CHINA.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 24, 21 October 1842, Page 3

CHINA.

The schooner Talent, which arrived from Singapore on Friday last, brought no later news than We were already in possession of by the Sultana, which sailed two or three days later than the Talent. On revising the papers, however, brought by the latter vessel, we found a few particulars deserving of notice, Which had previously escaped attention.

As there was no likelihood of hostilities bein<r • • O renewed in the province of Canton, where’ the greatest portion of the trade of the coming season was likely to be transacted, a desire was pretty generally expressed among the British residents, that the order issued by 11. M’s. plenipotentiary on the 12th August last, ordering their removal from Canton, should be rescinded, and that they should again be allowed to proceed to Canton under the protection of the British flag.

The fortifications on the river between Canton and Whampoa are apparently completed, and the authorities are notv arming them : : the troops are constantly engaged in practising, both with large and small arms. No fortifications are building below Whamp’oa. On a visit to Wangtong, it was found wholly deserted, not a human being was on the island. One of the Hong merchants had lately presented his Government with a schooner, built at Canton, according to the European model, by native workmen, which is highly praised for its symmetry by competent judge's. She carries twenty-two guns, is cop-' pered inside as well as outride, and has canvass sails.

Relative to 'the supposed capture of the Nerbudda, the following imperial edict has been published in the Pekin Gazette:

The imperial will has been' received as follows : “Ta Hungho and others, have sent us a document memorialising in relation to their having sunk a barbarian ship, seized barbarians, and captured their great guns. From the ninth moon to the present (10th moon) barbarian ships have been coming and going to and from the Formosan offings, incoherently wandering about, and then casting anchor, regarding which the' said high officers have repeatedly given orders that rigorous measures be adopted for preventing such proceeding's. . At five .o’clock in the morning of the 11th of the present moon, a barbarian ship sailed into the port, and when opposite the Sha Wan fort, commenced an attack with her great guns. The advisary-general, Yeu Chinking, and others, having : made ready, straightway opened fire, and being opposite to the .said ship, their shot, with thundering roar, took effect, and overwhelmed her in the water. In the firing he was aided by Tso Kin and others, who were also at Sha Wan. When Yeu Chinking with his own hand-had fifed off the gun, he forthwith beheld the masts of the barbarian ship split, and her ropes part, and on her retreating out of the port, she : was dashed against the rocks, and broken to pieces, and a vast many of the barbarians falling into the water, immense numbers were drowned. Those who reached the shore got into a boat, and attempted to escape ; but our high officers made ready their soldiers, and proceeding in a boat in pursuit, caught alive and put to death a great many black barbarians. Another officer was also em-

- ployed, who stationed himself iii a vessel, and proceeded out to sea, and putting forth his exertions, seized alive ; many black barbarians, and beheld the white barbarians plunge into the sea of their own accord. At lhis*jdncture, also, the high officer, Chin-tas, opened fire from' his vessel',’ and sunk a ship’s boat, put to death all the white barbadians, and brought off alive very many .of the black barbarians. Tso Kin also returned from his cruise to another island, having destroyed a ship’s boat, put to death the white barbarians, and seized alive many of the black rebels, and having dragged up the guns, and found a valuable chart.

“Thus, then, the civil and military officers, and the patriotic among the people, have made a public numerical statement, as follows : “Killed, white barbarians, five men. “Ditto, red barbadians, five men. “Ditto 1 , black barbarians, twenty-two men'. “Captured alive, one hundred and twenty-three barbarians. “Captured, ten large barbarian guns. “Ditto, barbarian books, and’ other-such like articles. “In the conducting of this affair that such rigorous exertions were put forth'is'matter for the highest congratulation. “Ta Hungho, the commander-in-chief of all,the Formosan districts, is rewarded by his imperial majesty with being allowed to exchange his peacock’s feather for a two-eyed floWery one, and the Formosan interident of circuit is rewarded with being allowed to' wear a plain flowery feather. Let the merits of the other officers and brave men be represented to the high ministers at Pekin, and I, the Emperor, mil make the awards. And let the. wounded and killed be clearly enumerated, tliat out of commiseration their families may be rewarded. Let the samte officers retain their stations on Formosa, and let thorough preparations be everywhere kept up. Respect this.”