The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-16 00:00:00

CHINA

The overland Friend of China, of Oct. 2;, in its
general summary, says :—From the northern pro-
vinces we have been now some time without definite
information. From Shanghae, news has been
brought up to the sth instant, at which date some
fighting had taken place between the Imperialists
and the insurgents near the town. It appears
the country people all around showed increasing
symptoms of disaffection, and that trouble
might be looked for at an early date. Fuh-chow-
foo, however, is peculiarly situated; possessing
a garrison of from 13,000 to 20,000 Tartar
soldiers; and, with their families and pensioners of
the government, the whole number of Manchous in
the place cannot be less than 70,000. Effeminate as
the soldiers are reported to be, there is no doubt but
that, as hitherto, any small local outbreak could
easily be put down. Fuh-chow-foo, indeed, is likely
to be the last place south of Nanking to fall away
from the Tartar dynasty ; and it is not improbable
that if Hienfung is driven from Peking, Fah-chow-
foo will become the seat of the imperial government;
the viceroy of the province being uncle of the pre-
sent, and brother of the late, Emperor.
At Amoy, fighting between the Imperialists and
the rebels was still going on when her Majesty's
sloop Rapid left on the 23rd instant. Being much
distressed for powder, urgent requests had been made
to Captain Futhbourne, by the admiral of the Impe-
rialist fleet, to charter her Majesty's steam-ship
Hermes, fur the purpose of procuring money and am-
munition.

' Canton is quiet—ominously quiet. The local
traders appear to labour under the dread of some
hidden danger; the streets, which in general are so
crowded with passengers, seem half denuded.
Her Majesty's sloop Liiy is now moored off the
entrance of Old China-street (as suggested in our
issue of the 27th ultimo), and her excellently disci-
plined crew are daily exercised in the factory gardens
in working an howitzer, fire engines, &c., in readiness
for anything that may occur.
An attempt was made last week to blow up the
British Vice-Consular Chop, at Whampoa ; a barrel
of powder being found in one of the ports with a light
in it. A few minutes more would have sealed the
fate of Vice• Consul Bird, to whom an act of kindness
would be accorded, if he was at once allowed to leave
his post, and " bury himself in oblivion."

CANTON MARKET, OCT. 27.
Notwithstanding the dire anticipations of the local
=anis, the market for imports has been much better lately
than it hu been known for some time past.
EXPORTS.

Tea.—The transaction; of the month have been exten-
sive. The following sales are reported : Congou 115 chops
at, for Oonams, tut' 16 to 21; mouings, 21 to 23 ; oopack;,
20 to 271; kysows, 20 to 27 ; total settlements to date, 33,5
chops; stock, 120 chops; of Canton coogou about 4,000
chests taken at taels 16 to 191; souchong 3 chops, one at
244 and the others at 35 tael;.
Silk.—Settlements of the fifth crop are estimated at 600
peculs at for kowkong, 250 dols. to 260 dols. ; long kongs,
270 doll. to 255 doll. ; cassis, 9,000 peculs of new sold at
about 19[ dols. ; galangal, 200 peculs sold ; rhubarb, sales
270 cheats at about 60 dols.; sugar, sales 30,000 peculs.
EXCHANGES.
Canton. Oct. 25.—0 n London, ss. 31d. to ss. s[d.; on
India, 247 rs. to 253 rs.; 0. B. Cor. on London, ss. 2d.;
ditto on India, 250 rs.