The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-17 00:00:00

STATE OF CHINA.

The following is from a private letter, dated
Canton, August 20.
" The political rupture in the empire is gradually as-
suming a very serious aspect, and it now appears inevi-
table that the reign of the Tartars must end before long.
The latest dates received here from Shanghai are to the
6th inst., at . which time the most reliable informa-

tion that had been received regarding the progress of the
rebel forces was, that they had taken possession of Kai-
fung-foo, the provincial capital of Ronan, whence they
had crossed the Yellow River, and invested Taming, on
the borders of Chihli and Shantung, and afterwards
marched upon Tsinan, the capital of the latter province.
This intelligence, it appears, has been confirmed by over-
land communication at Canton, and in the course of a
fortnight it is expected that news will reach that place
of the rebel army being encamped under the walls of
Pekin. THE " BREVET MARCH."—The subject of the brevet,
" The rebels having been so long in possession of the its extent, and time of issue, all occupy the minds and
key to the northern provinces, Chin-keang-foo, by which exercise the calculations of the interested and disin-
they have been enabled to prevent supplies of grain from tarested in every corps and garrison, abroadandathome,
reaching the Imperial army, the troops have been for for in these days information travels not metaphorically
some time suffering from privation of food ; the people but absolutely and truly like lightning. In all military
in the northern provinces are discontented and becoming circles all are on the gut vine to learn when the brevet is
impoverished from the same cause ; and, with the to come forth ; but so weil is the secret kept that some,
prestige of former successes before them, there can be unable to penetrate the areana, phoo-phoo the assertion
little doubt that the insurgents will make an easy cap- that a brevet is under consideration, and deny, like those
ture of the Imperial capital. Indeed, it is confidently sceptical of freemasonry, that there is any secret at all.
reported that the Emperor is fully prepared to abdicate, This we do know, however, that if the army is disap-
that he has a caravan all ready to take flight in, with his pointed of a brevet this year, the fault does not lie at the
household and body guard, the moment the sound of doors of the Horse Guards, or of the War Office, but
danger approaches, and that he will move towards with the Ministry. 'We have in a former number ex-
Shingking in the first instance. plained the " brevet march," the " time" of each step,
" What will be the state of the country after the fall of and how frequently the " step is changed." In spite of
the empire it is impossible at the present moment to " marching time,"' " stepping back," " side step,"
foretell. The general impression seems to be that a long " oblique step," wheeling," and " shifting," &c., it
reign of anarchy will ensue, and that foreign intercourse arrives somehow at the Gazette office at long last. Some
with the country will be much interrupted,--perhaps say it has come to a dead " halt." Not so ill do we
the trade entirely suspended, as has been the case for r think of the Cabinet.—Naval and Military Gazette.
several months at Amoy, and very nearly at Shanghai. I NEW CLOTHING FOR THE ARMY.—It is arranged that
"The policy of our Government has hitherto been to no change shall be made in the uniform of the army for
adopt a neutral position, and a good policy it is so long the year commencing Ist April next.—Naval and
as the Emperor retains his throne ; but whenever the Military Gazette.
insurgents gain supremacy the pursuance of such a THE NATIONAL GALLERY.—Lord Onslow bas revoked
policy further would be useless, and attendant with the munificent bequest which he had made to the nation
danger to the lives of foreigners and to the revenue of his fine collection of pictures by the old masters. We
which we derive from the products of the country. It are informed that he has taken this step in consequence
is therefore to be hoped that the Foreign Minister will ! of the very unsatisfactory nature of the report from the
appoint an able diplomatist to take the place of Governor Select Committee on the National Gallery.