The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-30 00:00:00

CALCUTTA AND CHINA

NI AILS.

By the Overland Mail we have received advices
and papers from Calcutta to Dec. 22, and from
Hong-Kong to Dec. 15. The Indian papers do not
afford us much news, all that relates to the rebels
having been anticipated by the last Bombay mail.

The lieutenant governor of the North-Western
Provinces had arriced at Futtyghur. A station
levee was held on Dec. 7. Mr. Edmonstone was
expected at Shahjehanpore on the 15th. The
lieutenant governor of the Punjaub was nlso on the
move. He reached Ferozepore on the Bth, and
was to meet the Governor General at Delhi.

Sir Bartle Frere arrived at Calcutta, in the Feroze,
on the 21st ult., and was shortly after wards sworn in
as an ordinary member of the Council of the Governor
General, under the usual salute from the ramparts of
Fort William. The accession to the Legislative
Council of Mr. Wilson and Sir Bartle Frere will
doubtless (says the Hurkaru) tend to make the in-
stitution more popular than it has hitherto been.
An infusion of new blood was sadly required, and
its good effetcs we hope soon to witness.
Some troops for China had left Calcutta. It is
rumoured that in all 13 of her Majesty's regiments
will be despatched from India, and 3,000 Sikhs.
The European regiments elected for the expedition
will be those that have been longest in the country.
Nine will be sent from the Bengal presidency, two
from Madras, and two from Bombay.

A Government notification on the 21st December
announced the increase of duty on salt in Bengal to
three rupees per maund. The Governmen (says the
Englishman) which is so fearful of taxing the
wealthy zemindar, and the fat fundholding baboon
can afford to increase the already heavy tax upon
the first necessity of the daily food of the swarming
and indigent labouring classes.

CHINA.
(From the China Mail of December 15)

The London mail of the 26th October arrived
here yesterday, though it left Singapore on the 2d
instant, and by a private steamer we have received
papers bringing the cheering intelligence that the
preparations for a French expedition against China
were suspended, that the proposed war was not
popular in England, that possibly the English ex-
pedition might be abandoned, and that, even if per-
severed in, war would not be declared.

There is no certain intelligence in regard to the
intentions of the Chinese, but it is reported that the
fortifications of Pekin are being strengthened, and
that large numbers of Tartar troops are conceu-
trated on the Peiho. Another report mentions that
the Taku forts have been to some extent dis-
mantled, and will be abandoned on the appearance
of a large English force. Should that be done the
English commanders will require to exercise the
greatest caution in ascending up to Tien-tsin, if
they attempt to do so, lest their vessels be caught
by masked batteries in the turnings of the river.
The rebels in the north of Ngan Hwui have
achieved a victory over an Imperialist force through
the treachery of a mandarin whom the Emperor had
dubbed " the Loyal Man of his Age," on account of
former services he had rendered to the Imperialist
cause. Fungpau, the Imperialist commander in
this conflict, has been allowed to retire from his
post, doubtless in consequence of his non-success.
Locking over the series of victories and defeats,
the rebels appear to be rather losing ground.
The Cantonese at Shanghae continue to be un-
popular with the native Chinese of that city, and
there have lately been some attacks upon them, as
also outrages on their part.
In our last issue we noticed the ratification of
the United States treaty with China. A curious
question, yet unsettled, has arisen in connection
with it. It reduces the tonnage duties and opens
two now ports, so an unofficial application has
been made to the Toutai at Shanghae for the ad-
mission of British vessels on the terms which it
provides. Only the British supplementary treaty—
not that of Nankin--contains the favoured nation
clause, and as the supplementary treaty was abo-
lished by the first article of the treaty of Tien-tsiu,
there is some doubt as to how British claims stand ;
but clearly enough both the Nankin and the sup-
plementary treaties are in force until either the new
treaty is ratified or war is declared. Such, it is
reporned, has been the decision of the Hon. Mr.
Bruce.
At Canton the new Customs service continues to
prosper, and appears to have got over the outcry
which at first was raised against it.
The scheme of emigration to the British West
Indies succeeds slowly. The first ship has not yet
been dispatched, but a sufficient number of emigrants
has been already secured, and so many as 150 came
up to the depot at Hong-Kong in one day. It is
almost impossible to over-estimate the blessings
which will be conferred both on the Chinese and the
West Indies should this scheme succeed in procur-
ing a sufficient outlet fur the redundant population
of China.

The long-vexed question of the dollar in Japan
appears to be nearly settled non, the Japanese as-
serting that it was the foreigners themselves who

caused difficulties in the way, by refusing to receive
dollars back again.

In Hong-Kong, business in general is extremely
dull. Various elements conspire against an active
trade. The goods usually most in demand at this
season aro out of stock, and although transactions
to arrive are occasionally reported, they are very
few.

The transactions in tea at Canton have been on a
very limited scale. Two chops of congou have ar-
rived, and two chops have been settled at teals 26
to 27. The quality was decidedly inferior ;in fact,
that of the whole stock, which amounts to 38 shops,
is reported of the most ordinary description, and
there is little doubt that the season for first-class
descriptions has closed. Attention seems directed
to scented teas ; 4,000 boxes of scented orange pekoe
have changed hands at taels 281 to 35, and 18,000
boxes scented capers, at taels 151 to 244. The ex-
port of tea from all China is still in excess of the
corresponding period last year, but shows in this
respect a considerable falling off as compared with
last mail, and from the evident slackening of sup-
plies at the various ports it is extremely doubtful
if season 1859-60 will be more productive than its
predecessor.