The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-13 00:00:00

CHINA.

The whole of the news from this quarter will be
found in the following summary of the Overland
China Mail of the 23d June :

" The London mails of 26th April and 10th May
arrived per Pekin on the 21st inst. A large por-
tion of the mail of the 26th April has not come to
hand on account of the loss of the steamer Malabar,
in Galle Harbour.

" His Excellency Lord Elgin and Baron Gros,
with their respective suites, have arrived by this
opportunity. We believe the envoys will proceed
to the north immediately, the state of matters at
Shanghae rendering their presence there absolutely
necessary.

" Admiral Hope left this for Shanghae on the
9thinstant, where he arrived on the 16th ; Sir Hope
Grant also left on the 11th for the north. All the
troops have also left, principally during the early
part of the fortnight. From Chusan we learn that
the troops there had proceeded to the rendezvous
at Talienwan, about 200 miles from Taku.

" It is extremely doubtful if the complicated state
of affairs at Shanghae, coupled with our moderate
demands, may not induce the Court of Pekin to try
and prevent hostilities. The Emperor would thus
have a large force at his disposal to send against
the rebels.

" The rebels have been carrying everything before
them. Soochow has fallen into their hands after an
immense loss of life and valuable property. The
governor and several other officials had been killed.
It is doubtful whether the rebels or the imperialist
soldiery, who it is said have not had pay for some
time, and had taken to pillaging those they ought to
protect, are the worst. The disaffection of the Im-
perial troops had no doubt a considerable influence
in effecting the overthrow of Soochow.

" The Governor-General, Ho Kwei-tsing, had
taken refuge in Shanghae. He is said to have put
himself in communication with the allied ministers
at that port, and had entreated them to send a force
to retake Soochow for the Imperial Government,
promising at the same time that our demands should
be complied with—a request which was very pro-
perly not entertained. He also paid a visit to the
American minister, it is supposed with the same
object.

" Soochow is one of the largest, most populous, and
richest cities in the empire, and its loss must be a
serious blow to the Imperial interest. According to
Williams's Middle Kingdom' it contains nearly
2,000,000 inhabitants. It is surrounded by a wall
nearly ten miles in circumference, outside of which
are four suburbs, one of them said to measure ten
miles. It is through this city that most of our
imports passed, whilst our supplies of silk come
from its surrounding districts.
"At Shanghae the utmost consternation prevailed.
Trade was at a complete stand-still. All the natives
that could leave were leaving, and many rieh
Chinese had chartered foreign vessels to convey
them to other parts of the coast, or to store goods,
treasure, and valuables.

" From Fuhchau there is nothing particular to
report. According to Chinese rumours the gover-
nor feared being reduced three or four steps, and
had implored his Imperial Majesty to relieve him
from his duties on account of sickness.

" From Amoy and Swatow we have no intelli-
gence
of any importance. Mr. Caine, her Bri-
tannic Majesty's consul at Swatow, will shortly
proceed there to establish the consulate.
" From Manilla our only intelligence is that sick-
ness had been very prevalent. The weather had
been very unhealthy. A large fire had occurred at
Pasig, destroying a large amount of property.
" In the colony the only event of the fortnight
has been the departure of what part of the expedi-
tionary force remained here. Hong Kong is in
future to be garrisoned by a provisional battalion,
which will incorporate any drafts of men from
home, and detach drafts to the north as may be
necessary. Its strength at present is 865 men.
The authorities are now laying out Kowloon, and
building huts for the troops.