The Sun.
London, England, 1851-09-18 00:00:00

IMPORTS FROM EUROPE.

British Cotton Piece Goods—On last occasion we de-
scribed the position of this market as deplorable indeed.
Since then not the smallest amendment has taken place,
and, though an active scale of business has continued on
foot, prices are, with hardly an exception, nnremunera-
tive and ruinous. The little stand importers began to
manifest has disappeared, and as much, if not greater,
anxiety is manifested by them to realise before things
grow worse; against which contingency there seems no
just grounds to calculate, except it ba that they can
really hardly be worse. The month shows an enlarged
business, all done though without a shade of improve-
ment in value. We see nothing in the advices last come
to hand calculated to lead to any improvement in this
market. A large business has again been done in grey
shirtings at unchanged value. Sales amounted to 60.100
pieces. White shirtings have gone further down, and are
difficult of sale. About 8,100 pieces have been moved
off. Grey jaconets begin to show a little buoyancy, and
demand begins to improve; about 37,000 pcs. have sold
at well supported value. White jaconets are also with a
slightly mending tendency. We have no actual advance
in value to notice, but the market certainly looks more
firm. Sales reach 25,000 pieces. In madapollams an
average amount of business has been gone into without
any alteration in value. Demand looks improving. Grey
mulls are rather under last week's prices, and a fair busi-
ness has been done at this decline. White mulls show
symptoms of improvement in value. Book muslins are
quiet, except for the finer qualities, which are looked for.
Business has extended to about 2,890 pieces. Cambrics
are inquired after, but only at very low figures. A very
moderate business is reported. Lappets have been ex-
tensively operated in, but at lower figures, particularly
in the better qualities. Sales are to the figure of
45,000 pieces.
The active business done for some time under this
head has somewhat thinned stock, but imports have been
coming in not on a very limited scale, though not equal
to what has been moved off. We see no tendency at
present in the general position of the market to im-
provement.
Woollens—Rather a better business has been done in
these goods, and holders appear disposed to firmness,
which must, if maintained, lead to better prices. About
310 pcs. have sold.

Printed and Coloured Goods—Turkey red chintz con-
tinues to improve. Turkey red ctmbrics have declined
in the lower qualities about 2
as., but the better descrip-
tions are steady and in good inquiry. Turkey red plain
cloth keeps at former value, and is in fair request.
Printed shows improvement.
White Cotton Mule Twist—Holders being unable to
show any firmness, a good business has continued to be
done, at current figures. We notice no improvement in
value, nor can we see the probability of any at present.
Coloured Yarns—Business done of late has been at a
shade of advance on former prices of Turkey red. A
good deal of partially damaged goods has teen forced on
the market of late to the detriment of regular busim ss.
Copper—A very mod,-Tate buAness has been;clone in
this metal: tile at a decline, and sheathing at current
value. Sales are:—Sheathing, 620 mds. at 30-14 to
31.4; tile, 110 mds. at sa. rs. 26.4 per fy.md. Russia
ingot, 700 mds. at 29 ty md.
bpelter—Market remains depressed, and prices rule at
ct. rs. 6 6 to 6 7 per ly.

Iron—This market continues as dull as before, and
value keeps at low figures. A good business has been
done at these rates.

Sales are reported :—Round rod, 750 mds. at rs.
3-1 3; 300 mds. ditto at 3.1. Pig 30 tons, at 20 per
ton. Nall rod, 1,000 mds. at 2.0-9; hoop, 750 mds. at
2-10-6.

Hoop, 4,750 mds. (with custom), 2-10 to 2-10 6; ditto,
damaged, 500 mds. at 1.9; sheet, 500 mds. at 2-13; ditto,
damaged, 1,200 mds. at 2.1 per fy. mid.
Lead, 1,000 mds. Pig stumped have realized Ea. rs.
5.8 p>r fy. mid.
Salt—Little doing: prices are higher, owing to the ab-
sence of imports. Rs. 80 was the last paid for Liverpool
fine. Sales are, fine 24.000 mds. at 79 Bto 83; butter
5,000 mdi. at 77 per 100 mds., and fine 14,000 mds. at 80;
butter 5.000 mds. at 77.

Beer—The favourite brands keep np their value, while
others have ruli d low throughout the season. Tho com-
petition has been found hopeless to them.
Bo:ties—Sales are London quarts 250 crates at rs.
9.8; 100 ditto pints at 10.8 per 100.

Coal-520 tuns smithy have sold at 0-5.6 per br. and.

CHINA.
(From the Bong-Kong Overland Register.)
Our occurrences during the past month are com-
prised in the following list :—Degradation of Sell three
steps, two expeditions after pirates, draft ordinance
for improving the jury law, departure of the Storno-
way, Macao regatta, disgust of the European inhabi-
tants of China at the consummate impudence of the
ship-painter Hesing, criminal sessions of Supreme
Court, the rebellion in the Kwangs, visit of her Ma-
jesty's steamer Salamander to the island of Formosa.
The degradation of &Ai three steps is a matter con-
nected with the insurrection in the two provinces un-
der his jurisdiction. Such occurrences being always
charged as faults against the governor and the other
officers of the rebellious district. We have hitherto
treated the insurrection not exactly as a joke, but as
a thing, the promise of which so far exceeded its
performance, as to be an object of not much appre-
hension. We are, however, informed by parties on
whose judgment in Chinese affairs we have great
reliance, that the progress the insurrection is making
is of too serious a nature to be treated lightly.
Could we bring our minds to look at the affair in an
European point of view, we could, notwithstanding
all the uncertainty in which it is enveloped, con-
sider it as a very serious rebellion threatening
the overthrow of the present Chinese Government.
But as we can only judge Chinese events by Chinese
precedents we have little fear for the safety of the
Government. At the same time, so long as the in-
surrection is on foot it must cause great misery ; in
many cases a complete stoppage of trade, and depri-
vation of the means of livelihood to a great number
of honest sraders, and with such effects is a very se-
rious affair. As it is, the disturbances in the Kwangs
are driving trade northward, and should they not be
put down shortly, either by force or gold—the latter
the more likely means—there is every probability of
the complete destruction of the pre-eminence of
Canton as the place of trade in China. Its export of
silk has dwindled to one-third of that of Shanghae,
and the continuance of the insurrection will likely
drive the black tea trade also to that port. It is even
to be feared that the withdrawal of the instigator of
the disturbances would not restore quiet to the two
provinces for some time. In such a thoroughly mer-
cantile people as the Chinese, it is hardly to be ima-
gined that they have been driven to arms from any
patriotic feeling, and it is probable that the army of
the Son of Heaven has been recruited, like that of
David, from "all who were in debt and all who
were in distress." The Son of Heaven may,
and very likely will, judging from Chi-
nese precedents, accept some bribe and retire
into private life, leaving his misguided followers to
melt away, from plundering on a grand scale as sol-
diers, to plundering on a small scale as bandits, which
latter will be equally destructive to the scarcity of
transit through Kwang-se and Kwang-tung. We give
below the latest and most authentic intelligence from
the seat of anarchy, and leave it to the judgment of
our readers here and elsewhere, who, if they have read
anything about China, arc as competent as we are, to
rate it at its true value. In addition to the informa-
tion there given we are informed that there are great
numbep of decapitations of the rebels taking place at

f rso

18, 1851

Canton. Two instances were mentioned to us—ot to a
I boy of 12 years of age, and another of 13. In jus tie
fication of the sentence of the latter, it was stated thi tt-
he had killed with his own hand 20 of the Imperial
Guards, from which we infer that, if the killing did
take place, it must have been in cold blood, after the
capture of the victims.
Her Majesty's steamer Salamander started from
Amoy on the 11th instant, for the purpose of con-
veying the presents to the persons who had hospit-
ably entertained the survivors of the wreck of the
Larpent. There was a twofold object in view—first
to reward the services already rendered, and then to
excite the natives in all cases to afford relief to
shipwrecked mariners. The first object, of course,
was fulfilled, and we doubt not we shall hear in future
misfortunes on that coast that the Salamander's visit
has done great good, in so far as the second object is
concerned. We direct particular attention to the ac-
count of the visit in another part of our paper. And
though not particularly bloodthirsty, beg to cull the
attention of those in power to the necessity, if they
expect all the coast of Formosa to afford hospitality to
unfortunate seamen, of concerting some the surer for
the destruction and dispersion of the tribe Whei-tsei-
luh, the murderers of the Larpent's crew.
Two expeditions against pirates have been under-
taken this month—one, a gallant chase by the boats.
of the Cleopatra, under Lieutenants Price and
Porcher, was perfectly successful in its object. The
other, a search of the coast to the southward and
westward, more particularly Tien-pek bay, where
the boats of the Medea destroyed six junks, was not
successful, the anticipated pirate fleet not having been
fallen in with. _ _

Following the example of Sir George Anderson at
I the Mauritius, our Governor has made a blow at an
unanimous jury. The draft ordinance laid before the
public has occupied the attention of the press here,
and the matter will be found fully discussed else-
where. 'We congratulate ourselves on the probability
of this ordinance becoming law, as we have had more
than one example i❑ the colony of an obstinate jury-
man defeating justice from a projudication of the case.
Our late criminal sessions exhibited nothing to in-
terest one out of the colony, except in the matter of
a ship master, John Penny, of the Metropolis, who
was fined 50/. for an assault on one of his men, an
American, on the 4th July (Independence day). The
assault consisted in giving the man three dozen,
striking him with his fist and a cutlass. Though it
was impossible to establish a clearer case of excess of
power, two of the jury could only see in the proceed-
ings a legitimate exercise of a master's authority.
The Stornoway started on the sth instant, with
several chops of the new season's congous, and we
expect to hear that the passage of that clipper has
" eventuated in a screamer." Several of the American
clipper-ships, in consequence of the possibility of the
diversion of the black tea trade to Shanghae, have
gone to that port to load.
Our amusements have been ccnfined to the re-
joicing on the American day of independence, and a
sailing match at Macao. The weather during the
month has been an alternate succession of rain and
wind, with a little sun at intervals. The sun, though
not often visible, is still felt to a degree the reverse of
comfortable.

The colony continues healthy, and the troops have
as yet shown no symptoms of the fearful endemic of
last year.
We have much pleasure in giving publicity to a
letter from Mr. Consul Bowring under the direction
of Lord Palmerston, addressed to the Chinese super-
intendent of Customs, by which it will be seen that
all meddling interference on the part of our Consuls
in matters of duties is to be discontinued, and the
British merchant put on an equal footing as to evad-
ing or paying the duties as his rivals of other coun-
tries :

"TO HIS EXCELLENCY TEE SUPERINTENDENT OF
CUSTOMS, &C., CANTON.
• . _

" British Consulate, Canton, July 21, 1851;
" have the honour to inform your Excel-
lency that in consequence of instructions received
from her Britannic Majesty's Government, and which
have been communicated to me by his Excellency the
Plenipotentiary, all interference of this consulate in
the collection of duties in this port on articles
imported or exported will cease from this time
forward.
" I shall regularly announce to your Excellency
the arrival of every British ship in this port, and shall
require the consignees and captains to deposit in this
consulate the ship's papers with the manifest of the
cargo, and I shall retain the papers until the grand
chop is produced to authorise the ship's departure.
" The situation of the British merchant will there-
fore from this day be that of every other foreign mer-
chant established here, and like them he will be ex-
pected to arrange his business with your Excellency's
officers through his own linguist. To any complaints
officially made I shall give a prompt and careful at-
tention, asking for any countrymen no exemptions
which are not enjoyed by others, but requiring they
shall be subjected to no disadvantages or restrictions
which do not equally press upon all.—l have, &c.,
" JOHN BUWRIAG, H. B. M.'s Consul.
(True Copy.) " liosecE OAKLEY."