The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-10-25 00:00:00

CHINA.

By Shanghai advices we learn that a Russian gun-
boat had brought news of the American Minister'a arri-
val at Pekin. General Mouravieff, the Governor of
Siberia, had also arrived at the Peale, and special mes-
senger, had been despatched to the Russian Minister at
Pekin ; his presence excited some surprise. The Rus-
sians appeared to have a perfect understanding with the
Chinese autlioritiol.

Order had been re-established at Shanghai, and con-
fidence among the respectable portion of the Chinese
community. The French Minister had deemed it ex•
to release all the coolies on Board the Gertrude.
There was not a single Shanghai man on board; and the
question naturally arises, whence the kidnapping?
After the attack on the forts of Take, the commanders
of the allied forces blockaded the two arms of the Peiho,
and captured several Chinese junks. This measure pro•
duoed a great effect on the imputation along the coast,
for the traffic of the Pehio is very active. The Go.
vernor of Petcheli sent to inquire the reason why the
coasts of the provinces were blockaded, and of course
received an answer which hilly enlightened him on the
subject.
Court-martials had been held on the officers of the
gun-boats lost in the Peiho action ; of course the trial
was merely formal, and the officers were acquitted.
A story was current that the Chinese fought to well
at the Taku Forts because Senn-ko-in-sin, the Mongol
Prince, inclosed the forts completely by the tripple
ditch which foiled our landing party, and then drawing
up the bridges, gave the garrison no means of escape.
Our New York contemporaries are a good deal turn-
ing their attention to the attempt to force the paasage of
the Peiho. Captain Tatnall, who has the command of
the small American force on the north of China, has
sent a despatch to Washington, making hit Government
acquainted with what has occurred. This despatch was
published as soon u it arrived. It is a long document
and it intimates throughout that the sincerity of the
Chinese was doubted in respect to the ratification of the
, treaty. It seems from this amount that Mr. Ward, the
American Minister, proceeded to ascend the Peiho in ad-
vanes of the English squadron, with only one ship a
ship chartered for the purpose. He got over the bars
that protected the river, but his ship went aground, and
the British Admiral performed the complimentary ser-
vice of sending two steamers to tow it off. Accordingly,
when Admiral Hope found himself worsted in his at-
tempt to silence the forts, the Americans, reciprocating
the good will he had shown to them, did, upon the re-
quest of our Admiral, give the assistance of their
steamer to tow up the boats that landed the attacking
party on the mudbanks. Up to this point Mr. Ward
had only assumed a poaition of peace awl neutrality,
but how this was in accordance with that position, says
the New York Tribune, is not so clear. A correspond-
ent writing from Washington, alludes to rumours that
the Government there would censure Mr. Ward and
Cidain Tatman for acting in this manner; but,
adds he, there does not seem to be much disposition on
the part of the Executive to do so.