The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-28 00:00:00

CHINA AND THE INDIANISLANDS

Accounts from Hong-Kong of the 30th August
represent that colony as suffering dreadfully from
sickness, the prevailing disease being an aggravated
species of influenza.
It appears that serious differences have occurred at
Shanghae between some of the British merchants
there and Mr. ALCOCK, the Consul.
Accounts from Singapore of 9th September state
that Sir JAMBS BROOKE and suite left that colony for
Labuan and Sarawak on the 29th August.

CEYLON.
Intelligence has been received from Colombo to the
15th September inclusive. The insurrection was
cornplettily at an end, the rebel KING had fled, and
1001. reward was offered for his apprehension, and
several of his followers had been tried by court-mar-
tial and shot. His MAJESTY it appears served in 1045
in the police.
The merchants, planters, and traders of Ceylon
have sent a memorial to Earl GREY detailing their
grievances.
The .*Ceylon Timis announires the failure of the
oldest commercial firm in the island, Messrs. GIBsoN,
READ, DAVIDSON, and Co. Their liabilities are said
to exceed 100,0001.

NATIONAL GUARDS OF FRANCE.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR,—Nothing, I am confident, will be more gratifying
to the feelings of every Englishman than to learn,
through the medium of your columns, that the kind and
welcome reception the National Guards of France have
received from all classes on their short visit to your
beautiful shores and city, has produced such impressions
of gratitude upon them, that I have been deputed by a
great number of them to express their thanks to your
nation as a memento of everlasting friendship, and the
greatest step towards the permanent union of the two
most powerful, enlightened, and civilised countries in
the world.
With the highest consideration, I have the honour to
remain, Sir, y our must obliged servant,
Oct. 27. SOYER.

PUNCH'S POCKET BOOK FOR 1849.—0ur old
friend Punch is the first in the field this year, and,
like good wine, he grows more mellow as he grows
in age. " The Pocket Book for 1849" is the best that
has yet appeared. It is what a good pantomime
ought to be, a satirical commentary on the events of
the past year; and here we have them all humorously
illustrated from the frozen-out kings of February to
the thawed lawyers of November. The frontispiece,
Iliggledy-Piggledy, or a Domestic Republic, is It
capital skit on the Republique Rouge. Leech was
never in happier mood than when he designed the
illustrations to the " Punch's Pocket Book for 1849 ;"
and the letter-press is worthy of the illustrations.

HIaItWAY ROBBERY.—On Monday night, between
ten and eleven o'clock, as Mr. Bentham, station-tusster
of the Monkwearmouth Railway Station, was half-way
down Whitburn-lane, on the way to his residence, and
carrying in his hand a large leather bag containing a
considerable sum of money in silver, he suddenly heard
the voice ot a man exclaim "that's him." Li a moment
four men rushed upon him and felled him to the ground,
at the same time striking him severely on the head with
sticks. Mr. Bentham struggled hard, but was com-
pletely overpowered, one ot the ♦illains kicking him
severely in the groin. He retained hold of the bag,
however, till he contrived to raise himself up a little,
and throw it over the adjoining wall. Two of his
assailants immediately left him, and leaped over the
wall, and the remaining two kept struggling with him.
In a few moments a loud whistle was heard, and the two
latter, after giving Mr. Bentham several additional blows,
decamped, leaving Mr. Bentham lying on the ground
severely bruised. Shortly afterwards the alarm was
given to the police, Inspector Baffles hastened to the spot,
and examined the place were Mr. Bentham had thrown
the bag over, but it was gone. Next morning the foot-
marks of four men were traced distinctly from the place
of robbery to Cleadun-lane, and we understand strong
suspicions are entertained of certain parties.—Sunder-
lamd Herald.

THE GREAT SEA SERPENT AGAIN.---A letter under
this head, signed " James Henderson, master, Brotaie-
law, Berth No. 4," dated " Mary Ann, of Glasgow,
October 19," was copied into most of the papers. It
purported to be a confirmation of the story of the sea
monster having been seen by the captain of her Majesty's
ship Daedalus, between St. Helena and the Cape. That
letter turns out, however, to be a hoax, as we suspected
it to be when we read it, and therefore did not give it a
place in our columns. Upon inquiry, we find that
there has been no such ship, with the master's name as
given, at the Broomielaw since the month of August.--
North British Mail.