The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-18 00:00:00

ENGLISH DIFFICULTIES IN CHINA.

Among the parliamentary papers just issued are some
documents of importance relating to China. One of these
contains the correspondence relating to the proceedings
of her Majesty's ship Janus, at Sharp Peak Island,
near Foo-Chow-Foo. It will be remembered that Consul
Sinclair called upon Lieutenant Keppel, commanding
the Janus, to employ force in the settlement of some
differences between an English missionary and the natives
of Sharp Peak Island, a line of conduct strongly censured
by Lord Clarendon. Mr. Wolfe, the missionary, had
obtained the title deeds of some land at the island, but the
natives would not allusv bins to build upon it. Consul
Sinclair-described a Chinaman, named Wang-Yew-Chow,
asthe chief instigator of the disturbance, and recom-
mended that Lieutenant Keppel should land a large force
of cutlass-men. This he did, and threatened to pull down
Wang-Yew-Chow's house if he did not agree to the pro-
eosed terms, the result being that the Chinaman gave a
bond for future good behaviour, of which a copy is given in-
these papers. Vice-Admiral Sir 11. Keppel, in reporting
the affair, says that in his opinion the Chinese were the
proper parties to take action in the matter, and that they
had intended to do so, and the interference of the
Janus was, therefore,unnecessary. Lord Clarendon, as we
have said, severely censures the Consul, whose
measures, he considers, " Lad a direct tendency
to provoke without sufficient cause a collision
with the Chinese authorities.and people," and he is warned
to he more circumspect for the future. Another batch of
correspondence refers to the engagement of H.M.S.
Algerine with junks supposed to belong to pirates off
Namoa harbour. It seems from the account given in
these documents that the Algerine gunboat, with a man-
darin on board, encountered thirteen armed junks off
Namoa harbour. The commanders of the junks
refused to chew their papers, and fired on the
Algerine. Lieutenant Domville engaged them forth-
with, passing three times along their line, and pouring
In grape and shell, which, he says himself, " told with
fearful effect," and dispersed the junks. Vice-Admiral
Keppel, in enclosing the account of the engagement, ,
recommends Commander Domville for the skill and
'nary with . which he opposed a superior force.
Unluckily, the junks subsequently turned out
not to be pirates, tut opium smugglers, who never
allow even their own vessels of war to communi-
cate with them, and consequently the Admiralty instead
of applauding Commander Domville for " his skill and
gallantry," censured him for beginning the action at all,
and blamed the Admiral for giving his sanction
to the affair. Orders are therefore given that
Chinese vessels are not to be attacked unless there is no
reasonable doubt that they are engaged in piracy. The
suppression; of these pirates in the Chinese waters is a
difficult and troublesome task. The correspondence
respecting -the - proceedings of her Majesty's ships
Bustard and Drake in assisting the Imperial
troops in the river Han gives an account of some more
Satisfactory exploits than those we have referred to ;
though, at Lord Stanley's suggestion, a sum of £2,000,
exacted from the village of Choo-Chi, was refunded. Mr.
Holt, acting Vice-Consul at Tamsing, was fortunate
enough to obtain the necessary reparation for an outrage
on British merchants in Banca without employing
force, a full account of the affair being given in these
papers.

The fasting girl at Ulverston, after having ab-

stained from food since last October, has now, it is stated,
commenced to both eat and talk. Elie Las, according to
report, been twenty-five weeks without any solid food pass-
ing- her lips, and sixteen without having her lips even
moistened.

TILE APPROACHING MARRIAGE OF LORD LYTTEL-
TON.—The Dirininyliant Post is informed that the mar-
riage of Lord Lyttelton with Mrs. Humphrey Mildmay,
widow of the late member for Herefordshire, will be
solemnised early in June. Mrs. Mildmay is a niece of
the Rev. Mr. Clive, who was sometime rector of Solihull.
SALE OP THE OVERTOP ESTATE. —We (Salisbury
Journal) understand that the Overton estate (near
Marlborough) which was purchased about three years ago
• of the Luke of Marlborough, by the late Mr. R. C. Long,
at' something like '21.40,000, has just been sold by the
.oxectitOrs of that gentleman to, Lord Earnest Bruce -(as
the representative of Sir H.- Aleux) at a profit of nearly
£O,OOO. •

MR. GEORGE. ODOER..-A ineeling of the Green-

Ivich advanced Liberal Association was held a, day.or two
back, at which the following resolution was carried unani-
mously :—" That the advanced Liberan of the borough of
Greenwich learn with satisfaction that Mr. George Odger
has allowed himself to be put in nomination as the repre-
sentative of the working classes for Stafford, and trust
that the advanced Liberals of Stafford w ill ..end him to
the Commons House of Parliament as the ad% auccd
Liberals of Greenwich returned the Eight Hon. W. E..
la,dstone."

Arother yeoman leas accomplikLed the clitHeul feat

JP falling off h4s_ The01)1111119 Didtiulpti has
.InCt with a selious accident at Warwick.' While

at drill with the Warwickshire Yeothanry Cavalry his
horse became very restive and began rearing and plunging,
about in a furious manner.; Eventually -Sir Theopbilus
was thrown, a: d fell upon the ground with. great force.
Several members of the regiment quickly lan to his
assistanee, and he was convtyed to his -lodgings in a
car. Dr. Lulleck was called in, and found the
hon. baronet sufferi. g from the (fleets of temporary concus-
sion of the brain and a severe flesh wound in the face, from
which he had lost a large quantity of blood. Ile was also
greatly shaken. In the covrse of the day,-however ho Wag;
. I
much imiDroved.