The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-13 00:00:00

THE TUIRD CHINA NAB- .

(From a Correspondent of the London and China Telegraph )
TALIENWAN BAY, July 12.—The mail closes to-
morrow. Lord Elgin arrived on the 9th per Feroze.
With Lord Elgin came his staff and the Times'
correspondent. Of course you must know long
ere this that both English and French ambas-
sadors were on board the Malabar mail steamer
when she was lost at Galle and lost every thing.
Many of the mail bags have been recovered, but
most of the letters in a sad unseasonable state, en-
velopes off, &c., so that there were very many
letters came to people they were never intended
for. I believe all the official despatches were
recovered. On the Bth a French gun•boat came
in hero to announce that the French force would
be ready to move on the 23d (they are all at Chefoo
on the opposite side of the Gulf), and though not
officially announced, it is understood that we are to
start from here on the 23d for the Peiho, and opera-
tions to commence immediately. We have only
been waiting for them. The weather has been
beautiful until to-day—nice cool, dry weather, only
rather hot in the sun for a few hours in the middle
of theday, but there is every indication of a change
by the barometer falling and a sudden change of
wind to N.E. and thick weather, The troops are
all in good health, notwithstanding their salt ra-
tions, occasionally varied with a little tough com-
missariat beef ; for I ant sorry to say that the mur-
rain got amongst the bullocks thai have been bought
up for the use of the troops, and great quantities
of them died before they could be landed. These
last few days fresh bread made in the divisional
ambulating ovens has been served out, and very
good it ie. The Ist Division is encamped over in Vic-
toria Bay, Sir J. Michelin command, and Brigadiers
Sutton and Staveley under him, the Ist brigade
consisting of tie 60th Rifles, 2d Queen's, and 15th
Punjaab Regiment; the 2d brigade, of the Ist
Royals, 31st Regiment, and Major Fisher's Engi-
neers, with, of course, a large Coolie Corps. The
2d Division is under General Sir Lobert Napier,
with Brigadiers Japhson and Reeves, commanding
brigades of infantry; Crofton, artillery; and
Pattle, the cavalry. They are all over on the
opposite side of the bay, in several different small
bays, where water is to be had. Fresh provisions
are to be had in small quantities, pigs, fowls, and
vegetables, on that side, Lord John Hay having
established a market in Odin Bay, where the 2d
Division are, but nothing is to be got on the other
side. The country people keep aloof from us as
much as possible ; they are not uncivil, but that
is, I fancy, only because they stand in awe of
us. Parties have been sent out to look at
the country around, it is full of villages, and every-
where grain is growing, which in a couple of weeks
will be fit for cutting; plenty of bullocks and
ponies have been seen from the hills in the country
beyond, but they are driven off directly any one
approaches. There is a small Tartar camp reported
a few miles from here, but nothing has been seen
of any of them. Oar whole force has been living
in hill tents, generals and all, with the exception
of Sir H. Grant, who lives on board his steam
vessel the Granada with all his staff. The camps
have not much improved the corn-fields in which
they are pitched or have their field days either.
On the 14th the Ist Division are to have races
and 'all kinds of games, &c., for the troops, under
the auspices of Sir J. Michel, who is as good a
sportsman as he is a soldier, and beloved by
every one. Now for the fleet. They have all been
scattered about in the different small bays with
so many transports under each vessel's care, with
the exception of the Centaur, which is at Shang-
hai loading with bullocks, &c. ; the Furious is
there also with Mr. Bruce. The Snake is at
Chusan, Nimrod at Shanghai and remains there,
Acorn at Amoy, Camilla at Japan, and Roebuck
on the way up here with the expected mails ;
Actseon, with gunboats Dove, Algerine, and
Leven away surveying a little to the northward.
A sad thing has happened on board the latter
vessel, commanded by Lieutenant Hudson. On
the morning of the 9th it appears he sent for a
marine, who had been acting as his steward, to
come down to the cabin—the man had made away
with a great deal of wine and spirits, and was
still under the influence of his debauch—whilst
Hudson was speaking he snatched down a small
French breech-loading revolver that was
hanging over head and shot Hudson
through the back (it was supposed at first killed
him); the report was so slight it was not heard on
deck, so the marine went up the ladder and calicd
down the Second-Master Ashton into the cabin,
saying the commander wanted him, and on his en-
tering, shot him also ; by that time an alarm was
given, and the marine seized. Captain Ward placed
an officer on board, and sent the Leven in here.
Lieutenant Hudson and Mr. Ashton 'were both sent
on board the Simoom hospital ship, and I am happy
to say accounts to-day from there say that there
are hopes of the former, and that the latter officer
is much better. A court-martial is sitting to-day
I on board the Imperieuse, with Rear-Admiral Jones
as president, to try the marine.
The Commander and Master of the Assistance
were tried (for losing that vessel at the back of
Hong Kong) last week, and got off very cheaply,
merely a slight reprimand: the court-martial only
occupied one day. Every one is kept pretty well
at work here afloat, what with loading and unload-
ing ship, embarking and disembarking stores—for
there is going to be a depot formed, and 2,000
men, under Brigadier Reeves, left behind, be-
cause the French don't like our having a larger
force than they have. The 99th, and a battery
of artillery, with our native regiments, are to be
left, it is seid. Part of the 99th are left
at Chusan. All looting, or ill-treatment of the
peasantry, is strictly forbidden, and the Provost
Marshal punishes it at once. Many of the natives
arc living close round, and in the camp. No one
under the rank of a commissioned officer is allowed
outside the outposts, and there are regular landing
places at which only boats can land. The 20 junks
the Encounter took and brought in, by order of the
Admiral, are being loaded with commissariat stores
to go up the Peiho. They are manned with the
crew of the lost Assistance : they draw very little

water.
I have just heard of the death of Major Lums-
den, an officer on Sir Robert Napier's staff ; he was
drowned last night by the 'upsetting of a boat in
going from the Granada to the 2d division camp
Another officer of engineers was drowned with him ;
his name, I believe, was Capt. Gordon. The beat
was picked up this morning, floating about tho
wi
harbour, bottom up, with two men on ker.
re Hooverpes
are entertained that Lieut. Hudsonl o ;
Mr. Ashton was well enough to give his
. evidence
at the court-martial. It appeal's that it was ex-
pected that something of the kind would happen
to Lieut. Hudson, and that though the shot - must
have been heard no one would acknowledge it.
The court-martial is over, and the marine is sen-
tenced to be

.E.MANCIP.,iTION
81A .
OF TILE SERFS IN
BUS

Sr. PETERSBURG, Sept. 4.—We learn from a re-
liable source that the grand committee has at last
brought to a conclusion the revision of its volumi-
nous report on the emancipation of the serfs in
Russia, and that the printing of that important
document will soon be finished.
The Emperor Alexander has already caused all
necessary measures to be taken in the Imperial
Chancellerie and in the Ministerial Department
of the Domains and Appanagcs of the Crown, to
ensure before the end of this year, and probably
in a short time after his return from his projected
journey to Poland, the proclamation of the serfs
throughout the whole of Russia. This solemn act,
which will have an immense bearing on the material
prosperity and the physical and moral well being
of 15,000,000 of individuals attached to the soil and
owned as property by their masters,will immortalise
the reign of Alexander 11., and profoundly affect the
basis on which the empire has rested for so many
centuries. When such considerable changes are
accomplished in a great country it almost always
happens that many private interests and individual
fortunes are compromised by them. This is what
will undoubtedly happen when the emancipation
will be decreed. As respects the lower nobility
possessing each a small number of serfs, and pro-
perties of little extent, they will find themselves
heavily aggrieved by charges and hypothecation:l
often exceeding the real value of their lands a
that of the families of labourers attached thereto,ci
and on which these nobles have borrowed ro_...,ie:
at so much per head. This class of pooro
will find themselves, by the emancipation being
serfs, in a very painful position,
bond
in
debts con-
obliged to pay the interest
sloesanosf
tracted by them, as they willofnot.
beir futhueir
to dispose of the personsike
merchandise or
of. bconagerp
eba be
aanbt lse,
nor to sell their people
obtainfuture newre ea beasts of burden, nor yet be
Disar the Imperial Govern-
, news continues
upon the security of their P
pressure for money.
of Tartar families goes on
, to arrive from the
meat. The emigration
t thatlhands • on,
oarbsloentso
in fu
an eaten are wanting
en ?noose, to such
an ,
d so that many persons poss
hteeinsi;re completely abandoned by
peoljuinleaatitoon. Th e Crimea, - e 3
in g large
labour
to cultivate t
ancient
eat measuxe ruined by the war of 1854-55,
was in a great
11 sti more deplorable aspect, on ac-
tof the large emigration of farm 1 b coun .----........_—__ a ourers.

The difficulties placed in the way of the transfer-
ence of the Melbourr e and Geelong Railway to the
GovernraQnt by some of the diuctors, have now
been removed, and the purchases will be forthwith
completed,