The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-27 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL.

CALCUTTA, June 13.—London letters of the 24th April
Were delivered on the sth inst., and although it was satis-
factory to find the healthy Lone of the London Money-
Market restored, and Consols buoyant, still the depression
which had taken place in the several articles of Baltic pro-
duce, the speculation in which had given rise to corres-
P6ncling operations on this side, had its natural effect, and
caused a dulness in our markets, and led many to pause
in their purchases. We have since received, by electric
telegraph, via Agra, heads of intelligence by the London
Mail of the 6th May, which, as far as we can judge, do not
appear likely to alter the impressions made by letters of
the previous date.
Our accounts from the indigo districts are, as is often the
ease at this season of the year, most uncertain ; the rain
Which they so long wanted has fallen in such abundance
as to threaten great mischief unless they should now be
blessed with a su - ciency of fine weather, in which case
doubtless the crop will be large ; but letters evidently
show a considerable amount of alarm in the minds of many
of the planters.

CHINA.
(From the Overland Friend of China of Tune 6.)
The hiatus caused by the possible total loss of the

mail by the Douro, with our summary for the fortnight
ending the 23d ult., entails a recapitulation of the prin-
cipal events in China during the whole of the past
month.

The Peninsular and Oriental screw steamer Douro,
the second day out from Hong-Kong, experienced a
typhoon, in which, her funnel being washed overboard
and other damage sustained, Captain Hederstedt re-
solved on bearing up for the port he had left. The
fourth day out, the vessel struck on one of the Paracels,
Where she hung when the boat left, which brought here
two of the passengers and an officer, who, with a crew of
five, in eight days travelled some 350 miles. The Malta,
Which was to have taken the present mail, started for the
Wreck within five hours after the receipt of the news ;
,We are told by one of the passengers, that when they
left, if the weather continued as it was, the vessel might
"id together for a month ; and that he did not think
the hull had sustained any material damage. Captain
tfederstedt had nearly completed two rafts, sufficient to
carry all on board if the vessel broke up. The Douro's
cargo consisted of some 1,600 bales of silk.
The principal items of news by the lost mail were as
follows :—Further proofs of the mendacity of the man-
agers of the Peking Gazette, and the great success, in-
stead of defeat, of the patriot army, now known to be
°Perating in three grand divisions. Continued insur-
rection in the green tea districts, and approach of relief
from Nanking to the holders of Shanghai, and mis-
cuievous conduct of the French Marine. Serious entente
at Niugpo ; the crews of the Imperialist letters of
• marque fighting with the Portuguese Lorcha men. In-
sUrrection at Ta.ichow, about 60 miles from Ningpo. Hard
fightng under tbe:banner of Teen teh Wang, in the Fokien
• Province. Death of the Mr. Brine who was shot in the
attack on the Imperialist camp at Shanghai on the 4th
of April. Arrival of crew and passengers of the wrecked
Atnerican barque Sarah Moore. Arrival of Admiral
Stirling, and movements of our ships of war in these
seas, &c.
_ To the foregoing we have now to add the news of the
fortnight ending this date. And here we have to re-
verse the usual order of our report, and, as undoubtedly
most interesting at home, give, before our Chinese pro-
vincial intelligence, a detail of the progress and position
of British arms in these seas. The Malta, with the
declaration of war by combined France and &Wand
against Russia, arrived on the 25th of May. Within
an hour the blue peter was flying on board the Win-
chester, 50 guns ; Spartan, 28 guns ; and paddle-
steamer Barracouta, 6 guns ; and at sundown those
:vessels left the harbour, bound, it wa, generally be-
lieved, in search of the Russian frigate Pallas, and cur-
vetted OliYontza, Dwina, and Aurora—all presumed to

be hovering on the coast of China, waiting for the
announcement of war, to commence offensive operations.
Admiral Stirling, with commendable foresight, took due
precaution in preventing the Russiati admiral from ob-
taining the despatches which had been kindly forwarded
to him (by his agents here) in the British ship Akbar.
It is said that before the Akbar reached Shanghai her
mails were taken out of her by H.M. steam-ship Rattler,
and that they now lie at the British consulate, Shanghai,
under seal ; applications for letters by the several Rus-
sian officers there having been rejected until the declara-
tion of war or otherwise became known.

The Russian steam-tender Vostock has been busy
boarding vessels to inquire for news, and on one occa-
sion was within a .mile of H. M. steam-ship Styx, her
vicinity having been hid by a thick fog. The Styx tried
the Vostock's rate of going for an hour or two, and found
that with two boilers on the lowest grade of expansion, it
was quite possible to keep way with her. The Vostock
ran away to the south-east, and has riot sine:: been seen, al-
thou.4h one report runs that she passed through Hong-
Kong harbour only a few nights ago, and that boat-loads
of provisions have been despatched hence to be put on
board the squadron directly they arrive. Reports, how-
ever, were still, up to a week ago, being taken to Shang-
hai by Chinese fishing boats, of six Russian vessels as
not far from that port, and, with a head wind to contend
against, they can hardly be in Hong Kong under a fort-
night at the least. Indeed, the more we think on the
matter, the more we feel certified that Hong Kong is not
the place where Russians will make any demonstration,
hard knocks and little pelf being all the substantiality
they can at all anticipate. Apparently struck, however,
with the want of defence, against Chinese pirates, of
which there are large numbers close to us, his Excellency
the Admiral has directed the Spartan to return here. •
The day after a grand ball at Government-house, given
on the anniversary of her most gracious Majesty's birth-
day, his Excellency :Sir J..hn 13 .wring took his departure
for Shanghai, in H.M. steamship Barra,couta, with the
intention, it is said, of proceediug to Nanking so soon as
the exigencies of the service permit the admiral to
place a steam-vessel at his Excellency's dispoSal.
During his absence the Government of the colony has
devolved on the Honourable the Lieutenant-Governor.