The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-19 00:00:00

CHINA.

Our advices from Hong Kong direct are to the
23d of July, at which date our correspondent
writes as follows :

We have nothing very interesting or new to
report of the rebellion, and affairs are much in the
same state.
The advices from Shanghai, down to the 11th
inst., state that the insurgents were marching a
large force to the west and to the north, and have
taken one or two cities in those directions, and it
was said it was their intention at once to proceed
to Pekin ; but there is much uncertainty in all
reports as to their movements. No important re-
sult had been obtained by the Imperialists or in-
surgents. The former force appears to be in a
most inactive state, and making no demonstration
in any way.
Mr. Meadows, the interpreter, who was allowed
by the Taoutae to go up the Yang-tse-kiang with
an officer of her Majesty's steamer Hermes in
search of deserters, appears by the journals to
confirm the apparent indifference of the Impe-
rialists, and the energy shown by General Loo and
the insurgent force.
At Ningpo all remains quiet. From Foochow
advices of the 29th ult., report the city in a state
of riot and confusion, and martial law strictly en-
forced. A mob collected and commenced pulling
down the banking-houses, and the Tartar troops
were called out, and several of the ringleaders
were
.beheaded in the main thoroughfare. A pro-
clamation is out, leaving any person at liberty to
kill another found committing theft.
At Yen-ping-foo there was fighting going on,
and all communication was stopped, and it is dif-
ficult to arrive at the truth of the various reports
flying about. Two ships, chartered by an eminent
American firm hare, were lying at anchor below the
city of Foochow waiting for teas from the interior
but the troubles had hitherto prevented any com-
ing down.
Advices of the 9th inst from Amoy give an ac-
count of a naval engagement between the Tartar
and rebel fleet. No important result took place,
and the former retired. The rebels, elated with
their success, seem to have a firmer hold of the
city. They are reported to number 15,000 men,
and the Imperialists about 8,000. The former are
in want of money, and heavy exactions continue to
be made. The shops are closed and streets deserted,
and there is no prospect of any business being
done there for some time to come.

At Canton there have been fewer reports than
usual during the month about the insurrection.
The city and vicinity continue quiet, but insurgents
are known to be in the neighbourhood. The cap-
ture of Nanchang, the principal city in the Kiangsi
province, there appears to be no doubt of, and this
is also reported from Shanghai. The insurgents
were moving south, and would pass through the
principal tea districts. This southerly movement
seems to indicate an approach on Canton.
Trade is becoming daily more depressed, and
money extremely scarce, with an unheard of high
k
exchange. There has een much activity in ship-
ments of tea at advanced rates since the arrival of
the 24th of May mail, but the supply from the in-
terior does not now come forward so freely.
At Shanghai sales of goods were impracticable,
and the accumulation was excessive. The stock
and shipments to arrive exceeded a year's supply.
The settlement of the new Congous had been
limited, owing to the difficulty of procuring the
means for payment, and the market had opened at
16 to 17 taels for Monings, allowing for exchange
about 20 per cent. higher than last year. About
700 bales of,the new silk have gone forward, and
2,000 contracted for, which will probably be shipped
during the month. Exchange had advanced to Gs.
6d. and 6s. Bd. per dollar, and money was scarce.
An extraordinary memorial has been presented
by some of the British merchants to the Plenipo-
tentiary and Superintendent of Trade for the sus-
pension of payment of duties during the present
troubled times ; but his Excellency, in his reply,
does not take the same view of the case. We sub-
join the address, and his Excellency's reply.
The mail of the 24th of May arrived on the 13th
inst., and that of the Bth of June last evening.
The health of the garrison is reported favourably
of, and the weather has cleared up from the late
continuous and heavy rain.
We have little to say of the Japan expedition.
Commodore Perry had gone to the eastward of
Loochoo, and touched at an island called Bonian,
on which were some European settlers. It is said
the Commodore has purchased a piece of ground
there for a coal depot.
The Russian frigate Pallas and screw steamer
Vostock left this on the Gth inst. to join the Japan
expedition, as is reported.
In Harbour.—Her Majesty's ship Spartan. At
Canton—Her Majesty's brig Rapid. At Macao—
The French corvette Capricieuse and steamer Cas-
sini. At Amoy—Her Majesty's steamer Rattler.
At Shanghae—Her Majesty's steamers Hermes and
Salamander.
The Admiral is expected hourly, accompanied by
the Bittern and Styx steamers.
Our latest dates are—from England, Bth June ;
Calcutta, 29th June • Bombay, 15th June ; Sin-
gapore, 11th July ; Melbourne, 7th June ; Manilla,
12th July ; Shanghae, 11th July.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATIONS.
Diplomatic Department,

His Excellency her Majesty's Plenipotentiary and
Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China, &c., is
pleased to give publicity to the subjoined correspondence
on the subject of the payments of import duties at the
port of Shanghae.
(By order) FREDERICK HARVEY, Secretary to
Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, &c.
Superintendency of Trade, Victoria, Hong Kong,
July 21, 1853.

SHANGHAE, JULY 7, 1853.
To H. E. Sir G. Bonham, Bart. Governor of Hong-
Kong, her British Majesty's Chief Superintendent of
Trade, &c. _

Sir,--The peculiarity of our position as consignees o.
manufactured goods compels us to memorialize you on
the subject of the payment of duties on imports.
1. Since last February there has been a complete
stoppage of trade, and consequently it has been utterly
impossible by the sale of imports to realize the amount
of duties claimed by the Chinese Government.
2. That, up to the present time, we have paid all
duties that are due at a very considerable sacrifice to
importers.
3. That the continued stagnation has been followed
by the withdrawal of nearly all the native capital from
the trade, thus rendering bills on England only saleable
at an exorbitant rate and to a trifling amount.
4. That under these circumstances we are driven to
the importation of opium or bullion, the latter of which
may be impossible, and the former not generally im-
ported by those deeply interested in the Lancashire and
Yorkshire trade.
5. That this present disastrous state of trade entirely
arises from the inability of the present Chinese Govern-
ment to control its subjects, and, consequently, that
they, and not the importers, should suffer.
6. That the acknowledged weakness and incapacity of
the Chinese Government may prevent them from saving
from destruction the large mass of property now stored
in Shanghai, amounting to nearly 1,000,0001. sterling,
and on whichl they have received !duties ; and that the
accumulation of imports to arrive within the next two
months will add another 1,000,000/, to the value of the
stock thus held.
7. That the stoppage of trade and insecurity of pro-
perty, arising as they do from the impotence of the Chi-
nese Government, place us in a position that was never
contemplated when the treaty of Nankin was framed,
and that, consequently, it is only just to defer payment
of duties in cash until some Government is formed with
an Executive sufficiently powerful to restore confidence,
and place trade in the position it was before the disturb-
ances commenced ; otherwise we shall have no alterna-
tive but W protest under the circumstances. $!1 !log the