The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-28 00:00:00

CHINA.

The fortnight's news is not important, but is con-
sidered satisfactory. At Pekin all appeared quiet.
The following letters from Sir F. Bruce had been
published in the North China Herald, and had
caused considerable excitement among the English
community at Shanghae

Pekin, Sept. 8, 1862.

Sir,—With reference to your letter on the proposals made
for the management of Shanghae, I have to observe that
there is great misapprehension of the position of these so-
welled foreign concessions. The British concession at Shang-
base was neither a transfer nor lease of the land in question
to the British crown. It was simply an agreement that
British subjects should be allowed to acquire land for their
atpersonal accommodation within a certain space, in order
theymight have the advantage of living together. The
land soEcquired remains Chinese territory, it is subject to
the land tax, and, if the jurisdiction of the ChineseGoyern-
ment over it is denied, it is denied because in China it was
deemed essential for the security of British trade that the
person and establishment of the trade should be secured
from molestation. But the character of the concession has
been entirely altered by the acts of the f
settlemeerter.tasersbethcom
selves. Instead of being a foreign
a Chinese city, in which a few foreigners settlement
h which
ta
large Chinese population. The security and comfort
Were supposed to be derived from isolating the foreign
com-
munity have been sacrificed, and land has bean acquired,
q 'ed
net for the legitimate purpose of accommodating foreigners,
but in order to build on it Chinese houses, which are te
anted by Chinese at high rents, attracted by the protection
which our bayonets afford, and by immunity from their
natural authorities. This system it is proposed to extend as
far as it may suit the interest or convenience of parties on
the spot; and it appears that the Chinese population so col-
lected is to be ex-territorialised as well as the land they
occupy. The Chinese Governor is to be deprived of his
power of dealing with them, they are to be taxed for muni-
cipal purposes, and his interference is to be limited to
judging and punishing them in cases which the foreign head
of the nation to which the owner of the property occupied
belongs permits to be brought before his tribunal. The
-eonaummation of this system is to be the erection of Shang-
hae into a free port, with a mixed consular and municipal
government under the joint protectorate of the
Treaty
_Powers. It is my duty to remind you that
the Chinese Government has never formally abandoned
its rights over its own subjects, nor has her Majesty's
Government ever claimed or expressed any desire to exercise
a protectorate over them. The only case in which, con-
sistently with the principles laid
her M hajesty's authorities in '
oountry,
down for the guidance of
Chinese
is
inthtehcsoenmsaplloy of ahas a
right to interfere, is where thteis
British firm, and whe-e there.tinstrason for believing that
the arrest of the Chinese sery s an outrage through him
•on his employer. But it is the t
interestsar of the British sub-
sprotected. I do not
jocr, and not the Chinaman, which
understand what interest her Majesty': Government has in
lending itself to a system which is unjustifiabie in
which would be attended with endless embarrassment iopau eid
responsibility, and which the Chinese Government
_never submit to willingly. Great Britain has mneent•
except in providing a secure place for British tradinmte interest
blishments ; and whatever inconveniences may ariseg efraota.
the conversion of the settlement into a Chinese town, I dora
rot think that her Majesty's Government will be induced
to seek a remedy for them by extending its jurisdiction over
a large section of the Chinese population. Because we pro-
tect Shanghae from falling a prey to a horde of brigands, it
sloes not follow that we are prepared to interfere with the
natural relation of the Chinese to their own Government. I
must impress upon you most strongly the importance of not
lending yourself to any proposal which will lead, however
indirectly, to such serious alterations in our position in
China as are evidently contemplated by some of the resi-
dents at Shanghae. I am convinced that her Majesty's Go-
vernment would wish to sea the limits of the so-called con-
ctiasion reduced, so as to exclude the Chinese, rather than
extended, so as to embrace a greater number of them. Our
interests in China are trade, and pacific relations with the
authorities, and I know no more fertile source of misunder-
standing than the collection of Cninest within our limits.
This is not a question which affects Shanghae alone; it
affects our relations with the whole Chinese empire ; and,
considering the effect of our example, it is of the utmost
importance that we should take no step which cannot be
defended upon sound international principle. I request you

to reconsider the Land Regulations with reference to the
principles laid down in this despatch.—l am, Sce.,
F. W. A. BRUCE.

(EXTRACT.)
Pekin, Ja 22, 1863.

I wish you to understand that by treaty w 3 1 ave no right
to interfere between the Chinese people d eir authori-
ties; that the words "sanctity of the Brit- h concession"
have no meaning ; and that we have no power to compel the
Chinese who live within the so-termed concession to pay any
tax for local purposes except through and with the consent
of their own authorities. I aua inclined to think that the
whole system at Shanghae is a mistake; thit the police
arrangement of the Chinese within the lines would be more
efficiently and economically done through themselves than
it is done by Europeans, and that our management is most
extravagant and oppressive. I beg you also to remember
that what is done in a military point of view is for the de-
fence of the settlement, and that her Majesty's Government
has a right to expect that any charges for that purpose will
take the precedence of local improvements, which, under
other circumstances, might be desirable. If the Chinese
are taxed for local purposes to the utmost, it only proves,as
I said above, that the system is a bad one. If the assist-
ance given at Shanghae entitles us to a voice in the matter
of taxes, no distinction ought to be made between the people
in the settlement and those in the city. There ought to
be no difference made in favour of the settlement; in fact,
the accumulation of Chinese there is a great misfortune,
and wculd make neutrality impossible, should the Govern-
ment wish to leave Shanghae to take its chance. It is a
great source of danger and insecurity to our interests; and
by ignoring the jurisdiction of the Chinese Government
over the inhabitants, we release it from any claim under the
treaty in case of incendiary fires, &c. That is a point not
sufficiently borne in mind by the community.
Pekin, July 3.

Sir,—ln reply to your despatch of No. 130 respecting a
projected new tax on opium,you will state to the Taoutai that
he is at liberty to do what he likes with the article when in
the hands of the Chinese purchaser. But that on pay-
ment of the custom dues the British merchant is entitled to
deliver it without former formality to the Chinese put chaser.
It appears to be that the Chinese may levy any excise duty
on opium they like, and there is no article that may be more
legitimately taxed to meet the pressing wants of the state.
The same observation applies to native products; when in
the hands of the Chinese, the authorities may tax them as
they please.—l am, &c.,
(Signed) F. W. A. BRUCE.
Sir,—ln reply to your despatch No. 148, requesting my
advice as to the proposals made by the Taoutai for the taxa-
tion of Chinese subjects within the limits of the so-called
British Concession, I have to observe that there is nothing
in the treaties which warrant me in interfering in any way
in such questions. The Taoutai is entitled to levy taxes as he
pleases, and as long as he merely seeks to impose taxes on
persons resident in the concession, which are paid by those
living in the city and suburb, I see no reason for objecting
to it, at a time when it is our interest as well as that of the
Chinese that the government should not be deprived of its
resources. A heavy responsibility will rest on the consul of
any part, should his action in such matters lead to the dis-
banding or mutiny of the highly paid force under foreign
officers which the Chinese have embodied, by our advice.
—I ate, &c.,

(Signed)
True copies and extracts.

F. W. A. BRUCE.

W. H. MEDELURST.
The China Mail contains the followidg :
The Sunkiang garrison, which is another name for what
used to be the "Ward Force" is in a most unsatisfactory
state. By every account, the Chinese troops have always
greatly preferred the rule of foreign officers : regular pay
and mild discipline naturally brought the force into favour
among Chinamen willing to accept military service; the
superiority of foreign drill was also evident to the troops that
were subject to it, and it is likely enough that the active
hard working foreign officer favourably contrasted with the
dull and selfish mandarin, destitute alike of the physical
courage to lead his men to the breach, or the moral courage
to refrain from peculation. Be that as it may, the rule of
Chinese commanders is eagerly deprecated by the disciplined
troops, while that of foreigners is earnestly apprecia4 ed and
approved of. The consequence is, that little outbreaks,
which might easily become serious, are of frequent occur-
rence, being provoked by the inequality of discipline exer-
cised by the foreign and the native officer. The last out-
break, about two weeks ago, was caused by two men having
been decapitated for looting a shop, they having already
been punished for the offence by one of the foreign officers.
The timid Chinese officials seemed to admit the dangerous
nature of their course of action, for they caused the men to
be decapitated at midnight. These things are a fruitful
Source of mutiny and desertion, and form a rock ahead in
the prospect of " Sunkiang garrison."

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
(From the Overland China Mail of April 15.)
TiErcrstrr, March 29.—Business is not resumed, and the
only sales reported are 6,500 pieces shirtings, and 400 or
500 each of camlets, lastings, and Spanish stripes.
HANXOW, April I.—Of imports we hear of sales of shirt-
ings and fancy goods at an advance, and woollens also have
found buyers. Of teas, there are only four chops remaining,
but the new are expected about the middle of May, a fort•
night earlier than last season.

SIIANGHAE, April 7.—Not much doing. The sales of
imports comprise some 12,000 pieces shirtings—grey, white,
and spotted ; 1,000 chintz, and 7,000 T cloths, with a few
hundred pieces of other kinds. In teas, the only sale of black
is about 500 packages, and of greens a small quantity of
Moyunes and Fychow.
FuttcHau, April 6.--Sales of imports 500 pieces while
shirtings, and 6,000 T cloths. Very little doing in tea;
2,700 chests congou, 500 boxes scented, and a few chests
Pekoe. Stocks nearly as last reported. Freights to London,
£4 5s ; to New York, 16 dols to 17 dols. Ships loading—
Java, for London, and Hound, for New York. •
AMOY, April 9.—Scarcely anything doing in either im-
ports or exports. The total sales of manufactures do not ex-
ceed 1,500 pieces, and in teas some 200 half chests only
found a buyer.

CANTON.—The only cotton manufactures at all saleable
are white shirtings, at an advance of 20 cents, ; 700 pieces
Spanish stripes are also reported sold. In teas 8 chops
Congou have been settled ; also 800 boxes scanted orange
pekoe and 9,500 caper, 2,600 packages country greens, and
6,500 Canton-made.

HONG KONG.—A fair amount of business has been trans-
acted during the fortnight in imports, and we have to report
sales of 20,000 pieces grey and 8,000 white shirtings, 2,700
American drills, and 3,500 each of T-cloths and brocades.
Of rice 3,500 piculs have found buyers at former quotations.
Exchange—Bank, 4s Hid ; credit, 5s Old, with an upward
tendency. Tonnage still in demand for the coast, and to
load at Manilla.