The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-12-24 00:00:00

FRENCH ADVICES FROM CHINA.

The Moniteur publishes the following :
" Certain organs of the English press persist
with the most inexplicable obstinacy in enter-
taining their readers with accounts of fabulous
spoil with which every French soldier will return
after the pretended sack of the Imperial Palace of
Pekin. The only reply we can give is to publish
textually a letter written by General de Montau-
ban to his Excellency the Marshal Minister of
War, dated the Bth of October. It will be
remembered that the Ambassadors of France and
of England entered Pekin on the 22nd of October,
and that peace was signed on the 26th:—

" Head-Quarters before Pekin, Oct. 8.
" ' Monsieur le Marechal,—lt was agreed between
General Grant and myself to proceed to Yuen-ming-
Yuen, the summer residence which the Emperor always
occupies, four leagues north of Pekin.
" This country is so cut up by roads, thickets, &c.,
that General Grant and his army lost their way, and I
arrived alone, in the evening, in front of the palace,
which was in charge of a Tartar guard.
" Despite a long and fatiguing march I ordered the
palace to be occupied at seven o'clock in the evening,
and, forcing as entrance, I had two officers and some
soldiers wounded. The Tartars evacuated the palace
entrusted to their care, and lost some men, one inferior
Mandarin being killed in the court-yard. I ordered the
palace to be occupied, and went there myself early next
morning. It is impossible, M. le Marechal, for me to
describe to you now the wonders of this imperial habi-
tation. Nothing in Europe can convey an idea of such
luxury. I shall not attempt to describe its splendours
in these hasty lines. I shall have the honour to write
to your Excellency at greater length by next mail to
give you a full description.
" 'I placed strong posts at all the outlets of the palace,
so that nothing might be disturbed until our allies
arrived, to whom I immediately sent information. A
few hours afterwards they arrived, and a portion of their
cavalry having joined my column, I appointed two Eng-
lish and two French officers to see that nothing was
touched, and that the two armies should conjointly
exercise a strict control.

" General Grant and Lord Elgin having arrived, we
appointed three commissioners of each nation to make a
division of the most precious objects. In this division
I recommended our commissioners to select only objects
of value for the sake of art and antiquity. I hope to
send to your Excellency, for his Majesty the Emperor,
and for the great collections of the government, or for
the Museum of Artillery, some rare curiosities for
France. .

" ' I am at present awaiting the arrival of Baron
Gros, who is to join Inc here, Lord Elgin being here
already. A sort of convention has taken place between
Prince Hung, Regent of the Empire, and the English
General, in the name of the two Generals-in-Chief.
"' I had consented to an armistice that Prince Hung
might come to Pekin to treat ; he has gone some eight
leagues off, and the Emperor is. in Tartary.
6" I beg of you, M. le Marechal, to excuse the style

of this letter, which I write hastily ; I shall remain here
to-morrow, and even until Pekin is occupied by force or
otherwise, and I shall then have the honour of sending
you a full official report.
" ' I remain, &C.,
11 I

ANIERIOA:

ARRIVAL OF THE ARABIA.

The Royal Mail steamer Arabia arrived iri the
Mersey yesterddy; datei froui EoitOU to the
12th and lallfax to the Jill, 'the Europa lad
arrived out. The Arabia passed the Persia on
the 15th, and the Canada on the 17th, all well.
NEW YORK. Dec. 10, Evening.

News from Washington is of the most striking
character. The Secretary of the 'Treasury has
positively tendered his resignation to the Presi=
dent, and will iiiirriediatelli. retard td tdkd part in
the electioriS of the Cleoygia SedeSsioniSts. In the
House of Representatives; ,Mr. Haxiriiin; the
single member from Florida,, has jiereiripitorily
declined tO,act ,ripon the extra?rdinary comiiiittee
raised by the House for,thp purpose of ?onference
updn the eritiiial condition of the country; and
has resigned his seat at tile rilrinicirial electkin in
Boston yesterday. Mr. J. Wightman, Denio-
cratic union candidate for mayorship; was shewn
.over Moses Kimball, Republican.
We have advices from the city of Mexico to the
28th ult,, and from Vera Cruz to the 7th instant.
The Liberals were completely investing their
capital, and it i$ reported, that tho French Minis-
ter had adViSed Mitainon to capitillate: reat
sc distress prevailed in the city from thescarcity
of food and water. The Stock Market yesterday
was adversely influenced early in the day by the
Washington despatches, and owing to the edi-
torial comments in the morning papers on the
secessiorial agitation, but recovered add closed
rather buoyant in the afternoon on receipt of
what *as considefed less disquieting new from
the smile 41.44:Lei: ,
Advices from HaVanriali tire to the 7th inst.
Sugar and freights were dull. Money tight.
Sterling Exchange, 15 per cent. premium. Cali-
fornia advice" to the 25th ult., but contain no
w va autinn Ltinee.