The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-16 00:00:00

CHINA,

We take the following summary of news from
the Ovedand Friend of China, of the 26th of Sep-
tember —"
The past fortnight has showed a :stag-
nation in political events. In Japan no active
hostilities have taken place since the attack upon
tho town fort of Kagosirna, by Admiral Kuper, on
the llith ultimo. It has been affirmed that the
Japanese in this affair fired the first shot, but that
was not until we had committed an act of hostility
in seizing three steamers belonging to Satsuma, and
lying with their cargoes in Kagosima Bay. The
English fleet, meantime, is lying in Yokohama bay
repairing.

THE WAR IN NEW ZEALAND.
Wa take the 1.-glowing summary of events sines
the last mail from the Melbourne Argus of th© 26th
of September—'' No striking event has marked the
month's history of the Maori rebellion in New Zea-
land. The first information we received after the
despatch of our last account was per her Majesty's
.
ship Eclipse, from Auckland, which veseelarrved
for tha purpose of conveying to the seat of war a
carrying
Sydney-built iron-clad gunboat, capable
300 men and stores, and of ascending shallow
of
rivers.
The news thus brought was, thit
occurred, to that time
d, General
nothing of importance
hado aireinforeements, as
w
Cameron preferring to
he was ignorant of the waithe for
whereabouts of the rebels,
only a small body of whom appeared in front. There

had been only one brush with the Maories when, in
consequence of intelligence received, Gen. Cameron
and his staff embarked in the Avon and went up
the Waikato river. On arriving at Meremere he
found the M aories had formed a strong redoubt on a
spur of a hill commanding the river, with lines of
rifle pits 200 yards long. Two Armstrong shells
and rockets were fired, and immediately after-
wards the Maories opened fire with cannon.
The steamer then dropped out of range.
The next day a large body of the military com-
menced the formation of a redoubt commanding a
portion of the Maori works, but the native posi-
tion was very strong, and admirably chosen. At
that time the Maories had abandoned the Huana
ranges, and great el-oms were being made to induce
the Aotea natives to join the insurgents, but it was
hoped the governor's intention to confiscate the
rebels' lands would doter them. William Naylor
still honourably maintained his allegiance to the
Crown, and refused to permit his tribe to take up
arms. At the commencement of the present month
we learnt by the Claud Hamilton, also from Auck-
land, that matters were still in statu quo, the weather
having been altogether too boisterous to permit of
many operations. It was estimated that 2,000 Mao-
ries were at Meremere, and so skilfully entrenched,
that they were not attackable with any chance of
success till 2,000 soldiers were ready for the attack,
besides 1,000 for posts. It is stated that the cupola
ship could approach within 100 yards of the centre
of the Maori position. A slight skirmish had
taken place between 25 men of the 40th Regiment
and a party of Maories at the latter end of August.
The soldiers were out bush-felling in the neighbour-
hood of Drury, on the land adjoining the Great
South-road, taking no covering party with them,
and had piled up their arms, when a large party of
natives made a dash across the road, seized on the
piled arms, and immediately commenced firing on
the working party. They killed two at the first
discharge, when, being alarmed by an escort coming
in sight, they decamped, but not before they had
taken the meat outof some pots containing the men's
dinner, and partly stripped the dead. Capt. Cook,
who was in command of the escort, had his sus-
picions first aroused by seeing a tall column of white
smoke rising above the trees, and then shortly after-
wards hearing the firing hepushed on with his men,
and came in time to fall in with the enemy crossing
the road. Dashing into the bush after them, Cap-
tain Cook and the 40th, joined by a detachment of
the 18th from the Razorback, under Ensign
Haynes, endeavoured to regain possession of the
arms, in which attempt, however, they were un-
successful, although they shot several and pre-
vented the enemy carrying away two of his
dead. One 18th man was wounded, although
not severely. One of the Maories, a very tall man,
received six shots before he dropped, and was at
last despatched with a bayonet thrust. A detach-
ment of tha 70th came up at the end of the engage-
ment, from the return Drury escort, but were too
late to render any assistance, the enemy having
made good his retreat.

" The next news we receive will doubtless be of
greater importance. Gen. Cameron had decided
on attacking Meremere on the 13th inst., having
established a cordon of troops round the Maories'
position. About 2,000 troops were available for the
attack, and it is not improbable a blow may be in-
flicted which will terminate the war. It is certain,
however, that the perseverance and ingenuity of the
rebels have been much underrated. They are hard
pushed for powder, but somehow or another manage
either to procure it or else manufacture a substitute.
file latest instance of their cleverness was dis-
covered when a native woman offered a sovereign
for a quantity of little brass eyelet-holes, such as
ladtes uee in lacing. Inquiries were made, and it
turned out that the Moaries required them for per-
cussion caps, Using found that the top of a com-
mon lucifer match inserted in the centre of one of
these eyelet-holes answered every purpose.

The Projected European Congress.

PARIS, Nov. 15.

The Memorial Diplomalique of to-day, speaking of the
reply of Russia to the Emperor Napoleon's invitation to a
Congress, eays

" It is only known, and that by telegraph, that Prince
Gortschakoffyon receiving from the French Charge d'Affaires
at St. Petersburg the missive addressed to the Czar, replied
that he would hasten to forward it to his Sovereign, who
had not yet returned from the Crimea, where he had gone
to visit the Empress. As soon as he received instructions,
the prince would make it his duty to communicate his
Majesty 's resolution.
" The assent of Russia," continues the Memorial, " can-
not be doubted. It even appears that at London a suspi-
cion momentarily prevailed that the idea of a Congress had
only been entertained anew by France in consequence of a
secret understanding with the Court of St. Petersburg,
hence the hesitation of the English Ministers to pronounce
immediately in its favour. The explanations exchanged on
both sides have terminated by demonstrating the sincerity
and loyalty of the French policy."
The Memorial Diplomatique states that after the council
of English Ministers which took place on the 12th instant,
Earl Russell authorised the British Ambassador at Paris to
declare to the French Government that Great Britain de_
sired nothing bettor than to co-operate in the work under-
taken by Napoleon 111., of ensuring European order and
consolidating the peace of the world. But, in order that
the common efforts might be crowned with success, it ap-
peared indispensable to the Ministers of her Majesty Queen
Victoria that the Cabinets of England and France should
enter into a preliminary exchange of frank and cordial ex-
planations respecting the object of the imperial programme
and the means of attaining it.

The Memorial Diplomatique further denies the rumour,
published by the Augsburg Oazette, of the resignation of
Count Rechberg.

The .Nation of this evening believes itself able to state
that the Emperor's Government has not yet received any
official communication relative to the reply of the Powers
to the invitation to a Congress.
Several Governments have, however, foreshadowed the
nature of the reply they are about to give, but state that
they will still allow some time to elapse before sending
their official reply.
The Nation also ears —" Private letters from St. Peters.
burg state that the majority of the statesmen, the usual ad-
visers of the Emperor Alexander, favour the adhesion
a priori to the Congress project; such adhesion being, how-
ever, made dependent upon a preliminary understanding
upon the questions which might be raised and settled in
the Congress. On the other hand, it is asserted that the
invitation addressed by the Emperor Napoleon to the Pon-
tifical Court was accompanied by certain propositions, ac•
cording to which the Emperor would reserve the presi-
dency of the Congress of the Pope, should his Holiness
assent.

"It is even added, but this requires confirmation, that the
Emperor had requested from the Sovereigns a declaration
tending to guarantee to the Pope his present possessions.
"In the event of any Sovereigns refusing to enter into
such an undertaking, the Emperor, it is said, would pass
over them and hold a Congress composed of Sovereigns ad-
hering to his views. But then the decision taken would
simply have the character of a manifestation. In such a
Conference the bases of a sort of league might be esta-
blished comprising all the Sovereigns whose interests
and principles might harmonise with those represented by
the Emperor Napoleon."

THE ACCIDENT TO TILE ROYAL MAIL STEAMER
AFRICA.—A numerously attended meeting of the
Council of the Liverpool Mercantile Marino Service Asso-
ciation was held on Saturday, for the purpose of taking into
con4deration certain steps to be adopted in relation to the
decision of the Board of Trade to suspend the certificate of
Captain Stone, of the Royal Mail steamer Africa, for six
months. Resolutions were adopted, strongly condemning
the course pursued by the court of inquiry as unjust, and
pointing out the necessity of having the courts of inquiryy
reconstituted, with the view of bringing to trial byoa_Jrcis.
of nautical men, all captains against whom cher
Wednesdaye
s
takes in navigation might be brought.
nagexaitnas
t
publicthed io
emcieeetiu of Messrsbengwill
. held
Baker in
aLni.d%x OeHrapaor or
il t, o
theprot,
we sot
"nautical" assessors.
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was a good deal i r
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stitohne rout
these gentlemen. pan ldaur t artist
a t
the
1 Royall , we
Mr. W. WEISS.
understand, resume his p
dßepyrisloremdeth„erangeiffh for the first time since a serious
--ThisSsipono
• A6leir..vilVeiss's name was retained in the daily bills
pub-
licaE ilnemoigdfel ahlthi
accident Mr.
Opera
the
cervices
rupture-anb.oot tf
fortnightvein
and announcements, while another gentleman performed
his part in Mr. Wallace's " Desert Flower." The truth is,
however, that our famous English basso has not sung at
Covent Garden Theatre since his illness, and will reappear
for the first time this evening.
A new French translation of the works of
Chrysostomus, Vol. 1., the eleventh volume of Bossuet's
complete works, and the seventh and eighth of a new
edition of Giry's " Vie des Saints," have recently been
published.

GERSTACKER has written " The 'Pale of the
Tailor who had the Stoniarl-ache ; ' illwtrations by
K •

&Mai 04-sks
-

HER MAJESTY.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Nov. 14.

The Queen, accompanied by her Royal Highness
the Crown Princess of Prussia (Princess Royal)
drove in the grounds this morning.
Their Royal Highnesses Princess Louise and
Prince Leopold, attended by the Hon. Mrs. Grey,
Miss Grey, Hon. Harriet Phipps, Lieut.-General
Hon. C. Grey, and Mr. Buff, went to London yes-
terday evening and honoured the performance at
the Haymarket Theatre with their presence.
His Royal Highness Field-Marshal the Duke of
Cambridge, attended by Colonel Hon. James Mac-
donald, arrived at the Castle.
Viscount and Viscountess Sydney also at rived.
The dinner party at the Castle yesterday included
their Royal Highnesses the Crown Princess of
Prussia, the Princess Helena, and the Duke of Cam-
bridge, the Belgian Minister, Madame and Miss
Van de Weyer, Viscount and Viscountess Sydney,
Countess Howenthal, Baroness Dobeneck, Count
Fnrstenstein, Colonel the Hon. James Macdonald,
the Hon. and Very Rev. the Dean of Windsor, and
the Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting on her Ma-
jesty the Queen. _

Nov. 15.

The Queen, their Royal Highnesses the Crown
Princess of Prussia (Princess Royal), Princess
Helena, Princess Louise, her Serene Highness Prin-
cess Hohenlohe, and the Ladies and Gentlemen in
Waiting, attended Divine service this morning in
the private chapel. The Hon. and Very Roy. the
Dean of Windsor officiated,

The Right Hon. Sir Charles Wood arrived at the
Castle yesterday evening, and has had an audience
of the Queen.

The Prince and Princess of Wales.
SANDRINGHAM, Nov. 15.
Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess
of 'Wales walked in the grounds on Friday.
Lieutenant Colonel Keppel left Sandringham
House on Friday morning for Lexham.
Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess
of Wales, attended by Major Teesdale, Mr, 11.
Fisher, and the Countess of Morton, left Sandring-
ham House yesterday morning, driving to Westacre,
where their royal highnesses joined the West Nor-
folk hounds for a day's hunting. Their royal
highnesses returned to Sandringham House in the
evening.

As above stated the gentlemen of the West Nor-
folk Hunt had the honour of welcoming their Royal
Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales in the
hunting field. The " meet" was fixed at Westacre
High House, situate in a splendid hunting country,
at eleven o'clock. Their royal highnesses arrived
at eleven o'clock, and looked remarkably well. The
prince graciously honoured Mr. A. Hammond by
accepting his invitation to partake of refreshment.
Shortly after eleven the " field," one of the largest
seen with the 'West Norfolk, numbering at least
200 to 250 horsemen, departed for the sport
of the day, which turned out to be very
enjoyable. The prince rode well to the
hounds, and evinced a keen appreciation of the
sport, as indeed did the princess, who, driving a pair
of greys, proceeded in the direction the fox had
taken, and came up with the field at Narford Hall,
where a slight check had occurred. Her royal
highness, who was attended by the Countess of
Morton, entered with evident gratification into the
exciting pleasures of the chase, and alighted at
Narford Hall, the seat of Mr. A. Fontaine. The
hounds being again cast off, got into the right tract,
and the Prince of Wales, with the worthy master of
the hunt, Mr. H. Villebofs, were soon in hot pursuit,
followed by the numerous field, which comprised
the leading gentry of the district. The Prince and
Princess were received with the greatest possible
respect, whilst there was not the slightest attempt
at anything like demonstration.