The Sun.
London, England, 1839-09-24 00:00:00

The proceedings of the High Commissioner since his
arrival in Canton will be fully reported to your Lord-
ship by her Majesty's Superintendent ; but we may ob-
serve that his demand for the unconditional surrender
of the whole of the opium in the depot ships was one
with which foreigners could not comply, the great bulk
of that opium being the property of others in India and
elsewhere, and they were equally unable to give the
bonds required.

The High Commissioner, finding at the expiration of
three days, the time within which he had ordered the
whole of the opium to be delivered up and the bonds to
be given, that his orders had not been obeyed, sent the
Hong merchants in chains to the foreign factories,
threatening to put them to death before our doors, and
at the same commenced other menacing preparations
against the foreigners themselves.
At this stage of the business her Majesty's Chief Su-
perintendent arrived at Canton.
We feel it our duty to express to your Lordship our
deep sense of the public spirit which induced this officer,
at no inconsiderable risk, endeavourto
to rescue British
life and property from a position of fearful jeopardy ; and
we may assure your Lordship that but one feeling ex-
isted of the extreme peril of the whole community at the
period when he succeeded in forcing his way to Canton,
and took charge of all responsibility in the negotiations
with the Chinese Government.

Although the measures of her Majesty's representa-
tive have relieved us from all responsibility in surren-
dering so large an amount of property, we may still be
allowed respectfully but earnestly to entreat your Lord-
ship's mediation to obtain the earliest possible fulfilment
of the guarantee given on behalf of her Majesty's Go-
vernment, and thus be the means of saving many of the
owners of the property from inevitable ruin, and all of
them from heavy loss.
We deem it also an imperative duty to assure your
Lordship most solemnly of our firm conviction that the
public approval, on the part of her Majesty's Govern-
ment, of the prompt interposition of her Majesty's repre-
sentative, and the early adoption of such measures as
the wisdom of her Majesty's advisers may determine on
with regard to our future relations with the Chinese em-
pire, can alone avert the occurrence of similar or even
more violent outrages.
We beg further to state to your Lordship that, in-
dependently of the opium now violently seized, there i
was at the same period British property of other kinds
in Canton to the value of upwards of one million ster-
ling, besides a large and valuable feet of shipping lying
at Whampoa, consigned to our care, but totally beyond
our control ; and although this property was not al-
leged to have incurred any penalty, the High Commis-
sioner never attempted to distinguish the participators
in the one trade from those in the other, but placed
both under one common suspension, and the whole 'body
of foreigners in arbitrary confinement.
After the completion of the delivery of the opium
surrendered, the High Commissioner has expressed an
intention of opening the legal trade, under new regula-
tions, but circumstances do not justify us in entertain-
ing the expectation that these regulations sill afford any
security for our life or property.
‘Ve therefore think your Lordship will be convinced
that some serious alterations in our relations with this
empire aro indispensably necessary, and that British
commerce can never safely be carried cn, and certainly
can never flourish, in a country where our persons and
property are alike at the mercy of a capricious and cor-
rupt Government.
In conclusion„ it only remains for us again to urge
upon your Lordship and her Majesty's Government the
great importance of an early recognition of our claims on
account of the opium surrendered for her Majesty's
service, and the pressing and paramount necessity of
placing the general trade of British subjects upon a se-
cure and permanent basis.
Canton, May 23, 1839.
Dent and Co., Lindsay and Co., Bell and Co., Mae-
vicar and Do., Diann and Cc., Gibb, Livingston
and Co., Charles S. Compton, D. and M. Rustom-
jee, Jamieson and How, :W. and 'l'. Gentmell and
Co., Bitchy, Adam and Co., Turner and Co., Ro-
bert \Vise, Holliday and Co., Ileerjeehhoy Rus-
tomjee, Hormasjee Framjee, Shawuxshe.w Rus-
totnjee, Cowasjee Pallonjee, Boinanjee Hoson-
jee, Plaonjee Nesservanjee, Cowasjee Edulgee,
Cowasjee Shapoorjee Taback, Burjorjee, Ma-
nuckjee, Daniell and Co., Framjee Dadabhoy, Bo-
manjee Maneckjec, Sackhusson Budwoden, Bur-
jorjee Sanabjee, Nesservanjee Dorabjee, Nesser-
vanjee Bomanjee Mody, Dossabhoy Hormusjee,
Pestonjee Ruttonjee Saroff, Abadin and Sumsoodiu,
Framjee Jamsetjee, Cooverjee Jeevagee, Pestonjee
Nowrojee, Jamsetjee Rustomjee, Horrnuzjee By-
ramjee, Cursetjce Shapoorjee, Jetusetjee Eduljee,
Cowmjee Sapoorjee L. for myself and partners.
-Canton Press.

Yesterday at the meeting of the Directors of the
Southampton Railway, held at the Northam station, it was

declared that the whole line would be opened to the public
iu May, 1840.—Hampshire Advertiser.

The Directors of the Birmingham Railway have
consented to make Blissworth a first class station, and the
Duke of Grafton has kindly offered the trustees of the

Northampton-reads the land necessary for the purpose.

_
Northampton Herald.
It is in contemplation to erect a church in Lou-
don for t►:e especial use of the natives of the Principality
to worshi, tbeir Maker in their own language. We cor-
dially concur in the object of the promoters of this owe:-
leut undertaking, and trust it will meet with the support
of the Welsh nubility and gentry throughout the kingdom.

—Cambrian.
By the Midland Counties Railway a hogshead
of sugar may be sent off from Loudon and delivered at
Nottingham five hours before a letter from London,
leaving that place at the Sallnc time, could announce its
departure, because the Post•oflice pertinaciously refuse to
avail themselves of the Nilway.—Derby Reporter.

An attempt has been made to renew the Chip-
petibiun Races, but the Mayor, from conscientious motives,
has refused to permit the Cominittee to use the race.
ground, which is Corporation property,.— Wiltshire
Gozrtte.

TIIELATE LADY FLORA 11ASTINGS.—Along
correspondence respecting this lamented lady has been pub.
lished in the London Papers. With every respect for the
memory of the unfortunate Lady Flora Hastings, and with
the sincerest sympathy for the wounded feelings of her
brother, we must candidly own, that under the circumstances,
so far from blaming Ladies Postman and Tavistock, we
do not see how they could possibly have pursued a different
line of conduct, consistent with their social duty as vir.
tuous women. The alleged indelicate treatment by Sir
James Clark during the examination, admits of no pallia_
tion—but is the charge corroborated? As to any plot
•against Lady Flora Hastings, we cannot discover even the
shadow of a shade of its existence.—Hereford Times.

There is now to be seen an apple tree in a gar-
den belonging to Mrs. Waltham, of Suttcrton, with blos.
suns on some of its branches and fruit on the others....._
Stamford Mercury.

An extraordinary accident occurred at the 'pawn-
broker's.shop at the corner of Hanway-strect, Tottenham-
court-road, on Saturday afternoon. The •,„.nor of the
a lighted candle.
shop and h;s boy w ere in the cistern, with
cleaning it out, when the water wits unexpectedly turned
on, and at the same time there was an explosion of gas, by
which the young man was Seriously burnt. It is conjec-
tured that a quantity of gas had accumulated in the empty
pipe, and was forced out by the water as it rushed into the
cistern.

FIRE IN BRISTOL.—On Wednesday night, soon
after twelve o'clock, an alarming fire broke out in the •
warehouse belonging to the flax manufactory of Messrs.
Edwards and Baker, near the Dings, in the parish of St.,
Philip's. The flames spread with lea, fel rapidity, and
could not be subdued until the whole of the extensive
warehouse and stock were rendered a hoap of ruins: At
one period the flames threatened destruction to the mann- •
factory and the adjoining premises. The damage sustained
is said to amount to about 3,oool.—Bristol Mirror.
ACCIDENT IN A FACTORY.—On Wednesday,
another accident occurred at Swainson's Factory. A
Bute kioy, about eleven years of age, was sweeping under-
Leath some of the machinery, when hip, hair was caught
he country
con-
sciences n.
and part of his scalp torn from his head. 'He was soon
rescued, and though severely injured, we are
ihlto.
learn that he is likely soon to recover. --Preston Observer. k
ENGLAND A PRIEST-RIDDEN COUNTRY.
England appears to be the most priest-riddent
in Europe. I pretend not to affirm that the influence of
general,
cAclil,2lCnlel
els speak
of
oilse cpxceorpcilsee;d
farby tfhroem clergyit.
Tohrecirr
tderivedthe
confrnocmx i
onthse
owfeaeltairchof
individualthewhol;e body,alw anti
Catholic tbeseemvi
esti
nog
n 1 ei withcs i
Catholic
his
means, is extended over society ir,
hat 'chards When I declare to my friends here, that in.
:%.N. an ppraireisst:oi
parishioners
or
sf
coun-
tries we never, unless we send for him, ince,
hoeiety—ano that,
beyond his own sphere and what
I: a hisq
nutch u rtchl the —that
influence never
is own duties, he
—I am scarcely believed. priests there
doubtless are who would wish to ext end the political in-
fluence of the Church ; but in the society of private life a
Priest is never seen. Here, on the contrary,
a dinner-party wi;hout finding at least h.lto lever go to
of
t.bnfindingpan
composed of the clergy of the neighbourhood. If Igoto i'
of the
itil evening party, I find that three-fourthsyoung
:adios arc daughters of clergymen • , and the remainder of
!lie fair group is made up of wives. sisters, cousins, or
nieces of the servants of the church. Not a family
some living at its disposal, some son looking out for church
p.e:ectukoo, or some relation handsomly endowed with it.
Not a fatally but is, in some way or other, interested in the
support of the wealthiest Church Establishment in '
Europe—in the assertion of a political-religious monopoly
of loyalty and faith. All this it is which gives the Angli-
can clergy their amazing influence in s;ociety---particularly
in the society of the country. They themselves may affect
or even feel liberality ; but woe as the man who there in- .
curs the displeasure of their rives and daughters by being
indisposed towards anythirg'in Church or State which they
may fancy it to be the ;merest of their Corporation to main-
tain! I think I mirjr'itistiy call the Anglican Church a cot.-
poraton ; and a political corporatiou to boot ; ore how
'oftent
do we not he,lr the clergy declare that the supprt
State is essential to the prosperity of their religion ? How
often do we not 'near their cry out, whenever they fancy
that the State is inclined to withdraw any pultion of. its ex-
clivaive support or favour, that the Church is in danger ?
One accustomed to see religion dependent upon. itcelt for
the influence which it may exercise is greatly aane.ished by
this avowed necessity for the earthly patronage of a heavenly
ebjevt."