CHINA.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 19, 4 October 1842, Page 3

CHINA.

(From this Standard.)

The latest intelligence is to the 14th of February from Macao. The Chinese government having garrisoned the. cities and forts of Yuyao, Tsikee, and Funghwa, which are situate 40,, 20, and 30 miles from Ningpo; with a view of

awing nil those .who had submitted to tlid British, a force consisting of three steamers with about 700 men was dispatched against them. They were soon, occupied; the only opposition being an attempt at one place oh the part of the Tartars to defend ! the town from without the walls; blit, although fire, the Tartars fled as Soon as attacked; they 1 were pursued and lost about 150 inenj Tn e snow, which covered the country saved the' others, as their pursuers did not know'the safe paths; The ammunition, arms, clothing, and. other war-stores were destroyed, and the pubic granaries surrendered to the populace. The expedition returned to Ningpo on the 12th of January. . . Hang-chow-foo is the chief city of the popu-" ' ous province of Che-Keang, and was, it issaidy about to be occupied' during February. It -had a garrison of 10,000 raw recruits. The division of the English troops into detachments at Jong Kong, Amoy, Chusan, Ghinhae, and Ningpo, was likely to prevent an immediate attack, but on the arrival of the expected reihbrcements from India and England, thecammign would, it is said, begin by the capture of that important position at the south point of the Great Canal. The futility of this proceeding is much canvassed, for many contend, that instead of wasting forces at isolated points, the British expedition ought to proceed at Once to? the attack of the Imperial, province of Pekin, which being, by the constitution of the Chinese empire, placed under the immediate government of his Celestial Majesty, any attack on it would oblige the Emperor in person to examine the causes of the war, and to come to a speedy decision. The great blunder of the’ late Plenipotentiaries was their not persisting in 1840 to demand a settlement of all disputes,when Keslien hoaxed them back to Canton. Sir H. Pottinger must go to Pekin, in order to' bring the war to a termination; for thei mandarins at Hang-chow-foo seerrtiresolved rather to carry on their operations in their own fashion, although they appeared to make an offer of negotiations. The sacred province of Pekin must be assailed, and even the British troops may have to march towards the capital, before the obstinacy of the Emperor will yield. The possession of the imperial provint e is, besides, to be considered as an occupation of the government, and then the Emperor will have either to abdicate or submit to proper terms. .

Having issued a circular to her Britannic Majesty’’s subjects, announcing the capture of those three cities, Sir Henry Pottinger sailed for Hong-kong, where he arrived on the Ist of February. He immediately put a stop to the wretched system of seizing the Chinese commercial junks. Trade was carried on successfully with tile southern ports, and opium was selling freely along the coast; fbr the powers of the Government to control the use of that narcotic appear now to be in a great measure paralysed. The sale of this article is such, arid the prices so remunerating, that it has been r proposed to station vessels in different places to serve as depots for the cargoes. The profits are such as will enable the Hon. Company to defray at least one-half of the expenses of the expedition to China'.

In the meantime, the mandarins at Canton and their Dutch engineers are ,busy in erecting fortifications along the banks of their river > they have already erected 12 stone or earth batteries along, the Macao passage and the Salt Junk river, in which they have placed nearly 400 guns of large calibre. As the export trade from Canton continued, Sir Henry Pottinger has decided, while trade is allowed, and the river below Whampoa is left unobstructed, upon not attacking that place again, for, as he declared to some mandarins, who came com--missioned, as they said, by their celestial monarch, to treat with the British Plenipotentiary, “ I will not now enter into treaty; I will, negotiate with the Emperor personally at Pekin.”

Reinforcements are now preparing in different places. The 2d and 41st Madras Native Infantry embarked on the 13th of Maroh from Madras,, and the 14th, which was at Maulmein, and the; 39th Madras Native Infantry, which was at Fenang, have, as it is asserted, received orders to get ready for. proceeding to join the China expedition. ' : It is reported that Chusan, Amoy, and Hong Kong are to be free ports; buildings of various kinds are springing up fast in the last named.

Culture and Preparation of Flax.—' The best flax soil is what is called alluvial, or such as is neither clayey nor gravelly, j and can easily be made fine by ploughing, and harrowing, and naturally fertile. Soil enriched by much manure causes the flax to grow too-strong;.and come coarse from the hackle., Gopd crops, are often had from mossy ground when a little play' is mixed, and on a clay, bottom. Flax- of the best quality is grown after oats, from plover, or pasture -lea, if the ground ha? been laid do wh in gOod heart. Sometimes good crops arn :gqt from stubble, after potatoes; but.it is neyer { de w sirable to sow flax after potatoes or turnips, particularly if the ground has had a- full quantify of manure. It is, hOwever, often done on. smalley farms; and, where the manure was deficieutfor potatoes, the flax would be better.