THE CHINA NEWS.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 43, 27 December 1842, Page 3

THE CHINA NEWS.

We received last night our files of Hobart Town papers brought by H.M.S. Vindictive to Hobart Town. On the arrival of Lord Saltoun, Major-General Bartley and Major-General Scheodde embarked in an armament of 70 sail of vessels, and sailed up the river. Having taken the strong city of Chin-keang-foo, on their way, after a gallant resistance, they proceeded on to Nanking, (the second city in the empire, and situated at the entrance of the Grand Canal,) which, after some very severe fighting, jsvas- taken with considerable loss on thehfide of the British ; but that on the part of ■v the Chinese must have been immense. The brave 1 old Tartar Commander-in-chief, when lie saw that all was lost, retreated to his Palace, which he ordered his servants to set on fire, and in the ruins of which he was burned to death. The next morning, his Secretary, who was found hidden in • a garden, accompanied by several British officers, searched the ruins for his remains, and recognised sufficient thereof to identify them. Upon the British obtaining possession of Nanking, the Emperor duly authorised the Commissioners to enter into the treaty. On the 20th of August, the Imperial Commissioners Elepoo, New, and Kyang, attended by the Chinese naval and military officers, paid their first visit to the Plenipotentiary on board the Cornwallis, whither they were conveyed by the Nemesis steamer. The Envoy and suite, dressed in splendid costumes, were received by their Excellencies in full uniform, with their suite, staff, &c., under a salute due to their rank. On ascending the accommodation ladder, they were greeted with a salute from the marines of the guard, the band playing the national anthem. They were conducted to the state cabin, where, & la mode d' Angleterre, a sumptuous repast was laid out and partaken of with evident satisfaction by the Mandarins, who were certainly pleased with their reception, i Afterwards they expressed.a wish to inspect the ship, never having before seen a man-of-war. They were accordingly conducted over, every part, and appeared quite astonished at the numerous guns from deck to deck, and the order and discipline which reigned throughout. 24th August. —The plenipotentiary, admiral, and general, with their cortege returned the Tartar’s visit on shore. They were received with a salute of three guns, and a guard of honour, accompanying a band playing in a josshouse fitted up for the occasion outside the city walls, the. street leading to.it being lined with * Tartar troops, without arms, with their band also playing. They were met at the door by Elepoo the Governor-General, and TartarGeneral, with a numerous assemblage of their officers, who conducted the visitors to the upper end of the room in which a table of refreshments, sweetmeats, preserves, tea, and sham-hoo, were handed about, and every fitting attention paid. 28th August.—lt is said a letter of the highest complimentary tenor has been received ' by the Plenipotentiary from the Emperor. He even condescended to express satisfaction at the delicate respect which was paid his dignity and fionor, in waiting till the treaty had received his sanction and signature; instead of

being contented with that of his high commissioners. The Emperor willingly and readily accedes to every demand, making a slight objection only as regards residence and trade with Foo-chow-foo, which however-consents graciously to waive. JHe moreover acknowledges the equality pf the honorable foreigners, as he now styles us. He also directs immediate payment of the first instalment, directs the high Commanders most explicitly to draw up the treaty, so as to guarantee eternal peace between the two nations, by having no ambiguity in the stipulations. 29th August. —At half-past two p.m., a royal salute Was fired by the Cornwallis, in celebration of the peace then declared with China. The Imperial yellow flag of the Celestial Empire flying qd the main, and the Union Jack on the mizen. The second instalment of the indemnity is to be paid in Chusan within twelve months. The last at Hongkong within two years. 30th August. Off Nanking. We have peace, and no mistake. We shall certainly move out of the River by the 10th of September ; it seems it will not require mucli time to arrange all particulars. I hope soon to be with you, and shall be much disappointed if we do not meet our friends in Old England time enough to partake of the glorious roast beef and plum-pudding of next Christinas day. Nanking, 31st August. —What will the world say, for we have here dictated a peace, instead of going, as we all expected we must, to Pekin. The most sanguine of us never dreamed that the Tartars would so soon knuckle under. We felt sure we should have one or two campaigns more before the business could be settled. When I left you at Hongkong, you said we shall meet again either in six months or two years; little did I think the contest would be so suddenly over. We were all disappointed with this city. The walls are about 20 miles round, and in height varying from 40 to 70 feet. The streets are broad and dirty, but there is a general similarity betwixt China towns, China faces, and China scenery. They are truly a homogeneous people.

Bran as Manure. —A correspondent invites the attention of farmers to bran as Kwmure ; he says that, having discovered an iwfrease in the growth of grass from the accidental application of bran, he was induced to try an experiment with it, and he found one-third of a ton of bran, which cost 375., caused an increase in a crop of hay of half a ton, worth, at that time, about £3, thus showing a profit of £1 13s. per acre from the use of the bran. He has since drilled bran at the rate of a quarter of a ton per acre for turnips, and he has the satisfaction of finding the crops quite as good as where farm-yard manure was used. — Staffordshire Gazette.

H.M.S. Arrow arrived at Rio Janeiro 20tli May, with specimens of natural history, and despatches from the Erebus and Terror, which vessels were at the Falkland Islands when the Arrow left. The Terror had lost her bowsprit, and a new one wasliearly made, and was to be sent by the Carysfort frigate. These discovery ships were on their return from a second voyage towards the South Pole, and we believe they did not succeed in attaining a higher latitude than 76deg. ; last year, it will be remembered, they traced the land to 79deg., and marked down a volcano in 77deg. Both ships healthy.

The Vindictive. —This fine ship of 52 guns, and 500 men, which came into our port last Sunday, working up most beautifully in the teeth of a strong breeze, is gone round to the domain to refit; she is to remain here six weeks and then proceed to Port Phillip and Valparaiso, on her passage home. She did not reach farther than Whampoa, up the Chinese Seas, her presence not being required at the seat of war, which had just been concluded. We have seen some of the officers, and from what we hear from them we are satisfied that there is no truth in the report that so many China women had been put to death by their own people. The Vindictive lay at Hongkong, which is a barren, unhealthy island, in the Bay near Macoa. It is however rapidly increasing in population, both British and American as well as Chinese. The Emperor it is said directed the negotiations on the spot through his commissioners.