The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-19 00:00:00

AFF.

The position of affairs in the far E rst is by no
means reassuring. In China and Japan events are
unmistakably tending in one direction, and it re-
quires but little forecast to perceive that the
exigencies of our commerce will ere long necessitate
the active presence of a much larger force than this
country would wish to maintain there. In Japan,
though the immediate peril has passed away, the
truce is a hollow one. Prince Satsuma, having sent
a quarter of a million sterling to America for the
purchase of rifled guns, naturally wishes to temporize
until he has received this formidable addition to his
strength.
In China, the reactionary party, under the
presidency of the Empress-mother, and the general-
ship of Tsue ig-Kwoh Fan, have not only made
themselves dominant, but actually succeeded in
stultifying all diplomatic action at Pekin. Prince
Kung, who never had much power of his own, is
now completely under the rule of this all-powerful
faction. The European representatives have not seen
the Regent for one year, and are obliged to content
themselves with bootless interviews with the Foreign
Board, which, like similar institutions in this
country, is admirably adapted for evasion and pro-
crastination. Another massacre of Roman Catholic
priests and their converts has once more brought
the French Bishop of Se-chwen to Pekin.
In vain does the French Minister claim redress ;
the effects of the Anglo-French military promenade
through the capital being entirely obliterated. In
fact, we have now discovered that we have never
been in Pekin at all—for in the centre of that walled
block of country which we call Pekin, lies lirperial
Pekin, with ramparts and fosses and its 200,000
inhabitants. No outer barbarian has penetrated this,
the sanctum of Chinese prejudice. Though every
subject strides in and out at his leisure, European
ambassadors are kept out by sentries, and obliged
to content themselves with furtive glances through
their opera glasses from neighbouring house-tops,
where they are permitted to mature that co-opera-
tive policy, into which they were driven by
Celestial astuteness one year since. For at Pekin
individual diplomatic action is no longer possible.
Twelve months ago, the representatives of the
Western Powers, finding that they were being
played off one against the other by the Regent and
his advisers, determined to try the virtue of co-
operation. Their success is what might have been
imagined from a combination of conflicting interests,
Nevertheless, our trade is doubling itself, and
will continue to do so. The foreign city of
Shanghai has become the commercial capital of
the East, whereas but fifteen years since the bittern
and rice-bird were the sole possessors of the
swamps upon which it stands. Land there is
now as valuable as in the heart of the city of Lon-
don, and thence our capital and enterprise control
the markets of northern China. With such vast
commercial interests at stake, and with such difficult
diplomatic relations, it is with unfeigned regret
that we receive the confirmation of the dissoluticn
of the Chinese auxiliary force under Captain Sherard
Osborn ; for the published correspondence relative
to the expedition proves, were proof wanting, that
a similar command could not have fallen into more
able hands. Were a policy of non -intervention
possible in a country situated like China, we should
be the first to advocate it; but distracted as it is
by insurgents, whose original nuclei has been
nothing but th© starving centres of that gigantic
population, and adverse as the rulers have proved
to the humanizing infl_uences of foreign commerce,
in opposition to the wishes of the bulk of the inhabi-
tants, it has appeared to us both just and wise to
assist in the establishment of social order within
the country, and commercial order without ; to put
down freebooters by land and piracy by sea; and,
whilst we secured peaceful avenues for our com-
merce, to ensure also to the Chinese Government
the just dues arising from such foreign trade. For
it is idle to conceal the fact, that our merchants,
finding it more lucrative to bribe a mandarin
at a non-treaty port than to pay the cus-
toms' dues at a treaty one, are all more or
less engaged in smuggling at the non-treaty
ports, thereby evading that just spirit of reciprocity
which formed the basis of Lord Elgin's policy, and
which could alone justify the armed intrusion of our
trade in China.
As regards the Taeping rebellion, the energy of
Tsung-Kwoh-Fan has during the past year driven
it into the towns of Nankin, Soochow, and Hang-
chow, and at the present moment not more than
one-fortieth part of the Empire is out of the hands
of the Imperialists. Indifferent as the rule may be
when measured by a European standard, yet as the
Taepings recede so the inhabitants advance, and
resume their peaceful avocations. Though the
enthusiastic reports of missionaries once led us to
imagine that this mighty convulsion was to lead to
the evangelisation of China, the manner in which
its leaders have acted must have convinced the most
credulous that rapine, murder, and lust were the
sole objects they had in view. Wherever their
hordes have passed—and their path has been through
the most densely-populated portions of the country
—the inhabitants, together with their dwellings,
have been blotted out ; and during their 10 years'
rule at Nankin, the ancient capital, no attempt
has been made to establish a civil administration,
but the same relentless system has been pursued
until the fairest districts have been well nigh
depopulated and exhausted. Had the ruler of
China had the sagacity to avail him self of the
powerful aid which he asked and obtained from her
Majesty's Government in the form of Captain
Sherard Osborn's squadron, Nankin would have
already been in the hands of the Imperialists, and
with it would have perished the prestige of the Tae-
ping cause, and China might once more have settled
down to those industrious pursuits which are the
sole thought of its population. Now, it is impos-
sible to predict what turn events may take, espe-
cially when we consider the vast rowdy element
which California and Australia are pouring into
Shanghai. A leader of grasp and capacity is alone
wanting to enable these adventurers to seize an
empire on the southern bank of the Yangtze.
The cause which led to the disbandment of Capt.
Sherard Osborn's force was, that her Majesty's
Government only permitted it to be organised under
certain conditions, which were submitted by the
Emperor of China's agent; who had full powers to
deal with the question. The Emperor having ob-
tained the force he required on one set of terms,
determined to use it under another, and expected
to find in Captain Sherard Osborn a docile servant,
who would assist him in this piece of chicanery.
In that expectation it is hardly necessary to say
he was mistaken. Neither blandishment nor
bribery could induce Captain Sherard Osborn to
swerve from the original agreement, on the faith of
which her Majesty's Government had permitted
him to organise the squadron. We hope that the
Chinese Government will not have bitter cause to
regret the shortsightedness of their policy, but it is,
we fear, hoping against hope. This powerful
squadron could have stifled anarchy in the interior,
cleared the rivers and coasts of pirates, and confined
the foreign trade to its legitimate channels; China
would have policed its own waters, and increased
its revenue, And Great Britain would have been
spared those oft recurring and inglorious wars
which seem inseparable from our relations with the
most peaceful people on the face of the earth. How-
ever disappointing' Captain Sherard Osborn may
be the result of his ,labours, he may rest assured
that there is but one opinion in England as to the
high-minded and dignified course he has pursued,
under circumstances of net ordinary difficulty. And
it is imposible to rise from the perusal of the corres-
pondence lately published, without increased admi-
ration for a character whieh already stood high in
the opinion of his countrytneti.

PARASITICAL PLANTS IN IVIEXICO.—The forest
seemed to have been invaded by an army of huge pythons,
many of them more than a foot in diameter, looking as if
they had been stiffened while in the act of twining them-
selves in numerous folds round the tree which
ermothey had
seized with a living, fierce, and prehensile grasp, and had
then reared and lost their heads in the uppermost branch! s
of another still more lofty than their victims, which agaon
in
were sometimes smaller than themselves, and bearing
the indented stems the impress of the enormous and
strangling force that had writhed itself round them.—
Y i,qn6's Travels in Arexico.

The Jewish Chronicle gives the following account

of a curious discovery made during the late war
with China, by a Jewish officer in the English navy :
At the breaking out of the English war with
China, he received his commission as lieutenant, and

went to the seat of war, and served under Com-
mander Hollins. Our friend was assigned the com-

wand of a small vessel carrying three guns, for the
purpose of penetrating the rivers and streams of the
interior, and preventing any hostile assemblages.

He seldDm advanced further than five or six miles
from the principal rendezvous ; but on one occasion
tired of cruising about in!the same place so often, and
meeting no opposition, he proceeded ten miles up
the river, and still found no hindrance. He

sailed until he had advanced about 30 miles into the

nterior of the country, p ,ssing several cities and

villages, but seeing no fortifications ; and not
being molested in any way, he was about io retrace
his steps, when, looking ahead, he thought that
there appeared something in the distance resem-

bling a fortification. He determined to ascertain
the nature of the place, and headed the ship to it.
When he approached he was surprised by seeing
multitudes of Chinese junks and other small boats

approaching the vessel. The deck was then cleared
for action in case of a fight. As the enemy ap-
proached nearer to the bhip they let fly a cloud of
weapons and'stones, which, however, did no injury.
The lieutenant, thinking to scatter them, had one
of his guns loadqd with grape-shot, and poured it
into them where the crowd appeared thickest.
It must have done considerable execution, for

they raised a yell. They attempted to climb up the
sides, but were met on every side by the sailors.

Now the fight began in real earnest. With all their
guns employed, it was as much as the Britishers
could do to keep the natives from gaining a footing

on board of the vessel. The Chinese fought
desperately. Their leader—a tall, majestic-looking
man, wielding a long straight sword—by his pre-
sence seemed to inspire them with increased bravery.
Seeing this, an attempt was made to capture him.
He had effected a footing on board for himself
and his followers—more were swarming up.
A shot through the bottom of his canoe cut
off his retreat there was no hope for him

but fighting till more came to his relief.
After a brief struggle the capture of the
chief is effected, and all the belligerents
cease fighting. The British vessel then attempted
to make its way out of the river ; but the

natives, as soon as they perceived this, rased such
a yell as we never heard before, and the chief ex-
tending his hands, addressed his captors in a lan-
page which did not resemble the Chinese in any
respect. The lieutenant was astonished at recog-
nising the familiar tone of the Hebrew language.
Thanks to his parents, in his youth he had received
a good Hebrew education, and was able to carry on
a conversation in the Hebrew language with the

chief, who told him if he would give him up he would
promise that they would not be molested, but per-
mitted a free egress, and also, if he desired, he
would show him the city. The officer accepted the
proposition, and accompanied by him as a safe-
guard, and also a body of men from the ship, they
visited the town. It was an immense city, sur-
rounded on all sides by walls and fortifications, and
contained over one million of inhabitants, all Jews.
In no other part of the Chinese empire are there
any Jews. Here they are allowed every privilege.
They can carry their produce to other cities and
trade with them, but are not allowed to emigrate.
They have their owu laws, and the chief officer is a
Jewish Rabbi, who, with twenty others, enact laws,
decide disputes, and deal out justice to the inhabi-
tants of the city. In this tribunal is vested the power
of life and death, and from their decision there is no
appeal. They keep a standing army of the young
men of the place in order to protect their city.
Their laws command the observance of the Jewish
religion, but their rites and ceremonies differ from
ours in many respects. They observe the Sab-
bath on what is to us Thursday, but still they
call it the seventh day. The synagogues
are the most beautiful buildings that are to
be seen in the empire. They are all built in one
style, which resembles a mixture of the Gothic and
Corinthian, and are ornamented by beautiful pago-
das. Each synagogue is capable of holding 2,000
worshippers, and generally consists of a large hall,
with an arched roof, all of stained glass, which
present a:beautiful appearance. The roof is sup-
ported by pillars of variegated marble, ornamented
by fine porcelain cornices. The holy ark is a beau-
tiful structure in itself, and is approached by nine
steps of the whitest marble. Oa opening the
doors and drawing the curtain the whole build-
ing is flooded by the light which issues forth.
In every available spot inside the ark candles are
placed, which are kept burning continually,
but still are not seen. The effect, as may be
imagined, is beautiful. In each house of worship
are three " saphorim," which are written on pure
white vellum. These are handled with the greatest
care, and only by the priest himself. Women are
not allowed to enter the synagogues, except on
holidays and days of festivity. In the aggregate
their rules are in strict accordance with our religion,
and are sensible in themselves. The military
leader who had been taken prisoner, together with
the priests, spared no pains to make themselves
understood, explaining everything which they
thought would prove interesting. The party spent
about six hours in examining the place, and then
returned to the ship laden with presents, which to
them were curiosities. The officer has still in his
possession several cabinets, not over 4 feet square,
which contains over 300 drawers and secret places.
The most interesting curiosity which he received
was a Prayer-book written in Chaldaic, on vellum,
which he presented to the British Museum. Several
little articles yet remain in his possession, which
are highly treasured by him. Thus a community of
Israelites exists in Oriental China never heard of
before, yet consisting of over 1,000,000 souls,speak-
ing the original sacred tongue, keeping their own
laws, and possessing documents which record their
history thousands of years ago.