The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-26 00:00:00

INDIA.

We take the following from the Calcutta English-
man of Aug. 22 :--
" Our advices from Peshawar tell us that the
ordinary traffic between Cabul and Peshawur has
been completely stopped since the middle of last
month, and on both sides of the border apprehen-
sions are entertained that serious State convulsions
are on the el. e of breaking out in Afghanistan.
Shere Ali, or Ameer the Second, as he styles himself,
has inaugurated his succession to the throne of Dost
Mahomed in the usual Oriental manner. He ham
executed his brother, Mahomed Astern, a man of high
character and well known as a partisan of his more
enlightened brother Azim Khan, who, to escape the
same fate, immediately afterwards fled from Cabal
towards the north, accompanied by 70Q horsemen,
and it is supposed he will be joined by a much
larger number of followers. Shere Ali justifies his
act by affirming that his three brothers, Azful,
Azim, and Aslam, were conspiring against his life,
and that the measures he took were those of self-
defence; and he points to the flight of Azim in
confirmation of the fact. It is pretty confidently
asserted, and generally believed, that Afzul Khan
is actually preparing to rise in rebellion against
Shere Ali, for be has already engaged some
thousands of fighting men at a very high rate of
pay—as much as 10 and 12 rupees a month, it is
said ; while the ordinary pay of a soldier in
Afghanistan is only four rupees. The Ghilsies
have risen in revolt in the south, and other tribes
are expected to follow their example.
BOMBAY, Sept. 11.

Business more active.
Dollars, 490 r.; 71b. shirtings, 8.12 r. ; freight,
60s,

CHINA.

We take the following summary of news from
the Overland China Mail of the 12th of August :
From Pekin we have intelligence to June 29th.
The weather had been very hot (from 95 to 97 in
the shade), and the houseflies and sandflies very
troublesome. The success of the Danish Envoy in
obtaining a treaty, es stated in our last, is consi-
dered a triumph. China has now entered into
treaty relations with eight nations, viz., Russia,
United States, Great Britain, France, Prussia,
Belgium, Portugal, and Denmark, whose treaties
were signed in the order of their enumeration ;
a treaty was negotiated with Sweden, in 1845,
but the Swedes have not appeared to claim the re-
cent concessions to other powers. Much praise is
due to the Danish ecvoy for his success in these
negotiations, for the Chinese authorities were not
inclined to make any more compacts of the sort ;
and be fully deserves the rewards we doubt not will

be conferred on him at Copenhagen. From the
northern ports we have no news of importance. Of
the rebels we have some news. Gordon gained a
victory on the 27th inst. (which would be important
under other circumstances than those now existing),
in the capture of Wu•kiang, a walled city 15 miles
south of Soochow, and interrupting the communica-
tions between that stronghold and Hanchow, as well
as with Shanghae, the source whence the rebels still
draw large supplies of arms and men; but the vic-
tory is more than counterbalanced by the accession
of Burgevine to the rebel ranks, with, it is said,
500 rowdies of all nations, chiefly American, who
have been conveyed in batches to Soochow, Burge-
vine's designs were openly discussed in the settle-
ment for upwards of a week before he actually left
the place, and having reached the ears of the
Chinese authorities, they called upon the American
Consul to prevent his departure; as was expected,
however, nothing of the kind was done, and Burge.
vine openly left Shanghae on the 29th of July, and,
on the 2d of August, succeeded by a coup de main
in carrying off the Chinese steamer Kow•jow from
Sunkiang just as she was anchoring at the latter
place on her return from Shanghae. Bargevine has
been elevated to the rank of Wang, with the title
Kwei, or honourable, by the rebel chieftain, and,
although neither his own military capacity nor the
prowess of his tag-rag and bobtail crew of rowdies
need inspire apprehension, he is dangerous, owing
to the influence he is supposed to retain among a
portion of Major Gordon's force. On the other
hand, it is well ascertained that, although Soochow
is well defended and thoroughly fortified, the garri-
son is suffering from scarcity, and the strict block-
ade which the recent success of the Imperialists
enable them to maintain at Nanking will prevent
supplies from being introduced from that direction.
An embargo has recently been imposed at Shanghae
on the transport of rice to the interior, as it was
alleged that enormous supplies found their way to
the interior, and into rebel hands. This has caused
a panic among the large holders of rice in Shanghae.
" In Shanghae the extreme heat has moderated,
and cases of sickness are fewer. The Ocean Mail,
laden with tea, has been totally wrecked in the
Yang-tsze river. She left Shanghae on the Ist
inst., bound for London. When outside she an-
chored during the night, and in the morning at-
tempted to drop down the river in charge of a branch
pilot and an apprentice. When nearly abreast of
the position where the Sovereign of India grounded,
she touched with her keel on an old wreck, and fell
over on her beam ends with her yardarms on the
ground. An apprentice pilot and a ship's boy were
drowned, the rest of the crew being saved in the
boats, and by the assistance of the steamer Pem-
broke. The cargo is insured.
From Ningpo, we hear of an affair of which we
hope to give a more satisfactory account next mail.
We give the North Cana Herald's report of
it :—" A serious encounter has taken place in
Hang-chow-bay between her Britannic Majesty's
gunboat Flamer, the Chinese steamer Paouchan,
and a number of piratical junks. A vessel named
the Rosina, belonging to Messrs. Dent and Co. was
captured by pirates during her voyage from Ningpo
to Shanghae, and carried off by them into the re-
cesses of the bay. For some time it was not known
whither she had been taken, and her whereabouts
was only discovered at last through information
given by one of her native passengers, who escaped
to Ningpo. The Flamer and Paouchan at once
proceeded to the spot, but found the Rosina sunk
and cargo abstracted. They were themselves
vigorously attacked by the pirates and had consi-
derable difficulty in beating them off. One of the
crew of the former vessel was killed during
the action, and the Commander Bosan-
quet, severely but not dangerously wounded
in the thigh. Captain Barton of the Paouchan was
also killed. The two vessels withdrew to Ningpo,
but will immediately return in company with two
other gunboats to endeavour to destroy the piratical
fleet. The pirates have obtained a splendid prize,
as the Rosina is stated to have had specie to the
amount of 20,000 taels on board, besides a full
cargo of tea.'
"From Canton and Macao there is no news.
" By the present mail steamer, Mr. F. T. Wade,
Chinese Secretary to the British Legation at Pekin,
proceeds to England on leave of absence."

Another Glimpse of the Annamite

Ambassadors.

" I have to-day," writes the Paris correspondent
of a morning contemporary, "had the honour of
being presented to his Excellency the Ambassador
of Annam. As our intercourse was carried on by
bows, I feel that I shall not be indiscreet in giving
it publicity. Not only had I, the pleasure of this
receptian, but I had also the gratification of going
with the whole mission over the shop of M. Cris-
tofle, the Elkington of France. I own it was with
no little curiosity I watched the entrance of these
illustrious strangers into this wonderful depot of all
that is beautiful in plate, glass, and bronze. Fancy
painted the untutored savage struck dumb with
wonder at the sight of an epergne, and the assistants
falling into ecstacies at the sight of an egg-cup.
At last they came, these dusky diplomatists, and in
five voitures de remise. They were fifteen in all;
three ambassadors and twelve attendants. 1
was irresistibly reminded by their dress of Til-
burina going mad in white satin, and her at-
tendant in white dimity. Premising that
the mission was not in its best garments, I will
attempt to say how it was dressed. Ambassadors
1,2, and 3, wore blue damask, such as you use for
curtains ; the other twelve black or blue serge,
" over which," to use a lady's expression, " one wore
a robe of brown gauze," very neat. Very long
robes, like old-fashioned dressing-gowns, fastened
by girdles, wooden clogs, and a small black silk
turban composed, I regret co say, all the "purple
and fine linen of their Excellencies, secretaries,
interpreters, doctors, and cooks. They were al;
there. The chief envoy is a little old man, rather
pleasant to look at, who took some interest in what
he saw, asked questions, and weighed everything
shown him, as if he were going to put an ad
valorem duty on it before admitting it into Annam.
Nos. 2 and 3 are finer-looking, but said nothing—
let us hope they were thinking—and took little
notice of M. Chtistofle's artistic and elegant
designs. I thought a " toast-rack" seemed
to please his Excellency No. 3 better
than anything; while No. 2 lingered over a but-
terboat representing a dairy-maid and her pail. As
I stood gazing at their superiors, the inferiorseame
crowding around me. Suddenly one spoke, and I
started to hear, in my own native language, " Yes,
pretty, but too dear;" and turning round perceived
the lacquais de place showing a little photograph
frame to one of the suite, who had uttered the very
natural expression above recorded in the very best
English. I had a long talk with this young diplo.
mat, and found he had been educated by the French
Jesuits and English missionaries. He was very
intelligent, and spoke fluently, and with en ex-
cellent accent, French, Spanish, and English. Two
spoke French, and one English. The Ambassador •
in-chief speaks and understands French. My love
of truth compels me to say that these Cochin-
China gentlemen are very ugly—the lowest typo of
Chinese. Not the most blare man in Paris could
have walked with greater cainaness through a fine
display of what are really works of art than did
these new importations. They consider Paris
fine," and abused the weather with great since-
rity. Iu figure they are flat-chested, and have long
lean arms. Their whole person, however, is so en-
veloped that they might be as well-formed as An-
tinous and nobody be any the wiser. They stoop
when they walk ; and now, when I have said that
one gentleman was attired in white Berlin gloves,
that several wore most gorgeous rings on their
thumbs, and one had a row of gold buttons on his
gaberdine, and add that they all smoked little funnel
shaped cigarettes about as big as a toothpick, which
they tosk from a large bag hung round the neck of
a Secretary of Legation, I shall have told you
enough of the first interview between the diplomacy
of Cochin China and a British subject and corre-
spondent.

THE MISSIONARY JOSEPH WOLFF'S curious me-
moirs have found a translator in Germany. They now ap-
pear wader the title " Joseph Wolff : a 'Wanderer's Life."