The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-25 00:00:00

CHINA.

We have received our dispatches and files of news-
papers brought by the Overland Mail from China. We,
of.course, have not any intelligence from India of later
date than that which appeared in The Sun of Wed-
nesday.

(From the Overland Mail, Jan. 29.)
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
The Hon. Major-General Wm. Staveley, C. 8., Lieu-
tenant Governor of Hong-Kong, has this day taken the
oaths and his seat as a member of the Executive Council
of the colony of Hong-Kong and its dependencies.
By order of his Excellency the Governor and Com-
mander-in-Chief of Hong-Kong,
W. CAINE, Colonial Secretary.
Colonial-office, Victoria, Hong-Kong,
Jan. 27, 1848.
When the mail of last month was dispatched great
uncertainty prevailed as to the course which would be
pursued towards the Chinese, though it was a very
general impression that hostilities were inevitable.
That such would be the result of the negotiations was in-
ferred from the precautionary measures of Government,
by whom reinforcements were sent for to India and the
Straits, and her Majesty's consul was instructed to
address the subjoined notice to British residents at Can-
ton.* For out selves we have been unable to perceive
in the melancholy occurrence at Hwang-chu-kee,
grounds to justify a declaration of war, or such acts as
would be equivalent to it ; and therefore indulged the
hope that the matter might be amicably and speedily
arranged. The result, so far as is publicly known, will
be found in the notifications of the 13th and 18th, the
one giving an extract from a d spatch dated the 11 th
from her Majesty's consul, the other declaration to him
from Keying dated the 12th, and an address to the people
from the gentry of Canton.
From these it would appear that Keying had availed
himself of the disposition displayed by the gentry and
literati in their address published in our last overland
issue, by calling upon them to exert the influence they
possess over the country people, and he seems confident
that this, with the other arrangements he has made,
will secure the desired ends. People more ready to
blame what is done by others than to propose any effi-
cient and definite plan themselves, express great dis-
satisfaction at Sir John Davis for listening to such pro-
posals; but probably be has adopted the wisest policy in
accepting them as an experiment until the instructions
of her Majesty's Government are received; for we feel
assured they will nut involve the two countries in ear
until the futility of other modes of settlement has been
proved, and not assumed merely, as is too often the case
where local prejudices and local interests prevail.
From Keying's declaration we gather that the main
object. of Sir John Davis's negotiations has been the
fulfilment of the first article of the treaty of Nanking,
which provides that " there shall henceforward be peace
and friendship between her Majesty the Queen of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and his
Majesty the Emperor of China, and between their re-
spective subjects, who shall enjoy full security and pro-
tection for their persons and property within the domi-
nions of each other."
Another article proposes the limits within which these
privileges are to be enjoyed by the British; but in the
case of Canton they were never defined until the expedi-
tion in April last, when it was stipulated that " her Ma-
jesty's subjects shall be at liberty to roam for exercise
or amusement in the neighbouring country without mo-
lestation, returning the same day, as at Shanghae, and
any persons molesting them shall be severely punished."
The Chinese authorities, from Keying downwards, have
evinced an earnest desire to carry their stipulations into
effect; but experience teaches them that " the self pro-
hibition of the people have more reality and effect than
the prohibitions of the magistrates against the people;"
and that the perpetual peace and friendship promised
can never take effect until mutual prejudices are sub-
dued, and causes of provocation avoided.
An impression prevails here that Lord Palmerston
will readily avail himself of the indignation created by
the first news of the fatal affray to propose extreme
measures.
The notification from the diplomatic department in
our issue of to day cannot fail to attract general atten-
tion. We gladly infer fromit that the negotiations be-
tween the plenipotentiaries are likely to lead to a satis-
factory result, without the necessity of resorting to hos-
tilities, which the cause of humanity and the best in-
terests of our native country alike call upon us to de-
proate.
We have been favoured with a copy of Le Morecien, of
the 22d November, containing a farewell general order
from Lieutenant-General Sir William Gomm (Governor
of the colony), and an address from the inhabitants.
Major-General Staveley, arrived by the Braganza
yesterday morning, and landed about half-past ten
o'clock at Pedder's Wharf, where he was received by
Major-General D'Aguilar and staff with the military
honours due to his rank. To day he is gazetted as
Lieutenant-Governor, and a Member of the Executive
Council.

* " PUBLIC NOTICE.
" British Consulate, Canton, Jan. 5, 1848.
"Her Britannic Majesty's Consul at Canton has re-
ceived a dispatch from his Excellency her Majesty's
Plenipotentiary, &c., &c., in which his Excellency de
sires that British subjects be informed. that in the event
of necessity arising for her Majesty's Consul and bis
establishment retiring from this city, the British mer-
chants continuing to reside at Canton after his with-
drawal will be at their own risk.
"FRANCIS C. MACGREGOR, H.B.M.'s Consul.
" To H.B.M.'s subjects at Canton."
Upon the publication of this circular several of the
merchants made up inventories of their effects, and
prepared to depart with their books and establishments
to Hong-Kong and Macao; but the danger was pro-
bably not considered very imminent, as no great amount
of goods seems to have been removed.