The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-26 00:00:00

CHINA.

The Hong Kong papers of Nov. 15 state that
there had been no rebel movements of importance
reported during the previous fortnight. It is by
no means certain that the city of Kanding and the
other positions, lately taken by the allies and given
up to the imperial occupancy, will remain unmo-
lested during the winter. It is understood, how-
ever, that the imperial troops charged with
the defence are of superior mettle to those
who lost them before. The Overland Mail says :
"It is to be hoped that this is the case, and that the
admiral has not been a second time imposed upon.
The strong force of British troops in Shanghae
is the only real protection to the province, and the
rebels have no desire to encounter them, however
ready they may be and doubtless are, to fight any
imperial force that can be brought against them."
Rumours of the rebels occasionally reach
Shanghae ; bands of them continue to make their
appearance within the thirty mile radius, but no
further hostilities are recorded. There were also
rumours to the effect that the Taepings, having
failed with Shanghae, will move away to Hankow
and attack that city. A large lire is said to
have occurred at that port just as the last mail was
leaving.
From the other ports on the Yangtsze there is
little news. Kinking still promises to become a
prosperous port, and to divide with Hankow the
trade of a large district.
The latest accounts say that the rebels have been
as near as 25 miles to Hankow, and that much
alarm prevailed ; that they had afterwards retired
to a distance of 100 miles ; and that imperial troops
were advancing for the protection of the place.
Less uneasiness prevailed, moreover, owing to the
presence of foreigners. If there be any danger,
it is probable that a gun-boat or two will be sent
up to assist in defending the port.
At Shanghae the ravages of cholera among the
foreign residents and on board of her Majesty's
ships of war have been considerable.

From Canton we hear no further news of the
incendiary movements lately detected, and, as far
as possible, punished. A district city 200 miles
from Canton has been surprised by robbers and
taken possession of. A man was recently cut to
pieces in Canton for the murder of his mother—
one of thy highest offences known to Chinese law.

JAPAN.

We read in the Over!awl China Mail :

From Japan our intelligence is of a perplexing and myste-
rious kind. Fur some time beck it has been understood
that much consultation and deliberation has been going on
among the Daimios both at Yeddo and elsewhere. The
only inform►tion that noted be had regarding certain im•
portant meetings which were understood to be held at
Yeddo, was to the effect that they only concerned the in-
ternal affairs of the kingdom, and did not affect
foreigners. By the advice, come to hand this has,
so to speak, proved both true and false. These
advice' tell us that a bloodless revolution has taken place in
Japan, whose chief result is no line than the destruction of
Yeddo•-as (vital city of the empire. For two centuries
Yeddo has, by the peculiar laws of the country, formed a
political centre in Japan ; while the more mired functions
of sovereignty have been secluded at Mikado, where has re-
sided the Miako, that Emperor of Japan who bad
the only real claim, in the eyes of the nation, to
" the divinity that doth hedge a king." For
grave political reasons, however, now leas urgent than
then, the pomp and bustle of royalty was decreed to be
enacted at Yeddo, under the auspices of a prime officer, who
bee been designated the Tycoon. The great Daimios were
bound to reside in Yeddo for a certain period every year,
and their families were bound to re nain in the capital, ►t
Least during the Daimios' absence. The effect of this regale-
tion was to render the Tycoon a man of greet authority and
influence ; to check the independence of the Daimice ; and to
make Yeddo a city of the first importance in rank, wealth, and
fashion. It will now readily appear that the abrogation of
I the law which enforced a residence by the Deltaic*, or their
families, at Yeddo, if taken advantage of, must denude that
city of nearly all that ever rendered it great. Moreover, a
change so grave as that involved in even the temporary
suspension of the law referred to amounts to a change
the constitution of the country itself, and must have bean

prompted by considerations of the most serious moment.
Such a change, however, is not only reported as having
taken place, but as being generally availed of by an the
noble families in Yeddo, who are leaving the city as fast as
possible.
It would be useless to view this startling alteration in the
traditions and laws of Japan otherwise than in the light of
the country's foreign relations. It discloses to western
nations the true position of the Tycoon, as • dependent
whose importance can be destroyed in • day, not by his
own pommel degradation probably, but by the more circuit-
ous and more competent process of releasing the nobility
from • forced attendance at the city where he resides. The
position of foreigners is now perplexing is the extreme.
We reported • fortnight ago that the Tycoon had asked for
foreign assistance. He is now abandoned to the foreign
powers on whom he proposed to rely ; • city Las been, to
achieve this result, as effectually sacrificed as if it had been
bombarded and set Ore to. And all this has been done
without the slightest grounds for foreign interference
just as many other inimical acts have been done since we
entered Japan, for which we could not by any possibility
call its rulers to account. It has been advanced fre-
quently in these columns that the main object of the
Japanese ambassadors in Europe is to discover how the
terms of the treaties can be beat evaded ; and the ample
moans at their disposal for learning our views and measur-
ing our strength will have enabled them to communicate to
the Goregio, or to some of their fellow noblemen, the true
rendition of European powers. This movement at Yeddo,
whether temporary or otherwise, is perhaps merely preps- .
story to that attitude of hostility which they expect to be
celled upon to occupy in course of time. The present di-
plommy of Japan contrasts markedly with the former po-
licy
of China.