The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-03 00:00:00

CHINA.-SHANGHAI.

The North China Herald furnishes the public with an
English rendering of the letter said to have been sent
by Sir G. Bonham to the rebel chief at Nankin, running
as follows :

" Sir G. Bonham, her Britannic Majesty's Plenipo-
tentiary, Governor of Hong Kong, and Superintendent
of Trade at the five ports of Canton, Amoy, Foochow,
Ningpo, and Shanghai, makes the following communi-
cation :

" Yesterday (April 27th) at noon I arrived at Nan-
kin, on board the British steamer Hermes, and sent
Mr. Interpreter Meadows on shore to announce the
fact, and also to arrange at what time I could meet with
your Majesty. Subsequently Mr. Meadows returned
on board, saying that he had had an interview
with their Highnesses the Northern King and the
Assistant King. To-day at noon an officer deputed
by you was to have come on board to escort me into the
city to your Majesty's palace, that we might hold a
conference together ; but it is now two or three hours
past noon, and the officer in question has not yet ar-
rived. On account of my various engagements at
other places I cannot long remain at anchor here ; I
therefore deem it expedient to make you acquainted
with some of the matters about which I wished to
deliberate with you. The English nation has car-
ried on commercial intercourse with China for a con-
siderable time, namely, for the last 200 years in
Canton ; and 10 years ago a new treaty was formed
and commercial regulations agreed to, by which it was
arranged that at Canton, Foochow, Amoy, Ningpo, and
Shanghai, British merchants should be allowed to build
houses and bring their families to reside there ' • that in the
trade carried on by them duties should be paid acccording
to a settled tariff, without any further let or hindrance. At
every one of the abovenamed ports there have been ap-
pointed British Consuls, for the superintendence of affairs
belonging to British subjects. I, the Plenipotentiary, have
also been appointed by my Sovereign to be Govenor of
Hong Kong and Superintendent of Trade at the above-
named five ports. All intercourse with the officers
of the Chinese Government has to be conducted through
me. For the last ten years things have gone on, thus,
without any remarkable change. But of late we have
heard that the Chinese people have been engaged in hos-
tilities with the Mantchoo people. We have also heard that
your Maj estyb as obtained possession ofNankin and various
other reports differing from each other. Further, the Mant-
choo officers have issued proclamations, saying that
they have borrowed a number of European steamers,
which are gone up the Yang-tsze-kiang to fight with
your Majesty's troops. But these are all the false re-
ports and lying statements of the Mantchoo officers.
It has been the custom of the British nation hitherto,
in every place to which they go to trade or Settle,
when hostilities break out in said places, not to
interefere ; how, then, could we lend steamers in
China for such a purpose ? As to the lorchas
hired by the Mantchoo officers, or the European
vessels bought by them, I, the Plenipotentiary,
have nothing to do with them ; we do not allow
British merchants' vessels to be hired for any such pur-
pose. People purchase British merchant vessels just
as they purchase English piece goods and other articles ;
all which it would be difficult to prevent. But though
we cannot prevent the subjects of other nations purchas-
ing British vessels, we do not allow such vessels
after having been sold, to hoist the British flag.
Should any British subjects remain on board such
vessels and allow themselves to be employed by the
Mantchoo officers, we deem it improper, and our nation
does not protect them. Now, your Majesty being at war
with the Mantchoos, the British Government does not
wish to interfere 'with either party ; but as British
subjects have built many dwelling-houses, churches, and
storehouses at Shanghai, and as there are a number of
English vessels coming and going, as well as anchored,
in Whampoa river (opposite that city) ; and as your
Majesty has arrived at Nankin, which is not far from
Shanghai, and it is reported that your Majesty intends
marching an army to Soochow and Sungkeang, and
subsequently to Shanghai,—we wish previously to be
made requainted with your intentions towards the
British nation and its interests. _ _

~ ...
"The following cards accompanied the above docu-
ment :

" 'Thomas Taylor Meadows, Interpreter to the
British Consulate at Shanghai.
" E. G. Fishbourne, Commander of her Britannic
Majesty's steamer Hermes.

" ' Woodgate, assistant in the office of her Britan-
nic Majesty's Superintendent.

" ' Unitedly send their respects.' "

The following letter, from a well informed merchant
at Canton, describes the critical state of that city:—
" Canton, June 3.

" There is no doubt but we were on the point of
having trouble here about 10 days ago, as it now turns
out. Every arrangement had been made, and parts as-
signed to all. The rising was to have taken place from
within, where every possible organization had been
made and completed ; but very soon before the blow was
to be struck, some difference of opinion as to certain
immaterial matters took place among the leaders, which
was considered inauspicious, and, consequently, it is for
the time put off, but, whether longer or shorter, of this
we are not told. The city is slumbering on the summit
of a volcano. An attack upon the Tartar encampment
and the officers of Government, to be made simultane-
ously, will be their death-knell, and a signal that the
work has begun. Every effort will be made to guard
the foreign houses, but great doubt is expressed from
the fact of a hatred and hostility existing against
foreigners, beyond everything that was ever imagined
to be possible. However, the factories can take care of
themselves, for some time, at least ; if burnt out the in-
mates may take to the square, and defend them-
selves there until relieved. lam told the Rapid can
go abreast of the factories, against tide, in two hours,
and, with the tide, in a very short time, say half an hour
or so. We can also get up, I suppose, 200 or 150 men
from Wharnpoa in a very short time. Bland can land
40, and, as we shall probably have nothing to fear, ex-
cept from the barefooted rabble, it certainly would be a
great matter of astonishment if we could not defend
ourselves. The Chinese people will take no part in
the strife, and it is very possible that all the officers
and Tartars well know that no sympathy nor aid need
be looked for, for they will get neither. The Chinese
will, doubtlessly, with lightning speed shut up and bar-
ricade their dwellings and shops, and thus they will
remain passive listeners to what is going on until one
party or the other is victorious. The Chinese soldiers
—some 7,000 or 10,000—are much mistrusted by the
mandarins.

"To-morrow and on Monday morning there are to be
grand reviews, at which all the high officers are to be
present. There have been several of them of late on a
very large scale.
" The river is singularly clear of boats. Captain Hunt
came up from Whampoa this morning, and reported that
even the chop boats,' which always, as you will recol-
lect, used to anchor between Huillieras and the rocks,
have left ; and from the top of my house I can quite
confirm his report, for the river is very clear indeed.
"It is no doubt true that the people have an idea that
there is trouble about to come, but I suppose, from a
feeling that it is only directed against the Government
and the mandarins, they are, with very few exceptions,
altogether indifferent to the matter."

The following is an extract of an interesting letter re-
ceived from Shanghai, with which we have been
favoured :

" Shanghai, May 31.

" Everthing lately has been going on quietly at Nan-
kin, but there is no doubt that the rebels are gaing
ground daily ; the more I hear of them the more I am
led to believe they are an earnest determined people.
The prospect, however, of their settlement as the govern.
went of the country must be very uncertain, and is
rendered the more so as in the south of China two other
rebellions have sprung up—one at Amoy, which place
they have taken, and there set a guard for the protec-
tion of foreigners—that is, English and Amercians, &c.
How it will end the wisest cannot say, but there can be
no doubt that the empire under the Tartar rule and the
mandarins is drawing to a close.
- - -

" We are on the eve of startling changes in China, I
am sure ; they will not be long in coming ; let us hope
that good will result, as I hope it will. The rebels at
Nankin requested us to go up and trade with them ;
they are anxious we should do so, and provided we
would go they promised us protection.
"The mandarins are making some efforts by buying
English ships and giving the command to English and
Americans, with as many Englishmen for crews as they
can collect ; but these men are hired at enormous pay,
and do not, as you may be sure, expose themselves to
more risks than they can help ; as to fighting, they
intend to do nothing of the kind, they go merely for
their pay, and take care to do little or nothing.
"The Emperor's army is diminishing daily, for they
bolt as their pay ceases, which is the case with many;
their
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imbecility,
mandarins in such times have not the power to make
rule thhee:h\n.
them. In . fact, the Tartar rule is dropping to pieces,
would
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one causes, soefs t
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dishonesty,lying,' and cruelty.' Under proper
enterprising, and most successfulnations
upon earth.
Many differ from me, ,but I consider
Chinamen, as a
body, the most talented people I have ever seen and
are very far superior to my
own countrymen '
d in many
qualifications. All they want is education
ment, and protection of the law in that
which ueoh
isg orvi
..e rhnt :
,fully their own ; give them this and they will rise
rapidly into an important and civilised nation. They