The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-15 00:00:00

CALCUTTA AND CHINA MATT,,

chiefs would side with the English Government in
an endeavour to obtain a satisfactory settlement of
future relations between the two states, and what
inducements might lead them to adopt this course.
The same officer has been authorised to levy an
auxiliary force in Cooch Behar.
" Money continues very easy, and there appears
no immediate reason for expecting any change.
Exchange slightly improved on the arrival of the
China steamers, but is receding again. Bank shares
are not so much in request, but the share market
generally is buoyant, particularly for tea companies.
Produce now arrives freely, all the rivers being
open, and it is taken up as fast as it comes, there
being no heavy stocks of produce in the market.
The indigo prospects are poor, heavy and continued
rains have dens much damage in Bengal; dry
weather has kept back Tirhoot crops, and drought
has nearly destroyed the Khoontee crops of Benares.
But much was never expected from the north-west,
in consequence of the demand for land for cotton ;
on the whole, there is every probability of the crop
failing short of that of last year. The import market
is very dull. The long-expected demand from the
interior has not arrived, and it is difficult to account
for this slowness. It is said that weavers have be-
gun to weave English yarn again ; if so, twists will
soon be in request; there is even now some slight
movement in them.

" In a former number we alluded to the sitting of
a secret committee in England, appointed for the
purpose of deciding whether it would be advisable
to take over all the French possessions in India
except Pondicherry and Karikal, and on what
terms. We now hear that the French authorities
here have demanded an enormous sum, rather more
than three crores—for Chandernagore alone, stating
that the sum realised by the sale of stamps exceeds
the actual value of the land. The papers have been
forwarded to the secret committee at home. We
imagined that our Gallic friends would not place a
low value on their possessions here, and especially
Chandernagore, the revenue from which is compara-
tively very large.
"A correspondent in Cabul informs us that some
of the Sittana Hindustanee fanatics have applied to
the Ameer of Cabul for service. The Amcor is said
to have replied to them as follows :—‘ How can you
expect me to trust you when you have already be-
trayed and rebelled against your benefactors and
masters whose salt and bread you ate ?' The men
were at once ordered to leave Cabul, and it is re-
ported that some of them have been endeavouring
to recross the Indus.

"Letters from the Panjanb inform us that an
asylum has been granted at Rawul Pindee to Sirdar
Azim Khan, the fugitive brother of the Ameer,
who, Entil matters are settled in Cabul, will be
supported by the British Government; an instance
of good policy towards these people which they
may feel, if not appreciate."

From Madras we learn that his Excellency the
Governor left Madras on the 4th instant, accom-
panied by Lady Denison and his suite, en route to
the Neiigherries, and safely reached his destination
in due course. He will be absent, it is understood,
for about three months, but will visit various parts
of the country during that period.
The directors of the Madras Bank have declared
a dividend for the half-year ending 30th June of
75 rupees per share, being at the rate of 15 per
cent. per annum, or 3 per cent. in excess of the
dividend for the previous half-year.

CHINA AND JAPAN.
Political matters remain pretty much in atatu quo
both in China and Japan.
With regard to the former the China Mail an-
nounces that—
" The officer in command of her Majesty's forces

has left his head-quarters in Hong-Kong and gone
to Shanghae, probably to make arrangements for
the protection of that port in the event of the rebels
regaining their lost ground. There is not much
likelihood of such a change taking place; but now
that matters are out of our hands, it is only proper
to be ready for any turn that the present civil con•
tention may take.

" The state of the rebellion is briefly this :—A
considerable city named indifferently Woo-chow
and Hoo-chow, and situated to the scuth of the Tae-
hoo lake, is held by a larga body of rebels, and is
most strongly fortified by means of stockades. In
addition to these the rebels have pitched a camp
outside the walls, and, not confining themselves to
the defensive, they make occasional sallies upon the
besiegers, who have as yet been able to do no more
than hold their own. The latter number, according
to the latest accounts, scarcely 8,000, including a
force of 1,600 disciplined troops under command of
General D'AigueLelle. The rebels have hitherto
been able to keep their opponents at a distance of
20 miles from the city, but the country round about
is so completely in the hands of the Imperialists
that all supplies to the rebels are likely to be cut
off. It is impossible to say how long this state of
things may continue. Two chiefs are reported as
having surrendered to the Imperialists, with 5,000
men, and to be engaged on the side of the besiegers.
This may only be a stratagem of war, for we hear
that traitors are suspected of being at work in the
Imperial army.

Were ,:of the Taepings whoere dispersed we have
heard noting beyond a rumour, which has never
been corroborated, to the effect that they had ap-
peared in marauding bands somewhere iu the north
of the Canton province.

"Besides Walone Nankin 00-ehow, is held by
the rebels, and is closely invested by a large army
under Tseng Kwofan. Some successes are reported
as having been gained by the Imperialists on the
north side of the city, but few people acquainted
with Chinese warfare will be sanguine of immediate
or decided success by the besieging army. The
feet that T,,Tng Kwc‘f3n is oppoee 1 to the idea of

By the Overland Mail we are in receipt of des
spatch es from Calcutta to July 8, Madras July 14,
and Honig-long June 29.
INDIA.

The _Englishman, in its general summary, stet as
that—
" One of the topics of general discussion since oar
last overland has been the newly-started project f or
building wharves, docks, &c., for Calcutta. The
subject is of great interest to all who have to do
with India, and a report of the engineers, Metiers.
Brereton and Burdon, has been addressed to: the
provisional directors of the Calcutta Wet Dock and
Wharf Company on the subject. The want of dock
accommodation is patent to all in Calcutta. The
necessity for the improvement of this port has been
felt for more than 30 years, and for more than 30
years have merchants and chambers of commerce
been pressing the question on the attention of the
Government, and, though not rejected, have been
allowed to fall into neglect as compl-ate as if rejected.
All who know anything of Calcutta will see at once
the absurdity of the health' difficulty. There are
far worse collections of water about Calcutta than
well kept docks are likely to be, the breeze blowing
from theta at Chitpore would be no Worse than that
blowing from them at IC.i.dderpore, and as Garden
Reach is by far the most convenient place for their
construction, we trust that the company will be
such absurd objections, and pro-
strong to overrule
ceed with their scheme as soon as possible.
iS with regard to Bhootan the recent proceedings
of Government tend to strengthen our previously
impressed conviction that the viceroy will not allow
the insults heaped upon the British envoy to pass
unpunished. Active preparations have been going
oa in the arsenal, and we have been recently in.
formed that Captain Lance, of the Bengal Staff
corps, has been sent to the north-east frontier to
collect information regarding the Bengal
.Dooars,
an the hill country on the left bank of the Teesta,
to the west of Dalimkhote. His duty will, we be.
lieve, be to acquire all the knowledge he can of the
country, the roads, the passes into Bhootan, and the 1
sources from which supplies can be obtained, in the
case of the Dooars being occupied, er an expedition
sent into Bhootan. He has also been ordered to do
all in his power to ascertain the temper of the dif.
ferent classes of the population in the Bhootan
territory on the other side of the border, the view
they are likely to take of British interference in the
affairs of Bhootan, the quarters from which assist•
ance may be expected, whether any of the Bhootan

being assisted by Europeans is probably significant
of a desire to prolong matters. On the whole,
however, there are no good reasons for supposing
that the rebellion will not eventually be crushed,
although there is room to fear that the troubles
connected with it are far from being at an end. It
was rumoured in Shanghae lately that Burgavine
and others, taking advantage of Colonel Gordon's
retirements from the field, had proceeded to Nan•
kin with the view of again the rebels, This
rumour has since been contradicted, but whether
the original statement or the subsequent contradic-
tion is correct it is impossible to say. Shanghae is
a hotbed of intrigue with regard to the rebellion,
owing to the fact that property there rises or falls
according to the current events in connection with
the insurrection.
" Colonel Gordon is in Shanghae, but nothing
transpires as to his intentions ; most likely he awaits
the arrival of General Brown before taking any
steps in the way of farther assisting the Impe-
rialists.
" With regard to Japan we are not likely to
hear of any change in our relations for some little
time to come. The matter at present pending is
the opening of the Inland Sea, which has been closed
for some time by the Prince of Nagato, who caused
the shipping to be molested in passing through the
Straits of Shimonoseki. The 20th Regiment is on
its way to Japan, and the Conqueror has reached
Yokoama with a battalion of marines. Nothing
has transpired as to the course that Sir R. Alcock
will adopt, further than that he is determined to
reopen the Inland Sea to foreign vessels.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE,

TAFF VALE.

The directors of this company have decided on
declaring a dividend at the rate of 10 per cent. per
annum for the half year ended the 30th of June last.
The dividend for the corresponding half-year of
1863 was at the rate of 9 per cent. per annum.