The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-02 00:00:00

MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

CASUALTIES BY DEATH IN INDIA. SINCE THE DEPARTURE

OF THE MAIL ON THE 16TH OF JAN., 1855.
Her-Majesty'e Troops.—Captain D. 0. Brien, 86th
Feot, at Bombay, on the. 22d inst.

Madras. —Captain (Brevet Lieutenant-Celonel) Henry
Augustus Hornby, 2d European Light Infantry, Deputy
Judge-Advocate-General at Fizagapatam, on Dec. 3.
Ensign H. B. Podmore, 4th Regiment Native Infantry,
of cholera, at Attacotapoor, on the 31st December.
Captain G. W. N. Dunlop, 4th Regiment Native In-
fantry, at Sattimunglum, en the 6th January.
Bengal— Lieutenant Birch, 60th Regiment Native
Infantry, at Delhi, on the 15th January.

HER MAJESTY'S TROOPS.
Promotion.-64th Foot—Ensign John Hudson, to be
lieutenant, by purchase, vice Brookman, who retires,
Dec. 30, 1854.
RETIRED FROM THE SERVICE.—'The retirement from
the service, by the sale of his commisson, of Lieutenant
R. S. Barwell, of the 14th Foot, is accepted, subject to
her Majesty's approbation.
LEAVE UP ABSENCE.— 64th Forit—Major and Brevet
Lieut.-Colonel M. J. Western, in extension from May
Ito November 10, 1855. 70th Foot—Captain T. E.
Mulock, to Bombay, from Jan. 1 to March 31, 1855,
and to England for two years from date of embarka-
tion. 78th Foot—Lieutenant W. B. Porker, in exten-
sion, from June 29 to Nov. 23, 1855 ; Ensign H. G.
Davidson, to England, for two years from date of em-
barkation. 86th Foot—Lieut. J. Boyd, to England, for
two years from date of embarkation, doing duty with
invalids on the voyage.

CHIN A.

HONG KONG-, JAN. 15.

The mail of the 25th of October arrived here, via Cal.
cutta, on the 27th ult., and that of the 9th of Novem-
ber on the Ist inst. The Chusan steamer, which put
back to Singapore, came in on the 21st ult. The out-
ward mail leaves to-day, and the semi-monthly one, via
Calcutta, will be despatched on the 22d inst. For the
future this will be the order of the outgoing mails.
Since the 19th ult., the date of our last, a decided
change has taken place in the state of affairs at Canton,
and that city may be considered as placed in a state of
siege. This result has been mainly brought about by the
successes that have been obtained by the rebel fleets in
several naval engagements, in which they completely
destroyed the Imperial flotillas. The rebels may now
be said to be in eceninaud of the whole river, and take
advantage of this position to cut off all supplies from
the city, as a preliminary measure to an attack on it, a
step which does not appear far distant, judging from the
alarm that reigns, and the daily efflux of the inhabitant.
Provisions are ri ing rapidly, more especially rice,
which will advance to an extreme price, as supplies are
checked.

We referred in our last to the visit of Sir John Dow-
ring and Rear-Admiral Stirling, who have since returned
to this. Sir John Bow ring does not appear to have
gained anything, but established the fact that the same
deep-rooted antipathy otill exists. among the Chinese
against foreigners entering the city. Sir James
Stirling seems to ha` 'e occupied himself in ascer-
taining the most eligible points from which the fac-
tories could be defended, and,in conjunction with
Commodore Abbott, the United States' senior offi-
cer, and with the consent of her Majesty's Plenipo-
tentiary and the American Commissioner, Dr. Par-
ker, a line has been drawn, and an intimation given
to the authorities and the rebel leaders that any
hostilities within it will provoke similar acts from
the naval force now stationed off the factories. This
may have the desred effect of warding off all danger
from foreigners, but, looking at the composition of the
insurgent force, and finding in its ranks undoubted
pirates, it will not be easy for the rebel leader, however
good his intentions, to curb the feelings of plunder that
exist with such a lawless set.

" The anchorage at Whampoa has lately been the
scene of a severe naval fight, and *luring the action the
foreign shipping received serious damage from the guns
of the contending parties, in th• presence of English
and American men-of-war, en board of which were the
respective senior naval officers.

Judging from the course pursued by the English
and American authorities, both civil and naval, it ap-
pears evident that they will allow matters to take their
course at Caxton, and. that their sole care is the protec-
tion of their respective subjects.
" Trade, with this state of things, continues paralysed,
and, in short, we are n of wrong in stating that the port
of Canton is virtually closed.
" From Shanghai ov.r dates are to the Ist inst. The
most important item of intelligence is a collision between
the French authorities and the insurgents in the city,
leading to the bombardment of the place by Admiral La
Guerre with his vessels La Jeane sl'Arc and Colbert ;
but by our last advicee nothing definite bad resulted,
although it was expected the city would surrender, and
we expect to hear of this by our next letters, or of its
having been stormed and taken. This measure holds
out a prospect of a termination to the disorganisation
that has ruled se long at Shanghai and the neighbour-
nood.

" Pekin gazettes are down to the 4th of December.
The accounts continue unfavourable for the insurgents,
who are said to have met with several reverses, and have
been driven back in an easterly direction.
" Trade at Shanghai had been carried on to a fair ex-
tent. Tea and silk remained at about the same price as
before.
" From Foochow our dates are to the 23d ult. Tea
continued to be sent forward. The difficulty about set-
tling for ground still existed.
" Our advices from Amoy are to the sth inst. There
was a fair market for cotton, but manufactures were dull.
The neighbourhood was quiet.
" The Centurion, with the invalids of her Majesty's
59th Regiment, left for England on the 7th inst.
" Exchange at Canton--on England, 4s. Bd. to 4s.
; On India, 230 rs. to 223 rs. At Shanghai—on
England, 63. 7d. ; on India, 328 rs. to 326 rs.
" Our latest dates are—from England, Nov. 9; Cal-
cutta, Dec. 5 ; Bombay, Dec. 1 ; Singapore, Dec. 24 ;
Manilla, Dec. 22 ; Melbourne, Nov. 19 ; Shanghai,
Jan. 1."

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
CALCUTTA. MARKETS.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer Ben-
tinck, with the London mail of the 9th of December
last, arrived on the 15th init.

In our import market we are still without any im-
provement either in prices or demand, the increasing
tightness of money among the native dealers preventing
a resumption of business on a fair scale. In metals we
have not much doing, the demand for copper is very
limited, and iron is occasionally taken at previous quota-
tions.

Exchange. —Considerable transactions are reported
since our last at rates almost the same as thos3 ruling
at the c:ose of the last mail. Bank bills at six months' •
sight and first-ciass credits hare ranged from 2s. Ogd. to
2s. 4d. per rupee. Document bills are quoted at 2s. 00.
On China the rates ]rive partially declined, and bills at
60 days' sight againat opium have been disposed of at
227 r. per 100 dole.
Freights.— Before the arrival of the Bentinek large en-
gagement 3 were made rt.t increased rates for rice and linseed,
as high as Si. per ton having been paid for the la,tter to Lon-
, don, but subsequently there has been little disposition on
the part of shippers to engage tonnage, which, however,
is not abundant, and the rates constquently lave taken
a downward tendency, though for many articles they
are nominal at present. The day before yesterday a ship
was taken up for London at 61. 12s. 6d. all round, nearly
half the ca7go consisting of seeds. For Mauritius the
rates continue the same, with a small demand for ton-
nage, and for other ports we have no alteration to notice.

BOMBAY MARKETS.
From the IGth to the 31st of January.
We have little change to report in the money market.
The Precursor, which arrived here from Calcutta two
days after the despatch of our last, brought round 11
of specie, which, although a smaller sum than was ex-
pected, relieved our market to some extent ; but, as the
Bank of Bengal and the Bank of Madras have raised
their rates for discount 2 per cent, over existing rates
here, we cannot look for a continuance of such ship-
ments, and money will therefore, we think, remain
scarce for some time to come.
We have no alterations to record in securities, which
still continue excessively dell of sale. The Commercial
Bank declared a dividend for the past half-year at the
rate of 5 per cent. per annum.
Exchange has fluctuated since last mail, and has fallen
to 2'. 04d. to 2s. 1 d, six months' sight bills ; document,
2s. I,ld. to 2s. lid. six months sight.

CANTON MARKET.
IioNG KONG, Jan. 15.
During the past month the transactions in the Canton
market for impoi ts and exports have been trifling ; and
politically matters begin to Wear a mere threatening
aspect for the safety of the city.
Cotton.-2,700 bales middling to good Bombay sold
at 5.6 taels to 6.6 taels. At Amoy, Bombay is quoted
$9 70c. to $lO 50c. ; Bengal, $lO to $lO 50c. About
5,500 bales sold.

Turkey Opium.-4150.
Tea --Tile business of the month has been limited to
the following trar.saction :—Two chops of refined
Weaua.n tea 22i reels; 5,000 boxes of scented orange
pekoe, at 19 to 26 taels ; 3,000 boxes of scented Caper,