The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-05 00:00:00

THE CIVIL WAR IN OR INA.

The following is a letter from a naval officer on
the China station :

" Hermes, Shanghai, July 9.
" I take this opportunity of writing a few lines about
the important and interesting movement here, our boats
having just returned from Chian-kiang-foo, where they
had been in search of some deserters from the Sala-
mander, enticed away by the Toutar's (Chinese Go-
vernor's) people.

" They report that the insurgents, by the confession
of the Imperialists, confirmed by themselves, had taken
Fung-yang, the capital of a department, some time since,
and had beaten a large force which we knew to be some-
where there under Keshen. The latter also stated—
and I have no doubt of it—that they had taken Kwei-
tih, also the capital of a department, and close to the
Yellow River.

" From the few vessels at the mouth of the Grand
Canal, as compared with what there were there when
we passed, and from the few troops at Ching-kiang•foo
(from 3,000 to 5,000), as compared with what then were
(50,000 or 60,000), they must have a large force in the
north.

" Many have been inclined to say that they were
losing all the moral effect of their capture of Nankin,
and that they showed themselves unequal to an emer-
gency ; but it appears to me that their plans have been
and are admirable. They brought away a quantity of
children, and, I suppose, women, from Quang-si, whom
it would have embarrassed them exceedingly to have car-
ried on at present ; so they fortified and provisioned
Nankin for their reception ; and then, or rather at the
same time, commenced fortifying Ching-kiang-foo, as
the key to the Grand Canal, leaving force enough in
them to defend them, and, by occasional sallies, to keep
the Imperialists under the impression that their forces
were greater, and so draw off attention from what was
their real object all along—viz., the capture of Pekin.
I had no doubt that their intention, when we were up
in the Hermes, was to proceed thither with all con-
venient haste, but they evaded our question by saying,
We are waiting orders from the Tae-ping-wang ; or,
waiting for a revelation as to where we shall go.'
"The effect has been to keep 15,000 men at Ching-
kiang-foo, and I fancy the whole of the army of General
Heang—he that was lately made Viceroy of seven pro-
vinces, poor man, though 75, and is now ordered up to
Pekin to lose his head. Soon they will not get any one
to undertake the charge.
"While the insurgents were fortifying these places
they were building or altering boats—l presume to carry
their commissariat, for, as they have stopped the supplies
going north, they would require to take supplies with
them. Building or altering vessels was necessary, be-
cause this is rather a low time of the year for the canal.
"You will observe that the places taken rather indi-
cate that they are not travelling by the canal. This may
be partly because it is low, and partly to beat the forces
opposed to them in detail, or to prevent a junction be-
tween the Manchoo army under Keshen and the Chinese
army under Heang under Nankin, for, though they
should advance upon Pekin, it would be fatal for them
to lose Nankin. There is a large Tartar force in Whaer-
nan, near the mouth of the Yellow River, and they may
wish to avoid this for the present.
" I fancy this last move up to the Yellow River has
been made in a fortnight, and the probability is that, as
the forces were assembled there, having passed them,
their course will be rapid.
"The whole country seems hostile to the Manchoos,
and will turn instantly the insurgents arrive at Pekin and
issue their mandates. They have excellent information
from all parts. Thus, there was a large sum of money
coming up from Canton for the Imperialists ; they sent
a party of 400 from Nankin, who made a sweep round
to the south, and cut off the party escorting the treasure,
and returned to Nankin in safety, passing through the
Imperialist army each time.

"They received our officers and the Consular inter-
preter most graciously, but expressed a wish that Euro-
peans should not visit them unless they intended staying,
as the Imperialists would take their heads, and say the
insurgents had done it. They were evidently unwilling
that we should know their movements, lest they should
transpire, and the Imperialists become aware of them ;
but I think the latter are getting apprehensive, and
are drawing their forces by degrees away from
Ching-kiang-foo. They admitted to our officers that
they had no expectation of retaking any of the places,
and are, indeed, getting quite reckless as to conse-
quences, seeming more concerned to know where opium
was to be had than anything else. Strange to say, h
opeioni to
first question they asked was, 'Have you any
sell ?' and, on our people visiting their junks to th
num-
ber of 70, they found nearly all were opium smokers,
certainly all the mandarins. The Admiral of the fleet was
so much under its influence, that two or minutes
h
after having entered our boat to go rounstee
dquthitee flueueathhlee
fell asleep, and very shortly begged off,
a
to go further. These fellows never go into action, and
seem quite content if the vessels fire
rbwohtiei t shi
edre s,
hreergea
be
e-
less of -whether they hit anything,
anything to hit. They have made
r.annopihse., and, because
not taken or sunk, they report a tum
becmomaninygofmtboreefepeolipnuglsaerf.
popular
"The insurgents are daily
Seeing that they do violence to so
how they popular
soh
the Chinese, the wonder is
It can only be ne oos are
as they are.
intensely unpopular.
gi At one time the Chineselloman Catholics (not so the
European) were app_rehensiveof the success of the
IVlanchoos, because, they say, if they succeed Christianity
in every shape will be proscribed practically, if not
professedly, and their heads taken off professedly for
political offences.]
"There has been a demand for Christian books, more
particulary from Shang-tang, for the last month or more,
and it continues unabated. Others, again, ask for books
of the same religion as that of the insurgents, and some
have even asked for instructors to be sent among them.
"The insurgents are wonderfully satisfied as to their
ultimate and early success—they talk of two or three
months. The General at Ching kiang-foo said, `I am
getting an old man now, but I could beat any twelve of
those fellows opposed to us ;' and, speaking of arms—
`The muskets often miss fire because our powder is bad •,
and, as for those with caps, why we don't understand
them, and if we did, we could not make the caps ; now,
the spear never misses fire, and these Imperialists are
afraid of it.'
"The greater number of the junks that were sent
from the Pei-ho for grain are going back empty, nearly
all the people refusing to pay their land tax. There have
been frequent disturbances near here, in consequence of
their attempting to force it, and the Government has in
each ease been obliged to give in."