Saigon Indépendaut gives further details of the fall of Bacniuh, which go to show that the flight of the Chinese was not pre-arranged, but that finding they being out-mancouvred by the French surrounded on all sides they lind no According to the reports of Annamite the Chinese defenders of Bacninh numbered from 25,000 to 30,000, but the commander showed the bad judgment of dividing their efforts. From 12,000 to 13,000 were spread over the advanced works established some twenty small to nees passes My mou tell general has given guests of H.I.M. As I am a distant stranger, Lam to receive some att but not'to the full extent mentioned in the circular despatch, The runners have arrived howe worms. My smart little innkeeper was up; her old Inzy husband was in bed, having part of the night smoking opium, ing h 1g wife up roasting the drug for him, His daughter-in-law kept his wife company to soo us off; they both have the amahest feet imaginable, and are passably good-looking.
Yesterday L exiled to noo the magistrate, and renewed the acquaintance 1 made with him two yours ago. He is well spoken of by the people as an upright official, now filling his third term, I was soon attend: ed to; my men properly paid without d ly, and everything, excepting the run-as it ought to be. The food was i cook, oF person preten. morning Taw the funeral party of Lady Liv The van was by a mi ture imple containing the name and title of on a tablet, before which was umber of incense sticks burning therein, Behind the temple " small crate was suspended, containing " white cuck, to watch over the spirit of the departed, now supposed to dwell in the tablet, which is called in consequence a ling-pai. calico streamers and other pendants we suspended at the cornices of the tempi ud were wri over with various canon xis, The whole was carried ko 1h, that from Hai-Duong, and the Canal des Rapides. It was ow this side that the Chinese expected to be attacked, and the concentration in this direction of the troops forming the principal corpsd'armée of the French, under the direct orders of General Millet, and of General Bridro do Plsle's corps, forming the advance guard of the main body, was not calculated to undeceive them. According to Chi ideas, the course of events was to be the as at Sontey, that is to say, that French' were to succeed ulti-ey would have to take the out fter a dandly struggle this would occupy sgvoral diy: the fowl the Chin vou mast for the defence of the citadel, while the Frouch would be exhausted, would their ranks thinned, and would run of provisions in the prolonged struggle. It is even supposed that the Chinese Commander, like General Millet, had the do-sign of surrounding his and dos troying them en masse to this policy the refront of Lin Jung-fu and his Bloc the end of February in attributed. of the Chinese was to th on the rear of the French latter was engaged with the defenders of Bacnit may be, it is certain that Liu Jung-fu not at Bacuinh at the time of the attack, that only Chinese regulars wore found there. At ense with regard to any approach the side of the Canal des Rapides son of the outworks, re-assured with to the Song-can by the barriers lih prevented the ascent of the French flotilla, the Chinese General thought he would' take advantage of the time he thought he had at his disposal to overthrow the corps d'armée of Groneral Negriér, whose march, towards Long-son by the left bank of the Thai-Binh had not disquieted him, About ten thousand of the best therefore left Bacniuh ut to occupy. two forts to white jackets, and white trimmings on crowns of their back hats. Next om small sedan-chair carried by two dressed like the others. This chair contained the spiritual tablet of the lady's son, whose remains accompany those of his lady mother. Iucenso was burning before tablet, ite cock guarded the with relays, that men, to each, changing, as with the cit very 5 li, All the bearers wore dressed in white, and had white trimmings in their hals, Che coffins, as they now are, are called ling ix, and are spoken of, numerically, as yi-fu, or liang fu, according to the number of them whether one or two, Several officials in full dress and mourning or white jackets had charge of the party, and several relatives followed in ordinary chairs, accompanied by many attendants, the whole party numbering about a hundred and thirty persons altogether forming quite an imposing procession threw himself on' the unhappy El who, deprived of the cover of trenchments, were able to offer only a foi resistance and soon broke their ranks fled buck towards Baoninh. The African soldiers gave them chase, and made such speed that they wore able to close the enteauce of Bacninh and place a battery of artillery the fire of which covered the Chinese flying towards the citadel, During this time General Bridre de VLsle, as advance guard to al Millet, cross the Canal des Rapides without meeting heights surround~ occupied ammand battery of heavy artillery by which to sup port the movement of the Frenech troops when the assault was made. Tue Chi thus attacked on two. sides at the same time, hastily retook: themselves to flight, pursued by the French troops and the continuone fire of all the artillery. lo re-enter Bacninh would have been to be surrounded. As soon as the route of the Chinese was complete the attention of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.