The Sun.
London, England, 1840-01-24 00:00:00

and the like, while to legalize the popular hatred
of us, a placard is stuck up on the foreign facto-
ries every year, accusing the Europeans of the
crimes too atrocious and revolting to be named, and
yet all this has been meekly and submissively
borne by the gain-seeking governments of the
West. But our passiveness under insult has
only increased the insolence of these faithless
and cruel barbarians. Being called to no ac -
count for the blood of the unfortunate Lord
NAPIER, they fancied that there was no out-
rage which they might not perpetrate against us
with impunity. The time has, however come to
convince them of our power, our energy, and our
acute sense of wrong ; and, above all, to establish
on a quite new and liberal footing our com-
mercial relations not only with the port of Canton,
but with such other ports as we may deem suitable
for the objects of traffic on the coast of China. To
do this effectually, we believe a better plan could
not be laid down than that suggested by the Resi-
dent in China, in his letter to Lord PALMER-
STON. He recommends the sending a strong naval
force to Canton, which, by suddenly detaching
parties of men to seize upon the heights that com-
mand the forts of the Bogue and Tiger Island,
could easily take possession of them without ex-
posing the ships to the fire of a single gun from
the shore. These forts, by being kept, and the
guns preserved, would enable us at once to block-
ade the port against the shipping of all nations.
Not a junk could pass up or down the river
without the permission of the Commander of the
blockading squadron. Canton could be easily
seized, but this is a step the writer does not recom-
mend, as it would inflict upon an over-crowded
population the greatest misery, and create a preju-
dice against the British name. He, however, ad-
vises the seizure of all the coasting vessels, in-
cluding the junks trading in salt; and the entire
stoppage of the trade with Emoy, Formosa, and
Japan. This would soon bring the Chinese Govern-
ment to its knees ; and we might then, besides ex-
acting payment for the whole of the seized opium,
and the expenses of the blockade, exact from the ce-
lestial Government such conditions for the trade with
European nations as would be consistent with
justice, and beneficial to the whole of the
civilized world. This is a view of the ques-

tion which we have more than once taken,
and which we have no reason to suppose

has been overlooked by her MAJESTY'S
Government. Our ships of war are already on
their way to China, and we have now no fear, save
that half measures will be adopted, and that con-
cessions, of which the Emperor will never hear a
syllable, will be accepted. If we strike at all, it is
of the utmost importance to strike so as to leave a
lasting impression of our power behind us. The
Chinese must be made, not only to confess but to
feel, and to tremble at our power. If a less de ci
sive course is adopted, we may soon expect to hear
of the plunder of the factories, and the murder of
all the European and American Residents at
Canton.

Hobart Town papers just received state that on
the 27th of July last, wheat was sold in Sydney at
a guinea and a half the bushel ; flour at 801. ster-
ling the ton; and bread at 2s. 6d. the loaf ! At
Hobart Town on the 20th of August, wheat was
selling at twenty-seven shillings a bushel, with every
reason to fear a still greater rise in price. The suf-
ferings of the poor were dreadful, and a general fa-
mine anticipated. As some of our Contemporaries
are continually representing these Colonies as lands
" flowing with milk and honey," and teeming with
" wine and oil," we shall, to prevent cavil or con-
tradicticnt quote this melancholy intelligence as it
appears in Murray's Review, a Hobart Town paper,
of the 20th of August :
The Vittoria, from Sydney, the 28th of July, arrived
yesterday. Not a grain of foreign supply has been re-
ceived, and wheat is now in Sydney one guinea and a-
half the bushel !—flour, eighty pounds the ton ! bread,
two shillings and sixpence the loaf ! We antici-
pated this ; and we repeat, week after week, we
implored the Government to afford protection to the
people under its rule—we reminded it that for the little
Colony of Van Dieman's Land to attempt to effectually
relieve the great Colony of New South Wales, was as
a poor man lending his little all to a rich bankrupt.
He would ruin himself without assisting the other.
And such has been the result. It is not yet too late
for his Excellency Sir John Franklin to save
this Colony from starvation. We implore his
Excellency to act promptly, and with decision. If he
hesitates, bread will be unattainable to a great portion
of the people, and with great inconvenierce to most of
the remainder ; but as to the poor, actual starvation
must follow ! No sooner was the dreadful condition of
Sydney ascertained, than the price of wheat here rose
to twenty-seven shillings the bushel—what will it be in
a few days, if the Government does not interfere its
saving protection ? And will it not then incur a fearful
responsibility ?

THREE O'CLOCK, P.M.—The French mail of
Wednesday has not yet arrived.

COMMERCIAL TRAVELLEES' SOCIETY Ok SCOT-
LAND.—We are glad to see from a Scottish Paper
that this useful institution has had much success dur-
ing the short period it has been formed. It was ori-
ginally projected by a few of the intelligent and pru-
dent commercial men of the North, and though it has
been in existence only two years, it already numbers
above one hundred and fifty members. The object of
the Society is to establish a fund for the relief
chiefly of commercial travellers, who may be
rendered incapable of attending to businees in
consequence of sickness; and for securing a certain sum
for the payment of funeral expenses. Any one, how-
ever, engaged in commercial pursuits may be admitted,
and in ordr to insure its respectability, the candidate
must be introduced by a member, and ballotted for by
the Directors. The annual contributions are regulated
according to a table drawn up by a skilful actuary, and
founded chiefly en data furnished by the Highland So-
ciety. Such institutions deserve encouragement. They
promote a spirit of independence. The recipient in
sickness has an income to which he is entitled by his
own exertions alone. He is not degraded by applying
for relief to his employers, or to the parish, and the
member who never receives a penny has the satisfaction
of having contributed to the relief of his brethren, who
have not, like him, had the fortune to enjoy good health.
GILBERT'S ATLAS.—The Third Part of this work
contains maps of Scotland and Ireland, with descriptive
letter-press by Mr. R. Mudie. We have already
noticed favourably, as they deserved, the maps
published in the first two Numbers. The pre-
sent are equally beautiful and correct, and are en-
hanced by a neat and comprehensive account of the two
countries to which they refer. The description em-
braces the nature of the soil, the quantity of land
in cultivation, the principal rivers and mountains,
with the population and staple trade or manufacture
of the chief towns and the population of each
country. We never saw any Atlas in which the
outline and size of each country, province, or state
could be ascertained with such distinctness and at one
glance. The colouring is perfect.