Haiphong, 18th Novemb The occurrences which have taken in the neighbourhood of Hniphony, since my last communication per Venice, have not been by any moans satisfactorory or reassuring, and Haiphong itself is now nously menaced. Early this morning a arrived from Haiduong with intelligence of an attack which had been made upon that post, during part of yesterday and through the night, by a force of Chinese and Aunamites numbering over 2,000 meu, two days before, the gunboat Carabine, one of the small river boats, armed with one gun of considerable power, had been sent from Haiphong against oband of a0- both Haiphong and Laiduong ace situated, being on board. She was lying i when the attack was made on Haibut, owing to her being lower than the banks of the creek, ler gun was ut little ase. The garrison of Uaiduong, consisting of about 150 men, appears ty have been divided, Ue greater part of the French fort or citadel, while a 420 marine iufantey, ud a score of the new Tonquinese militia, were quartered in a post in the town of Haiduong. These latter were the greater sufferers in the attack which was made om all sides of the position, while the town itself was almost entirely burned down and looted. The fire from the rifles of the attacking force was at times very severe, and the niu the fort were to render their comrades in the assistance, Several attempts ade to leave the position in the town and join the other portion of the garrison, but this was found impossible, and probably every man would have been cut off and the position lust but for the providential arrival on the scene of the gunboat Lynx, which had left aiphoug on the previous day to ascond the river towards Bao The firing was heard on board, and the commander altered theoourse the vessel and arrived in time to render most valuable assistance. As soon as the Lynz opened fire, the enemy commenced to rot rent, and the emall gatrigon was rescued front a moat dangerous position, The fort is still occupied by the Frouch troops, who are supported by the gunboat, The French loss in the aifwi was four An-la, killed, and ailora wounded, four of them dangerously. hour that Marquis, the Resident, was also grazed by ashet, having a very narrow escape. The little "Curabine arrived here with the wounded men at 4 o'clock this afternoon, She was perfectly riddled with shot from rifles and jingalls, One of the wounded tien seems doomed to misfortune. Only lust August he wns wounded on board the Trombe wt the Four Columu Pagoda, and has only recently been pronounced fit for and now the poor fellow hae no less than four bullet wounds in different parts of the body. The loss of the enemy is not known, Haiphong is expected to be the next point attacked, and to-night la an anxious one to many, Grent and natural indignation is felt by the few civilian residents of the port at the folly di: authorities in lea portant, posi guarded and weakly garrisoned.
fow days sines there were 1,200 m the place, they have since been sent up to Hanoi, and the present garrison ce one company of infantry anda very small detachment of artillery, Not even one mau-of-war, unless the transport Drac can be so called, is here, while five or six are engaged eating their heads off in Halong Bay. Haiphong has long since passed out of the hands of the military authorities, and, in company with the rest of the province, including the unfortunate Haidong, is under the so-called protection of AL Harmand and his Resident, whose protective force I believe Ihave described in a former letter.
The recounaissanes which I mentioned in my last as being about to be made from Hanoi has not yet been undertaken, and think no important move will be made up the river before the first week of next month. The olga," steamer chartered from the Messageries Maritime Ca., arrived this morning from Europe with stores and ions, Unless active steps are shortly taken to keep down the bands of pirates which infest the creeks between Haiphong and the embouchure of the Red Kiver, as well as to crush the force which yesterday at-tucked Haiduong, the river route to Hanoi will be impxssuble for the small launches and unarmed boats, When the Run-marw, cue down on Saturday last she again fall with a band of these men, this time numbering at least four hundred, not five miles from Haiphong. We were roused from our dinner this evening by a number of shots on the other side of the creek about 200 yards distant, and under present circumstances a quiet night's rest is out of question, particularly as we have the isfurtuue to lodge outside the Conces-
19th Nov.
P.S.—Night passod quoitly. A company of infantry just arrived from head quarters,—China Mail Cor, The Nam-jan, which left Haiphong on the 23rd rived here (Hongkong) this more Our special correspon-up to Hanoi, with the ut with the Fronok operations from however, from Haiphong, that no events of import= ance have ocourred since the date of the Inst letter of our correspondent, The gunboats Leopard and Lynx had gone to Broninh, in the neighbourhood of which place redoubts were being thrown up by the French troops, for the purpose of forming defensive posts, and cutting off the communiestion between Soutai and Bacniuh, No attack was expected to be made upon the latter place for some days, but preparations for such an gpastion Nero in active progress.—China Mail, 26th November.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.