CHINA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 437, 10 January 1857, Page 6

CHINA.

We (Melbourne ' Argus') have a file of the ' Friend of Chiua' to the 12th September, Our last dates were to the 10th July, From the summary piepared for the overland edition of the ' Friend of China,' issued on the 9th August, we extract the following—

The Weather.—The most remarkable record of the month elapsed since the despatch of last mail has been the exceedingly inclement weather we have experienced. Prayers for its amendment" were offered in St. John's Cathedral, on Sunday, the 27th ultimo, but rain and occasional violent gusts still continue. In Canton, we are told, as much as 113 -inches of rain fell in fiftyseven days—or nearly three times more than the average fall in England for a year. As might be expected, the Canton river is swollen to unusual dimensions—the foreign factories flooded—communication in some cases being kept up by the boats. Ruin to the provincial rice crops follows as a matter of course, and great is the distress anticipated. With high priced rice comes anarchy too, and prospects all round are very bad. Every effort will be made by the head men of the wards and the Government to keep

grain as low as possible; for dear food renders every branch of business unsatisfactory in result; a fact of which Chinese political economists are fully aware. Rice dealing iv China has no basis for safe speculation.

The Rebellion. —Since our last issue the news from the interior has become more and more alarming to the Imperialists, whose armies are retiring before the rebels in the direction of Soo-chow. Last week the position of the imperial forces was reported to be, that the General-in-Chief, Heang-yung, occupied Tanyang, while his advanced guard under Chang-kwoh-leang was Keuyung. This week Heang-yung is reported to have fallen back on Chang-chow and Chang-kwoh-leang to have retired to Tan-yang; leaving the former position of the Imperialists at Kew-hwa-san, where Keih fell, in the hands of the rebels, and the whole of the ground between Chin, keang and Nankin open to them. In the western part of Keang-soo the cities of Keu-yung, Leih-yang, and Leih-shwuy are certainly occupied by the rebels, while the mandarins in those places are either decapitated or fled. To these may be added E-hing, which has been taken by the rebels, who are said to be spreading themselves over the Tae-hoo and Tung ting-san, but lately the resort of European tourists.

Since penning the above the news baa just reached ns that the rebels took posses-* sion of Tan-yang, on Sunday, the 6th July. This brings them into closer proximity to Soo-chow, and the chances are that in a, short time the contending- parties will be engaged in a deadly struggle for that capital of the province, aud the outlet of commerce for Shanghae. Heang-yung has already retired to Woo-seih, which is only about thirty miles from Soo-chow. The richer inhabitants of Soo-chow had previously removed to Tung-ting-san, where they are likely to fall directly into the hands of the insurgents. We understand that the Canton people about Shanghae are enlisting volunteers to go and assist in the war, but which side they will take is uncertain.