CHINA.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 308, 2 October 1860, Page 3

CHINA.

Proji Amoy we have no news whatever. There is no news of an important nature from Qanton or Macao. :,/ The Overland Trade Report of 25th July adds some further particulars, which we quote below. It says:—" The measures adopted by the representatives'of the allied powers, at Shanghai towards the insurgents, are the very reverse of thel professions ot neutrality they promulgate. When the attack on Shanghai was expected, bodies of French and British troops and vessels of war were despatched a considerable distance in the interior, With the avowed intention-of arresting the advance, no attempt whatever being made to open communications—and this too after the insurgents had expressed their, intention of* avoiding all cause of ofj fence to foreigners, which as the foreign quarter is quite distinct from the city and capable of defence, there could be no difficulty about. To all intents and purposes the Imperialists are refugees at Shanghai, which they have no means-of holding for one day, if the allies observed the neutia•lity they profess. Still the Imperial authorities are allowed to issue proclamations to appease the people, stating positively that , the foreign forces had espoused the Imperial cause, and would repel any attack on Shanghai. There is but one solution to these extraordinary proceedings, which is, that it is hoped the Pekin cabinet may have a tangi- ' ble proof of the bona Me intentions of the j allies, and may therefore be the more dis- I posed to entertain pacific negotiations on the appearance of the plenipotentiaries of I the Peiho. It is very probable that such an effect may be produced, but even so, what gojd can result unless the allies undertake to extinguish the rebellion, which the present moribund dynasty has lor many years shown itself to be quite incapable of coping with ? Such a contingency is clearly, impossible, and in the meantime the foreign trade of Shanghai is placed in very great jeopardy. The Imperialists have not a foot hold in the valley of the Yangtze except under foreign protection, and the insurgents can retaliate in many ways without provoking a collision. Regarding the movements of the allied forces. From the best information procurable it appears that the British force was ready for offensive operations on the Peiho at the end of June, but that the French force was behind, in consequence of all the artillery harness and accoutrements having been lost in the transport Isere, in the harbor of Amoy. The French Com-manders-in-Chief insisted upon the British force waiting until the lost articles should be replaced by supplies from Europe, which could hardly arrive until the end of August. This extraordinary demand, the British Commanders-in-Chief, it appears, assented to, but it is now stated that the Earl of Elgin at a conference at Shanghai, induced the French Envoy, the Baron Gros, to consent to proceed to hostilities at once. The entire force, including both envoys, and excepting a garrison left at Shanghai (which by the way are nearly all British), have been hurried up to the respective place of rendezvous, and the report now runs to the | effect that the Taku forts would be attacked between the 23rd and 25th instant. Nor is this the only, contretemps attending this disasr trous French alliance, tor it seems that the British force outnumbers the French vastly, and as the latter insist upon the strength of each being equal, two thousand British troops are to be left behind, and the naval brigade will not be called into requisitions These combined, must be nearly equal to tjhe entire French force, so that the whole connection is most unsatisfactory. } . Detailing the progress of the rebels, the China Mail of 28th June says:—A greater loss could hardly have befallen the Imperialist cause than the capture of Soochow,which we learn by the last Shanghai accounts: has been taken by the rebels. As the centre of a populous and wealthy district, its results must be most disastrous. The unutterable horrors of the sack and pillage of such a town may' be conceived, but not described. The slaughter appears to have been general and indiscriminate, neither age nor sex being spared by the ferociou-* bands which gained possession of the ill-fated city. Suicide, the national resort of high officia's when the hour of danger or defeat arrives, appears in some instances to have been adopted as a preferable alternative to falling by the enemy's hands. [ Among others is mentioned the Taoutai, who first tried opium and then a pistol. Ho-kwei-ching managed to escape to Shanghai, and there appealed to. the foreign authoiities, for assistance, which of course could not be acceded. A feature in the captU'e of this town is the determined hostility shown to Josses and all pagan images; some being destroyed, and others, when there probably was insufficient time to carry .out the full work of destruction, denuded of their noses. The Mahomedan mosque being without idols, seems to have been spared. The iconoclasts, if such indeed they can be called, mus? not, however, on this account be considered as deserving our sympathy, for there is more reason to believe that a lawless hatred of authority, and an ignorant thirst for destruction as proving their might, dictated these acts, I rather than, any feelings of religion or aversion to idolatry. Tile wearing long hair, destroying idols, pillaging cities, and devastating whoio provinces, do not in our opinion constitute the actors as Christians, nor.is this the mode in which we would desire to see the doctrines of Christianity introduced into China. A tesult of'ihe bloodshed and anarchy prevailing has been the exodus to Shanghai, and from there southwards, of great numbers of families whose means or condition allowed of their thus escaping, but the hardest lot falls, as it usually does in ihese cases, upon the poor—those who are chained by the iron bands of poverty and their own daily wants to the locality in which destiny may have placed them. For them there is no refuge. Their only

hope is in a stable government, capable at once of enforcing and preserving peace; and that at the present moment would seem a blessing unattainable. The records of civil rebellion in. all countries shew indeed black pages, but in China it would seem that victory was incomplete without 'its', proportion of attrocities, and as the scale inclines to either side, these are retaliated. Thus one outrage breeds another, till at last victory by either Imperialists or rebels is synonymous with messacre. Let-us . hope, the tide of blood will soon cease, and happier times once more da vn on this dis'rac,ted countiy.. r ; , The North China, Mail supplies us with the following summary of events:—Lord Elgin arrived at'Talien Bay on the afternoon of the 9th July ; and Baron Gros, left Shanghai for Chefoo. the rendezvous of the French, on the 4th Jul v. It is said the Fiench force is very far behind with their preparations, and that they have protested against our taking a larger force than them. We believe, however, that Lord Elgin has induced Baron Gros to withdraw the protest, and that active operations will commence about the Ist August. No negotiations will take place until the destruction of the Taku Forts. From Talien we learn that the force there is very healthy. All the men had been :landed, to the number of 11,000 men. for the purpose of giving them exercise. The General had gone to Oheefoo to make arrangements with the French. There were upwards of 150 sail in the bay which ia described as being very large, about ten miles broad and fifteen miles from the entrance to the head. Two melancholy accidents had occurred. The commander of one of the gunboats —the Levan—had been shot by ay marine in his cabin, and also the second master, who had gone to his assistance. We are happy to say, however, they are both recovering. The marine was tried and hung at the yard-arm of one of the vessels. A boat from the steamer Imperatriz wis cipsized, when Captain Gordon of the Madras j Engineers, was drowned. . ! We have no intelligence from Cheefoo, but believe the Frencn forces there were very heal thy. There is no additional intelligence from Shanghai as to the movement of the rebels. Some missionaries and gentlemen have paid the rebels visits and have been courteously and even friendly received. The insurgents have expressed their unwillingness to come into collision with foreigners, and it is evident they avoid attacking Shanghai on that account, that city being defended by Fie ich and English troops. The Chinese say that the city of ELnchau has either fallen or is in great danger of falling into their hands. ELB.M.'s consul had issued a notification warning her Majesty's subjects from interfering in any way with the present state of matters in China, by assisting the Government, " by enlisting, or by furnishing or procuring warlike stores of any desciption, or by fitting out vessels, or by knowingly doing any other act for either party by which neutrality may be violated." A force of "3000 has been collected to proceed to Hanchau to relieve that city from the pressure of the rebels. It was doubtful, however, if after all, they would proceed there, as the Government funds were very low. ■ The entire British force had landed at Ta-lien-whan Bay. The troops were healthy. A depot had been formed at the place, and the people of the country were beginning to return* and supplies of all kinds were coming in. About 25 miles from where the force is stationed, there is a Bay where the Chinese have erected immense fortifications, stronger, it is reported, than those at the Peiho. It would appear that the British were ready to commence hostilities on the 26th June, but, according to the Daily Press, the Fiench protested against any movement as they were not ready, and would not be ready before August. The delay was consented to. It is also stated, on the same authority, that the French objected to our employing a greater force than themselves, and that in consequence 2,000 of our troops will be left at the depot at Ta-ien-whan. The cause of the French delay is said to be thei want ot artillery harness (which was lost in the transport wrecked at Amoy), and that a fresh supply was expected overland. The French wished to borrow both horses and harness from us, but the offer of an entire battery of artillery, men, horses, guns, ammunition, &c,, was declined. The Daily Press of the 17th July, supplies later intelligence, to the sth instant, from Ta-lien-whan Bay. The French troops at Cheefoo were'healthy, and well supplied with water. About thirteen thousand British troops were encamped at Ta-lien-whan Bay, in two. divisions—one under. General Mitchel,' the other commanded by General Sir Robert Napier. The military force was healthy, the sick averaging only four per cent. The mand-a rins had issued orders to the people to. furnish no supplies to foreigners. The delay of the French is growled at, as it was feared the troops would have to winter at Ta-lien-whan. Cochin , China.—From the Hongkong Daily Press :—By the Geelong, from Saigon arrived July 15, intelligence of rather an unsatisfactory nature has been received. The dates come down to the 6th instant. It seems that the French have been menaced in thcir.fortificaiions for some time, and have been compelled to land nearly all the rneii from the fleet, in which the Chinese now form the chief portion of the crew. There were some Manila men also in the garrison. The force was very unhealthy and the treatment extended towards the friendly natives, is spoken of as brutal in the extreme. On;the,way.dovyn the river the cannonading, "reported in our issue of Saturday as |as having been heard by the Rostoco,* was

seen by the Geelong. The French had clearly been attacked by a heavy force. The; firing lasted three hoivs and theri ceased. :The result is not known. •