The Sun.
London, England, 1840-07-27 00:00:00

CHINA.

As the expected collision with the Celestial Empire
must create a desire for information, we have put to-
gether a few facts respecting that extraordinary nation,
which may be new to our readers.
It is now 196 years since the capture of Pekin by the
Manchow Tartars, and the consequent subjugation of
the empire. The present Emperor, Taou Kwang, is
the sixth of this dynasty, and for the last three reigns
the popularity of it has been on the decline.
There exist at present in China three secret associa-
tions, named severally the Waterlily, the Incense Bur-
ners, and the San-hahocy, or Triad. The latter is re-
presented by Dr. Milne as strongly assimilating with
freemasonry, except that it works evil instead of good ;
its ramifications extend even to Batavia, Singapore,
Malacca, &c. and its principal object is the overthrow of
the Tartar dynasty, and the protection of native Chinese,
wherever they may happen to reside.
The late Emperor had a narrow escape from assassi-
nation by a party of the Waterlily Union. A band of
70 forced their way into the Imperial Palace at Pekin,
but were repulsed by the Emperor's second son (the
present Emperor), who shot two of them with his own
hand. It was in consequence of this courageous con-
duct that he was nominated to the succession, instead
of his brother.

There also exists in the mountainous district, on the
N.W. border of the province of Canton, a numerous
and hardy band called Meaou-Tse, which has not been
subdued by the Tartars, and has not adopted the Tartar
costume, that badge of slavery which has, with this single
exception, been submitted to throughout the empire. This
body would, doubtless, co-operate with any foreign force
having for its object the restoration of the ancient dy-
nasty. These mountaineers arc as notorious for courage
and daring as the other Chinese are for their effeminacy
and love of peace—many expeditions have been sent
against them, but without effect.
A deceased writer on China, speaking of Nankin, the
ancient capital, represents it as the most vulnerable
point of the empire. It is situated on the banks of the
great river Kiang, and may be approached by vessels of
war ; the celebrated pirate Kuoshing sailed his fleet up
to the city in 1650, during the reign of the first Tartar
Emperor, but was repulsed. The great canal, on which
pass all the supplies for Pekin from the southward,
joins the river a short distance below Nankin, and the
writer above quoted is of opinion that a blockade of the
mouth of this canal, and that of the river itself, would
reduce the capital of China to the greatest distress.
This large river, the Kiang, discharges itst4 into the
eastern sea in the parallel of 32 deg. N., a most de-
lightful climate.
In 182 S a gentleman of :the British factory found at
Macao a paper written in the Chinese character, of
which the following is an exact translation :—" Vast was
the central nation—flourishing the heavenly dynasty. A
thousand regions sent tribute—ten thousand nations did
homage, but the Tartar obtained it by fraud, and this
grudge can never be assuaged. Enlist soldiers, procure
horses, display aloft the flowing stindard, raise troops,
and seize weapons ; let us exterminate the Manchow
race."