CHINA. [From the Maitland Mercury, July 3 ]
We have received a copy of the Overland Register of the 29th March ; and from its "Monthly Summary " we make the following extracts: — " The past month has been marked by two conspicuous events. The Emperor of China died on the 25th of February last, having survived the Empress Dowager, whose decease was recorded on the 23rd of the previous month, only 33 days. He is succeeded by his fourth or eldest surviving son, a youth 19 years of age, who will reign under the title ot Sze-hing-. The Manifesto issued by the new Sovereign reached us too late for translation in our piesent issue, but we shall | give copious particulars in our next Overland, i The present event h likely to operate impor- • tant changes, both political and commercial, iv our relations with this Empire, as it will probably bring Keying, hitherto the principal guardian of the heir apparent, into a more influential post in the Cabinet, if not at once into the premiership. We must however reserve all speculat'on upon these matters for the present. Meantime we may remark, that the legalization of opium, both as a source of revenue in helping the new government through its formidable financial difficulties, and towards settling a long vexed and dangerous question, will probably be one of the first measures submitted to the new Sovereign. The death of ?he Emperor Taouk' wang is said to have been hastened if not caused by a flight he received during a recent conflagration within his palace. "Again it becomes our pleasing duty to report two fresh instances of the successful suppression of piracy by her Majesty's ships. Ih another column will be found Captain Lockyer's official report of the destruction of thirteen piratical junks, and the rescue and surrender to their rightful owners of four honest trading vessels, by her Majesty's steamer Medea on the 4th and sth February. The second affair we have to record is the captuie of three piratical vessels by her Majesty's steamer Reynard on the 23rd iustant. It occurred at the entrance of the bay, and within sight of the western point of the city of Victoria. Three junks and fourteen prisoners were brought in. The latter are waiting their trial at the next criminal sessions, and have been identified as part of the gang o( pirates who captured the informant's fishi ing boats and murdered pait ot their crews off Macao the week before. It is indeed a i pleasing feature in the new regime, not only that the Chinese Commissioner points out to us the resort and gathering of pirate fleets, j and entreats the co-operation ot our flag, but even a solitary act of piracy cannot now be committed within a circle of fifty miles, without iniotmation of the fact being immediately conveyed to the Hongkong government, if any one ot the victims is left alive to carry the tale. "It is reported that Shap-wj-tsei, and several of his followers, have surrendered themselves to the Commissioner, and have not only received free pardons, but rank and office, for future sfrvice to the government! The report, we learn, has been fully authenticated. "Two trading steamers, one English, the other American, have been prohibited from carrying cargo in Canton River. This is looked upon by the representatives of both powers as a breach of treaty on the part of the Chinese authorities, and pending the settlement of the question, the steamers are lying on demurrage. "We regret to announce that the population of the town and neighbourhood Shanghae are suffering from a severe famine, consequent upon the late inundations. It is too much to be dreaded that the scourge of pestilence will follow as usual ; meantime, the most humane efforts are being made by the British and foreign residents to alleviate the cruel sufferings by which they are surrounded. A subscription, set on foot here by the Roman Catholic padres for the relief of their Christian congregations in the the neighbourhood of Shanghae, is likewise, being liberally responded to."
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New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 524, 10 August 1850, Page 3
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677CHINA. [From the Maitland Mercury, July 3 ] New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 524, 10 August 1850, Page 3
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