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Leader (1850-1860), 31st July 1858, Edition 2 of 2, Page 7

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      The Capture Of The Peiho Forts. A Supple...

      mile in length , upon which eighty-seven guns in position were visible , and the -whole shore had been piled to oppose a landing . As the channel is only about two hundred yards wide , and runs within four hundred yards of the shore , these defences presented a formidable appearance . Two strong mud batteries , mounting respectively thirty-three and sixteen guns , had been also constructed about one thousand yards up the river , in a position to command our advance . In the rear , several entrenched camps were visible , defended by flanking bastions , and it was known that large bodies of troops had arrived from Pekin . All the foits and the camp were covered with , the various coloured flags under which the ' troops of the eight banners , ' as the Tartar soldiers are styled , range themselves .

      "At eight a . m . yesterday ( 20 th May ) , the notification to the Imperial Commissioner Tan , and the summons to deliver up the forts within two hours , were delivered by Captain Hall , my flag captain , and Capitaine Reynaud , flag captain of the French admiral , and accompanied by my gallant colleague , and attended by our respective secretaries and flag lieutenants , -we embarked in the Slaney , to direct the movements of the squadron . "• " No answer having been returned to the summons by ten o ' clock , the signal agreed upon was made , and the gunboats advanced in the prescribed order , led by the Cormorant . The Chinese opened fire immediately , and the signal to engage -was made a few minutes afterwards from the Slaney . By the time all the vessels had

      anclored in their respective stations , the effects- of our ¦ well-directed fire had become very apparent . The first fort -was entirely dismantled and abandoned , and the second partially so , whilst those on the north side had been completely subdued by the Cormorant and two French gunboats . At the short range within which we engaged , every shot told , and many of the massive embrasures of mud were levelled by shells . At the end of an hour and a quarter the enemy ' s fire ceased . The landing parties -were then pushed on shore , the one for tlie north forts , under the orders of Captain Sir F . Nicholson , and Captain LeVeque , and that for the south forts under Captains Hall and Eeynaud , flag captains , tlie Royal Marines on each side being commanded by Major Robert Boyle and First Lieutenant McCullum .

      " Owing to the destructive fire from the gunboats , but little opposition , was made to our landing-, and the Chinese troops were observed moving off" in masses , ¦ whilst our people were in the boats ,. The flags of the Allied Powers soon replaced those of the Chinese . On the south side two hundred large gingalls were found in position near the landing-place on an embankment . " Having obtained possession , the dismantling of the ¦ works commenced , and the field-piece 3 landed for the protection of the forces against the possible attacks of the Chinese . Shortly after the landing , our gallant allies sustained a melancholy and heavy loss of men , killed and wounded , by the accidental explosion of a magazine .

      " When all the vessels had taken up their position , a "bold attempt -was made to send down upon them a long array of junks , filled with straw in flames , and drawn across the river , but they fortunately grounded , and though the people , guiding them down the river with ropes , made great efforts to get them off , a few shells from the Bustard drove them away , and the vessels burnt out without doing any damage . " Much skill and labour had heen expended in the construction of these forts . The gun 3 -were much better cast , and not so unwieldly as those in the Canton River , and were better equipped in erery respect . They had good canister shot , and the hollow 8-inch shot appeared imitations from oiir own . There were several English guns in the batteries .

      . " Directions were now sent to Captain Sir F . Nicholson and Cnpitaino Le " vGque to advance and capture the two forts up the river , which had kept up a smart fire . This movement was successfully executed , under the supporting fire from tlio Bustard , Staunch , and Opossum . Several entrenched camps were also destroyed . The Chinese stood well to their guns , notwithstanding shot , shell , and rockets were flying thickly around them . Most of the gunboats were hulled , some several times , ¦ whilst boats , spars , and rigging were cut by round shot , grape , and gingall balls .

      ^ " The necessary arrangements at the entrance of the river having been completed , a further advance was made to the village of Takoo , whero wo found a barrier of junks filled -with combustible matter , moored by chains right across the river , whilst seven similar obstructions to our progress were observed witliin a mile higher up . Captain Hall , with iny flag lieutenant and a party of men , landed , and took possession of eighteen field pieces in front of an abandoned encampment at Takoo . Whilst on shore , the residence of the High Commissioner Tan was visited , and found deserted , though a significant proof of his recent presence was found in a beheaded Chinaman near his gate . It was ascertained lioro that the main body of the Chinese troops had retired with Ian to a position about eight milus up the river . Tlio barrier at Takoo ottering' good Hecurity to our vessels below , it was made our adrunced position for the night , In charge of Sir F . Nicholson aud Capitaino Thoyon . "

      Ho. 436jufey 31,1558.] T H E L E A I) El...

      Ho . 436 jufeY 31 , 1558 . ] T H E L E A I ) El , 735

      The Massacre At Jeddah. The Monucur Publ...

      THE MASSACRE AT JEDDAH . The MonUcur publishes the subjoined highly interesting account of the recent massacre at Jeddah from the pen of M . Emerat , the dragoman and Chancellor of the French Consulate , whose gaLlant behaviour has earned him the cross of the Legion of Honour : — .. __ . , „ . " Alexandria , July 9 . " Monsieur le Mmistre , —On the evening of the 15 th of June , the town of Jeddah was the theatre of terrible scenes of slaughter ; twenty-three victims were murdered by an infuriated populace , and among them , 3 am grieved to say , are the Consuls of France and of Ingland , and Madame Eveillard . Having escaped , by the mercy of Providence , the blows of the assassins , I lose no time in giving your Excellency the details of this sanguinary drama .

      For some time past , the revival of fanaticism was visible at Jeddah , hut no one suspected that so fearful a deed was contemplated against the Christians who have inhabited that city for many years . Nevertheless , the plan -was secretly hatched . A pretext was found to put it into execution . " One Abdallah Joher had to give an account to the British Consulate of the employment of the property of two Indian orphans of whom he was guardian . He asked to be placed under Turkish protection , and to change the flag of a vessel of which he was the OTvner . Namik Pacha consented , and ordered the Turkish flag to be hoisted , / and that of England to be hauled down ! This was done amid the exultation of the fanatic 3 .

      moment . A man armed with a dagger came forward and asked me if the Kaimakan had arrived ; I thought he was a Cawass in authority , when I heard MdUe . Eveillard cry out , ' Take care ! that man is going to stab you ! ' I rushed upon him to disarm him , but I received at the same moment a gash acros 3 my left hand from a sabre , a blow which broke the thumb of my left hand , and a dagger-stab through my right arm . I should inevitably have fallen without the assistance of MIdlle . Eveillard , who displayed the most extraordinary courage and presence of mind . I finally succeeded iix disarming my assailant , and killed him .

      " Seeing that the Kaimakan did not come , the assassins , whom we had thrice repulsed , made another bold attempt to get up the stairs , urged on by the yells . of some fifty women who accompanied them . I -stood on the lowest step , armed with my dagger . I ran through and killed the first man that . advanced , and 1 stabbed t-wo or three others . At this moment , the Kaimakan arrived , followed by two Cawass , and informed me that Colonel Hassan , who commanded the artillery , had refused to come to our aid , under the pretext that he had no orders , and could onl y receive them from the Governor-General .

      " The Kaimakan and myself had only the two Cawass and my servant to support us ; it was becoming impossible to hold out much longer . I therefore requested that official to endeavour to calm the mob ; but it only made them the more violent . ' We want to have the Consul and his Chancellor , ' they shouted ; 'hand them over to us that we may put them to death ; if you don't , we will kill you ! ' The Kaimakan beg : an to falter , and was only prevented from complying by my threats . The mob continued to swell ; the attacks of the assailants became more fierce ; the Kaimakan was knocked down by a blow from a club . While I was picking him up , I received a sabre cut and a blow from a club on the head , which stunned me , and I fell . The assassins then rushed into the saloon , and put M . Eveillard , already ¦ wounded , to death .

      " The English Consular agent was absent at the time . On his return , having protested in -vain to 3 STamik Pacha , he invoked , according to custom , a Consular tribunal , which decided that the Turkish flag should be hauled down . Consequently , on the 15 th of Jvme , a detachment of marines from the Cyclops , which was In the roads , seized upon the Indian vessel , hauled down the Ottoman colours , and hoisted the English flag . The news of this event created great excitement in Jeddah , It was declared to be an insult against the dignity of Islamism- But this was only a pretext ; the real object of the agitators was to take advantage of the circumstance to murder the Christians , whose preseftce , in their eyes , defiled the sacred soil of the Hedjaz , and to seize upon their property .

      My faithful Algerine had never left my side , watching his moment either to carry off my body , if I was killed , or to take me to some place of safety , if only wounded . At the moment I received tie last two wounds the servants of the Kaimakan were carrying off their master . Hadji Mehemet raised me up , concealed my face under the Kaimakan ' s robes , and -we were taken to the house of the Colonel , who bad refused us bis aid . I was immediately sent to the military hospital , where I did not recover , my senses till after I had been there above a quarter of an hour , and where I received every attention . ¦

      "About six o ' clock in the evening , when the population were aware that the boat ' s crew had returned on board the frigate , and that no help could be given the Christian residents , a mob of fanatics attacked th « English Consulate . On their approach , the Cawass took to their heels . Mr . Page , surprised in his bed , and unable to defend himself , was wounded seriously , and was then pitched from his balcony and cut to pieces at the foot of the flagstaff ; his dragoman and clerk shared his fate . The house was pillaged . A considerable sum of money must have been found in Mr . Page ' s strong-box , aa he was a merchant as well as "Vice-Consul .

      "At the moment M . Eveillard was being murdered and his house pillaged ^ the wife of a military official called Mehemet Effendi , to whom some days previously Madame and Mademoiselle Eveillard had shown great kindness , sent one of her slaves to save them . Mademoiselle Eveillard was carried off by the slave to the house of his mistress , and thence to the Kaimakan ' s harem , -where she received every attention . I must also return my thanks for the care taken of myself at the Artillery Hospital . " On the 16 th , sentence of death was pronounced by the Cadi against M . Emerat for having killed two Mahometans in the fray , and for ( lays crowds assembled in front of the Artillery Hospital , asking whether he had found refuge there ; but they were told that he had been taken on board the English frigate .

      _ " Cries of' Death to the Christians ! ' now arose on all sides , and the mob , thirsting for more blood , hastened towards the French Consulate . At about half-past six M . Eveillard and myself were just returning from our usual evening stroll . "We had scarcely entered the drawing-room , -where the Consul ' s wife and daughter were sitting , when the Consulate was surrounded . The Cawass closed the door , and kept outside to repel the attack . The Cawass Ahmet alone offered resistance , -was wounded in his liead , and thrown back into the street , where he remained for some time insensible .

      " As soon as the Consulate was attacked , I went down stairs to defend the entrance by the staircase . Supported only by my servant , an Algerian , Hadji Meheineti formerly a soldier in , the native Rifles , whose devotion on this occasion was most praiseworthy , I was aware that it would be impossible to make a long resistance ; but my object was to gain time , in hope that a detachment of troops might bo sent to our aid . My only weapon was a cano with a hammer to it , and Hadji Mehemet had a club . With the courage of despair , we attacked the assailants , who faced us in bodies of never less than thirty or forty . After knocking down the foremost , we were obliged to dodge behind the stairs to avoid the shots fired at us . A hand-to-hand struggle ensued , and three times the assassins reached the first story and were driven back . At this moment , cries of 1 Kaimakan is coming' wore raised , and the mob for a moment remained quiet in the court below .

      " We remained thus five days in suspense when , on the night of the 19 th , the Pacha arrived from Mecca ¦ with a detachment of Chasseurs , and Namik Pacha took up his quarters at a barrack outside the town . On the next morning ' , the Governor-General sent his son-in-law to make inquiries after mo , and asked me to visit him . I complied . Namik Pacha promised me to do everything in his power to inflict upon the assassins the chastisement which they deserved , and told me he was ready to give me such satisfaction as I might require . I replied that all that remained for me to do was to proceed and render a statement of the facts to the Government of the Emperor . On leaving Jeddah , I wrote in that sense to Namik Pacha . " Before I arrived at the Governor-General's , Captain Pullcn had written to him to demand that th « Christiana

      " I did not think that any one of the assailants had reached the second story . 1 went up to make sure . I found Madame Eveillard lying dead on the floor , the Consul wounded , and his young and courageous , daughter wounded in the cheek by a sabre-cut received while defending her father . The second story had been reached by the balcony of a neighbouring house , and having cut down the Consul , his wife , and daughter , the assassins retreated . " On leaving the snloon , I heard Hadji Mchemot crying out , ' Tho ting is attacked ; let us defend it I' I ran up tlio ladder , but wns hurled down . Hadji Mehemet then ran up it , and succeeded in throwing down two of tho assailants . Wo could not ascertain whether they woro killed or not . " This unequal struggle had now lasted nearly a quarter of an hour , and wo expected to euccumb every

      who had escaped the massacre should be given up to him . Namik Pacha requested an interview . Captaiu Pullen proceeded to the palace , where I was also present . After the interview , Mademoiselle Eveillard , her servant , and myself , embarked on board the boats of the frigate , and the Christians who had escaped the mas * - aacre on board a native boat , under the command of the captain of the port . " Captain Pullen -wrote the same day to the

      Governor-General , demanding that the boats of tho Cyclops should bo allowed to come to the landing-staira with armed crews ; that the flags of Franco and England should bp saluted by tho artillery of the forts ; that the flags should then be curried through the stroete under an armed escort from tho frigate ; anil that a procession should then go to tho cemetery to rond tlio burial servico and pay military honours to tho victims . Tho ceremony took place the following day . " A long account of tho mnseacro , baaed on tho lot-

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), July 31, 1858, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_31071858/page/7/