The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-03-04 00:00:00

CHINA.

HONGKONG, Jan. 15.
On the 31st of December we received the London mail of
the 10th of November, per steamer Madras, which leaves to-
day with the outward mail.

Admiral Stirling, Commodore Elliot, and fleet remain in,
this harbour.

At Macao two very large fires broke out on the 4th and sth
inst., and destroyed the greater portion of the Chinese town,
including the bazaar._ Uywards _of _l,OOO houses are said to
have been destroyed, and property lost to the extent of more
than a million of dollars. The crews of the French men-of-
war Virginie and Constantine were of great service on the
occasion.

Admiral Stirling has organized a system of convoy between
the five ports, which promises to be of incalculable benefit to
native and foreign trade, and highly efficient in suppressing
piracy. _ _

One of Her Majesty's ships is to leave the weathcrmost
port on the Ist of each month, convoying all vessels that find
it convenient to avail themselves of the protection, and,
proceeding along the coast, will visit each port in succession.
On their return against the monsoon these vessels will
make search for pirates. Such a system has been long
wanted, and thanks are due Sir James Stirling, from whom
the measure entirely emanates.
Several attacks of the most daring nature have lately been
made here on private residences, attended, in one instance,
with loss of life to the watchmen employed on the premises.
The numbers of Chinese of the loWest class that are now in
the colony point out very strongly the necessity of improved
measures of protection against outrage,
The Chinese rebellion appears to be making head against
the government. In Kwangsi the rebels have been successful,
and have entirely possessed themselves of three prefectures in
the province of Kiangsi, which threatens to interrupt the
transit from the tea and silk producing country. In the
north, also, the province of Honan is said to be in a state of
insurrection, but no particulars of the" movement have yet
reached us. We also have a report that a plague has broken
out at Ching-kiang-foo, and carried off upwards of 100,000
persons. It is called the black-tongue plague from its peculiar
symptoms. _ _

Ai Canton all remains quiet, but the progress of the rebels
is a source of uneasiness.

The Chinese new year falls on the 6th of February, and is
expected to pass quietly, both politically and commercially.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

CALCUTTA, Jan. 23.—The English accounts showing a.
decline in most articles of our produce, our market has been
similarly affected, but, the stocks generally being low, the
bazaar men do not readily give way in price, and, consequently,
a slack business for the fortnight is the result. Our piece
goods market continues in a very inanimated state, and we
fear that, with the continued large shipments from Great
Britain, no improvement in prices can be looked for. Twist
is rather more active, but with no improvement in values.
Stocks, however, are but moderate. Metals generally are
looking down in price, and dull of sale. It is very gratifying
to be able to announce some improvement, however slight, in
the state of our money market. The impression is general
that matters have seen their worst, and that the Bank of
Bengal will shortly be able to reduce the rate of interest and
discount, when provision has been made for this month's
demands for Arracan and Pegue, as January is usually the
heaviest month in the season for those markets. In govern-
ment securities we have had a decided improvement, though
with occasional fluctuations.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.
ARRIVALS FROM GREAT BRITAIN.
At Hongkong.—Dec. 17th, the Vrow Johanna, from Cardiff
—the Hero from Liverpool-23, the Felix from Newport
Jan. 4, the Sea Witch, from London-6, the Fanny Foster,
from Liverpool-6, the Courier, from Liverpool—the Aletha,
from Sunderland—the Arrow, from Liverpool-8, Jacoba
Cornelia, from Cardiff-9, the Proteus, from Cardiff-11, West-
capella, from Cardiff.
Whampoa.—None.
Shanghai.—Dec. 13, the Salacia, from London-20, the
Turk, from London.