The Sun.
London, England, 1840-03-13 00:00:00

of Canton ? Verily they should Le entirely done away
with, and we should have in return by the arrivals from
Canton, Nankin, and Pekin, announced to us in the teem-
ing journals of those cities, accounts of visits paid by the
Governor-General of China to his Highness the Emperor,
of sumptuous entertainments given in return, and in short
of visits and cauntervisits, all to the tune of " Money in
both pockets," and " De'il take the hindmost" in all mat-
ters of expense and ostentation.
We are happy that matters in regard to China have
taken this cheering turn, and hope all will turn out for the
best. Our cause is good, and it appears it will be well
supported by Government ; and from recent events we
happen to know enough of the gal:antry of both our !ol-
die's and our seamen to be satisfied that they will in a
case of eme, gency do their duty to their Queen and to their
country. The island of Sapata, about to be taken posses.
sion ot by our troops, is situated about 100 miles from the
coast of Cochin China, and although not so near the scene
of hostilities as we could have wished, is yet admirably
adapted for most of the purposes of a maritime depot, from
which troops can be conveyed according to the exigencies
of the occasion to any point where their services may be
required. It will, of course, be only a starting post from
which we shall enter a more enlarged sphere of conquest ;
and when our ships of war, as well as the vessels conveying
the regiments from Calcutta, appear in the China Seas,
for the protection of our trade and the vindication of our
honour, wo be to the devoted cities of the coast—wo be
to the degraded Commissioner Lin, and direful destruc-
tion to the Celestial Empire, which will stzake with the re-
port of our cannon to its very centre I A war of defence has
ever been, where Britain has been concerned, a war of con-
quest. The former was the foundation upon which the super-
structure of our Indian empire has been reared, and it will
be the groundwork of our ascendancy in a new quarter of
the globe. We have no fear of what may be the result of
this impending contest ; the British standard is never un-
furled but in the cause of justice, and the British soldier
never unsheathes his sword but at the call of honour.
The command of the naval force will of course devolve
upon Captain Sir J. J. Bremen Gordon, K. C. 8., of her
Majesty's ship Alligator, which has just arrived in the
Madras Roads from Sydney. This gallant officer will
have the merit of following up upon an extensive scale the
noble achievement of the Volage and Hyacinth, which has
already given our arrogant enemy a sharp foretaste of what
may be expected from a serious attack of a respectable
naval force. The shipping taken up for the conveyance of
troops from Calcutta, if properly armed, as it undoubtedly
will be, will act as a formidable auxiliary to the vessels of
the Royal navy, and if they will be useful for no other
purpose they will at least be eminently serviceable as trans-
ports We hope that in the great movement now about to
be made towards further conquest, the armies of Bombay
and Madras will have a share. Seven regiments will be
hardly enough to answer all the purposes of a serious war-
fare, and other seven between the other two Presidencies
would render the whole expedition something to the
purpose.

,;) tar as we have related, the intelligence from Cal-
cutta extends. We had, previously to the delivery of our
lawk papers, received the following communication from
a highly.valued correspondent, who, sending it to us, ex-
pressed a wish that the armament had been destined to he
sent in a better cause. We are sorry to be obliged to dif-
fer from him, but we think, on second thoughts, that he
will probably alter his opinion ; as, independently of all
grievances in regard to opium, we have a sufficiently ex-
tensive list of flagrant insults to avenge.
\%e have just received authentic confirmation of the ru-
mours in regard to the force destined for China. Three
regiments will go hence (Calcutta), two Queen's and one
Native; but a larger force will be despatched from Ma-
dras. Lord Auckland is expected on the Ist of February,
and Mr. Robertson will positively go to Agra.
From this extract it will be seen, that at the time the
letter was written, there was a strong impression that not
only Calcutta but Madras troops would be called into re-
quisition, and we sincerely trust that the active service
thus held out on a new sphere to the troops of India will
he participated in by the brave veterans of the Bombay
army. _

ue administration of Lord Auckland, if he remain long
enough in India to abide the issue of the expedition to
China, will be one of the most brilliant that has been pur-
sued by any of our eastern rulers, and he, as well as all
the great leading characters of the stirriig time in which
he has held the reins of administration, are well entitled to
the warmest thanks of their country and their Sovereign.
Recent advices from Cabul inform us, we regret to say,
that the state of health of her Majesty's 18th Light In-
fantry there was anything but favourable ; many casualties
had taken place, which some would attribute to the men's
own imprudence in the abuse of spirituous liquors, readily
procurable in the town ; while others ascribed the mortality
to the sudden reaction consequent on an abrupt transition
from a warm climate, hard duty, and bad food to a state of
repose with severe temperature, acting on constitutions
previously debilitated. We trust speedily to have more
cheering accounts.
The rumours of the advance of the Russians on Chiva
were still rife at Cabul, and our friends in Affghauistan,
Candahar, &c., will have the reports true ; at any rate
they have gained fresh credence since our last ; it is now
added there remains but little doubt that all classes in Buk-
hara are decidedly in favour cf Russian interests.

One of our corespondents adds a fact " curious if true,"
namely, that the Minister of Kamram, at Herat, was busily
engaged recruiting the impoverished finances of the State
by the sale of his Taujik subjects to the Usbecks as slaves ;
about 30,000 have been already disposed of to no mean ad-
vantage. The project reminds us pf the proposition of ho.
nest Sancho Fanza, who requests the Knight of La Mancha
and the woful countenance, that his promised kingdom
may be seated, if possible, on the sea coast, to admit
of the readier shipment and sale of his people as slaves
Sancho, however, took it for granted that his subjects were
to be but negroes and not decent Caucasians like the
Taujiks. Our correspondent further assures us that the
hitherto published accounts of the late mishap in the
Khybur Pass are very wide of the truth, and calcu-
lated to throw an unmerited shade on the character
of many of those employed. Instead of having four com-
panies at his disposal, it now appears that Captain Farmer
had but thirty sepoys in his escort, and these entirely in-
efficient from sickness and fatigue.

PROCLAMATION FROM THE HIGH COMMIS-
SIONER AND THE GOVERNOR-STOPPING
FOR EVER THE ENGLISH TRADE.
Lin, High Imperial Commissioner, and Tang, Go-
vernor of the Taonkwang, issue these for the purpose of
giving plain information.
•' It appears on record that vve the Commissioner and
the Governor, upon the 15th of November, respectively re-
ceived the following Imperial commands
" • The execution by the foreign ships of the duly pre-
pared earnest bond, it, indeed, it can be depended on, will
naturally bring about a gradual and entire cleansing away
of the opium. But if any further changefulness be shown
by those foreign vessels, it will be requisite that the mar-
tial terrors he displayed to them; that they be for ever
disallowed intercourse of trade, to the end that the blind
perverse tribe may know when to take warning and to be
afraid. Respect this.'

" We fincl*it on record, that in the month of September,
the joint prefect at Macao sent to us a request from Elliott,
that bonds should be executed and trade carried on. We,
the Commissioner and the Governor, dealing with him in
all sinverity, would not admit many suspicions, and hence
sent up a prepared memorial to the throne to the same
effect. We have been honoured with the great Emperor's
foresight of the foreign temper, that it would be difficult to
keep it from changefulness : as, even now, the English
foreigners, by their daring contumaciously to refuse con-
formity to the bond, have indeed been changeful and incon-
stant, showing how difficult it is to escape the intelligence
and clear observation of his Sacred Majesty.
" It behoves us immediately to obey respectfully the
imperial pleasure, as declared to us, by cutting off their
trade. Making exception, therefore, of the ships of all
other nations, and of the two country ships the Thomas
Coutts and the Royal Saxon, which have executed the
bond in the form prescribed, and have shown themselves
to be foreign merchants engaged in honourable commerce,
and which are, therefore, allowed to trade as usual ; we
have now resolved on the Ist of the 11th month (Dec. 6)
to close the port, and report plainly that, in obedience to
the imperial pleasure, we have for ever put a stop to the
trade of the English nation.
We proceed to issue this proclamation, making the same
known to, and requiring all officers of the-customs, Hong
merchants, linguists, and foreigners of every nation, to have
information thereof. From the time on which we bare re-
solved to close the port, and thenceforward, they arc not al-
lowed to hold any commercial intercourse with any English
or country ships whatsoever. But ships of all other fo-
reign nations that subscribe the prescribed form of bond
they are allowed to hold commerce with. Thus we would
admonish and punish, and so separate the good from the
evil. They are not allowed to suffer the English clandes.
tinely to combine with them, nor are they to convey the
English vessels, or their cargoes, either under the vise of
changed names or as their carrier, to be disposed of for
them. By so doing they will, when they shall be dis-
covered, involve a like cutting off of their own trade. This
is in obedience to the imperial pleasure, with the object of
for ever cutting off the import of opium, and of warning
and cautioning the changeful temper of the foreigners. It
must not be looked on as an ordinary matter. Let each
obey with trembling. Oppose it not. A special procla-
mation." (Received Nov. 26, 1839.)

OPIUM AND TEA TRADE.
SINGAPORE, DEC. 24.—Since the departure of the Al-
gerine on the 15th instant, the Allalevie, Fort William, and
Red Rover have arrived from China, bringing advices
from Vongkoo to the 15th, and from Canton to 6th inst.
The Allalevie arrived here on the 16th, Fort William on
the 18th, and the Red Rover on the 23d. The first
brought orders for opium, and there not being much in
first hands, prices advanced from 270 to 280 dollars to 230
to 325 dollars for Patna; and from 260 to 270 to 300 to
315 dollars for Benares, at which about 120 to 130 chests
were purchased for shipment to China. Since the Alla-
levie's arrival there have been some small importations
from Penang, and the orders for China having been com-
pleted, sales of Patna were made yesterday at 295 to 300
dollars, and of Benares at 290 to 295 dollars. Should the
Nymph make her appearance, it will immediately decline
to 240 250 dollars, or less ; indeed, an arrival of even
200 chests would, we think, cause a decline to 250 to 260
dollars, there being very little demand exceot for shipment
to Chula p-r Time, which vessel will likely be detained
for fui then importations, as few are inclined to purchase
and ship at present rates.
Ie other Calcutta imports we have little alteration to
notice. The Arabian brings a quantity of Gunny bags,
which will supply the market for some time, there being
no export demand. The stock of wheat is very heavy,
and sales h,ve been made at $2 60 to $2 75 per bag.
With gram the market is well supplied, and it
is only
saleable by the single bag at s2i per bag. Piece goods
of all descriptions arc dull, and only saleable by retail
slowly at low prices. Saltpetre—Market well supplied,
and fair quality retailing at $5 per picul. Cotton—Some
inquiry by the Chinese shopkeepers, who expect high
prices to rule during the ensuing junk seasrn fron. Fe-
bruary to May, and some sales have been made of fair to
good Bengal at $2O to $3O per bale of 3001bs. There