blenheim were shot through, one 32-pounder gun rendered unserviceable, several shot in the hull, and the rigging much cut up; the Melville's main-top mast wounded, and rigging considerably injured; the Calliope was struck in several places, and the other ships had merely a few ropes cut. The loss of the enemy was severe, but not so heavy as at Chuenpee, 1,300 (as before stated) having thrown down their arms. I should estimate their killed and wouuded at 250 in Wangtong; probably as many in Anunghoy; at which place the Chinese Admiral Kwan and several other mandarins of rank fell. The body of the Admiral was recognised by his family, and taken away the day after the action, under a fire of minute guns from the Blenheim.

On the morning of the 27th, the light squadron proceeded up the river, under the command of Capt. Herbert, of the Calliope, and on the day following I was gratified by receiving a dispatch from him, reporting, that on their arrival off the first bar, the enemy were observed strongly fortified on the left bank of the river, close to Whampoa reach, with upwards of forty war-junks, and the Cam.bridge, (formerly an East Indiaman of 900 tons), on approaching within three miles, the Madagascar and Nemesis steamers, having on board his Excellency and Capt. Herbert, proceeded to reconnoitre and find out a clear passage, a number of vessels having been sunk. On advancing, a heavy fire was opened on the steamers, which was returned with great effect; the ships were now brought up, and opened on the junks, Cambridge, and batteries, which in an hour were nearly silenced, when the marines and small-arm men were landed, and stormed the works, driving before them upwards of 2,000 Chinese troops, and killing nearly 300. In about half an hour after landing, all the defences were carried (though in several places brave and obstinate resistance was made). In the mean time, the Cambridge was boarded, and carried by the boats of the Calliope, Nemesis, and Modeste, and almost immediately set on fire; the explosion of this vessel's magazine must have been heard at Canton. The fort (mud) mounted on the river front forty-seven guns, on the left flank three; a field-work four; the Cambridge thirty-four; besides ten mounted in a junk, making altogether ninty-eight guns.

The war junks escaped up the river, where fhe ships were prevented pursuing them by a strong raft placed across the passage. The guns and other munitions were destroyed. In this gallant affair the casualties (considering the opposing force) are few one killed; three dangerously, and five slightly wounded.

On the morning of the 1st inst. I proceeded up the river to join the advanced squadron, in the Madagascar steamer, taking the transport Sophia in tow; Capt. Maitland, with the boats and small-arm men, together with the marines of the Wellesley, accompanied me. The Queen, taking the Eagle transport in tow, on board which ship I had embarked the marines of the Blenheim, Melville, and Druid, also attended by the boats of those ships, all being armed with their guns and howitzers.

On arriving at Whampoa, I found from Capt. Herbert's report, that the enemy were in considerable force at the end of Junk reach,* having as usual sunk several large junks in the river, and further protected themselves by a strong double line of stakes across it, and large bamboos and branches of trees between them. On the following morning I detached Commander Belcher, in H.M.S. Sulphur, up Junk river to reconnoitre, that ship being taken in tow by three of

* On the north-east side of the island.

the Wellesley's boats, under command of Lieut. Symonds, senior-lieutenant of the latter ship; on rounding a point on the right bank, they came in front of a low battery of twenty-five guns, masked by thick branches of trees, which opened a heavy fire on them; Lieut. Symonds instantly cut the tow rope, and gallantly dashed into the battery, driving the enemy before him, and killing several of their number. The Sulphur anchored, and some shot from her completely routed them from the thick underwood in the vicinity in which they had taken shelter, the guns were destroyed, and the magazine and other consumable material set on fire. The number of troops was probably 250, and they were of the chosen Tartars; their loss was about fifteen or twenty killed,- -ours was one seaman of the Wellesley mortally wounded (since dead), and the boats were repeatedly struck by grape shot.

As soon as a cursory survey of the river was made, the Herald, Alligator, Modeste, and Eagle and Sophia transports, were pushed forward within gunshot of Howqua's Fort; and thus, for the first time, were ships seen from the walls of Canton; on the 2d, the cruizer joined me, having on board Major-Gen. Sir Hugh Gough, who took command of the land forces. The Pylades and Conway also joined from Chusan, and the two first-named vessels were sent in advance. On the 4th, in concert with the Major-Gen., an attack was planned for the next morning, but, on approaching, the fort was found to be abandoned, and the British colours were hoisted; a garrison of the 26th regt. was placed in it; and a company of royal marines, under the command of Capt. Ellis, RM., took possession of a large joss-house on the left bank (which the enemy were beginning to fortify), and rendered himself secure, while the seamen soon removed some of the stakes and other impediments, and made a clear passage for ships. I may here describe the position.

On the right bank of the river, on the point formed by the mouth of a creek (which is a boat-passage to Whampoa,) was Howqua's Fort, a square building mounting thirty guns, from the northern angle; the stakes mentioned extended to the opposite bank, the ground on each side being low paddy fields, cut and intersected by canals in all directions. The joss-house rather projected into the stream, and consequently was a good position. The river here is about 500 yards wide; 2000 yards in front is a long low island, which divides the river into two branches, and on the extreme eastern point of which stood a fort, mounting thirty-five guns, built to commemorate the discomfiture and death of the late Lord Napier; from this fort a line of well-constructed and secured rafts (forming a bridge,) extended to both sides of the river; on its right bank, flanking Napier's fort and the raft, was a mud battery intended for thirty-five guns, on the left was a battery, also flanking Napier's fort, on which the enemy had fortyfour guns, most of which they withdrew on the night of the 4th. In addition to these defences, stone junks were sunk in all parts of the river, between the stakes and the left of Napier's fort, which raft also rested upon sunken junks, secured on either sides within piles.

The position seemed formidable, and on the 5th the Major-general and myself prepared to attack it. He landed at the joss-house, having with him the Royal Marines and detachment of the 26th, for the purpose of taking the battery on the left bank; the ships weighed, and dropped up with the tide; on the approach of the first ship, the enemy fired all their guns, and fled across the rafts and in boats. The British colour was then hoisted.

A paper was issued calling on the people to place confidence in us, and to avoid hostile movements, in which latter cases protection was ensured to them. At noon, the Kwang chow-foo, or Prefect, accompanied by the Hong merchants, came down, and after a long discussion with the Plenipotentiary, admitted that, Keshen having been degraded, and the newly-appointed Commissioners not having arrived, there was no government authorized to treat for peace, or make any arrangements; they confessed the truth of the reports we had heard, that the greatest consternation existed in the city, and that every person who could quit it had done so; in fact, that it was at our mercy, and it has so remained

a monument of British magnanimity and forbearance. I fear, however, that the forbearance is misunderstood, and that a further punishment must be resorted to before this arrogant and perfidious Government is brought to reason.

Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary being, however, desirous to try the effect of another proclamation, and to show his desire for an equitable adjustment of affairs, addressed the Major-General and myself, requesting that we would make no further movement towards the city, until the disposition of the provincial government officers was put to the test, as far as regards their non-interference; and we have, consequently remained in statu quo, but reports (on which we can rely) are daily reaching us, which state that fire vessels are fitting out about seven miles above Canton,-forts, in the rear of the city, in course of erection, and the people are forbidden to bring us supplies, while the teas and silks, and every other valuable, are removing from it.

These proceedings, so directly contary to the assurances of pacific intentions (which they are ever ready to deal forth in profusion), lead me to the conclusion, that we shall have to proceed even at the risk of the destruction of the second city of the empire-an event exceedingly likely to occur from its abandonment by the authorities, and the excesses of the lower classes of a community proverbially bad. The responsibility must, however, rest on the heads of those authorities.

I this day returned to Wangtong, accompanied by the Major General, in order that the arrangements in that garrison may be carried out, and plans devised for our further operations.

I have, &c.

To the Right Hon. Earl of Auckland, &c.

J. G. GORDON BREMER,
Commodore & Com-in-chief.

Wellesley, off Wangtong, March 27, 1841. MY LORD.-In continuation of my letter of the 10 inst., I have the satisfaction to inform your Lordship that on the 15th I received a report from Capt. Herbert, of H. M. S. Calliope, detailing a well executed attack on the only remaining fort protecting the approaches to the city of Canton. This fort is situate about ten miles from the anchorage at Whampoa, up a narrow and intricate channel which ends in the Broadway or Macao passage from Canton. The attack commenced about five P.M., from the Modeste and Madagascar steamers, with the boats of the squadron, and in half an-hour the forts were in our possession, the Chinese keeping up a well directed fire until the boats' crews were in the act of scaling the walls, when they gave way and fled in all directions. They were devoting the whole of their attention to the strengthening of the defences of this post, and had rendered it one of the most formidable which had been encountered. I am therefore happy that it is in our hands; the loss of the Chinese is not correctly known-many were found dead in the fort; our own casualties do not amount to more than three wounded.

The zealous desire of every officer and man in the squadron to seek occasions in which to distinguish themselves has led to the performance of various wellexecuted services; amongst them is the forcing the inner passage from Macao to Whampoa, which was deemed by the Chinese impenetrable to foreigners. Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary having represented to the senior officer in Macao road the great advantages likely to accrue by this step, his views were at once acceded to by Capt. Scott, and preparations made for carrying it into effect. At 3 A.M., on the 13th, the Nemesis, with the boats of the Samarang in tow, weighed from Macao roads, and proceeded over the flats between Twee-lieushaw and Toi-koke-tow Islands to the Broadway river. At 8 A.M., they came in sight of Macao Fort, and the steamer having taken up an enfilading position, where not a gun of the enemy could bear upon her, opened her fire, whilst the boats proceeded to the attack. On their approach, the Chinese abandoned the place; thirteen guns were found mounted, which were completely destroyed,

the buildings set fire to, and a train laid to the magazine, which exploded before the boats returned to the Nemesis. On reaching Point How hoak-tow the river is divided into two channels; that to the right takes a sudden sharp turn and becomes very contracted in its breadth; here they discovered Tai-yat-kok, a field battery (very recently constructed,) of fourteen guns, very strongly posted on a rising ground, situated on the left bank of the river, (surrounded by overflowed paddy fields), which enfiladed the whole line of reach leading up to it. As the steamer appeared round the point the enemy opened an animated fire upon her, which was smartly kept up; it was most effectually returned by the two guns from the Nemesis, which vessel threw her shot, shells, and rockets admirably; the boats advanced under the slight cover of the bank, but before a landing could be effected on their flank they abandoned the guns, when possession of the work was taken by a narrow pathway, which could only be passed in single files; the guns were destroyed, and the buildings and materiel consigned to the flames and blown up; meanwhile a detachment of the boats had gone over to the opposite side of the river and destroyed a military station or depot. At noon nine war-junks were seen over the land, and chase was immediately given. On entering the reach in which they were, Capt. Scott observed on the right bank of the river a new battery, scarcely finished, with ten embrasures, but without guns, and Hochang fort close to it, well built, of granite, surrounded by a wet ditch, and mounting fourteen guns and six ginjalls. Abreast of these (which they flanked) the river was strongly staked across, through the centres of which the last junk had passed, and the opening again secured. The enemy immediately commenced firing from the fort and junks, which was replied to by the Nemesis with good effect, while the boats opened a passage through the stakes, and dashed on to the attack of Hochang and junks. The former was secured by wading the ditch and entering the embrasures, and the latter, seeing the fall of the fort, became so panic-stricken, that on the approach of the boats seven got on shore, their crews jumping overboard immediately they grounded, two junks alone escaping. Lieut. Bower, in pushing to cut them off, discovered Fieshakoe on the left bank of the river within 100 yards of the advanced junk aground, which fort, mounting seven guns, opened a heavy fire of grape upon him; observing that the junks were abandonod by their crews he turned all his attention to his new opponents, whom he drove out of their strong hold by passing through the adjoining town and taking them in reverse. In the meantime Mr. Hall dextrously managed in getting his vessel through the centre passage of the stakes, which, fortunately, was just sufficiently wide to admit of her passage. At thirty minutes after two the boats returned to the steamer, after having destroyed all the guns, and set fire to Fiesha-kok fort and the seven war junks, which all blew up within a quarter of an hour; chase to to the two escaped re-commenced, during which they passed two dismantled forts at four P.M. they arrived off the large provincial town of Hiang-shan, one of the large war-junks preceding them about a mile. The dense population thickly crowded the banks, boats, junks, house- tops, the large pagoda, and surrounding hills; both sides of the river were packed by the trading craft of the country in the closest possible order, the centre of the river, which is very narrow here, having merely sufficient space to allow the steamer's paddle-boxes to pass clear of the junks moored to its banks; not the slightest fear was manifested by the people, but several mandarins took to their boats and followed the war-junks, which were closed so rapidly that one of them ran on shore, the crew jumping overboard; the steamer brought up abreast of her and destroyed her. While thus employed, the fort of Sheang-chap, within two hundred yards (but hidden by some intervening trees, opened its fire, which was instantly returned, and the boats, with the marines of the Samarang, stormed it; its eight guns were destroyed; a number of Chinese troops coming down towards the fort, made it necessary to fire two or three shot, which going directly into the midst of the body, scattered and dispersed them in an instant. At six P.M. the junk and fort were fired, and the steamer passed on into a narrow_shallow