CHINA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XII, Issue 723, 12 October 1859, Page 3

CHINA.

We have advices to the 22nd June, from Hongkong. From'the ' Overland China Mail' of that date we quote as follows:—

In our last overland summary it was mentioned that the French, British, and American Ministers had proceeded northward, on their way to Peking-, with the ratified • treaties. By our latest dales from Shanghai, they were to leave that place on tlieir way to Peking by the GulP of Pechelc-e, on the 15th June, and the admiral had already left with greater portion of the English force.

It is now not improbable th:vc ohstack-s may be thrown in the way of tlieir advance. The '..'h'mose Imperial Commissioners who were at tSiumt'lmi tried very hard to detain there the British -nul French Plenipotentiaries, pretending that they alone were entrusted with the exchange of the ratified treaties, and that they wanted to be at the capital for about two months". However, two rather severe communications addressed to them by their Excellencies the Hon. Mr. Bruce and M. de Bourboulon, succeeded in changing .the opinions of Kwei-liang and his associate. The last despatch which that Prime minister addressed to the representatives of Great Britain and France seemed to indicate that the way to Peking is quite open to the British, French, and American Plenipotentiaries; and the Imperial Commissioners left for Peking on the 13th instant.

There have been various rumours among the Chinese concerning the matter in question. It was said at first that Senn-ko-lin-sin, one of the forty Mongol princes, and who is, or was, at the head of the opposition against the peaceful exchange of the ratifications, had been disgraced and had poisoned himself. Others say that.it was Tan, Viceroy of Chih- li; and now it is Senn Wang, who is said to have destroyed himself.

The most trustworthy accounts states that Senn covers Tientsin, with about fifty or sixty thousand of his Mongol followers. Notwithstanding that, the British and French Ministers resolved to proceed to Peking, and not to exchange the ratifications of the treaty anywhere hut at the' capital, where, it is to be hoped, some real success will be obtained by unflinching resolution, and the sublime countenance of the Celestial Dragon may be contemplated even by " unworthy Barbarians."

Some evil will be done to European influence in the East by the withdrawal of the French force from Cochin-China, before they have done much to impress the Annamese with respect, for European power. The latter have made such a good resistance that they will be sure to ascribe the withdrawal of the French to their own powers; and, unfortunately, the orders which were sent to bombard Hue* before withdrawing are little likely to be put in force, as an advance towards that place had not been made, and would be attended with great difficulty. Meanwhile, the Cochin-Chinese at Turon had been threatening the lines of the allied force. We learn from Manila that they have been gradually strengthening their lines of defence, in the immediate vicinity of the allied camp (though on the opposite side of the river), and compelling the latter to maintain a dpily cannonade of some hours. At length it was determined to force their _ position, and on the. Bth inst., a force of 750 men commenced an attack on the outer lines of the enemy's defences. After a well contested struggle of two or three hours, during whicli the CochinChinese kept up a pretty well directed fire, three of the lines were carried, and their defenders driven out, leaving behind them 70 guns, quantities of arms, and several dead bodies, which in their haste they had been unable to carry off. This success was not obtained without some loss to the allies, namely eight killed (including a Spanish captain named Mahourat) and 40 or 50 wounded, most of them seriously. From fishermen friendly to the allies, the latter ascertained the Cochin -Chinese loss to be 700 wounded and 100 killed. The defences and arms that were taken have been burnt and destroyed. The Cochin-Chinese were actively employed in reinforcing the lines that remained t.) them, and it was said they had instructions from Hue to keep on the defensive.

In the. udjilibourhnnil of Nankin<r the rebel? are asjain quiet, or least have wet with no mure success of lute.

The emigration of coolies p> the Havana, together with the alleged cases of kidnapping, has been the fruitful-subject of. local .discussion for some timehack. Whatever the,coolie trade may have been— and at one time it was justly decried—it has greatly improved of late years, and its recent recognition by the Chinese authorities will do much to put it oa a proper footing. That it has many and great evils is undeniable; but it is against, these rather than the traffic itself that our oxertious should be directed

Last mail we reported the export of tea to amount to 55.987,000 lbs., and since then f lie following vewls have left:—From Shanghai, muse. Fivm Fu!.-.:..ra the Fiery. Cross, with $60,000 lbs.; Bai-diauto. 859.700 lbs.; and the Ellen Kodger, with 765;.300 lbs. From Macoa, the New Margaret, with 479.000 11)3. From Canton, the lioang Ho. with 652,000 lbs. The total export to date amounts to 60,G0u.000. The only departure to the United States has been the John Jay, from Shanghai, with 529.000 lbs., making the total to date, 30.556.300 lbs. The Bell Rock took 102,000 lbs. tea lor the colonies. The Noma took 903 bales silk for Southampton, and 445 bales for Marseilles; giving a total of 71,222 bales to the former port, and 8873 to the latter. The Malabar takes about .1450 bales for Southampton.