The French operations in China have been as yet very
ably 'conducted by Admiral Courbet, and, so far as the reports enable us to judge, perfectly successful. The Foo-Chow Arsenal was bombarded and destroyed on Sunday, with little loss to the French and much to the Chinese. But then the difficulty arose how Admiral Courbet, having got into the Min River and so far effected his purpose, was to get out again. In order to get out he had to pass the Mingan and Kinpai forts, and their fire was, of course, directed upon him. However, the Chinese artillery is no match for the French. On Wednesday Admiral Courbet announced that the operations against the Mingan forts were concluded, and that they were effectually silenced ; and on Thursday that he had silenced the chief batteries of the Kinpai forts, having de- stroyed some of the guns by gun-cotton. The next operation will be to take possession of Kelung and the coal-mines there, and then it is believed that the Admiral will seize the island of Hainan. In Tonquin there is apparently no change in the situation. The Chinese still hold Lang-son, and the rumours of a fight on the Chinese frontier of Tonquin have not been confirmed.
