The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-28 00:00:00

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interview with the Prime Minister of Tae-ping-wang,
said to be of equal rank with the kings. M. Bour-
billon met with perfect civility, but with great cold-
ness and hauteur. The accounts confirm, those first
brought by her Majesty's steamer Hermes. The leader
of the rebels seems to exereise unbounded influence
over his adherents, and enforces his laws with un-
sparing severity. Of all the immense population,
reported at 480,000 women and 600,000 men, no
one was observed smoking even Chinese tobacco,
and it appears true about their having everything
in common. The troops were numerous, but very
ill armed, the best men being in the north. They
stated that they had news from Pekin that the
gates of that city were invested by their adherents,
and when it is taken they were likely to proceed to
Shanghai.

There is a report that the insurgents had cap-
tured a city north of Pekin, which looks as if their
object was to prevent the Emperor's escape. There
is no positive confirmation yet of the capture o
Tien-tsin. The Pekin Gazette of the 28th of Nog
vember does not mention it, but the report is gene_
rally believed.
. .

Shanghai was quiet, and but little skirmishing
going forward, and the Taoutae has sent away his
Canton fleet. Some attempts had been made to
treat with the rebels in the city, but the messenger,
a mandarin, was decapitated.
There was nearly being a serious rupture between
the rebels and the French, the former "having
arrested and tortured two Chinese Catholic Chris-
tians, said to be apies. The affair, however, was
fortunately arranged.
The Russian Admiral left Shanghai on the 24th
ult. in the screw steamer Vostock, to join his
frigate at Saddle Islands, and then to proceed to
Nagasaki.

Our dates from Ningpo are to the 31st ult., when
everything remained quiet in that neighbourhood.
From Foo-chow-foo our advices are, to the 2d
inst. The city was quiet, but the vicinity infested
by pirates, and her Majesty's brig Bittern was
ordered out on a cruize after them. The Hastings
with teas had sailed on the 26th nit., reported for
Liverpool. The American ship Howqua was the
only vessel in port.

Our reports from Amoy of the 7th inst....mention. -
that there were rumours of constant fighting taking
place in the interior. There was some activity in
cotton ; but trade otherwise was dull, and all
were anxiously looking forward to what the
Chinese New Year would bring forth, being so
much disappointed in their expectations of a good
business after the recapture of the city.

Canton remains without disturbance, with every
appearance of the Chinese New Year's-day passing
over quietly, and engagements being satisfactorily
met. Imports are unaltered, and the business is
not likely to be important till after the New-Year.
Common congous are half a tael cheaper, but the
better qualities are, firm. The export to Great
Britain is still in excess of last year to the same
time ; but that to the United States and the Con-
tinent shows a decrease. Exchange, ss. ld. to
ss. 2d. for English bills ; Company's bills, 243 r.
241 r. Sycee silver, 3 per cent. discount bar
silver, 2.5 discount ; gold, $2O 90 per tael ; Mexi-
can dollars, 4.40 discount ; this coin now circu-
lates more freely. Freights to England, 41. 10s.
Imports were unsaleable at Shanghai. Tea and
silk shipments were going on, and were a little
cheaper. The export of the latter from Shanghai
was 35,000 bales. Exchange for bills on England,
6s. 2d. for Shanghai dollars ; Company's bills,
300 r. 290 r. Freights, 71. to 81., owing to scarcity
of ships.
The United States' squadron, under Commodore
Perry, is still here, but will leave shortly, we hear,
for Japan:
A second detachment of the Ceylon Rifles leave
in the mail steamer to-day.
The Enterprise has been taken up for the con-
veyance to England of the corps of the Sappers and
Miners, whose relief lately arrived, and the inva-
lids of the 59th Regiment.
The mail of the Bth of November arrived on
the 4th inst., and we hourly look for the steamer
with the 24th of November mail.
Her Majesty's ship Comus arrived from the Cape
on the 29th ult.

The Spanish steamer Jorge Juan is here, waiting
the mail steamer's arrival, as the new Governor of
the Philippine Islands is expected by her.
In Harbour.—Her Majesty's ships Winchester
and Comus, and steamers Hermes and Rattler United States' steamers Susquehannah, Mississippi,;
and Powhattan, and storeships Supply and Lex-
ington ; his Imperial French Majesty's steamer
Cassini • and the Spanish steamer Jorge Juan.
At Whampoa.---Her Majesty's brig Lily and the
United States' steamer Queen.

At Macao.—The 'United States' storeship South-
ampton.
At Amoy.—Her Majesty's steamer Styx.
At Foo-chow.—Her Majesty's brig Bittern.
At Ning-Po.—His, Imperial French ,Majesty's
frigate Constantine.
At Shanghai.--Her Majesty's ship Spartan and
steamer Salamander; United States' sloop Sara-
toga and Vandalia ; and his Imperial French Ma-
jesty's steamer Colbert.

Latest dates are—From England, Nov. 8 ; Cal-
cutta, Dec. 5 ; Bombay, Dec. 2 ; Singapore, Dec.
23 ; Sydney, Nov. 5 ; Manila, Dec. 19 ; Shanghai,
Dec. 30.