3. The hostile movements of the Chinese, now more than ever before, assumed a threatening aspect. It was evident that there was something musty in the camp-"some foul play brewing somewhere." The taoutae (or the intendant of circuit) returned from Canton, or wherever he had been, on Monday night. Strange rumors had preceded him and on Tuesday some additional troops were seen collecting in the vicinity of Macao.

For the sake of our readers abroad, it may be necessary here to remark, that Macao is the extreme southern part of the island of Heäugshan extending from N. E. to S. W. about two miles, and is connected with the island by a long narrow neck, three quarters of a mile in length, and twenty rods broad. Across this neck, there was built centuries ago a strong high wall, partly of stone and partly of brick, forming a Barrier, beyond which foreigners are not allowed to pass. It has one gate, usually guarded by a few soldiers, and is the only entrance into Macao by land, being a great thoroughfare for the people of Heängshan. Within this Barrier, the ground (so far at least as foreigners are concerned) is under the jurisdiction of the Portuguese, and is regarded, we believe justly, as neutral territory. Cassilha's bay is far within this limit. Macao Roads are off east from the Barrier and the town; on the south side, off the Praya Grande, is the channel between the town and the Typa; on the west, between the town and the Lappa, is the Inner Harbor, the waters of which set back along the neck on which the Barrier is built, and beyond it to Tseënshan (Caza Branca), which is the residence of the keunmin foo, or sub-prefect of Macao. The waters of the Inner Harbor have also been regarded as neutral ground. About one half of Macao-the southern part, is defended by a wall, running from the east end of the Praya, including St. Francisco and the Monte forts, over to the Caza Gardens. The Portuguese inhabitants, say 5000, live within this wall: they have several churches, schools, and hospitals, a custom-house with six forts, mounting about 150 guns, and troops to the number of four or five hundred. Of Chinese, in the town and villages within the Barrier, there may be 30,000; the tsotang, or under-magistrate (till the coming of the taoutae, the chief and the only Chinese magistrate) resides inside the walls. Near by his office there is a custom-house, connected with the provincial go vernment in Canton. The original seat of the tsotang was at Mongha. The taoutae has his nominal residence at the custom-house near the tsotang's, though he has usually resided at the New Temple (otherwise called Leenfung meaou) a hundred rods this side the Barrier, at the end of the neck, under the brow of a hill. Since the arrival of the taoutae, in January last, there have been under his command, about two hundred troops quartered in Mongha, a hundred or two more beyond the Barrier, with a small detatchment at the New Temple, and in the Inner Harbor there were likewise eight large war-junks-com · prising a land and naval force, amounting to, say 2000 fighting men. These on the tuoutae's return had been considerably augmented, some say to the number of four or five thousand including a regi

ment, or part of a regiment at Tscenshan. Singularly it occurred, that during the night of the 18th, all the junks and the troop-boats were hauled far up into the Inner Harbor, and ranged along the west side of the neck, off the New Temple and Barrier, and as near as possible to the shore.

4. The attack on the Barrier we are now prepared to understand. The taoutac not only did not obtain the release of Mr. Stanton, but on the contrary was soon, if we must judge from his conduct, to react, with increased severity, the scenes of last year. Expulsion, or extermination, was to become again the order of the day. The movements were too distinctly marked to be mistaken.

About midday on Wednesday, the 19th, H. B. M. ships Larne and Hyacinth, with the Enterprise steamer and the cutter Louisa, began to attract notice, as they were seen moving north from the place where they had been, with the Druid and one of the transports, sometime previously anchored in the Roads off Macao. Having run his ships well towards the Barrier, nearly opposite to it and the temple, and distant perhaps six hundred yards from the neck, captain Smith commenced action. The fire was promptly returned by the Chinese from a battery of seventeen guns, on the beach just north of the Barrier. At the same time the soldiers were seen mustering from the temple and troop-boats, and endeavoring to conceal themselves in little squads, with their rusty swivels and matchlocks, just behind the ridge of the neck, between the Barrier and the temple. The troops in Mongha now began to bestir themselves, and to gather up their arms and accoutrements, and hasten round the hill to support their comrades behind the temple. By this time too several heavy shot, passing over the ridge of the neck (rising perhaps ten feet above high water mark,) evidently rendered very uneasy those in the warjunks-so safely moored in the mud, that they could neither be moved, nor their guns worked, to any advantage. A brisk cannonading had now been kept up for an hour, and the guns beyond the Barrier (27 in all) were silenced, when the armed boats approached the shore.

A single piece of artillery hoisted out upon the beach, at no great distance to the north, began to rake the Barrier on that side; nor did it, or the marines and sipahies, who had been landed, cease firing, until every living man had fled from the batteries, the barracks, and the field adjacent. While the assailants were in this position, (it was now past 4 o'clock,) having spiked the guns and mounted the walls of the Barrier, several shots were fired on them, some from the junks, and some from a small piece which the Chinese had hauled on shore and planted near the temple. A few round and random shot came also from one of the hill-tops off towards Caza Branca. The latter could do no injury on account of the distance; and the fire from both the other directions was shortly silenced by volleys of musketry, and the discharge of the piece of artillery, which (for the purpose) had been brought this side the Barrier. That purpose accomplished, they immediately retired to the north of the boundary, and in a few moments more, while the balls from the ships

were still whizzing over the temple and lodging thick among the troop-boats and the junks,—all the barracks were on fire. It was now 5 o'clock; and the crowds of eager spectators that had gathered. on every summit and house-top, immediately began to scatter in consternation. They saw the day was lost, and they knew not that the foe was merciful as well strong and could spare as well as destroy. In a little time more, the firing ceased, and before 7 o'clock all the troops had reëmbarked.

The conduct of captain Smith on this occasion was, we think, equally politic and effective. As a British officer, longer he could not have foreborne to act, nor sooner commenced, nor, when at work, done less or more, than he did. The force employed on shore was 380 strong - 110 royal marines led on by It. W. R. Maxwell. 90 sailors from the Druid headed by It. Goldsmith, with 180 Bengal volunteers (sipahes)—the whole under the command of captain Mee of the latter corps. The number of shot from the Larne and Hyacinth could not have been less than 600. Our post of observation on the northern wall of the Caza Gardens, just beyond the range of the shot, enabled us to see where almost every one struck. The Chinese say they had only 7 or 8 men killed, but others engaged in the action think 100 or more fell. The British had only 4 men wounded-one by a round shot, one by a musket ball, and two were scorched by the explosion of a magazine at the Barrier. Next day, and to the present time, no soldiers have been within or at the Barrier.

5. The neutrality of the Portuguese, in this very delicate state of affairs, has been scrupulously maintained; and no one of the foreign residents can be insensible to the prompt and generous conduct exhibited on the part of the government and people. This public expression of our feelings is but a poor tribute for the nightly watchings--not of the soldiery only, but of his excellency and the good citizens of Macao-large numbers of whom, in small companies, have kept up a vigilant patrol during many successive nights, thus securing peace and preventing every kind of disturbance.

6. Edict from the tsotang. Many of the Chinese, however,-fearful of they knew not what- fled with their families, following the example of their worthy magistrate, Tang, the tsotang. They continued to withdraw for nearly a week, until the appearance of the following edict, on the 28th instant, published without date.

Tang, &c., &c., under-magistrate of Macao, issues this proclamation. It is well known that foreigners and natives reside together at Macao; the Portuguese fully understand the great principles of right, and have been regarded as reve rently obedient for the last three hundred years; each one has his family and his property, being without any other concern. And let all you natives who carry on trade at Macao make yourselves easy, and pursue your usual occupations without apprehension The high officers are. moreover, well aware that they are perfectly able to protect and defend themselves; and that they will not order a single officer or soldier into the place is also very well known. I have lately heard that there are lawless fellows who spread idle reports, and disturb the minds of people, that they may take advantage of the opportunity to rob, and thus cause the people's minds to be unsettled and full of appre

hension: whenever I think of them, my indignation is without bounds. I the under-magistrate, was early concerned lest there should be such persons, and did dispatch the constables to convey my orders, most distinctly to every storehouse, shop, and household, that they must themselves engage strong men to act as a patrole night and day, in order to guard against people lurking about and spying. It is very necessary that you hire stout men, by whom being heartily assisted, you can mutually guard and portect yourselves. If you meet with any one raising idle rumors to disturb people's minds, that they may take advantage of them and plunder, you are permitted to sieze and bring them before me. I will immediately lay their case before the intendant of circuit, and that he may humbly request the death-warrant, in order that the laws may be maintained; no favor will be shown thein.

Besides enjoining the police to make strict examination and seizure of [the guilty], I, as is right, also issue these commands. According to their tenor, you must all obey, and in future as you have ever done, follow each his own calling without the least apprehension. These commands are urgent.

7. Two foreign merchants, both of them American, remain at Canton; and only two foreign ships, the Panama and Kosciusko, are at Whampoa.

8. Foreign commerce, with the provincial city and the notable cohong, is of course, almost null and void, pro tempore; nor is the trade outside very great; and the prospects, for the next commercial year, are certainly not very inviting.

9. Three ships belonging to the U. S. A. navy, the Constellation frigate, with the sloops Concord and Preble according to the latest dates from America were fitting out with all possible dispatch, at the navy yard in Charlestown, Mass., for the East Indian station ordered out on account of the troubles in China.-Since the above was in type, we learn, by the overland mail of June, that the Independence, a 54 gun frigate is to join the squadron, under command of commodore Warrington.

10. The blockading squadrons, of II. B. M. forces, are now at the mouth of the Canton river, at Amoy, and at the mouth of the Min. The particulars of their movements we are unable to report.

11. Lord Palmerston's communication,' (according to our latest accounts from Chusan, brought by the Isabella Robertson,) was at last the 30th ult., after having been rejected at Amoy and Ningpo, on its way to Teëntsin. The plenipotentiaries sailed in the Blonde, accompanied by the Volage, Modeste and steamer Madagascar → intending to negotiate, if possible, with the court at Peking, or to act otherwise as circumstances might render expedient.

12. Reinforcements, we are informed, are expected daily to arrive from India, to join H. B. M.'s forces now on the coast. Unless the communication' be favorably received at Teëntsin, and favorably entertained by the emperor and his ministers at Peking, these forces will be much needed.

13. The general state of the country, so far as we can learn, is peaceful and prosperous excepting the hostilities with Great Britain, the engrossing subject of concern. From Szechuen, a cadet has gone to Peking and presented to the emperor three plans for pacifying the English, and the same has been submitted to the proper tribunal for consideration.

THE

CHINESE REPOSITORY.

VOL. IX.-SEPTEMBER, 1840.— No. 5.

the

ART. I. War with China: order in council, presented to parlia ment by her majesty's command, April 4th; parliamentary debate on its policy, with remarks on the same from the Friend of India. WAR against China being now fully undertaken, though it seems not to have been openly declared, by Great Britain,-its causes, mode and manner in which it is carried on, with the ways and means by which it can be brought to a proper termination, all alike demand much more consideration than they have yet received. No war in modern times, or perhaps in any age since the world began, has involved the weal or woe of so many human beings, as are now likely to be affected for good or for evil by the present struggle; yet never was there a war undertaken, about which there was so much ignorance as to its causes, its objects, the manner of its being conducted, &c., as there now is with regard to this war. It is on a new theatre of action. Even her Britannic majesty's ministers directing this war seem to be in doubt how to act, and how to direct. Witness the conversation which took place in the House of Lords, May 5th. "The public having been left more in the dark respecting the expedition to China than had ever been the case respecting any expedition of equal importance and strength," said lord Ashburton, "and he therefore wished to know under whose guidance and command it was intended to place the ships and men. The armament being a joint naval and military one, he thought it important that the public should know who was to have the conduct of it."