The Sun.
London, England, 1862-11-14 00:00:00

CHINA.

The Overland China Mail, in its summary
news, says :

" The London mail of Aug. 11th arrived here on
the 21st inst.

During the past fortnight nothing has been seen
or heard of the rebels in the vicinity of Shanghae.
The scattered bands of marauders which appeared
in the neighbourhood of the city a few weeks ago
seem to have fallen back upon the main body ; but
no intelligence has been obtained regarding the re-
cent movements of the rebels, or-kow they propose
to employ themselves during the winter. The views
entertained by her Majesty's Government on the
Taeping question and the general defence of our
property in China, have afforded satisfaction to
foreign residents in the treaty ports; very few, if
any, of our people desire that measures should be
pushed to greater extremities. It is not felt by any
man of ordinary prudence that we are at all called
upon to crush the rebellion, any more than we are
called upon to give the rebels possession of Shang-
hae. As a matter of policy, the utter annihilation
of the rebellion by foreign arms is not to be recom-
mended. In the present conjuncture of affairs,
where, by English and French force, the Taepings
are confined and obstructed, our importance and
value in the cause of law and order cannot be over-
looked; it might, and no doubt would, alter our
footing in China were there no insurgent forces to
repress, and no foreign armaments in the ports and
riven of this empire.
" The employment of European officers and the
acquisition of foreign gunboats by the Imperial go-
vernment introduces a new element into the old
conservative administration of China, and is, though
a hopeful feature, not free from the suspicion of con-
taining the probable germs of future complications.
" From Peking we learn that everything is quiet,
and that cholera is abating. There is no news of
importance from the three northern ports. The
Forts on the Yang-tsze River continue to prosper.
"At Shanghae, a general meeting of the land-
renters was held on the Bth inst., her British Ma-
jesty's Senior Consul in the chair. The object of
this meeting was to propose measures for the better
administration of the affairs of the settlement.

" All is quiet at Ningpo. An incident occurred
there about a fortnight ago that might have led to
trouble and disturbance. It appears the French
steamer Deroulede, then stationed off Yu Yaou,
moved a mile or two higher up the river to join a
flotilla of Cantonese lorchas and other craft which
had been posted in a certain bend of the river for
purposes of strategy and observation. The officer
in command of the French vessel desired this flo-
tilla to go a few miles higher up. The Cantonese
replied that they did not like the proposal, but ulti-
mately, after much squabbling, they obeyed. Two
days later they received an order from the same
officer to proceed six miles further up the river.
They refused most decidedly to comply with such
an order, on the ground that it would place them in
too close contact with the Taepings, who were strong
in that quarter. Active French steps were adopted
to enforce compliance ; the Cantonese resented
those steps so far as to fire upon the French vessel
and kill two men, wounding a third. The officer in
command, Captain Marolus, was also slightly
touched_ in the leg by a couple of small shots.
result of like a regular fight then followed, the
of 'which was that 600 Cantonese deserted to
the rebels, who 'are in the vicinity
of Shang-yu.
H.M.S. Encounter h
for the health of her happened to be at the Islands
crew when this wretched affair
took place, but her captain (Roderick Dew) lost no
lime in taking tj
French commandernharY up, particularly as the
the Deroulede, kavin oyeme down to Ningpo with
itself, after an this Yaou to take care of
TWWS of this affair reacheledf shad been created. The
private letters, and, as usualhaeghae by means of
P
an‘vdas exaggerated, so
much so that the Rennet,
a French gunboat
were at once despatched to Ningpo.
On arriving
there they were ordered back, not beirgo.re quired
.
The subject, however, is not a trifiing l
consequences might have been disastrounse'a the
because a French officer must do business in bluad a
wlnl
way, regardless as well as forgetful of what theOc°llsequences may be. Still our interests will safer
and our past labour be destroyed by a few blunders
like the present. The Chinese dislike the French
cverev here, and not without reason!'

CHINA COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
The market for imports is firm both in the north
south, and there does not seem to be ranch in-
to Fn ye ulat e. Sales of cotton goods in
Tien-tsin had been extensive before the rise in home
prices reached that port. The shipment of raw
cotton from Canton to England continues, and prices
have receded. In exports, large supplies of teas are
arriving in Shanghae and Canton, but without find-
ing ready sale, as the prices demanded by teamen
are excessive. The new greens were fast arriving
in Kinkiang. Iu Fuhehau the transactions have
ioaell large, and a fair business done at Amoy. The

clination