The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-13 00:00:00

INDIA.

We take the following from the Calcutta Eng-
lishman of the Bth of November
The Legislative Council met on Friday, at 11 o'clock,
after a vacation of six months, which the majority of the
members spent in pleasant places. We expected to have
seen better looks after a residence in the much-loved hill
retreats, but the return to the plains in October is too early
for elderly gentlemen and old Indians. The only Bill of
much importance laid before the Council was that to lega-
lise the marriago of natives converted to Christianity. Mr
Maine. in his introductory speech, has exhausted the argu-
ment on the subject.
Louder and louder, day by day, are the complaints of the
tea planters of Assam and Cachar of the present state of the
law regarding their imported coolies. We can add nothing
to the many arguments we have already adduced, and can
only repeat our warning that if something is not done tea
planting in Assam will soon become a losing speculation,
and at last die out altogether.

We are in receipt of Maulmain and Rangoon papers to
the 29th October and 2d inst, respectively. The aggregate
value of the trade of the Straits Settlements for 1863-1864
amounted to nearly £17,000,000 sterling. There is a falling
off of about 4i lakhs of rupees in the exports from Singa•
pore, and the report remarks that "The most unsatisfactory
feature of the returns for 1863.64 is the apparent decline of
the trade with many of the surrounding native States, the
trade upon which the future prosperity of Singapore must
be mainly based, and to which therefore ovary encourage-
ment should be afforded." The trade of the other settle-
ments exhibits an increase.

There is nothing to report in the money market since
our last. The next two days are close holydays, so that
no transactions transpired yesterday, the only working
day since our last. The letters of the mail of the 3d of
October were delivered yesterday, and the business of the
town has been confined to its correspondence.

CHINA AND JAPAN.
(From the Overland China Mail of November 10

The news of the fortnight, both from China and Japan,
is by no means unimportant. It appears that the Japanese
have made a show of coming to terms with foreign nations,
and there is no reason to doubt that they are in any way
untrustworthy in the latest arrangements come to with out-
side Powers. Private advises state that the late fight at
Shimonosaki has had the happiest effect. The most
powerful among the Daimios have begun to believe that
England is not so easy to quarrel with as they had sup-
posed. Whether it be from Asiatic duplicity or sincere respect
to foreign arms, it appears certain that the Japanese are
unanimous in confessing the superiority of foreign warfare
to their own. After the flag of truce had been hoisted at
Shimonosaki, foreigners could walk about on either side of
the Straits in perfect security. The fLlet remained in the
place for some days. It appears, from every account, that
the manner in which the fight was conducted impressed the
Japanese somewhat forcibly as to the force of foreign arms.
Nagato's Ministers have visited Yokohama, and had an in-
terview with the native and foreign authorities. They re-
turned to Shimonosaki in her Majesty's ship Tartar. Sir
R. Alcook went to Jeddo soon after the fighting occurred,
and found that the little brush with Nagato hal produced
the most desirable "moral" effect. Trade, which had nearly
ceased, has begun to flourish to a most astonishing degree,
according to our latest advises; and we have no hesitation
in saying that Sir R. Alcook has rather been fortunate in
his late operations.

The Tycoon, whatever power he may possess, is said to
be very well pleased with Negato's defeat, and there is no
reason to doubt the rumour. Satsuma, who is a much more
wealthy and powerful Daimio than Negate, came off second
best in his engagement with the British fleet ; and Prince
Nagato has fared very much worse. So strongly does the
current of feeling go against him at Joddo that his Palace
has been razed to the ground. The Daimios are all recalled
to Jeddo to reside, as before the disputes arose; and there
is every reason to believe that matters will now go on with
perfect smoothness in every treaty port in Japan. Tho
Tycoon is said to rule once more supreme, sad to be fa-
vourable to foreign intercourse, which is about all we desire.
Nagato is likely to receive punishment for his self-assumed
hostility to foreigners. The reports say that he has been
stripped (by the Mikado) of all his titles, and is now little
more than a common swashbuckler.

In Yokohama silk is plentiful and it zeboos aro scarce.

The rumours with regard to the Teepings having begun
to regain ground appear to be utterly without foundation.
The rebels still in the field amount to a very small number,
and are pressed into a corner of Kiangsi. It is net likely
that they will cause any further serious trouble in China.
People are anxious to know what tone the Chinese Cabinet
will assume now that all source of trouble has been removed
and the way duly Laved for the carrying out of foreign
treaties in their integrity. There is every hope that Mr
Hart, who is now at tho head of the foreign Customs in
China, will endeavour to obtain for the merchants every
Privilege to whiel, the various treaties entitle them. let the
meantime there is very little stirring in China politico.
From the different ports on the Yang-teze and on the
coast there is no political news.

AUSTRALIA.
(From the Melbourne Argus of October 25.)

The general election will not be over for another fortnight.
So far it has excited but little interest. Indeed, 10 out of 26
districts have been uncontested.
The number of members necessary to form a Legislative
Assembly is 78, and the number elected up to the present
time is 41. Of these no more than 23 had seats in the last
Parliament ; and there is no reason to believe that a greater
proportion of old faces will be returned by the districts
whose elections have to come. There will thus be a con-
siderable infusion of new blood into the legislative body.
The dispute between Victoria and New South Wales on
the question of border customs is as far from adjustment as
ever. True, New South Wales has receded from her posi-
tion of seizing dutiable goods found in Victorian vessels on
the Murray, but custom houses and officers still guard her
side of the river. Strange to say, our Government have
been forced by the smuggling which is carried on via South
Australia into a course which bears the aspect of reprisal,
and now at some half dozen stations south of the Murray,
we have cur coast waiters and other officials to prevent the
entry of dutiable goods from the sister colony.
The anti - transportation movement is progressing.
During the past month meetings have been held in various
parts of the colony to protest against the continuance of
transportation to Australia, and in each case a petition to
the Queen on the subject has been unanimously adopted.
Even the people of Albany, Western Australia, have taken
this step, and thus shown a desire to co-operate. with the
eastern colonies in the matter.

1 HE WAR IN NEW ZEALAND,
(From the Melbourne Argus of October 25.)
The news received this month from New Zealand includes
many significant items, In the first place, it must be
mentioned that the Fox Ministry, pledged as it is to the-
roughly suppress the native outbreak, have been unable,
since the receipt of Mr Cardwell's last despatches, to work
cordially with Sir George Grey, and have tendered their
resignations. Sir George, however, has declined accepting
them, and it is probable the Ministry will continue in
office, and will carry out their programme,
The dearly-bought victory at Rangarire, it will be remem-
bered, left some 200 prisoners in our possession. For several
months these men were lodged on a hulk named the Marion,
lying in the Wai ornate, off Auckland, Unused to confine-
ment, however, they suffered in health a great deal, and on
this account Sir G. Grey gave up to them a romantic little
island—his own property—termed Kawau, lying some 20
miles from Auckland, This Kawau, upon which Sir George
Grey has a comfortable establiehment, and which he uses
for acclimatisation experiments, lies two miles off the main
land. The breadth of water was considered a sufficient
guarantee against any attempt at escape, and the prisoners
wore left to wander about the island under the mild surveil-
lance of a chaplain, an interpreter, a surgeon, and a warder.
One Sunday morning, however, it was discovered that the
Maories had made a successful move and had left the island,
taking with them everything they could carry, Subse-
quent information showed that they escaped during the
night, and at once proceeded northwards. The northern
part of the island has as yet remained in peace, the
tribes having taken no part in the hostilities one way or the
other—but there is reason to soar that this unfortunate in-
cident may precipitate a struggle, Not only have the
escaped prisoners been allowed to build a strong pah at a
place termed the Great Mahe, but they have been supplied
with firearms, so that they are now all armed, and they
have also been provided with provisions. One of the lead-
ing chiefs of the northern tribes has publicly said that the
Waikatos are not to be interfered with, but are to be left
" to work their own deliverance," that is they are to be left
to, defy the Government, and to live by plundering the
settlers of their cattle. It is feared that some of the tribes
may be induced to join the Waikatos, and it is now
anxiously remembered that there are at least 14,000 de-
fencless men, women, and children in the district north of
Auckland, and V,000,000 worth of property.
The news from Taurenga, where it was hoped the last
victory, and after submission, had established peace, is not
altogether satisfactory. A number of natives, who de-
clined from the first to come in, have built a large work near
the site of the disastrous Gate Pala, and have stopped the
surveyors in measuring the confiscated lends. Altogether
there are strong indications of the resumption of hostilities
in this district.

The Taranaki campaign has not yet been commenced.
though large quantities of stores have bet n shipped to the
port, and all officers have had their leaves of absence recalled,
with a view to immediate service. The soldiers are in the first
inetenee to be employed in contracting a military re ,

Rumour has it that the regiments selected for the Taranaki
service are the 12th, the 18th, the 43d, and the 50th. In the
meantime the rebels themselves are keeping remarkably
quiet, probably attending to their cultivations. Informa•
tion received of the absence of William King's people, and
the friendly disposition of one section of the natives in the
neighbourhood, induced Colonel Warre, who commands at
Taranaki, to despatch an expedition of 300 men to seize two
pahs which this rebel chief has erected. Some 20 natives
were in the main pah, but finding themselves outflanked
they fled after firing a few rounds, and both the works were
destroyed. One native was shot, and on our side a private
was wounded.