Additional Particulars of the News from China (May, 1857)

The Polynesian. Honolulu: May 9, 1857. Page 3.

Canton was still in flames when the Godfrey sailed on the 7th of Feb. No further progress had been made by Admiral Seymour with the troops at his disposal; in fact they find it hard work, as a portion of the regiment was at Canton, while the remainder are compelled to do extra duty. 

The first instalment of British reinforcements, consisting of 272 men, officers included, had arrived from Singapore in the steamer Sir James Brooks, which vessel had been chartered to convey them to Hong Kong for $13,000. The steamer Auckland had arrived at Singapore from Penang with 150 tons of shot, shell and ammunition, which would be forwarded to Canton the first opportunity. 

The Chinese still continued there attacks when opportunities offered, and an ineffectual attempt had been made to blow up H.B.M.’s ship Comus with fire rafts. One raft came in contact with the spanker boom of the vessel, and carried it away, causing the raft to clear the ship. The other raft was in a blaze, but was kept some distance from the ship by the four booms. As soon as the stern raft was clear, the chain cable was slipped, enabling the ship to swing around with the flood tide, and avoid the raft which they succeeded in anchoring. The Comus had her fore-rigging damaged, and her fore yard and bows slightly burned.

The Coromandel was on hand, having run from Macao Fort to tow the Comus out of danger, if necessary. The officers and men of the Comus behaved manfully during the impending danger. The next day the Chinese shifted their position well up Falshan Creek, having been annoyed by the Niger's fire, one shot of which took a mast clear off one of the junks. The Coromandel and Forbes succeeded in destroying a village in Elliot’s Passage, where a fleet of war junks had been anchored. The Encounter arrived and took the place of the Niger, off Macao Fort on the 28th of Jan. This Fort had been rendered impregnable to any assaults of the Chinese. 

The Niger and Barracouta had visited Wampoo. Bambootown remained untouched, but Newtown, together with all the foreigners’ workshops, &c., on shore had been leveled. Mr. Compus’ house had also been fired, and only the walls left standing. The piles of the various docks had been burnt, and every vestige of planks and spars removed. The stone work of the upper part of the granite dock had been dug up by the Chinese, and as they could not remove the caisson, they had spitefully perforated it with holes. Ten thousand dollars will not replace the damage done to the dock alone. Nothing had been heard as yet from Mr. Cooper. The three Chinese who were arrested on suspicion and kept as hostages for his delivery have been discharged. Asing, who had been arrested for poisoning the foreigners with arsenic in bread, was examined and discharged for want of evidence, but was arrested again for being concerned in the murder of the officers and crew of the Thistle. 

The fishing village of Tum-Isai in the Typu, opposite Macoa, was burnt the 26th of January, China New Year. The town was built of wood and bamboo, with several carpenters’ yards and rope walks. No lives lost. 

The proclamation prohibiting all communication with Macoa had been withdrawn by the magistrate of Heang-Shan, and consequently no stoppage of supplies have been attempted by the Chinese.

 Three Chinese had been arrested on a charge of administering poison to Mr. Caldwell and family, in the form of seeds of stramonium put in milk. 

A reward of $1000 has been offered for the apprehension of Chinese emisaries having treasonable papers.

A fishing boat had been captured by the pirates Jan. 31st, of Poo-Foy; Feb. 3d, a passage boat was taken off Puk-Ku.

Offers of reward of $1000 each have been made for the apprehension of Alun and Atsoi, foremen of the Esing bakery, who are believed to have been concerned in the attempt to poison the community on 15th of January.

The ship Golden Racer, lost at the entrance of the river Min, was timber laden for Ningpo, and not with teas and silks for the United States, as before reported. 

The French ship Anais, of 650 tons, sailed from Swataw, Jan. 29th, with a cargo of coolies, for Havana. On the 30th the coolies rose, overpowered the crew, killed the captain, supercargo and chief mate, (the supercargo’s son) when they run the vessel ashore at Fong-he, about five miles above Breakers Point. The rest of the crew and surgeon are onshore and well treated by the Chinese, but held for a ransom of $500, and the ringleaders among the coolies are in custody and will be given up to the French authorities. A schooner have been sent from Swatow to carry back the survivors. The French frigate Virginie had also gone up to demand liberation of the others.  

The whale ship Champion (of New Bedford) arrived at Hongkong Jan. 30. She was fourteen months out, having 900 barrels oil. Last from Guam, (17th Jan.) where she reports the inhabitants are starving by thousands. Four thousand had died with smallpox in three months. The Champion saw several sperm whales off the Bashees. 

The clipper ship Flyaway, from Hongkong for New York, went ashore near the Brothers at the entrance of the river Min, but fortunately got off and proceeded on her voyage. The ship Wild Wave (at Hong Kong) reports the ship Golden Racer to have gone ashore on the outer knoll at the mouth of the river Min and was totally wrecked. 

A large fleet of pirate boats, numbering fifty or sixty junks and small boats, some pulling a hundred oars, is at Ling-Ting. The US steamer San Jacinto, Commander Bell, had sailed in pursuit of them on the 29th January.