The Express.
London, England, 1861-01-26 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY 26, 1861.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

CHINA.

The China Mail of Dec. 15 ha% the following
summary of news :
The only event of importance which has occurred is the
arrival in Hong Kong of a great part of the expeditionary
force. In our last overland issue we mentioned that the
treaty had, with the Emperor's consent, been posted over
the walls of Pekin ; that the Russian minister had taken
up his residence in that city ; and that Mr. Adkins, of
her Majesty's consular service, had also been left there to
prepare • residence to be occupied by Mr. Bruce early in
the spring. At the time we wrote the allied armylwaa on
its way to Tientsin, or had already arrived there.
The further arrangements for the despatch of the
army have been carried out with promptitude and
skill, though the cold on the Peiho and in the Gulf of
Pechelee was extremely trying before the greater part of
the troops left., the thermometer being so low as 13 deg.,
with one or two heavy falls of snow. Our latest dates from
the Peiho are to the 3rd instant, when the river
was completely frozen up, and ice was beginning to
form round the shores of the Gulf. The 2,500 English
who, with • quota of French, have been left
at Tientsin will have to undergo a severe
winter, bet they have all been comfortably housed ;
the warmest clothing ►as been provided for them, sod
their houses are well warmed with stoves, in which is used
a very• clear burning coal got from some mountains in the
neighbourhood of Pekin. Brigadier-General Staveley has
been left in command of this force, and Mr. Bruce also
winters in Tientsin. There have been some unpleasant re-
ports going about is Canton and Hong Kong of some new
disaster in Pekin, but we cannot trace these to any reliable
source, and, after recent events it is not unnatural that
they should arise, though without foundation.
His Excellency the Earl of Elgin left the Peiho for
Shanghai in the Peruse, which he reached on the 4th
instant, and Sir Hope Grant in the Granada, for the same
destination. They have both started, or are about to start,
for Japan. It is rumoured that Lord Elgin will proceed
direct to Singapore,without calling at Hong Kong. Major-
General Sir Robert Napier has already left this for Calcutta,
and Admiral Hope is expected here every moment in the
Chesapeake.
Thus the campaign in China is over for the present, and
we may expect a pause in the progress of events in China ;
but it is very doubtful whether it will last longer than
eight or nine months.

Though the rebels are pretty quiet near Shanghae. yet
the waters of the Yang-tsze and of its branches in that
neighbourhood continue to be infested by pirates. In our
Imt issue we gave an interesting account of a conflict which
Mr. T. T. Meadows, H.M. Acting Consul, had with four
pirate boats. We regret to learn that another boat, with
three foreigcers on board—Mr. Christisoo, Mr. Johnson the
master, and Thomson the mate—was not so fortunate.
They were well armed, but, being taken by surprise, were
all three murdered by the pirates.
A few of the expedition who have reached Hong Kong
have been extremely fortunate in their election of plunder,
and count their gains by thousands of pounds. The town
has been quite overwhelmed with fur coats, silk cads,
jade-stone ornaments, and other articles taken from the
Emperor's Summer Palace. These, when sold by auction,
have fetched high prices, and were bought chiefly by the
Chinese.

The rebels in the 'neighbourhood of Shanghoe have been
keeping quiet of late ; there is no news from that quarter
either of their further progress, or of their having suffered
any adverses at the hands of the Imperialists. Of the re.
ported rebellion, or riot, in Shensi no further, or any certain,
intelligence has been received.
Ningpo bas not yet suffered from the threatened attack
of rebels ; and from Amoy there is no news.
From Fuhchau there are rumours of new inland taxes
having been imposed, by the Mandarins, on foreign goods
going into the interior. Further measures have bun taken
by the native authorities to protect the city from any Can-
tonese pirates who might feel disposed to revenge the severe
measures which, as described in our last issue, had been
adopted ag►inst that fraternity.
Canton has been visited, within the fortnight, both by
Baron Gros, the French Minister, and by the Ameri-
can Minister, Mr. Ward. ' Much discussion has been caused
by the leisure by the French, and despite the remon-
strance of the governor-general, of the site of Yeh'sYaruun,
in order to erect upon it a Roman catholic cathedral.
The only plea which has been advanced in excuse of this
act is the absurd one that • number of catholic churches
are said to have 'been destroyed in Canton more than a
century ago. Large mums of money, probably an instal-
ment of the Pedemnity money, have been removed from
the city by the British authorities. We mentioned
is our last that permission had been granted to • foreign
steamer to run in the inland waters near Canton, and have
now to record that a trip has been made with perfect safety.
On the 7th instant • violent conflagration occurred in Can-
ton between the custom-house and the Shanieen site, de-
stroying about two hundred Chinese houses, and property,
in all, to the value of about • latch and a half of dollars.
In Hong Kong there has been another fire, in the Tat-
pingsluing district, destroying eighty-one houses and pro-
perty to the value of 56.000 dollars. The Civil Service
Abuse Commission has come to a pause in its inquiry into
the conduct of the Protector of Chinese. It has called on
Mr. Caldwell to reply to the charges already made, that it
may adjudicate on these before making further inquiry.
Some dissatisfaction has been felt in regard to the new land
which, at Kowloon, has been added to the colony, as it is
understood the naval and military authorities have claimed
more of it than they are entitled to.

THE CALCUTTA MAIL •

The principal contents of the Calcutta papers of
Doc. 22 consist of a report of the public meeting to
adopt a petition to parliament praying for publicity
of accounts, restraint upon the Secretaryof State for
India with regard to spending the Indian funds,
the opening of the legislative council, &c. The
distinguishing characteristic of the meeting was the
unanimity of feeling which pervaded all classes of
the community. Thu Hurktfra says :

Fully one half of those present were natives, and this
fact was alluded to by several of the native speakers as
being a pledge of a reunion between themselves and their
European brethren. a termination of the bitterness of feel-
ing, or " antagonism of race "as it has been called, which
has existed since the mutinies. The Europeans showed
their willingness to let bygones be bygones as proposed by
Bobo Itamonath Tagore by loud cheers. The first
resolution was proposed by the President of the
Chamber of Commerce, seconded by the Master
of the Trades' Association, end supported by Baboo
Ramonath Tagore, a brother of the late Babe
Dwarkanath Tagore, no well known in England. The next
resolution was proposed by Rajah Pertaub Chewier Singh,
president of the British India Association, and one of the
Largest reminder. in 'kepi, seconded by Mr. Peterson. of
the Calcutta bar, who was followed by Baboo Lhgumber
M,ttre, • Hindu° merchant, and Ameer Ali, a
pleader in the guilder Court, who was dining the
mutinies in great disfavour with the European corn.
inanity on account of his having been selected by Mr. Hal.
liday as drynnrse to Mr. Samuels, when that gentleman was
sent up to Behar. Tho cordial reception which Ameer Ali
met with from the European part of the assembly, was a full
proof that they were willing to forget all former grievances,
awl cordially to join with their native brethren in the present
movement. The lastresolution was moved by Mr. Fitswillistn,
agent of the Mercantile Bank, and the petition read by Mr.
Brett, managing proprietor of the Englishman newspaper.
These name% will show how sincere all ranks are in their feeling
that there is great danger in the course taken by the Secre-
tary of State with regard to expenditure of the Indian funds,
and we are sure that the alarm will not be less felt in Eng-
land, when the English people become aware of the enoi -
mous bribing power which the office of Secretary of State for
India, as at present constituted, has thrown into the heads
of any ministry which is ns unscrupulous in the use of it as
Sir Charles Wood seems to be.