The Sun.
London, England, 1847-09-27 00:00:00

tranquillity is really what we greatly hope for. Do
not oppose this special proclamation.
(True translation.)
"THOMAS TAYLOR MEADOWS, Interpreter.
" June 22,1847."

His Excellency her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, dce.,
is pleased to direct that the following notice from the
British Consul at Shanghae, announcing increased
facilities for the rapid dispatch of vessels from the
loading anchorage at that port, be published. The
Consul has been directed to guard against any abuse
of this concession from the local Government, by exe-
cuting in case of necessity the summary provisions of
ordinance No. 5 of l 844.

By order, A. R. JOHNSTON.
Victoria, Hong-Kong, July 21, 1847.
NOTIFICATION.

"British Consulate, Shanghae, June 21.
"With a view to afford increased facilities for the
prompt dispatch of vessels, her Majesty's Consul has
been in communication with his Excellency the
Taou-tae to determine the practicability and expe-
diency of allowing ships to leave the anchorage at
Shanghae prior to the issue of the Grand Chop. It
occasionally happens that a few hours delay, or the
loss of a tide, are of considerable importance ; and his
Excellency the Taou-tae, satisfied upon this point,
has been induced to consent to such modification of
the present practice (under the third clause of the
port regulations) as the Consul may find expedient,
in order to enable a ship to leava the anchorage for
loading and discharging cargo as soon as the receipts
for all duties have been obtained from the Custom-
house, found correct, and lodged at the Consulate, as
evidence of the final close of the account and satis-
factory settlement of all claims of the Customs.
" In future, therefore, and provided no other cause
for detention exists, permission will be granted, on
application, to all masters of British vessels to pro-
ceed to any point within the limits of the port, when
the above-mentioned conditions have been complied
with, and a declaration made that the hatches are
closed. The Grand Chop as soon as received, toge-
ther with the ship's papers, will be subsequently
delivered at the Consulate-officeto the master or other
party authorised to receive the same, provided al-
ways that the ship shall not have dropped beyond the
limits of the port, which would cause the papers to
withheld pending inquiry, and subject the vessel to
be such disabilities as it might be placed under from
being at sea without the documents required to en-
title it to the privileges or advantages of British re-
gistered vessels.
" Her Majesty's Consul has much satisfaction in
making the arrangement known to the British com-
munity ; satisfied that those for whose advantage the
alteration has been made will feel with him, that the
best interests of the foreign trade at this port are
identified with the regular and scrupulous discharge
of all obligations connected with the Custom-house
authorities, he has not hesitated, in communication
with his Excellency the Taou-tae, to remove all ob-
stacles by taking upon himself the responsibility of
guaranteeing that neither injury to the revenue nor
increased difficulty to the Chinese authorities shall
result from the concession. To fulfil this pledge her
Majesty's Consul counts confidently upon the cordial
co-operation of all the mercantile community.
" RUTHERFORD ALCOCK, Consul."

Our Chinese correspondent gives the following as
the substance of what took place at a recent meeting
in Mingling Hall, on the subject of granting further
accommodation to foreigners :
"At present Keying wishes to take ground from
the people to give it to the English barbarians for the
purpose of building foreign factories, &c.; therefore,
on the 25th day (July 7) the elders held a meeting at
the Ming-ling Hall, wherein it was publicly resolved
' that all the fields, ponds, buildings, shops, and houses
belonging to the people, could not be allowed to be
forcibly rented by the English barbarians ; but any
place like Tung•keaou, or the landing place of Teen-
tsze, which is joined to ground belonging to the man-
darins or any open space not owned by the people, the
barbarians may take, and therefore the people need
not interfere in the matter.' "
One of the placards issued by the people on the
subject of Shih-wei-tang is as follows :
" Shib-wei-tang is a territory not two leagues
distant from the Provincial City, and is the principal
thoroughfare between the western and northern

branches of the river. Every day the rich and poor
meet there in crowds, and vessels pass up and down
and move about the river in endless succession ; and
if we add to this, that the people in an east-
erly direction and in the western valleys, depend
on this thoroughfare for their food, it will appear
still more important, for it is the very throat
of Canton, and indeed commands the whole of
Kwangtung province. How then can property which
has been possessed for a myriad of years, and is of
the greatest importance, be all at once given away like
a golden snuff-bottle ? This would be just like de-
stroying the whole ; at which benevolent and honest
men would look up to heaven and beat their breasts.
But there are some rich merchants, who cunningly
pretend that they have acquired_ their property by
these barbarians, and therefore give up this property
as a kind of retribution, with the intention of gaining
some advantage by it, and thereby causing much
misery and calamity; and thus a fortunate spot will
be ruined. Still we trust to the superiority of our
Government, and hope that the penetration of our
mandarins will resemble the very heavens, and that
they will have sufficient ability to preserve peace and
tranquillity to Chinese as well as English. More-
over, these barbarians have come over a very extensive
ocean for the sake of trade, and have not the least
cause for being discontented, or thus trying to gain an
advantage over us. But if we in the country do not
adopt measures of defence, even iron fortifications
cannot be depended on; and if we the natives 'do not
remove all the obstacles, a brass wall may be beaten
down. Therefore the various associati eis have joined
together, and hereby make known their stipulations.
If any bricklayers or stonecutters, for the sake of gain,
engage in works (for foreigners), their bodies will
for a certainty be cut in pieces. This very day all
the cities and villages to the south have formed them-
selves into trained bands, joyfully to commence the
struggle ; and, as our Government is compassionate to
those who come afar, when they hear of it they will
ask, Who dares on account of these foreigners to as-
semble the mass of the people to protect their pro-
perty, families, &c. ?' which intention is as firmly en-
graven as if it were on brass or stone, and of which we
respectfully give previous notice.
" Our intention is to provide security for all. The
militia of young men now forming is to protect us
from any evils caused by foreign countries. All in
this district who are above eighteen years of age must
now come forward, and, if they do not, we shall burn
down their houses ; and hereby swear, never to allow
any one to withdraw. We now give general notice,
that if there are any workmen at Canton, Fuhshan,
Se-nan, Shih-lung, and other places, they must im-
mediately return to protect their families. If they
fail to do so, repentance will be of no avail.
" A public notice from Shin-gan-sze."
The following apologetic explanation regarding the
cession of Shih-wei-tang has be issued by the
late proprietors, members of the Pwan-nang-king
family, " in order that the true bearings of the case
may be known :"

' Our ancestor established the firm of Tung-wan
as Hong merchants, and the property he realised
(besides what he left to Nang-kung) he bestowed
upon several establishments for their management.
The territory of Shih-wei-tang was left to support
the expenditure of the ancestral temple of five
branches of the family, and, for the maintenance of
the widows and orphans, it was left to Leang-king-ta.
Now, in the fourth moon of the present year, we re-
ceived orders from the Government to deliver up this
place, and to hand over our title deeds for examina-
tion, and we should be paid the original price. This
command we could not disobey. When these orders
arrived, the widows and orphans of the five branches
were in great distress and perturbation, but they con-
sidered that this property was originally acquired by a
Hong merchant, and therefore it is a gift of Provi-
dence. If we do not give it up, we cannot escape
punishment of the mandarins, and, on the other hand,
if we receive the value of it, we shall arouse the in-
dignation of the villagers. Having well pondered
over the matter, we resolved to give it up to the man-
darins for their use, without remuneration, so that
they (the villagers) could not say we had clandes-
tinely sold the property. The documents are clear
and explicit on this subject, and no deceit has been
practised, and we invite you all to come and investi-
gate it. We have heard that this has given rise to
resolutions being passed to seize upon the whole of
the rent of our relations, and to prevent the same
being paid. We shall then be without support, and
have nothing to depend upon to gain a livelihood;
and thus misery will be entailed upon the whole of
our family through Shih-wei-tang. How could
benevolent and considerate people be prevailed on to
du this ? We have also heard it is rumoured that in
a few days those people will assemble all the males
and females of the villages, and lead them on to
destroy our ancestral temple. There are also a great
case.no .vwwhether
hatht essoemtehyi naggsabaornedt: r. jafkethadisva
in.lany claimants against our family, but as yet we do
l
is
sntathgee
of this opportunity to inflict great mischief, for which
we may not be able to get redress ; and therefore
make this announcement as an explanation of the
matter, and most humbly beseech that the case may
be looke,l into, and shall be very happy if our fault be
forgiven."
We select two placards from the patriot people, re-
garding Honan and Shih-wei-tang, which are curious,
taken in connexion with the communications on the
subject lately published by the Government :
" We, the inhabitants of the territory of Hunan,
hereby notify, that we are indebted to our high au-
thorities for having ascertained public opinion, and
for having sent a letter to the English barbarians, dis-
tinctly informing them that they must on no fiCCOUnt