The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-06 00:00:00

PRICE OF BULLION.

Sovereigns, each.......... • .. • . Rs. 111
Bank of England Notes, par • • „ 113 i

CHINA.
(From the Overland Friend of China, Dec. 31.)

In local affairs we notice the land sales first. On the 12th
instant 52 lots were put up to public competition, without any
condition as to building in a certain time, as was the former
custom. There was therefore an inducement held out to
speculate, but the buyers showed no disposition to run the
lots up, and they were chiefly purchased at a few shillings
advance upon the upset price. Of 52 lots offered, 43 were
sold; for the others there were no bidders. Very few Euro-
peans attended the sale; and, with the exception of three or
four lots, there was little competition. At the sale of De-
cember last year, the advance upon the upset price was 75
per cent. ; this year it was barely 10 per cent. Since the
!ale a wealthy native, who has been in the colony from its
earliest days, has brought all his property, consisting of 60
houses, into the market. The houses are in that part of the
town chiefly occupied by Chinese shopkeep6rs, and were for-
merly considered of great value. Other natives are desirous
to sell and leave the island, their dread of assessments and
police fines destroying that confidence in the Government
which they evinced in the infancy of the colony.
The criminal session of the Supreme Court closed on the
19th. There were in all twenty eight cases tried. Seven
were for robbery with violence, and stabbing with intent to
murder; one for murder. In the latter, the prisoner was con-
victed of the capital offence, and sentence of death is recorded
against him.
__ _

Mr. Layton, Vice-Consul at Ningpo, has been appointed
Consul at Amoy. It is not his Excellency's intention to fill
the vacancy at Ningpo until instructions are received from
home. The whole of the consulates, with the exception of
that at Canton, require to be greatly reduced. The present
expensive establishments are quite uncalled for, and area hin-
drance to commerce rather than a protection.
The commercial reports by this mail continue unfavourable.
Prices of cotton goods improved at Canton in the beginning
of the month, but they have again receded with large stocks
in the hands of importers. No reaction is looked for until
after the Chinese holidays, which commence on the 26th of
January. The state of the English tea market, as reported
by the October mail, is unfavourable, and merchants are
cautious in purchasing. The heavy exports to America last
year have reduced the price of tea in that market to a low
figure, and the cotton goods imported from the United States
this season have not realised prices that will admit of any
loss on return cargoes of teas.
In our last monthly paper we alluded to a placard that
had appeared on the walls of Canton, intimating that fo-
reigners would he permitted to walk in the suburbs, and cau-
tioning the populace against insult and riot. On application
being made to the authorities by Mr. Macgregor, he was in-

formed that 67 copies had been posted, and the names of the ,
places where they were to be ;een enumerated. Mr. Jackson
visited all these places, and found seven copies, four on the
walls of the foreign factories, the others covered with newer
placards and not readable. One or two parties have walked
round the city walls without being annoyed, but Mr. Mac-
gregor has issued a circular, advising that this be discon-
tinued, as it-is the intention of Sir John Davis to insist upon
the city gates being opened to foreigners, and anydisturbence
in the meantime would be made a pretext for delaying to
grant such a reasonable concession.
NAVAL.—Her Majesty's ships in harbour are the Agin-
court and Vestal, also the Alligator troop ship, and the
Minden store ship and hospital. The Vixen, Captain
Gifford, sailed for Chusan on the 7th of December. Rear-
Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane went with her, and will
return, it is said, about the middle of January. The
Daedalus arrived at Chusan after a tolerable passage of
nineteen days. The Lis was twenty-nine days from Hong-
Kong to Singapore, the winds having been light and baffling.
The report of her having been ashore was incorrect It
seems uncertain whether the Vestal proceeds to Whampoa
for the last instalment of the indemnity money, due ou. the
6th proximo, as there are rumours that acceptance will be
refused until the treaty is complied with. The 11. C. steam-
vessel Pluto sailed on the 22d to rescue part of the crew of the
ship Castle Huntly, who preferred remaining by the wreck.
At Amoy, the Espie'le ; Foo-chow-foo, the Wolverine ;
Chusan, the Daedalus ; Shanghai, the Wolf. The Plover and
Young Hebe, under command of Captain Collinson, continue
engaged in the survey of the coast of China. The Satnarang,
Sir Edward Belcher, was at Manilla, by late edvices. Sir
Edward had arrived there from the Bashee Islands, with the
crew of the Bremen brig Express, wrecked on the Bth of
October. The Vulture, steam-frigat.,, had arrived at Singa-
pore before the 9th of December, and i. expected imme-
diately. The United States ship Columbus, of 74 guns, an-
chored near the Bogue forts on the 25th inst. She has had
a long passage from Batavia, probably from visiting some of
the Indian islands.

MILITARY.—The detachment of the 18th Regiment, for-
merly at Chuck-Chow, has been removed to Hong-Kong,
being relieved by part of the 4•2 d M. N. I. Since the re-
moval of the detachment to Victoria, there have been fewer
new cases of fever or dysentery, and the invalids in hospital
are recovering. The ship Sir Robert Sale is moored on the
opposite side of the harbour, where she has all the advantage
of the sea breeze. A party of convalescents are on boar',
ellietly from the Chuck-Chow detachment of the 18th. As
yet there has been no improvement from the change, and it is
probable that they wi;l sail for England about the middle of
January. They are chiefly convalescents from fever, ague,
and dysentery. There is a gnal deal of speculation as to the
disposal of the troops after the evacuation of Chusan. It is
said that the Sepoy regiments will return to India. and the
allowances of the Queen's troops be reduced to the usual
colonial standard. Upon this point no man in the colony can
speak decidedly; but one thing is certain, that in this, the
most expensive of all British colonies, the Indian allowance
is not too much for those who have no private fortune. A
comparison of Hong-Kong market rate , house rent, &c.,
with other colonies, will prove our assertion as to the expense
of living in China.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION. _ _

His Excellency her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, &c., &c.,
has much satisfaction in giving publicity to the annexed
reply from the Chinese Minister to an official note from the
Plenipotentiary in which, with reference to a late edict at
Shanghai, equal toleration was claimed for Protestants and
Papists. It will be his Excellency's care, by proper instruc-
tions to her Majesty's consuls at the northern ports to ensure
the due promulgation of the proclamation promised by the
Chinese Minister.
By order, ADAM W. EMSLIE.
Victoria, Hong-liong, Dec. 23,1845.
Keying, High Imperial Commissioner, &c., &c., &c., sends
the following reply to the honourable Envoy's dispatch con-
cerning equal toleration of the religion professed by the
English. (Here follows an extract of the contents of that
letter.)
When I previously concluded the commercial treaty with
the United States, one of the articles gave permission to
erect chapels in the five ports, and all nations were to have
the same privilege, without the slightest distinction. Subse •
quently, the French Envoy, Lagrenee, requested that natives,
if they were good men, should be entirely exempted from
punishment on account of the religion they professed. I, the
Great Minister, then again represented this matter to the
throne ' • upon which the imperial reply was received that it
should be done as proposed, without drawing any distinction
between the rites of the several religions.
As, however, some of the local Mandarins seized crucifixes,
pictures. and images. and burnt them, it was subsequently
settled, that permission should be given to worship them.
I, the Great Minister, do not understand drawing a line of
demarcation between the religious ceremonies of the various
nations; but virtuous Chinese shall by no means be punished
on account of the religion they hold. No matter whether
they worship images or do not worship images, there are no
prohibitions against them if when practising their creed they
act well. _ _ _

You, the Honourable Envoy, need, therefore, not to be
solicitious about this matter; for all western nations shall in
this respect, certainly be treated upon the same footing, and
receive the same protection. _ _

I have now addressed a letter to the Lieutenant-Governor
of Keangsoo, to direct the Inspector of Soochoo, Sungkeang,
Taetseang, to publish another proclamation ' and likewise
officially requested the Governor. General of Fokeen and Che-
keang to issue a distinct declaration of the same tenor in the
various ports.
Whilst sending an answer, I wish you much happiness at
this season, and send this important paper.
To his Excellency, her Britannic Majesty's
Plenipotentiary,
Sir John Francis Davis, Baronet.
&c. &c. &cc.,
TAOUKWANG.
15th year, 11th month, 22d day, (20th of December, 1845.)
It2ceived 23d instant.
True Translation,

(Signed) CHARLES GUTZLAFF,
—C'hina Mail, Dec. 25, 1845. Chinese Secretary.

CHINA COMMERCIAL NEWS.

SttANGUAI.—The latest dates from Shanghai are of the 10th of De-
cember. The sudden rise in the price of shirtings, mentioned last
month, has been maintained, and the sales have been large—not
much under 180,000 pieces ; stock In first hands estimate at
140,000 pieces of grey and white. The demand at Seuchaw
is reported to have abated, though during October and Novem-
ber the quantity sold there for consumption must have been very
great. Quotations.—Grey shirtings 72 reed, dirs. 3t03 10 ; ditto 66
reed, dirs. 2-80 to 2.85; ditto 60 reed, dim 2-40 to 2-45. For
bleached goods there is little demand at this season. Iu woollens
there is some improvement in price, with moderate sales, chiefly in
barter for produce. About 1,000 pieces of habit-cloth and lipanish
stripes have been disposed of at 1-30 to 1-40 dlrs, payment in pro-
duce. Smaller lots have been placed at 1-50 dirt , but the goods
were purposely assorted for the northern market. Dutch candets
have been soht at 31 dollars, though the transaction was not to any
extent. For long ells there is no market. The same remark applies
to chintz and other printed goods. A scarcity of tonnage has limited
the export of tea, though purchases have been extensive. Congou
has continued to maintain previous prices ; green has declined, the
teamen being anxious to realise before the Chinese new year. One
ship (the Salopian) is loading teas for England, chiefly on Chinese
account.
The export of tea from Shanghai this season is—of black
5,365,7081b5., and of green 1157,619 ; total, 6,223,3871b5. The follow-
ing are the latest shipments :
Edward Itoustead, to Liverp001........ 538,469 lbs.
Larpent, to Cork .. •..... • •
Argyle, to London.. .. 329,363 „
Circassian, to Liverpool ...... 140,110 „
Ann Mackin, to New Y0rk............ 340,544 „
Emily, to Liverpool
Purchases of raw silk continue at a slight reduction on former rates.
Shipments to 11th November 8,096 bales.
Argyle, London, 19th Nov. ....... ..... 677 „
Emily, Liverpool, 2311 ditto • • • ....... 79 „
Eagle, Hong lierg. 24th ditt0.......... 150 „
Larpent, Liverpool, 29th ditto • 242 „
Viscangado, :Manilla, 30th ditt0...... 13 „
Circassian, Liverpool, sth Dec. • 942 „

Total from Shanghai to 10th Dec. • . . . 10,200 bales.
The unsold stock is variously estimated at from 2,500 to 3,000 bales,
and that purchased, but not yet shipped at, from 1,200 to 1,650.
Exchange on England, 4s. 6d.

RAILWAY 511 ARE MARKETS.
MANCHESTER, MARCH 5.

STOCK EXCHANOZ.—The sales are -Birkenhead, Lancashire, and
Cheshire, 3% p.—Eastern Counties, Perpetual, (No. 2), 6 —Exeter
and Exmouth, % dis.—Great Grimsby and Sheffield, Quarters, % p.
c.-1-luddersfleld and Manchester Railway and Canal, 5% p.—Lan-
cashlre and Carlisle, 19 p.—Liverpool and Bury, New shares, 2% p,
—Liverpool and Leeds Direct % dis. —Liverpool, Orrnskirk, and
Preston, p. c.— Liverpool, Preston, Manchester, and litockport,
9-16 D.—London and Manchester (Remington's), 1% dis.—London
and York, 1 p.--Manehester, Buxton, and Matlock, 14 p.—Manches-
ter and Leeds Extension, 31A p.—North Ctafforelshire, 3% p. c.—
Preston ant Wyre Extension, 1A dis.—West Riding melon, p. c.
—Great Grimsl)y and Dock Extension, 1 p.