The Express.
London, England, 1857-01-29 00:00:00

CHINA.

The advice, from Hong Kong by the lut Over
Mail extended to Nov. 24. They brought in-
telligence, it will be remembered, of the demolition
shin Barrier Forte by the Americans. The present
aid brings the news down to the 16th of December.
The general summary of the Overland Friend of
Chine, of Dec. 15, is as follows :

"The mail packet Norna, with London dates to
the 10th of October, reached Hong Kong on the Ist
instant-62 days over all.
" We have no change in the temper of the Chinese
Government to report. Ych, backed by the gentry
and people, is as obdurate as ever; he will make
no sign; and nothing but the extremeat measure@
can now produce the result desired. Until we have
more men, however, little can be effected. Not
until the heights, the city, and the suburbs, are
entirely under our command—and traversed by our

soldier—will the Cantonese be satisfied of •their
inability to maintain the unsociable position they
have so long contended for. A couple more regi-
ments and some field pieces would be sufficient
" The only event of importance since the des-
patch, on the 25th ultimo, via Calcutta, of the
record of the ten preceding days, has been the
capture and demolition of the French Folly Fort,
with a lose on our side of one marine private, shot
through the body by en iron arrow. The destruc-
tion of the fort was most complete ; and the ra-
pidity with which it was performed Trost have
had an astonishing sleet on the Chinese mind.
In each of seventeen mines a hundred pounds
of powder were bade& and at the hour of high
noon the whole wee exploded—to leaving hardly
one stone square open smother. Our gallant
Mathes in arms, the Americans, have been Ices
succeed in their operations on the Barrier Forts
—the indiscreet w of a crowbar on a charged
mine sending three to eternity at ono', and wound-
ing half a dome others who were standing by.
ifeeerthehes, they, too, have well performed the
woe* of Amismoden I if it can be thought well to
destroy forts (the two southernmost especially) that
might have been gaily held, and would have proved
awful.

"The destruction of a village where a sailor and
a marine of ours were waylaid and murdered, and
the death of Captain Cowper, RE., Acting Surveyor

General, Hong Kong, by the fall of a house upon
him, are also among the notablia of the period.
An extra to the Hong Kong Register, of Dec. 16,
details the destruction of the factories at Canton.
"On Sunday night, the 14th inst., at 11 o'clock,
the factories to the west of British Factory were
act on fire in six places, and when the steamer
Lily left on Monday at 4 p.m., the destruction
was complete, with the exception of two houses
facing the American Garden, now or lately in
the occupation of Messrs. Russell & Co., but as
all behind were burning they were expected to
go also. The house built at the bottom of Hog-
lane for a parsonage, was blown up to prevent the
flames spreading to the houses in the British Factory
—but our informant seemed to doubt if it would be
attended with success. We have no further par-
ticulars.

"During the conflagration the Dutch Folly Fort
was throwing shells and rockets into the city. No
attack was made—the Chinese contenting themselves
with burning the empty houses, by which their own
people will be the greatest sufferers.
" Since writing the above, we have dates two
hours later to 6 p.m. yesterday. By them we learn
that the Oriental Bank was at that time in full
blaze—the Agra and Mercantile Bank,' burned
down—the Consulate still standing, but expected to
go, with all the remaining buildings in the factories.
The fire commenced behind the premises of Messrs.
Dent and Co., and all the houses fronting the Ame-
rican Gardens, except those of Russell and Co. and
Wetmore and Co., burned; the two last named
were saved for the time.

" We are sorry to learn that the fire has been ac-
companied with loss of life, Mr. 0. T. Lane, of the
Consulate, having been killed by the blowing up the
parsonage, and Dr. Winchester, Vice-Consul,
slightly bruised."

An extra of the China Mail of the same date
maps:
Hong Hong, 16th December, 1866.
The Factories have been burnt down by the Chirac;
and the only particulars we have ascertained are, that
At 10.30 or II o'clock on Sunday night, the besting of torn-
tools sounded the elan., and instantly the fames burst out in
every direction. Vigorous efforts were made by the seamen
and marines to stop their progress, bat all such attempts
were fruitless, and the fire raged throughout the night and
up to the time of the steamer kering. Dent and Co.'s pro.
mimes were about the first to go, and the whole of the
Paenahun Hong, the Imperial, French, Minquia &Ske—
an the bongs Indeed—are deotroyed, the only bones
untouched when the steamer left being the British Con- I
sulate, Augustine Heard and Co.'s, and Jardine, Ma-
theson, and Co.'s, Turner and Co.'s, and one or two other*
in the New English Ifong ; Burrell and Co.'s in the Swedish
Hong; and whether they could ultimately recape the fate of
the others warn very doubtful. The three Banks—the
Oriental, Agra, and Mercantile—wen on fire, with no hopes
whatever of raring them ; and Admiral Seymour had with-
drawn his man into the Orden, the only range left for
foreigners.
Only one fatal accident is known to have armed. Mr.
Odious* T. Lane, nephew of Sir John Bowing, having been
killed—crushed by the falling of a wall at Fletcher and Co.'s
house, which was blown up by our people. Dr. Winchester,
the acting Vice-Conant, was with him, but received only
some slight bruises
What kepis the Admiral means to take are of course
unknown, but there is little doubt that the city of Canton
will be nu longer spared, and the discharge of rocket, and
shells is said already to have commenced.
- -

An account of the occurrences at Canton, as related
above, also appears in an extra of the Orerland
Friend of China.
Another account says :
About half-past eleven o'clock last night (the 15th),
Admits! Seymour, looking out of his bedroom window,
saw some Chinese with flambeaux and fire-bath
setting fire to the remains of the Chinese houses in
Thirteen end Factory-street, in rear of Memos. Dent & Co's.
A light south wind was blowing at the time, and the
flames soon crowded to windward into New Chinese-street
—the want of water, tide being low, rendering it quite im-
pomible to put a step to them. By daylight the Aro was
at its height, approaching the ruins of Hog-lane. At ten
o'clock it was determined to blow up the Parsonage
Houses, In order to keep the fire from the British Fac-
tories—the windows of the Oriental Bank and Messrs.
Holiday, Wise & Co.'., notwithstanding, being kept in a
"char,' only by the constant pouring on of water—the
hoseably directed by the Honourable Captain Cochrane and
Captain Hell. The Lily haves at three, and will report
the fire as having consumed everything west Of the British
Factorica, as far as One or Two-streets beyond Movrqua-
street, my from Hog-lane to the lately pulled down Transit
Duty lower home—excepting only the front parts of Mews.
Rama & Co.'s house, and of Mr. Fischer's, together with
the Club Howe, and the house in Teh-hing-kie lately occu-
pied by Manors. Angier & Albumen.
To the above we have to add that when the postal
stunt Thistle lefL every factory was more or less in Hamm,
and sally, Mr. Otherne T. Lane, Second Assistant in the
Idle Consulate had Just met hie death by the fail of
begins on him

The Strait Times and Singapore Journal, of Dec.
23, states that its latest schices from Canton mention
that "the British acre pouring shot and shell into
the city, which place, it was expected, would be
completely destroyed in a few days.
The following Circular had beam issued by
Consul Parkes :

(Ctacrt.tx.)
British Commie* Canton,
30th Novaseer, 1836.
In order to guard apart or .analterimerms impres-
sions that may be mitareileed as Ile Ike rempresibility of her
Majesty's Navel sothcellim sr hr Os safety
of furniture, or other ereverek menthers of
MI. community In their Moms.* ht Immo
instances they have theta mei Whet without pladag as
agent of their own la drain drArdarsigned has to welts
to the British einemmily that s hm* it trill be the Int
cars et Bin
Espll..sy
lki Nod Clumestier-in-Cidef le de
all ha his power gar guanad pralletka at dr Tarsatta,
with. Ids Ezedime, sr dr ardratigand as is say way
aagermbe as mars dr Whey or pals, Minrillim or pthvis
allberi the abeam of Oa owners If their snark she
h at their earmad kakis. largely radled at by ether
mabers of the community kr rarisdiag drlr property, if
they think it is expoited to risk, Wpm el undoubted
eteerity. HAM S. rasa^
U. B. IL's Card Othdaling at Canton.
To the British C.r•.ilyaß 010106.

Th. Chino irweT mays
We boar this It of ow WHIM amsremre d the
present tendition Cerra Tab, le atm% re beam con-
ceded*, Aire Oldie troops erne* Ishered through
the senerdleg semstry, end ere of Ihe direr dun
wire the pram' he,. bra rialmeni has bear
WMiaailLorowliu by derma of leer
the three woes Ow abide of Sin-
kyr drying, d'id-ifles. smd he,. snared
fieffs ly. gorse fifty twee Ma AMNON re odd es have
her relied and burned; Or himilients terseteed eith-
er dierietion of age se en; sad it Is
Art seer /0.000 people hen bees turned out c7=
✓d
bum Miry are said to bar remelted Meer,
tad nor seen this hint *Wag dee Armee
for Mires sempillsellem, theme to be
Hide de be of err Ern Ire The reef, freirei us
yikilikseletire. is month= reap deleiledoe Ike ea the ape-
of the traria milleid Is awed At Roh-
rer, the user ree wee mart the der end the lien-hr
styled rade of ODOM, were in prowndon of the city. What
the title of dude body may be, if they have sworned any, ia
not known.

AIIIITALL—Dec. 15, liereirs, $ll Am Li 1,
6th Atria • Brot Stabio.lin Amer kit Wend, Zth
November tobr•S
ia Math C Tank% Been &Maya, Lt Oc-
tober ; Siamese Crown, V Barstow, 12th December.
DIPARTCREE.—Dec. 16, Mentmlii, for Bangkok; 12, Cor-
nelia, for Singapore; 15, Rai* for Singapore; 12, Acacia,
for Manila ; 16, Bushire Merchant, for Macao; 15, Noma.
str, for P. de Dane, at 12 p.m.

Mesas. Roband, Lloyd's agents at Marseilles, have
received a dispatch dated Manilla, l)ec. 9, stating
that the British barque Coromandel, Captain Savage,
has been lost in the China S.

CHINA MARKETS.

EXCHANGE AND EULLION.—Haag Lag Des. 19:
Oriental Bank Corpteation on Lawton et in woothit
4, 71. On India, 2148 a Gold, ontolosL Cars Orr, ao•
Masi. Duty eyme, asseri. Other Me in Lars at
▪ months' eight, 4, Bto 4, N. On lar, US U.
Shangtme, Deo. 6: On Limits, 7, 0. Iris Mir rye
tight, 326 Re. Drafta on Conlon and Hong ILoot, 22.0
cent. diwount. Manilla, Nov. 21 : On
eight, 441; 80 day.' Bight, 4, Wit Ikeda mil
Hoeg Kong, 16 per cent. prods. On_Amags to
20 per mat prams. Sitter, mime, end
South American, nachoggetl, 13 pot or prism
()num.—Hung Kong, 13th Deconbm, Peens, 488401 e. ;
Hamm 440 dole.; Matas, 8221 dohNom% na Itootoo•
Ur, INMa, 438 tole. ; Biomes, 462 dein Cora, r
Market. BkentOse, 6th Decembse, Maws, 302 dr. ;
Patna, NM dole.
EMMET' AND Torrz.—Crtm, wow lENDEOSII
60 1. sdon, St. 10s. to N. ear tat, and 61. to 6L kw ilk. To
New Tat,p 7 doh Jew 40 het. Mud& to London, L. 10e.;
, 3/ 10e. To United
:tig' To Anstmlis (.11 Mortared). fir' 8 dole. to
I

INDIA.

The Governors of the l'resideneica are at their
respective seats of administration.

The Madras Atlirwrunt saysT.
" 1)oat Mahomed, amording to the latest accounts,
was expected at Peslutsrur on the Intl. of the current
month to con fer with the Chief Cornmisioner of t hel' un-
jab on the present aspect of affairs. In the Punjab
it is generally believed that a large army will be
'concentrated, within the next three months, at
Peshawar, but whether the force is merely intended
for the protection of British interests in the evnt
of 'accidents' or for active operations, is of course
not. known."

The Bombay Times mentions a rumour that a re.
quisition for troops had been addressed by Admiral
Seymour to the Governor-General, but thinks " there
is little possibility of their being furnished from
India."

Sir Henry Leeke had returned to Bombay, in the
Assayk, bringing with him gate prisoners, viz.:_
The Governor of Buahire, the Commander of the
Garrison, and the Minister of War.

" Our import market," says the Bombay Times,
" is in a satisfactory state, and business his been
done to a fair extent. The money market has be.
come still tighter, and the banks hate again raised
their rates of interest; government securities have
experienced a further decline; and freights have
advanced."