The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-27 00:00:00

CHINA AND JAPAN.

The Ovtrland Mail of Sept. 11 contains an
account of the movements of the rebels, and some
other matters of interest; among other things we
find the following
" As regards the rebels, we have to record the reappear-
ance in the immediate neighbourhood of Shanghae, of those
plundering bands which usually precede the main body
when the Taepings meditate attacking a large city. The
strategic purpose fulfilled by the approach of the irregular
companies thus sent on is, to spread alarm previous to the
arrival of the general force, and it has rarely been found
unsuccessful where a city has been held only by Imperial
troops. On the 22d ultimo the smoke of burning hamlets
showed to the residents of Shanghae the now well-known
signs of an advance into the district by rebels. On the
29th ultimo the same indications were most marked, and a
reconnoitring force was dispatched from the settlement to
check the further approach of the marauders. Refugees,
as before, continued to pour into the city and settlement in
large numbers, and the destitute among them had their
immediate wants relieved by a charitable committee, which
has been doing the work of the good Samaritan for some
time back. Unfortunately the means at this committee's
1 disposal is not at all commensurate with the demand already
made upon it, but the best is being done that can be done;
doubtless all the provisions taken in future excursions
against the Taepings will be placed in the hands of proper
persons for due distribution among the sufferers, instead of
being appropriated as spoil by the troops who may happen
to find them. On Monday, the 25th, a reconnoitring party
proceeded into the country to inspect the state of affairs.
According to the Aorth China Herald this party must
have consisted of eleven individuals, ten of whom were
civilians. The party was composed of Captain Borlase,
R.N., Mr. Alabaster, of her Britannic Majesty's consulate,
Captain Panmure Gordon, and eight troopers of the
Shanghae Mounted Rangers. After passing some hun-
dreds of affrighted villagers on the way, they reached
the second hamlet beyond the bridge north of the Soochow
Creek, where they discovered some Taepings plundering the
houses. These fled on their approach ; but the gallant
Rangers, it appears, not content with this proof of their
usefulness, pursued and sabred all they could come up with.
It is a pity that our attitude towards the rebels should be
fated to have a demoralising effect upon most of the agents
employed in maintaining it, for we cannot very cordially ap-
plaud the prowess of a few mounted and well-armed mer-
cantile gentlemen who merely pursued and cut down flying
wretches that were offering them no resistance. Doubtless
the miserable creatures deserved the death they got, but the
mode in which their doom overtook them does not shed
lustre upon the arms of the Shanghae Volunteers, whose
swords have thus been fleshed for the first time. It was re-
ported that these straggling skirmishers, or plunderers, had
been sent on in advance from the army of Chung Wang,
who is suspected to be reorganising an attack upon Shang-
hae against the time when the hot weather shall have
abated. Such a step on Chung Wang's part would consti-
tute the most desperate enterprise ever attempted by the
Taeping rebels ; but the likelihood is that, notwithstanding
their numbers and the temptation afforded by a prize like
Shanghae, no such undertaking will ever be issued. The
issue of any such attempt would be a most sanguinary con-
flict, although it is scarcely to be doubted where success
would ultimately fall. The rebels must find that, slowly
but surely, opinion is setting in against them, and the
necessity of meeting the current of hostile opinion
by determined and decisive action may probably
have entered into their plans. Altogether the political
prospects for winter in regard to this Taeping question
are decidedly obscure. To what extent this people are
forced by mere want to extend their movements, we
cannot have any sure means of ascertaining; but if it
has come to be a matter of sheer necessity with them. thee
most desperate measures on their part may anticipated.
Admiral Hope is at present in the far north of China,the
of
be
last advices stating that he was at anchor in the harbof, his
Chefoo. He has probably gone north for the benefiet sent a
el•
health. Our northern contemporary states that
gunboat to Tien-tsin for the conveyance of hisl;oellency
laces
This Hon. Mr. Bruce, with whom he desired
lasn inter
Places
This report, being unattended by any exPtion,
as the
the admiral's conduct in a most extraordinary
light,
relative positions of admiral and plenipotentiary forbid the
attend him in
idea of the former summoning the latterv.ts There must
the manner reported, or in any case
affair represented,
be some mistake in the way this eta' "--- , so ignorant of
for no man in the admiral's position is ever so
all rules as to commit a mistake of this sor If the report
be true something is seriously wrong. iron, Mr. Burlin-
"ln Pekin everything is quiet. Government for a site
game lately applied to the Chinese
consulate, urging his
whereon to establish the M304;01111
France and England. He
claim to similar privileges with
hbad come to Pekin in a
was informed in reply that be 0 two nations, and could not
man-
ner different from that of those
that ho should have every
have a site granted to hhing
bull suitable for the American
assistance in rentingeative per
and China was signed
legation. A treaty By fugal.ußy this treaty the Macao pen-
atSome sort of promise was
Pekin on the
, v Governor Guimarans, who negotiated
insula is ceded
It,latFor
made, we lies" "t introducing the Customs system into
Macao ; butls about
for this has been made in the
the matter,
Provision
will come into operation as soon as rati-
exchanged. Cholera still prevails •
treaty itself, which
rati-
fications
and among its victims has been the Romanm
the eaPital,
Catholic Bishop of Shanghae, who had gone on a mission
to the Court. Prince Kung had also been attacked, but the
latest accounts report him to be recovering. The malady
is abating, after having committed considerable ravages,
The weather is hot, but relieved by copious rains. .
jottings from Pekin will be found below.
Some
i, From Japan there is no additional news. At Nagasaki,
says the North China Herald,the Mexican colla rhad been
subject to further depreciation, two itziboos only being ex-
changed for a dollar, except to the consular authorities and
naval officers, who continue to receive three itziboos and a
Loth. Cholera had extended to Nagasaki, and carried
away a great many of the native population.
" At Nankin the Imperialists were in strong force, and
making great display on the water; but we have heard no
reports of any serious attack upon the city, now the only
place on the river held by the rebels.
" At Shanghae a meeting is about to be held to consider
proposals for the better government of the settlement. The
proposal to have Shanghae constituted a free city has dis-
appeared before the inquiry as to how the thing could be
done. The wants of the place have somewhat outgrown
the executive machinery, and an increase in the consular
staff will most probaby be the simplest solution of the diffi-
culty. It is to be hoped, for the sake of this thriving settle-
ment, that measures will be taken to meet the increasing