The Press.
London, England, 1857-01-03 00:00:00

part of the city was bombarded on the 3rd and 4th
of Nov., and on the 6th the llarracouta destroyed
twenty three war junks. Another interval of reflection
was then granted to the Chinese Governor, but at
the date of the last accounts from Canton, up to the
15► th, no signs of an accommodation were discer-
nible—a proclamation having been issued by Yeh
declaring that with the entire concurrence of the in-
habitants of Canton he had flatly refused to concede
the admission of foreigners to the city, and was de-
termined not to grant the zequest though " the bar-
barians might carry their feats and machinations to
what length they will."
Our fleet of war ships in the Chinese Seas
consists of:—

AT HONG MONO.
H.M.S. Calcutta ti4 Captain Hall.
Winchester
Coromandel
Hercules.... Hospital ships.
Minden .... )

AT wicturoA.
H.M.S Sybille
Encounter
Bittern
Sampson
Counts
AT CANTON.
H.M.S. Barracouta
AT WOOSVNO.

H.M.S. Pique .. Capt. Sir F. W. Nicolson.
Hornet
As in these matters there are always two sides to
the question, we subjoin the

CHINESE VERSION OF THE DISPUTE.
The banditti that formerly existed in the interior having
b3en swept away by our officers and soldiers, native and
f oeign merchants have acquired peace to transact their
affairs. What can be so good ?
A. few days ago we heard that the English authorities had
suddenly brought their steamers and war vessels to enter
the river, fire on and injure the forts, and kill the soldiers,
which is exceedingly perverse and unreasonable. Fortu-
nately our officers and soldiers in the forts did not resist ;
thereby avoiding the infringement of the treaty. Having
inquired, we learn that for some time many of the lorchas
that have traded on the Canton river have infringed the
laws very much—smuggled and sold salt; instances of their
infringements are piled up. Not one of the native officials
and people but has been much provoked. Now, this
No. '27 lorcha, boldly dared to shelter the robbers Lee
Ming T'ae and others, and to enter Canton.
The English officials are bound, in accordance with the
treaty, to find out vagabonds and hand them over to the
Chinese officers for punishment. But in this affair the
elptain of the lorcha has deceived the English Consul ;
the wrong, therefore, rests with him (the captain), and
not with our military authorities. This lorcha was em-
ployed by a native called Soo•Asing, the register was Ws-
honestly procured by the captain ; it is not an English
lorcha; there is a great difference between it and the
foreign men-of-war ships that arz of an honest character.
The duty of our military is only to find out and capture
robbers; they do not understand the treaty, at which we
need not be astonished. Our officials have heard of this
affair, and, being very merciful, have liberated the twelve
men who were taken from the lorcha, in accordance with
all love and reason.

But, unexpectedly, the English officers, distinctly against
the treaty, have fired on and injured the forts, killing the
soldiers.

We wish to ask if there is any love or reason in such
conduct? We recollect that the forts on the banks of the
river were formerly wade for the protection of the people,
now they being suddenly injured the (neighbouring)
country suffers also. Not ons who has blood and breath
but will be engaged.
We can only expose this perverse and unreasonable in-
fringement of the treaty by the English officers, univer-
sally informing the officials and merchants of all the
honourable countries, as well as the large English mer-
chants (requesting them), altogether to investigate, and
not to say we men of China speak against human prin-
ciple.