The Sun.
London, England, 1833-08-13 00:00:00

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LONDON,
TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 13, 1833.

The China Trade Bill was last night read a
third time and passed. This Bill is intended to
regulate our trade with China, to establish a
species of strong Consular authority at Canton,
in lieu of that of the East India Company,
abolished by the new charter, and to provide for
such other steps being taken as the great change
now made may require. From the circumstance
of the principle of this Bill being almost unani-
mously approved of by the House, it has had little
or no discussion ; and al, hough, last night, Sir
ROBERT !Nous made a speech upon it, both
long and interesting, the late hour at which it
was made, and the length to which the previous
debates on other matters had gone, pre-
vented any of the Papers from doing more
than mention it. Sir ROBERT'S principal
object was to warn the commercial classes of
the country generally against being led away by
the idea that the Chinese market will at once
afford an outlet for any merchandise they may
please to take there. Before entering Into
the grounds upon which the Honourable
Baronet rested his motion, we may mention that
it is not intended to allow any ships to clear out
for China before the termination of the Com-
pany's Charter in the spring of next year. The
document to which Sir ROBERT INGLIs
principally referred, to prove the anti-com-

mercial character of the Chinese government,
was a return lately made at his instance
to the House of Commons of the report
of the proceedings of a ship fitted out un-
der the directions of the Company's officers at
Canton, with a view to ascertain the possibility
of extending, or rather forming, commercial
relations with the Northern parts of China. The
Court of Directors have been pleased to censure
,he plan, and every thing connected with it,
Perhaps, looking to the remonstrances which
they may yet have to sustain from the Chinese
Government on account of this expedition, they
were right in doing so ; but, for our own parts,
we think it would have been difficult for the
committee of supercargoes at Canton to have

done any hing more calculated to advantage
our cominerce than by collecting the intim--
maTion they have by this step afforded to the
public. A sloop of war, having been fitted up
-is a merchant ship, set sail from Macao on the 26tH
Feb., 1832, under the command of a gentleman
dile to speak Chinese, and accompanied by Mr.
GUTZLAFF, to whom all the Chinese dialects
appear to be as familiar as his mother tongue.
He was, indeed, frequently charged by the
Mandarins along the coast wi:h being a Chinese
in disguise. We propose on some future occa-
sion to lay before our readers an abstrict of the
very curious account of the adventures of these
4entlemen. All that we propose here to
do is simply to show the reasons upon
which we differ with Sir ROBERT INGLIs
upon the conclusion to be arrived at from this
document. He considers it as discouraging,
we as encouraging. I, is true, as he says, that
hroughout the paper we find nothing but a
-V stem of repulsion on the part of the Govern.
ment. There is no doubt of the fact that
the Chinese authorities in every instance pro-
fessed themselves unable to allow any open tract-
ing ; but every page is full of the willingness of
:he people to enter into an ii.tercour-e of which
they perceived all the advantages.
Manda-
rins themselves expressed in direct terms their
eadiuress to wink at every thing that did not take.
place absolutely in the market-place. Aber
some details respecting the prices of tea at Fuh-
:til:taw: a large town on a tine river, at a short
l ice from the coast, Mr. LINDSAY, under
whose command the expedition was, says—
., To c.inclutte, I must candidly confess my extreme
egret that my ignorance on this topic should have die
justified me from attaining much uNeful and va:uable
oformation on the subject of tea, which might have
seen attained had any one possessed of the requisite

knowledge been on board ; for the anxiety of the people
to induce me to enter into aureements to purchase tea
from them was great, notwithstanding the law which
prohibits any shipments of tea by sea, even in native junks.
One of the most respectable merchants, who was in the
habit of visiting the ship, writes to me in these terms :
But I have formerly asked you, why does not your honour-
able ship go out into the open ocean? I have already told
you I only wait to know the place where you will go, and I
shall take tea on board my vessel, and transport it without
interruption. As regards tea, it is somewhat scarce at
present; but if you have confidence in me, and will
transact the business secretly, and inform me by letter
beforehand, then there will be no difficulty in supplying
you not only with 10,000 catties of tea, hut with any
quantity you may desire' (li,erally, ten millions of peculs).
The letter concludes with saying, If you are really
desirous of purchasing Congou tea, I wish to provide you
with some, exchanging every pecul for an adequate quan-
tity of opium' (even to the last day it was almost inapos•
sible to persuade the merchants that we really bad no
opium for sale)."
Small sales of calico were made to numbers
of persons at this place, notwithstanding severe
edicts being issued against any dealings with the
barbarians, as all Europeans are styled by the
Chinese authorities, an epithet, however, which
Mr. LINDSAY always successfully resisted being
applied to himself. Just before leaving the place,
Mr. LINDSAY had a conversation with a Man-
darin, named CHIN, of which the following is
an extract :
" Chin now conversed some time on the subject of the
pamph et of the Ying Kwo, which he had evirently read
wi,h much attention. 'We have all been mistaken as to
the views of your nation, and our rulers consider that
your only object is to acquire territory ; did they believe
that commerce was your only object, so reasonable a wish
could never be refused.' I replied, by expressing my
regret that the great officers of the empire and the Em
peror himself did not concur in his liberal and enlightened
views on these important subjects, as nothing could be
more easy than for the most perfect friendship to exist
between our two nations, but that I feared that the system
persever-d in at Canton must inevitably produce war and
confu4.n, for the consequences of which, hi wever, the
great officers of Cant "n would be alone to blame. Chin
here opened a number f the pamphlet laying on the
table, and turning Oct r to the passage relative to the insults
and oppression of the Canton Government, we conversed fur

sometime on thi. paint. Chin told me, that he positively
knew that a full account of us had been sent to Peking,
together with a copy of the Ying Iwo and four other
works, belonging to Mr. Gutzlaff, of which the Viceroy
had requested copies. In the course of the convei.ation
Chin asked Ise if I intended to return in the following
year, 'o which I replied that in all probability I should.
"Li that case," a lid he, " I shun be among the first
to come and welcome you, and means will easily be found
fir you to curry on your trade without implicating any
°he ;" and he ae.in repi-ated his titter regret that terms
hood not at once bi en offered to us on our arrival which
would have obviated the necessity of our entering ihe
port."
Similar assurances were given at almost every
port the vessel touched. We should not be
inclined to place much faith in the assurance of
any Chinese officer, for it appears that, without
exception, lying is the characteristic of all of
them, unless it were backed by something more
trustworthy. In the present case we have facts
as notorious as the sun at noon-day to bear
out the assurance every where given of the
possibility of establishing an extensive traffic
with the Chinese, with or without the connivance
of their Mandarins. Sir ROBERT INGLIS did
not appear last night to deny the fact, hut asked,
" Shall we sanction a smuggling traffic ?" Our
reply is, " Certainly, if we can establish no
other." Reason never reprobated, nor has any
publicist thought of condemning, the trade
we carried on with the Spanish South American
colonies before their independence, in spite of
the edicts of the Home Government. The
Chinese EMPEROR has no right to deprive his
subjects of foreign commerce. It follows,
then, that no wrong is committed by any
party in evading the edicts by which he
may attempt to debar them from the enjoyment
of a liberty which is indefeasible. The East
India Company has long acted upon this prin-
ciple. It has not openly violated the imperial
laws, but it has prepared the means by which
others might do so. Those acquainted with
our eastet n commerce are of course aware that we
allude to its conduct in the article of opium. The
edicts of the Emperor of CHINA are quite as
severe against the importation and use of opium,
as it is against any foreign commerce being car-
ried on in any port but that of Canton. The
Company nominally bow to toe imperial man-
date, and impott no opium ; but they sell it to
others for importation with the knowledge of its
destination. The quantity they have grown, and
price they have asked for it, have been, to a
considerable extent, regulated by what they
knew of the state of the Canton market, and it
has always been their defence of the monopoly
that it imposed a tax upon the Chinese consumer
for the benefit of their Indian subjects.
If, then, Sir ROBERT INGLIS admits that
an extensive commerce can be carried on with
the people of China in defiance of their rulers,
if no moral law be broken by our doing so,
and if it hath been constantly
_done, we do

not see what ground there was for the tone of
apprehension in which the Hon. Baronet last
night spoke. We do not advocate a resort to
force for the purpose of establishing a free com-
mercial intercourse with the Chinese, for we be-
lieve it to be unnecessary. When the Chinese
Government finds that our goods do find their
way into China, and that we_ do get their tea,
and other produce in spire of its prohibi-
tions, we should imagine that it would at
length legalise the traffic, and obtain what re-
venue it could from it. If, the EMPEROR
should not think fit to take the only wise course
open to him, the loss will be his, and we can
continue to supply his subjects with what opium
they may want, duty free.

In the course of a desultory conversation that

took place last night in the House cf Commons,
on tile subject of the intended National Gallery,
Lord DUNCANNON observed that, in conse-
quence of the various difficulties that had pre•
seined themselves as regarded the site of the
proposed building, he should propose to convert
he chapel of the banquetting-house at White-
hall into a gallery, which would allow of an
extension to it, should such be found desirable.
We are pleased to find that some decisive steps
are at length to be taken for the formation of the
long-talked of gallery. It is a reflection on the
iiational taste that such a building has not beet
erected years ago.

l'he division on the Irish Tithe Bill, which
was read a second time last night, was 109 to
53. Mr. LITTLETON observed on the occasion
hat if the Bill did not pass, he had little or no
doubt that there would he convulsion, and
perhaps civil war, throughout Leland.

The Slavery Abolition Bill was read a second

time last night in the House of Lords, and the
committal of the Bill understood to be fixed for
Wednesday.

We stated yesterday, on the authority of let-
ters from Lisbon of the 27th ult., that the
Patriarch of Lisbon had given in his adhesion
to the new Government, and publicly offered up

prayers for the QUEIV and the Duke REGEN T.
He had also announced his intention of issuing
a pastoral letter to the clergy, on behalf of.
Donna MARIA. It would appear, however, by
the accounts of a later date in the morning
papers of this day, that Don PEDRO had, on
his arrival in Lisbon, dismissed this time-serving
priest, with the Pope's Nuncio. The prompti-
tude of the REGENT in dismissing—despite
their recantation—the chief promoters and sup-
porters of the late usurpation, might be imitated
with good effect by our Ministry, who have, in
too many instances, carried their forbearance to
their Tory opponents so far as almost to raise
doubts of their own sincerity.

It has been known for some days past that
the Lord of the Isles steamer was off Viana do
Minim, in Portugal, waiting the arrival of some
person of consequence. An extraordinary repot
connected with the recent arrival of this vessel
at Cowes has this day reached us. The truth
or falsehood of this report must be known in the
course of a few hours, but, in the meanwhile, e
will state, as far as our inquiries have extended,
the grounds upon which it has been propagated.
It will be remembered that the Lord of the
Isles sailed some time since from this country,
having on board a Captain ELLIOT, who had
been appointed to the command of the Miguelite
fleet, with sixteen or seventeen officers, some
military, others naval, who had been engaged to
join the ranks of the Usurper. This vessel
arrived at Villa da Conde, and there discharged
her precious cargo. Immediately after the ar-
rival, Captain ELLIOT quitted Ville da Conde,
leaving strict injunctions with the Captain of
the steamer to remain at that port, and desiring
his steward, on Fl o consideration, to leave the
vessel. A few days afterwards, however, the
port being blockaded by one of the young
QtrEEN's vessels of war, the Lord of the
Isles left Villa da Conde for Viana, where it
was considered, she would be in greater safety.
Captain ELLIOT, on returning to Villa da
Conde, appeared exceedingly disappointed at
the disappearance of the vessel, and it is sup-
posed proceeded again to MIGUEL'S head-
quarters. On the 6th inst. he made his appear-
ance at Viana, accompanied by an individual
in the strictest incognito, who had three atten-
dants, and three boxes supposed to contain
bullion, but with no other luggage than some
travelling bags. The greatest anxiety was dis-
played by this mysterious individual for the
immediate sailing of the steamer ; and, on its
being represented to him that there was a want
of coals, he would listen to nothing, but in-
sisted on instant departure, observing that they
could put into Vigo, or any port in the Bay,
for coals. On the following morning, the Lord
of the Isles arrived at Corunna. where every com-
munication was instantly prohibited, and a vessel
of war placed on each side of the steamer.
Those on board, finding this difficulty, had no
remedy but to pursue their voyage, and the ves-
sel arrived at Cowes on Sunday evening, when
Captain ELLIOT and his incognito friend, the
attendants being left at Viana, instantly landed,
and proceeded either for Portsmouth or South-
ampton. Since then no further accounts have
been received of them, but from the description
given of the incognito by the person who has
communicated this information, there is reason
to believe that he is no other than the dethroned
usurper ! Whether this information is well
founded or not, we canna take upon ourselves
to say ; but as the person from whom it was re-
ceived had no earthly motive for propagating a
falsehood on the subject, we feel ourselves bound
to communicate it as it has reached us.

The report of the Committee on the Bank
Charter Bill was last night agreed to. The
Bill is to be read a third time to-night. It
will be seen by our report of the proceedings
at the Bank this day that much wrath has been
excited by the introduction of the clause
authorizing the establishment of banks of de-
posit consisting of more than six partners in
London, and sixty-five miles round it. This is not
unexpected by us; it only proves the magnitude of
the advantage gained by the metropolitan public.

The French Papers of Sunday mention that
great political excitement existed in many parts
of Switzerland, and that both Bale and Schwytz
were to be occupied by the federal troops. Ac-
counts from Madrid, contained in the same pa-
pers, stated that the KING'S health had under-
gone no improvement.

In another part of The Sun, under the head
of " Portugal," our readers will find a report
from Marshals BOURMONT and CLOUET, re-
lating to the attack of the 25th ult. on the
garrison of Oporto. This report is a very dismal
affair—more so than any military despatch we
ever perused. It is pleasant reading as a curiosity,

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE--(THIS DAY.)