The Press.
London, England, 1857-05-16 00:00:00

THE WAR WITH CHINA.

THE usual overland despatch brings no news of im-
portance from Hong Kong or the China seas-
Admiral Seymour still remained upon the defensive.
Two steamers had reached Hong Kong with troops
from Madras. Yell was drawing large contributions
from his province to support the expenses of
the war.

On Saturday further official despatches relative to
the proceedings at Canton were issued, in the form
of a return to Parliament. As many as twenty
despatches (exclusive of inclosures) from Sir John
Bowring to the Earl of Clarendon are given.
Particulars are sent to the Home Government of
the kidnapping Mr. Cowper, and also copies of cor-
respondence with the Spanish Consul-General, on
the subject of the supposed murder of the Spanish
Vice-Consul of Macao, in the attack upon the Thistle.
On the 9th of December, Sir John Bowring sends to
the Viceroy of Fuh-keen, &c., a statement of his
complaints against Commissioner Yeh, and requesting
that the Court of Pekin be advised of the same. In
the course of reply, the Viceroy declines upon an
ex parte statement to form an opinion upon the
merits of the question, or to be " so precipitate as to
address the Throne on the matter." He concludes :
Our two nations having been on friendly terms for
many sears, T am still in hopes that, by due observance on
either side of the treaty of peace that was to last for ever,
it will be their good fortune to strengthen the amicable
relations heretofore existing between them.
Similar replies from the Viceroy of the Two Keang
and the Governor of Kean,g-soo are given. The
first adds :

476

I rejoice in your Excellency's professions of peace ; but
it would only do harm to the interests of peace, to which
you profess yourself so friendly, were I to tell the Em-
peror that, because of Yeli's act, you have precipitately
broken the peace that the treaty said was to last for ever.
Another reason against my addressing the Throne is that
Yeh, and he alone, is competent to deal with commercial
questions; and this can be nothing else, being a question
with foreigners.

A variety of documents relative to the poisoning
at Hong Kong, including protests thereon from the
representatives of France and America to Commis-
sioner Ych, then follow.
Yeli, in his reply to Dr. Parker, doubts any inten-
tion of the Chinese to injure the Americans, but
be adds :

The English hsve now, for several months, in a most
unprovoked manner, brought their troops and engaged in
hostilities, repeatedly setting fire to the shops and dwell-
ings of people, and destroying a very great number of
buildings, and have ruined some entire families. Doubtless
there are many Chinese whose hatred against the English
has been much increased by this ; but to poison people in
this underhand manner is an act worthy of detestation ;
still, as it all occurred in Hong Kong, it is impossible for
me to examine into all the facts. The act is owing to the
unnumbered evils which have been inflicted upon the
Chinese by the English ; and the natives of the surround-
ing districts have taken this way of revenging their private
wrongs.

To the Count de Courcy lie writes :
The news of the poisoning of the bread at Hong Kong
has shocked and saddened me the more profoundly because
friendship and harmony exist as a matter of custom between
China and your noble empire. But since, without reason
or cause, the English continue their hostilities during
whole months, setting on fire and burning an infinite num-
ber of the people's dwellings and of establishments of all
kinds, entire families without number are necessarily
reduced to misery, and the populations of all the districts
breathe only hatred and vengeance against them. The
proofs of this are to be seen everywhere, and your despatch
says, truly, that " when hatred seizes upon a people, it
thinks only of avenging itself, and, discarding the rights of
reason, it has only one desire, that of injuring its enemy."
Whoever he may be, the author of the poisoning is an
abominable being, but he is at present. at Hong Kong,
and it would be difficult for me to take proceedings against
him.

A copy of an imperial edict issued on the 27th of
December last, forming the latest instructions fur
certain provincial authorities relative tothe hostilities
with England, is of interest.
In this document the Emperor says :

We have this day instructed Yeh, that if the English
barbarians turn from their present course of their own
motion, anger (or hate) need not be carried to extremity,
but if they dare to persist in their extravagance and ob.
stinacy, peace Is not to be negotiated by a conciliatory
movement on our part, as this would open the way to de.
mends for other concessions of importance. Yeh•ming-
chin has been ver, long in charge of the Kwang Provinces,
and is so thoroughly cognisant with barbarian affairs, that
he will be able in all possibility to devise a proper course of
proceeding.

Directions then follow to secure the coast towns
from all danger of attack, but in such a manner as
not to "disturb or perplex the public mind."
Despatches from Admiral Seymour to the Ad-
miralty contain an account of proceedings in the
Canton River, already known to our readers.
On the .18th of February, Sir John Bowring writes
to the Earl of Clarendon :

My Lord,--I have received, with peculiar satisfaction,
your lordship's despatch dated the 10th January, advising
me that her Majesty's Government entirely approve of the
Course adopted by Sir Michael Seymour, Mr. Parkes, and
myself, in reference to the late operations in the Canton
River.
Indeed I may safely state that I have rather had to
struggle against demands for more violent and destructive
measures than to fear censure for those which have been
adopted.
It has been throughout my desire and that of the ad.
miral to spare, as much as possible, the innocent and un•
offending people of Canton, but I grieve to say the fem.
dons and barbarous element disposed to avail itself of
means, however atrocious and savage, is widely spread
among the fierce population of that place.
The remaining papers include communications re-
lative to the capture of the steamer Queen, and
further despatches from Admiral Seymour, the latter
observing on the 15th of March :

As regards the Imperial High Commissioner, from all
that l can learn his Excellency is still animated by feelings
of the deepest hostility, and has increased his garrison at
Canton ; nothing hut an adequate military tone can, in my
opinion, replace our relations on proper footing, and ulti-
mately secure the due fulfilment of treaty stipulations. I
am in daily expectation of the arrival of the steamsloops
and gunboats.

On the 26th February Vice-Consul Meadows for-
wards to Sir John llowring a memorial from a
Chinese governor, which has come into his hands,
embodying an imperial decree. " The edict," says
Consul Meadows, writing from Ningpo, "shows that
at the date of its being issued, about the 15th of last
month, the Emperor was not inclined to listen to
anything adverse to the Imperial Commissioner Yeb,
though communicated by other high provincial
authorities; and that his Imperial Majesty specu

THE PRESS.

lated on hostilities not being finished at Canton at
the time of the spring rains."
Sir John Bowring on the 10th March observes :
I am disposed to think that the Imperial Commissioner
will maintain his present position as long as we are unable
to visit him with any serious molestation, trusting to the
chapter of accidents for some turn in his favour.
A proclamation of the acting chief magistrate in
Heang Shang district is also published. This docu•
went is of importance, as showing the extreme view
really taken in the province of Canton of the question
at issue. The proclamation calls upon the Chinese
subjects to contribute towards the expenses of a war
against England :
The district of Shun•teh has undertaken to furnish
200,000 taels ; and as it appears that the districts of
Heang•Shang and Sin•hwung enjoy the reputation of great
wealth, and contain nos-mall number of zealous and public-
spirited inhabitants, it is my duty to desire their respective
magistrates to call on Heang-Shang for a contribution of
100,000 taels, and on Sin•hwnng for a contribution of
120,000 taels, fur provision of the necessaries of war•.