The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-09 00:00:00

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EVENTING EDITION

again en route for Pekin, Flesh insults bad, at the date
of the last accounts received in England, prior to those
which we published in the Herald of )estPrday, induced
Sir Gordon Bremer (who had succe-ded t t'e com-
mand of the British squadrn) to threaten exemplary tc-
prisals if ample satisfaction were not given fur these new
aggressions.

At this point, our summary of Chinese intelligence is re-
sumed to-day. Now what is the amount of th:se commu-
nications?

" The Chumpee and Tykokrow forts had been taken on the
7th January, and effectually destroyed on the bth and 9th,
since when the preliminary Treaty had been signcd, and tl:e
Chinese signified officially by the Plenipotentiary at Whampoa
their assent to the following articles :
" 1. The cession of the island of Hong Kong to the British
Crown.

" 2. An indemnity to the British Government of 6,000,000
of dollars, payable in six yearly instalments.
"3. Direct official intercourse between both nations on
equal footing.
" 4. Trade of Canton to be opened in ten days after the
Chinese new year."
La any observations we have now to offer, we must ar-
sume that these statements arc substantially true ; yet hew
to believe it we confess we know not. Terms so palpably
disadvantageous, compensation so inadequate, cessi ins so
worthless, surely were never accepte3, even in the bung-
ling career of British diplomacy, by any former ageat
whose incompetency has at any time prejudiced the ir,-
teres3 of the British Crown. We may grant. indeed, that
it the phraseology of treaties were capab'e of being ren-
dered as definitive in expression, and likely to ba as
accurately observed in spirit in China as it would by in
negotiations between, two European powers, a very con-
siderable principle would have been asserted and recog-
ni.ed in an article like No. 3—that should really esta-
blish the official relations between the two Governments
on the footing of a perfect equality." But the Chinese
authorities understand, or will choose to understand just
as much of our "barbarian " notions of official relations,

we will venture to say, " Plenipoteotiary Elliott"
really knows about Buddhism ; and as to our function-
aries being put upon a similar footing with the Chinese
functionaries, why " perfect equality " must seem to them
a monstrosity as grotesque and incomprehensible as any
id l that Sir Gordon Bremer may have seen in any joss.
house. All their habits cf civil life,—all the strongly-
marked and rigidly-enforced gradations of rank and
ceremonial which pervade the whole machinery of
their Government, and the constltution of domes-
tic society among them,—render the ntrion of perfect
equality between their offi.isls and those cf a folei4nt coun-
try a preposterous delusion. Before we treat to Article
1, which cedes the island of Hong Kong t Great
Britain, we must pause to complinont the Globe on its
very extraordinary leader of yesterday evening, Leaded
" Arrangement of the Dispute with China." It talks of
"the paucity "of knowledge in other articles t h .11 had
treate I, bef6re its own lucubrations, of the state tit our re-
la ions with Critic:, and with a gravity which is the nearest
sproach to a joke we can remember in our oraeutar Con-
temporary, it reads a lofty lecture to all who have presunied
to doubt, in the evolution of the sevet il v ants to which
we have referred above, the presence of the most profound
sagacity and far-seeing wisdom in all the measures adopted
by Captain Eliot and by Admiral Elliot, and in alt the
orders issued, and the policy acted upon et tone, in ref,r-
en -e to our affairs in the Celestial Empire. Now, let us
s.e how this learned lecturer (who is scry angry that no-
body would listen to his predictions as to what calls this
" gratifyirg rmiaation" of our disputes with China, and that
the '' Times shoald have thundered its indignation, and tl e
lesser organs of party squeaked their disappointment at the
delay " which had intervened in the progress of the cape_
ditton)—let us see how he enlightens the public on matters
which other journalists have so misunderstood
~ Thus it will be perceived that, within a month after the
date of the last intelligence from China, the unsatisfactory'
tenor of which called forth animadversions on the British Go-
vernment and on those it had commissioned to act in i s name,
with or against the Chinese Government, the negotiations
were brought to a close ; an island appropriated as the future
residence of the. British, and the seat of our commerce with
the empire ; an indemnity of six millions of dollars for the
losses sustained by British subjects, by the confiscation of their
property by the Chinese authorities."
Is this writer really blind to the fact that the intelli-
gence upon which he is thus huggirg himself • naplies
the most unanswerable argument to justify the " dissa-
tisfa.tion” at which lie is so wroth cf people rather
more clear-witted than himself. Why, to talk as he
does (evidently under the most profound and unsasi.ect-
ing ignorance of all the data, geographical an i hydro-
graphical, that s:-could have governed the judgment cf
any e undertaking to pronounce thus broad;y an
opinion on such a mater) is really to challenge to him-
self somewhat of that uncivil animadversion which he so
readily bestows on o'h!re. We 'hill observe, by the
way, that had our Contemporary attended seats schools,
where the schoolmaster is less " abroad" than he op-
pear.; to be, habitually, at the Globe office, he liens,. If
would have stood a fair chance of " :queaking:a" after
falling into so stupendous a blunder as the islatel of
Hong Kong tempts him into. An island destined to be
" the future residence of the British, and the seat of our
commerce with the Chinese empire hl As well might he
talk of Haling island, of Sheppey, or some other mud bank
in the estuary of any of our rivers, becoming the future
Sicily of another Italy—its granary, and its magazine l It
is about the most inconvenient and defenceless post into
which the crafty " concessions" of the Chinese cool I have
duped our unfortunate Superintendent. Appro.tehrrble on
every side only through dangerous straits, studded with
islets, beret with rapid and uncertain currents, with :161'6 ng
mud banks, and, consequent ly,evcr-varying soundings, with
only one extremityof the greater, or Lemma channel ( which
intervenes between it and the very much larger island
of Lart-to-oo), practicable during the north motisoo:s ;
and with its eastern, or Lema channel, subject to the
violence of the typhoons (the most destructive gales
that Pel cop those seas)— it is impossible to `.m -wine
position in the defence c r for the relief of which our
ships of war could act with less effect. They would he en-
tangled amidst clusters of those innumerable islets, which it
would requite their whole undivided attention safely to
work among. Tie large war junks of the Chinese could
readily, wherever the river allowed our own shippiag to act,
block up every avenue beyond the outer waters of tie Can-
ton River. Es en the two or three good anchorages of Hong
Kong would be available only to the smaller class of steam
craft ; and though it has many good runs of.water, and
raises some good esculents, the defects of its geographies!
position will never admit of these advantages being deve-
loped en any large scale for the benefit and refreshment of
our marine. But the Globe is so possessed with its " satis-
factory" vein, that it absolutely finds matter of congratula-
tion in the indemr ity which Chloe undertakes to pay to
Great Britain. Whet is it? Six millions of—Dollars!
payable in—six years ! (No doubt with compound inte -
rest, to be liquidated " ad Grceeas Aalendas.") Now, tie
estimated value of the opium surrendered by Capt. Elliott
Was, in round numbers £2,500,000
The expense of the armament, &c., by the
latest estimate

The total cost to Great Britain of tl.c op'urn
dispute with China
At the I).st price the Spanish dollar is now
I tc ing in Cantor, six n i lions in specie
vould t:ot represent more than

Anl thus there would be a deficiency a; be-
tween the total cost and the indemnity 0f... 2,800,000
The difference between the value of the opium de-
stroyed, alone, and the promised indemnity, would he
1,300,000/. against the Brtish owntre. But if, without
retrospect as ti interest for the past, and reckoning (Ally
for tho simile interest of the money for the future (with-
out crediting it for each instalment), we add to this last
sum six years' interest on 1.200,0001 (the aeiount of the
ii d mnity) at 5 per ceet. (or 360,0001. ), the deficiency
tetween the total of loss to the British merchaLts, and iha
indemnity to be given, then will be 1,660,0001, \Ve have
ell heard of " Flemish accounts I' Preserve us, say vc,
from Chinese accounts, at least where Captain Elliot is to
superintend their adjustment (assuming our premises to be
true) ; let us be subject to them only, in commercial par-
!a :cc, with " errors exc 'pted." The Globe cannot take
le ive of its China intelligence without again recurring to
flor,g Kong. For once we cannot close a leader withoct
again adverting to the Globe. It discovers that " the
e Substitution of Hong Kong for Canton, as the mart for
commerce between the two countries, will also greatly increase
the facilities of track, and reduce the expense at which it has
been carried en. Of all the other ports of the empire, Canton
was the worst adapted for the purposes of our trading inter-
course v, ith the Chinese, for the simple reason, that the stal.le
articles of export, tea and silk, are brought from the northern
provinces at a heavy expense, while the equally heavy charges •
of tonveying our woollens to the north form an
,;,nsuperable
barrier to any great increase in their consumption.
It is fit that we should apprise our Contemporary that the
ust the contrar
substitution of " Hong Kong " will have
j y
eff. et to that which he anticipates. It " will DECRIZASE the
facilities of trade, and tNCRfiASE the expcmse at which it
has been carried on." And we beg to add, in hi; own
words, ',for this simple reason, that I the staple articles of
export " being, as lie says, " brought from..,we the
il be very
much dearer tar being unshi ) norlhern
1 p
cci and carried nearly 80 or
prosiness at a heavy expense to Cani,ou,
100 miles (by the windings of
toeth channel) and through
an intricate navigation, further he SOUTii.
(From tLe Morning Post.)
Our Ministerial journalists arc, we observe, very indus-
triously reprinting the leading articles—the same, at least,
in substance, sod very nearly the same, so fsr as we recol-
lect, in words—with ehich they favoured the public some
four months ego, when they exulted a little prematurely
uteri ,
tee glorious and triumphant settlement cf. the dispute
cct our Contempora its are likely we think,
time than they were' before.
It will turn out probably lb et something
'tvoitiphnroCovneheinlreacs.'sF unfortunate
a settlement of the dispute 1 • las at last been accomplished.
But we confess we do approaching:. to
before us any reason net
very glorious and triumphant petee..ve in the intelligence
The avowed objects of th
conclude that the settlement is a
one.
compensation exnedition were to ob-
tainnsation for losses andeirjuiies inflicted upon our
merchants, and satisfactory guarantees for the future secu.
rity of our commerce \A ith China. As to the first of the; c
o' jests, it is stated that the Emperor of China is to pay,
as a compeneation to the British Government for the opium
destroyed at Cantor, the sum of six million dollars, or
anent 1,250,0001., in tie equal annual instalments, so that
t%e foil payment veil not have tern made before the year
1847. Is this an adequate cornpensaticn ? We fear not ;
for it is emsiderably less than half the sum, the expecta-
tion of which, four months ago (when we recollect it
was to be paid down at once), excited so mush joy in the
\
minds, and diffused so much boasting over the pages
,of cur Ministerial Contemporaries. If the former sum is
enough the latter must have been a vile extortion ; and
surely the organs of an Administration so moderate and
just as the present would not have exulted in the idea of
successful extortion practised upon a defenceless State.
' o_3 the other hand. if the three millions sterling then to
be paid down was no more than an adequate compensa-
ei ,n, %attire is the cause of triumph, now that we submit
to take less than fifty per cent. of our just claim, without
reckoning anything for the cost of the expedition in money,
eed, what is more valuable than money, the lives o four
gallant soldiers ? And as to security for the future inter-
courte of our merchants with China, it certainly seems to

EVEN ING EDITION.

us that less could scarcely have been done. The
island of Hong Kong, for which we are to give up our
conquest of Cbusan, is described to us as the least adapted
for the purposes of trade that could have been selected in
the neighbourhood of
Canton. It is out in the oce in,
where none of the Chinese junks or boats that carry mei.-
ebandise to and from cur shipping will venture. In ad-
dition to this acquisition, we are to enjoy, it seems, the
privilege of maintaining an Ambassador in China, a pri-
vilege the value cf which, as experience teachei us, will
depend very much on the character of the Ambassador
by whom we may be represented. Let us hope they may
not always be Ellicts.

THE PENNY POSTAGE.

TO TEE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—As subscriber to your valuable journal you
would much oblige me with the following insertion :
It being more than twelve months since the Penny
Posta.,r,e came into operation, it would would be highly
interesting to the public to know the good or ill success
attending it, and for such information we must be in-
debted to the Post-office authority, though it is the
general opinion of many that the revenue has fallen off
far mere than what was anticipated, notwithstanding
the large increase of letters, Sze. Howlat d Hill's plan
way be very well, but the repeal of the Corn laws would
be far better, for what with th© high price of provisions
and the scarcity of work the frowns of heaven will, sooner
or later, flit on this country or on those who so oppress
the poor, however light they may think of it, for mighty
changes be manifest ere I,,nm.
Among all the situations or places of trust I know of
no other class of men worse paid than those in the
Post-office department, and the letter-carriers in parti-
cular claim our serious consideration ; both early and
late we see them fulfilling their laborious and trust-
worthy employment, exposed to the changes of the sea-
sons, with a small pittance not sufficient to support
nature ; and let us hope that their rulers will act more
honourably to them, for they should not be forgotten
in whose hands our property is entrusted. If no re-
muneration can be granted them for their additional
labour, why not more men employed, which certainly
is required both in town and country, for it is ridiculous
to see men with three deliveries a-day ; and as to the
evening employment this is useless, cruel, and dis-
honourable, ai the few hours rest previous to this are
now taken from them. I would strongly recommend the
public to take up their cause, and then something may
be done, and if so, then, and not till then, may the sys-
tem work well or answer. Yours, &c.,

A FRIEND TO HUMANITY.
Portsmouth, April 7, 1841.

ISLE OF WIGHT.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—In The Sun of Wednesday there appears an ac-
count of the wreck of the Britannia at Padstow, and the
saving of the crew by means of a communication formed
from tEe ship to the shore effected by the firing of a rocket
with a line attached to it, which you erroneously state to
be Captain Manby's apparatus, and having frequently seen
the same wiistaternents in former Suns and other news-
papers, I trust you will allow me, through the medium of
your columns, the means of correcting this prevalent
n, i take.

Captain Maul)) apparatus for the saving of lives from
slip. rein is by the firing of a shot from a mortar with a
I tic attached to it, but the rocket apparatus is the inven-
ti cf Mr. John Dennett, of New Village, Isle of Wight.
Captain Manby has received some thousands of pounds
from the public funds for his invention, but !Mr. Dennett
(whose apparatus is as far superior to Captain Nlanby's as
Captain Manby's was to any previous invention for the
same purpose) is left to struggle unnoticed, and robbed of
his fair fame by the mistakes of newspaper reporters ; yet if
the prophet has no honour in his own country, the French
have appreciated the merits of Mr. Dennett's invention and
presented Lim with a gold medal, appointing him, at the
same time, Director-General of the British section of the
International Shipwreck Society of all nations.
Your's respectfully,
Newport, April 8.

TRUTH.

THE EASTERN QUESTION.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sirs,—Just and enlightened friend of liberty, as you gene-
rally are, you have, in my opinion, in respect to the Eastern
question being led astray from your usual course of justice.
You have defended Lord Palmerston's policy in this question,
and highly blamed M. Thiers ; but excuse me if I frankly
confess that your arguments, as well in defending the one as
blaming the other, have been so weak and feeble, that you
have proved that you are a far less skilful advocate when you
are forwarding a wrong cause than when you are contesting for
a just one.

'When M. Thiers refused to agree to the Treaty of the 15th
of July he acted as it became the honour of France, because
France must have been degraded in the eves of the world, if
she had cowardly consented to the humiliation of Mehemet Ali,
who solely relied, upon the friendship and promises of France.
The Russian Ministers were also quite sure that At. Thiers,
then Premier of France, would never sign the said Treaty,
and, therefore, by persuading Lord Palmerston to agree to
*hat Treaty, they were sure to gain their inmost wish—to
break the friendship between England and France. Russia
will have war, kut in the eyes of the world she does not wish
to appear as having caused it. Therefore her able statesmen
work in darkness, and deceived Europe will, when it is per-
haps too late, discover its real enemy.
M. Thiers's actions prove that he has never been in doubt
concerning the real intention of Russia, which certainly is to
destroy all liberty, and perhaps that he thought that it was
not quite impossible that, even in 1838, during the Emperor's
visit to that most sagacious politician, the King of Sweden, the
Treaty of the 15th of July was planned. At least we may be
persuaded that it was not enmity to the noble sons of Great
13ritain, not vain ambition after doubtful glory, not a cruel de-
sire to stain Europe with the blood of its warriors—but mag-
nanimous resolution to defend the r awe of the people and keep
the promises of France, which cause,l M. Thiers to compel
the wavering King of France to arm—not to make an unjust war
against the nations of Europe, but to be prepared to defend
them if the Kings and Aristocrats should possibly have the se-
cret intention again to subdue all liberty.
And if we look upon the consequences of the Treaty of the
15th of July, we must, at least, eonftss that this Treaty has
done much mischief, and nothing which can be praised. What
has mankind gained by all the human blood that has been shed
in Syria ? or is it possible to think that commercial gain, and
it indeed very uncertain, can repay the sufferings which
civilised Europe has inflicted upon the towns of that country ?
What has mankind gained by Mehemet Ali being compelled
to restore the Turkish fleet to the semi-barbarian Sultan, who
perhaps will soon be a prisoner of Russia ? The world has only
been taught that the promises which, in the name of the Four
great European Powers, have been given to Mehemet Ali, have
shamefully been broken, and only the remonstrances of France
seem to have prevailed upon the Four Powers to return to the
path of justice. I think, without deviating from the truth,
that we may say that armed France has quite a different effect
upon the resolution of the Four Powers, than if France had
been in the same unarmed state as it was before the great
efforts of M. Thiers, for which the English newspapers, have so
much blamer) him, for putting France in such a situation that
her will could have a due influence in the council of the great
European Powers.

Therefore I think we may justly say that Lord Palmer-
s'on by signing the Treaty of the L3th July, really disturbed
the peace of the world, and that M. Thiers, by arming France,
not only did put a stop to the war in the Orient, but even
fettered the arms of the despotic Powers, if they, as we have
great reason to believe, aimed a blow at the liberty of the people
of Europe. Let us, however, not deceive ourselves, but may
we, with history before our eyes, clearly read that the peace of
Europe depends not upon France,but upon England, because if the
latter country continues to join the despotic Powers, then a war,
sooner or later, is inevitable, but if England return to the alli-
ance tsith France, then fear of war will vanish, as the rising
sun disperses the fog of the night.
I hope that you even now will show me the same favour as
you formerly have done, by inserting my letter in your highly-
valuable paper.
I have the honour, with the greatest esteem, to be, Sir, your
humble servant,
London, April 5, 1841. G. C. If.