The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-08 00:00:00

CHINA.

We subjoin a copy of the Emperor's reply to the re-
presentation of his ➢landarins as to the recent military
operations in the vicinity of Canton. The Imperial
Commissioners have, as usual, converted their defeat

into a victory, boasting of having driven the British
Forces out of Canton River ; but deceit is so much a ha-

bit with these functionarie, that the present misstate-

ment can excite little surprise :

THE EMPEROR'S REPLY TO THE GENERALISSIMO YIH-.
SHAN'S REPORT ON THE ATTACK ON AND RANSOM OF
THE CITY OF CANTON, ON THE 24Tu, 25TH, AND 26TH
OF MAY, 1841.
In a despatch from the great military council, to the
Imperial Commissioner and rebel-quelling generalissi-
mo, Yih, the selected assistant great Ministers, Lung,
Yang, and T'se, the Governor-General of the two Kwang,
Ke, the General of Kwangehow district, Ko, the fooy-
uen, E, the footung, and Yuh (the following imperial

edict was enclosed)-:
On the 29th of the 4th moon (June 18) we, the military
council, received the following imperial edict :
" Yih and his colleagues have reported that the Eng-
lish barbarian ships attacked the provincial city, but the
troops who guarded it feared not for its safety, and affairs
were managed according to the emergencies of the case."
On looking at the report, I thoroughly understand
the whole of it : the English barbarians, after engaging,
have twice retreated before my troops : thus the affair
has already become weakened, and the strength (of the
English) has Leen strongly pressed upon, whenever put
forth in the battle's strife.

The said barbarians are like dogs and sheep in their
dispositions ; the? are not worth an argument.
Moreover, as they have already been chastised and re-
pressed, and the terrific majesty of my soldiers has
already been manifested, and the resident inhabitants of
the city have through their multitudinous troubles pre-

sett ted-peti t ions.
Further it is authenticated that Yihshan has reported
that the said barbarians doff their caps, and perform the
proper ceremonies, and have begged and prayed that he
will transmit their report, imploring for favour, I, the
Emperor, believe in you (the said high officers), and
that the trouble and vexation of your minds (through

.he prayers and supplications of the people) drive you
A 3 extremities—or forced you to temporize—and induced

you to request me to allOw the (English) to trade.
The said generalissimo should enjoin severe orders on
the said barbarian officer that he immediately retire
. .

every one of his 'ships of war, and send them- to the
outer ocean; surrender all the batteries; and be impli-1
eitly obedient. to the laws: then only may they merely
trade according to custom, nor allow them, in opposition
to tile prohibitions, to smuggle opium; but if they dare
purposely to oppose the prohibitions, hen deeidedly, no
indulgence shall be shown, noriny excuses allowed. •
I direct the Generalissimo and his colleagues to meet
the Governor • and Lieutenants-Governor, and with all
their hearts and souls, and strength, to consult on and
devise plans of management; and when everything is
safely settled to report all the particulars.
It is impossible to fathom the dispositions of the bar-
-barians; and it is right to prepare secret means of de-
fence, nor should there be the least degree of negligence
or remissness; wait until after the barbarian ships have
retired, then quickly resume possession of the forts, and
guard and maintain the important passes, and such like
places.
Build Lew and strong forts, and put the old in the best
possible state of defence. If the English barbarians
evince any disposition to be proud and domineering,
then the troops should be led on to exterminate them; for
it must not be, because favourhas beenbestowed on them,
that their extortions in all matters should be unopposed.
Here is a supplementary report :
" Numbers of the houses of the resident inhabitants
beyond the walls have been burnt."

I order Ke and E immediately to depute officers for
the special purpose of examining clearly, to tranquillise,
soothe, and compassionate the people. As there is stored
up in the provincial treasury 2,800,000 taels weight of
silver, I order that arrangements be made for the Hong
merchants to replace it by instalments in successive years;
permit no specious delays. I also order that when me-
thods of management have been consulted and deter-
mined upon, that they be carried into effect.
Forward this edict at the rate of 603 le a day, and or-
der all men quickly to inform themselves of its contents.
Respect this.
From some unexplained cause, the Emperor's chop
was at first concealed from the Kwang-chow-foo and the
Treasurer, and much dissatisfaction was in consequence
evinced by these worthy officers. One of the Commis-
sioners, by name Lungwan, died on the 28th June, a
,victim, it is said, to sensual excesses. His colleagues are
represented to be also very dissipated characters.
Of the ransom money the authorities paid four mil-
lions, and the Hong merchants two millions of dollars.
The losses of Howqua (the well known Hong merchant)
have been very heavy, for not only did he contribute
$820,000 as his share of the levy, but has lost $750,000
by the conflagration of two packhouses, which were de-
stroyed during the disturbances at Canton.
KESHEN'S PROPERTY.

ACCOUNT OF PROPERTY SEIZED BY THE IMPERIAL CO-

VERNMENT IN ,KESIIEN'S -HOUSES,

Gold, 270,000 taels weight ; sycee silver, 3,400,000
taels weight ; foreign money, 2,000,000 taels weight ;
land cultivated, 39 king. A king contains 100 mow, or
Chinese acres, equal to about one-third of an English
acre ; four pawn-shops in the province of Pechele ; two
ditto at Shingking or Moukden ; 84 banking (or sroff)
shops ; 94 large pearls ; 14 strings of pearls ; eight pearl
lamps ; 34 arrow thumb-rings, made of the feathers of the
fez isuy bird ; 18 pieces of coral ; 24 catties of ginseng ;
25 catties of deer's horns ; 420 lengths of silk ; 30
pieces of broadcloth and English camlets ; 18 striking
cloCks ; 10 gold watches ; 24 fur garments ; two images
of horses, made of precious stones ; two images .of lions,
made of precious stones ; 28 chrystal washhtind basins ;
one tortoiseshell bedstead ; four chariots, 163 female
slaves.
TRAINING AND DRILLING IN CHINA.
(Translations.)

PROCLAMATION FROM THE GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT-
GOVERNOR OF CANTON.

he, Governor, and E, Fooyuen of Canton, for the
purpose of again enlightening the villagers with reference
to the practice of their military exercises, in masses, or
enrolled corps, fur the purpose of their defence (against
the English.)
It is well known that it is the duty of the standing
army to protect the people ; but the protection given to
the people by the army differs in degree from the self-
protection of the people ; for the strength of the army
is fixed, and the troops do not like the people to come
altogether in crowds ; the regulars have allotted posts to
guard ; not like the people, who rush to all parts of their
neighbounotrhoodinthis
like
i a; in giving battle certain times are fixed ;
andthet people who follow their own inclina-
tionser ; f o r if one hamlet rises 100 villages
follow ; and as the city is strong (a well fortified city is
called "golden city ;" the walls are of solid metal,
and the ditch of water of a boiling fluid ! implying the
ditch is too hot to be crossed), and one man stepping
forth will unite myriads in the cause ; and then you
possess the talent and power of opposing force to force,
and warding off contemptuous treatment (by foreigners).
Lately, when the city was attacked on the northern
side, the lads of 100 villages united to attack the English
barbarians, and killed upwards of a hundred of them.
They all performed a most righteous and patriotic act,
and carried it through most efficaciously, to the deep de-
light of the hearts of men.
We, the said superior officers, have already ordered
Magistrates of the Nanhae and Puanyu districts to re-
pair in person to the said villages, and examine minutely
into all the particulars. We have also ordered the three
Sze officers and the Salt Commissioner to consult with
the Kwang-chow-foe on the bestowment of rewards,
commendations, and compassion.
However, although now dwelling in security, the past
danger cannot be forgotten, and the end must be re-
garded as the beginning. We should recur to the strata-
gems of days long gone by, and not be slack in our hos-
tile intentions; all of ye should increase your strenuous
efforts. Those who do not unite with the mass, or are
not enrolled, let them come forward for the protection
of the community, who will then be enabled to dwell in
their old residences; and he who can drive out the

Ditto for W. Henderson...do do 971.25
W. and T.Gemmell and Co.do do 140,428.92
J. Hulbert wearing apparol...do 137.33
R. Strachan. do & merchandise 9,736
Dent and Co., merchandise, stores, &c ..... .... 9,578.65
Fox, Rawson, and Co do do 1,705.50
Macvicar and Co do do 525
Innes,'Fletcher, and Co ...do do , 1 500.07

R. Webster do. do

M. A. M'Leod, wearing apparel, &c.
W. S. Boyd d 0.... . ..do
Jardines Matheson and Co., merchandise,
stores, &c
Holliday, Wise, and Co. ..do do
T. Larkins wearing apparel, &c
Joseph Henry merchandise ..do
Superintendents of trade furniture of office,

.. 56,000

1,607

66,450.88
1,022.56
735
2,340.75

and hall
Do. private property of officers and
servants
Public clock value received on behalf of sub-
scribers

1,200

1,400

Drs. 272,466.79

We the undersigned, claimants for property pillaged
and destroyed in the factories of Canton on the 22d of
May last, do acknowledge to have received from J. R.
Morrison, Esq., acting secretary and treasurer to the
superintendents of trade, the sums opposite our names
(being the amount of our respective claims), less cost of
freight, &c., 1 per cer.t.
Joseph Coolidge (U. S.) in household furni-
ture, stores, and other valuable property
and papers, &c Sp. drs. 33,710.44
H. J. Reynvaan (Du.) furniture
Bovet, Brother, and Co. (Swiss) do. and stores 3,128
F. A. Rangel, (Port.) , do. 420
J. Ryan (U. S.) do. 400
G. Nye (U.S.) do. and stores 874
M. P. Gultierres (Port.), wearing apparel 732.75
E. C. i3ridgman (U. S.) chapel furniture 653
W. A. Laurence (U. S.) furniture 971

Sp. drs. 41,243.69
Below are copies of a correspondence which took
place on the 30th of June between her Majesty's Pleni-
potentiaries and the creditors of the old bankrupt Rungs
relative to the future payment of dividends in respeet of
the debts of the Hongs in question.

TO THEIR EXCELLENCIES COMMODORE SIR J. GORDON
BREMER, C.B. R.C.H!, AND CAPTAIN CHARLES ELLIOT,

R.N. HER MAJESTY'S PLENIPOTENTIARIES.

Gentlemen—We, the undersigned creditors of various
bankrupt Hongs in Canton, understanding that your Ex-
cellencies are about to proceed to the northward, in fur-
therance of the objects of the expedition, take the liberty
of soliciting attention to a subject of deep importance.
Your Excellencies are, no doubt, aware that accord-
ing to the ancient regulations at the port of Canton, the
Chinese Government (through the Cohong, or body of
Chinese merchants, alone permitted to carry on foreign
trade) is responsible for all debts incurred by any .r the
Hong merchants to foreigners.
When _Hingtai, and some others of the Hong became,
bankrupt, application was made to the Government for set-
' tlementaccording to custom, but though the Viceroy de-
clared that the debts should be paid to the uttermost
farthing, the powerless position we were then in pre-
vented our obtaining payment of our claims otherwise
than by consenting to receive instalments payable within
a certain number of years, terminating in 1850, and
' this arrangement was sanctioned by the Chinese pro-
vincial Government.
These dividends have hitherto been paid as they fell
due, and if events had not lately taken place to render
the continuance of this regularity more than doubtful,
we should not have considered ourselves under the neces-•
sity of addressing your Excellencies.
The circumstances we allude to as seriously damaging
the security of the Creditors, and their chances of ulti-
mate payment, are
Ist. The heavy sum lately exacted at Canton, a large
portion of which was notoriously extorted from the
Hong merchants by the Chinese authorities ; and
2d. The proposed British settlement at Hong Kong,
the principal object of which we understand to be the
emancipation of the trade from the control of the Co-
hong (whose sole means of meeting their engagements
being the power they have hitherto possessed of taxing,
to an unlimited extent, the foreign trade), the certain
consequences of these changes will be the total inability
of the Cohong to make their regular payments.
We, therefore, with confidence appeal to your Excel-
lencies to make such arrangements with the Imperial
Government as may, in your opinion, appear most effectual
to secure the prompt payment of our heavy claims.
We have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your Excellencies' most obedient humble servants,
(Signed)
Turner and Co. ; Jardine, Matheson, and Co. ; Holli-
day, Wise, and Co.; Fox, Rawson, and Co. ; Eglin-
ton, M`Lean, and Co. ; D. and M. Riistomjee and
Co. ; Gibb, Livingstone and Co. ; Joseph Cragg ;
Dirom and Co. ; Bell and Co. ; Heerjeebhoy Rus-
tomjee ; Framjee Heerjee ; Shewuxshaw Rustora-
jee ; Cowasjee Sapoorjee Sugrah ; Hormusjee
Framjee ; Merwanjee Eduljee ; Cowasjee Shapoor-
jee Tabach ; A. and D. Furdoonjee ; Cowasjee
- Pallonjee ; and Burjorjee Manockjee.
P.S. Sri-.!e writing the preceding, we have received
notice that the Cohong cannot fulfil their engagement
by paying the dividends on the Ist proximo.
Macao, 30th June, 1841. (Signed) as above.

(Reply.) -
To Messrs. Turner and Co., Macao, 3d July, 1841
Jardine, Matheson and Co.,
and others, her Majest'ys subjects—Macao.
• Gentlemen—ln reply to your letter'of the 29th ult.,
we have the honour to acquaint you that her Majesty's
Government has directed our particular attention to its
important subject, and you may rest assured that it shall
not be lost sight of at the period of any general arrange-
ment with the Chinese Government.
We have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
• Your most obedient humble servants,
(Signed) . J. J. GORDON BREMER,
CHARLES
.ELLIOT,
- Her Majesty's Plenipotentiaries.