The Express.
London, England, 1850-07-23 00:00:00

CHINA.

It is said that the Emperor of China has com-
manded hie ministers to draw up a report on the
opium trade. The late emperor was opposed to the
opium trade in any form; his representatives,
while negotiating the treaty with Sir H. Pottioger,
refused positively to enter upon the discussiou of the
question in their official capacity, stating that while
the emperor lived the trade would not be legalised.
Nearly 8 years have passed since the treaty of Nankin
was arranged, and during that term opium to the value
of some six millions sterling has been introduced
annually into the empire. The trade is nominally
illegal, though virtually legalised by the corrupt
officials who have established a tariff for their own
profit. The foreign receiving ships anchor at various
points on the coast, where they quietly sell the drug
under the protection of the Chinese auelorities ; their
customers are usually provided with a license; and
the hest danger to be apprehended is capture by the
Emperor's vessels of war. Possibly Taoukwang
never knew that opium was openly bought and sold
at every port on the coast. His ministers may
have spared him a narration of the truth ; and if
at times he suspected that matters were not as they
ought to be. prudence and pride would alike dictate
silence. Under the mistaken impression that the
trade was protected by foreign powers, who would
resent the capture of vessels under their ibg, the
receiving ships were not interfered with. But
Taoukwang sleeps with his fathers; a young prince
brought up under the guardianship of Keying now
holds the sceptre, and the period has probably arrived
wh;:n the opium question will engage the attention of
the emperor and his councillors. Any change in the
present system will be distasteful to the :Hindering
who profit by it.
It is possible that the present investigation will
lead to the legalisation of the trade. By admitting
opium at a moderate duty, smuggling and all its at-
tendant vices would be pat an end to, the impo-
verished revenue would be strengthened, while the
consumption would not be materially increased. Fol-
lowing the example of western nations, Caine. by
granting licences to those who retail the drug would
bring the consumers to some extent under the control
of the police, and the inordinate smoker could be
punished by a small fine as drunkards are punished
I in other countries.

The experiment of running the Lady Mary Wood
on the coast has been at once recognized as so im-
portant a convenience, that the British community of
Shanghae, with two exceptions, have signed a memo-
rial for the purpose of being forwarded by this mail
to the Lords of the Admiralty, praying that they
would be pleased to enter into some :arrangement
with the Peninsular and 0 iental Company, so as to
secure the permanent establishment of steamers on
the coast. The reasons they assign for this are simple
but cogent, and have reference-Ist, to the growing
importance of Shanghae, and the great inconvenience
and loss to which its merchants are subjected
through irregularity and uncertainty of corre-
spondence with England and India; 2nd, to the
success of the experiment made by the company, by
which it has been satisfactorily proved, that the
voyage between Hong Kong and Shanghae and back,
con be accomplished in little more than a week ; 3rd,
to the importance of securing sae ssential a facility at
all times, not only in a commercial, but also in a po-
' litical point of view ; and lastly, to the probability of
the former inconvenience being augmented, were the
steimer now running to be withdrawn altogether, or
laid up for repairs; for the effect of her running even
for an uncertain period, will be to cause the with-
drawal of many of the clippers, by which the commu-
nication has hitherto been in a great measure kept
up. A similar memorial, we believe, has been cir-
culated fur signature at Canton, and will probably be
made to include Hong Kong. We sincerely trust
these representations may prove effectual.
The object of the company in making the present
experiment has been to complete the ch tin of direct
communication between England and the most distant
markets in Asia ; and by doing so, to enable the
Shanghae merchants not o:ly to transmit their corre-
spondence, but their silk, to England in less than half
the time previously occupied, and to augment the faci-
lities of traffic with India.

A peculiar advantage likely to result from the esta-
blishment of the coast line, w.nild be to check piracy,
and by affirding facilities for native trade, to restrict
the vocation of pirates.
Another advantage which ought not to be over-
looked, and which will be felt as far as India, is the
opening up a ready resort for invalids, to whom such
a change of e.imate as • Shanghae winter presents,
may be invaluable.

CHARGE AGAINST A POLICE-OFFICER AT LIVEn.
POOL—An important inquiry was held en Friday, berme
tee borough coroner, in Lord-street, Liverpool, touching the
death of lames Ellis, a prisoner in the Borcugh-gaol, who
died on Wednesday het, from injuries supposed to have been
inflicted by Patrick Walsh, a police-:(goer. The deceased,
James Ellis, and his wife, resided at No. 8, Marybone.
With them lodged a man and his wits named Coulter;
and, on the previous Saturday all these partite were (root
home. Coulter returned about eleven o'clock, and inquired
of the servant where his wife was. The girl said she di I not
know, when he immediately struck her. Directly after,
deceased and his wife came home, both partly intoxicated.
Mrs. Ellis, seeing the servant crying, inquired the cause,
and complained to Coulter of his conduct. After some re-
crimination, Coulter also struck Mrs. Ellis. The deceased at
this time was lying on the sofa in the house, and did not
interfere in the quarrel. Mrs. Ellis then ordered Coulter
out of the house. She brought his clothes, and he went
away quietly. In about a quarter of an hour he returned,
and wished to be admitted, but was refused by Mrs Ellis.
A crowd being now collected about the door, Walsh and
and another officer dispersed them, and advised Mrs. Ellie
to go into her house. She did so: but directly afterwards
went out, and was proceeding down the steps to the cellar
underreath her house, when Welsh came to her and laid
hold of her by the back of the neck, saying, " 1 hare been
watching for you; you must come with me now," and
she saw him raise his stick as it to strike her. She erid
she would go quietly with him, and they proceeded towards
the Br dowel Same one, in the meantime, had informed
the husband of what had occurred, and he immediately
followed them. Re asked the officer what he was going
to book his wife for, and just as they got to the corner of
Vaullull.road, they all three fell to the ground together.
The woman then got clear, but the officer caueht hold of
deceased, and, on rising, struck him on the back, but he
got away from him. The officer pursued deceased, and
struck him on the back of his head, when he fell on his
face with great force, and lay as if he was dead. He was
then conveyed into the Bridewell, and thence to the Main
Bridewell, where, becoming very ill on the etanday, he
was removed M a ear to the Northern Hospital. On Monday
'seining, deceased and hie wife were taken before Mr. Rush.
ton, whea the former was fined 10s. for assaulting U.
police, and his wife 5.. for being drunk and disorderly.
The Sae inflOted on the deceased not being paid, he was
sent to gaol, and on arriving there he bonnie worse, and
dos:negautoheocfsulfwd on Internet fracture of the skull
was placed in the hospital of the orison. Re soon alter
was made by Mr. W. B.
attention from the medical officers ul the prom% he died iu
mbernmtoe ihno.ledunhbimis ainudbevdi;olaennnlihllttd.;ol4(ll74hTehruttili:Lyala et:Tee:tr..
theavtleibleyorothretrrthesellgosepuitrela,
saandit Mr.ap.
ap-
peared Well,sr, ,h,e,
that
he:::
:so:
they
gr
From
underneath it wound near the right eye. There was also
a contuiett behind the right car. Oa removing the skull-
cap, the *Drain was found very mush congested, end there
was oleo an extersivo fracture et the base Cl the skull.
Cossestion of the brain, set up by a fracture produced from
external violence, was the muse of death, The jury returned
a millet si "Blamable homicide."