The Express.
London, England, 1857-07-14 00:00:00

CHINA.

(750)4 OCR OWN CORItT..PONDENT.)
ItONU KONG, MAT 25.
The steamer Sonia leaves at 2 p.m. to-day, with
the bi-monthly mail. The steamer Adcn, with the
mails of April 10, arrived on the 22d. At present
we find everything dull, and matters would be with-
out the least interest, but for the fearful famine
which prevails in most parts of China, and ii, few
places less severe than in Quan-tung province, of
which Canton is the capital. Indeed, if' the British
authorities were to maintain a blockade of the Can-
ton river, the whole of the inhabitants w die of
inanition, as no provisions are received TilPept up
river. To bring Ych to terms it is highly probable
the interdiction of rice importation is all that is
necessary, for when the people were aware that the
obnoxious governor—obnoxious to the English
people—was the chief cause of all their sufferings,
they would soon resort to pressure, and remove him
and every other obstacle; but so fearful an alterna-
tive is not forced upon them. Both Sir John Bow-
ring and Admiral Seymour refuse to resort to such
an extreme measure, and instead of preventing
rice vessels to proceed up with their car-
goes, they afford them every protection
against the innumerable piratical vessels that
infest the channels and creeks leading to the
city. So great was the suffering at Canton,
that soup-kitchens had been opened by the rich for
feeding their has wealthy countrymen; and to pro-
cure nee, several commercial men of importance at
Canton, as the renowned Ilow-qua, had proceeded
to Macao to purchase grain for gratuitous distribu-
tion. Some of these celestial philanthropists have
arrived here on the same generous errand, and much
as every one feels the loss of trade conmsjuent upon
the existing state of our relations, the bitterest foe
hesitates not to lend a helping hand to relieve the
starving and wretched population of the doomed
city
fajor-General Sir R. Garrett and his staff have
arrived, and will shortly be followed by General
Ashburnham, who has proceeded to Bombay ; but
no operations of moment, certainly no military ex-
pedition, will be undertaken until after the arrival
of Lord Elgin ; for were troops available for the
purpose, the state of the weather will prevent any
thing being done until October next, when the cold
weather will set in. In a few days the small
steamers and gunboats will open upon the fleet of
imperial or piratical—the flag changes so often that
their true character cannot be ascertained with cer-
tainty—up the Fatahan creek, where they were
seen only a few days ago by one of the trading
steamers daily augmenting their number.
The China Mail mentions a report which is cur-
rent, but generally credited, that Yeti, the governor
of Canton, has been ordered to I'ekin, and that his
successor, Pih-Kwei, had actually arrived to assume
charge of the Two-Kwang. This is probably merely
a repetition of a rumour current about six weeks
since. The alleged successor of Yeh was formerly
governor of Quan-tung, and he and Ych arc and
have long been on bad terms. The Hong Kong
Register is silent on the subject, and when alluding
to Yeh that journal says lie remains in the cite
callous and indifferent both as to the misery around
him and as to the fate which awaits himself. Many
of the Chinese say he will remain so until the lust
moment, and thee make away with himself—a not
improbable finish to his career." The Friend of
China in no way alludes to Yeh or the penonal
affairs of that high mandarin.
The registration ordinance has passed the council,
although not without much opposition on the part
of Sir John llowriag, who deems the measure unne-
cessary and very oppressive. To the governor's
views were opposed Chief Justice liulme, Attorney-
General Anstey, the Colonial Treasurer, and three
non-official members. So the ordinance goes home
by the mail for her Majesty's sanction. In the
meantime its provisions will be acted upon, and the
commencement made by registering all the servants
employed by the European residents of the colony.
Our naval force has been strengthened by the ar-
rival of her Majesty's steamer Tribune, from the
Pacific, and her Majesty's ship Amethyst, from
England, as also the Ilightlyer and gunboats Opos-
sum, I'lover, Forester, and Ilaughtv. We are now
daily looking for additional arrivals from the Pacific
and England. Her Majesty's ship Racehorse, from
Foo-chow-foo, arrived yesterday, and will sail in a
day or two for Singapore, to relieve the Spartan ;
the latter frigate proceeds to England, after being
more than five years on the station.

From the northward everything is very cheering,
save the scarcity of rice, and consequent suffering of
the poorer classes, who were literally perishing for
Zack of food. At Amoy, such was the good feeling
existing between the inhabitants and English, that
on the 25th instant all foreigners, even ladies and
children, are invited to an entertainment to be pro-
vided by the Chinese, official and others.

From Shanghai the political news was very grati-
fying. The best of feeling was cultivated between
the Chinese and foreigners. From Foo-chow-foo the
news was equally pleasing. The rumoured total failure
of the tea crop was not true, although the out-turn
will probably be less than tho average of former
years. The rumoured destruction of the crops by