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

THE BRITISH ARMY IN CHINA.

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brought General Sir It. Napier and his staff. The
Sikhs are daily expected from Hong Kong. The
99th Regiment goes to the north, with the excep-
tion of three companies, who will remain at Chusan,
or he removed to some adjacent island. There is
some talk of making one small isle the station of
our military invalids. It is only two days' sail from
this port. The Marines remain here, lam told, and
a portion of the Royal Artillery. The sun is getting
very powerful, and our troops must soon relinquish
their mid-day drill. Two men fainted during
Divine service last Sunday, and there is one serious
case of fever already attributed to the sun.
The discovery of the Government Bank by the
police is one of some importance, as it may give a
clue to what we want to discover—namely, the
system of taxation pursued by the Court of Pekin.
Piece goods, raw silk, and salt are the products of
Chusan. The mountain sides are cultivated and the
valleys are one long lake, for the ph:.l,dy fields, di-
vided by narrow ridges of earth, are under water.
The irrigator is a very simple bit of mechanism.
There is a narrow trough, along which a series of
wooden blades, united by pliant withea, are worked
by means of a roller, one set advancing and the
other retiring in turn. Stone, a kind of porphyritic
conglomerate, is so plentiful that nearly all the
bridges are constructed of it, and many, as far as
beauty of design goes, are perfect. A few invete-
rate sportsmen have rambled far into the country,
and brought back roebucks as trophies of their
sport. One was brought down the other day by a
ball in the neck,' at 500 yards, which was -justly
considered a splendid shot.
The engineer department is still engaged in mak-
ing a survey of the town. Ting-hae was certainly
surveyed before, but the survey has been discovered
to be very faulty, and the ramparts from the east
gate as far as the Colonel's yanum now lie in a very
different direction from that which they took upon
the former plan. From being the worst of all the
military posts, the east gate has become one of the
best. It was a perfect marsh, but it has been
thoroughly drained and paved with stones by
weekly fatigue parties of men, who worked far
more heartily than soldiers generally do who have
been partially spoilt by Indidn service. Shops are
starting up in all directions. The signboard which
now bears the most facetious inscription is that of
a tailoring establishment---" Moses and Sons, from
Aldgate-pump." A Mr. Richards has opened a
shop in South-street, which proves a great attrac-
tion,.and beershops are springing up on all sides.
The allied Commissioners have promulgated cer-
tain rules and regulations. Every canteen or beer-
shop is to be closed at 8 p.m. Residents and
visitors to the island must provide themselves with
passports granted by the police, and those who
carry firearms subject themselves to a fine, of
which 5 dols. will be the least and 20 dols. the
greatest penalty inflicted. A few cricketers prac-
tice daily on the scrap of common at Chin-tin,
which goes by the name of the Garrison Parade-
ground, as it is the only spot on which a regiment
can be inspected within the walls of the town.
The Tartar play-ground, if got into good order,
,would be a better place, and afford scope for double
wicket. On the arrival of the troops forming the
expeditionary force at Hongkong it was notified
that they were placed on English pay from the
date of embarcation. A more resent order says
that the troops are borne on the Indian strength
up to the date of disembarcation in China, so they
will be credited accordingly with the difference
between the two scales of pay. The Great Tas-
mania case has justly caused a great sensation at
home. The troops brought from India to this
country justly complain of the smallness of the
rations, and the peas furnished by the Calcutta
Commissariat are of the same cast-iron quality as
those placed on board the Great Tasmania. No
amount of boiling produced any sensible effect upon
them, and they were thrown away, being quite
unfit for human food. The Encounter, with a
company of Marines on board, has left under sealed
orders.

On the 22d I joined a piratical expedition which
was designed to be a combined attack of the allied
forces by sea. and land' on some 200 desperate
men, chiefly from Canton and Niugpo, led
by an English pirate who has adopted
Chinese manners and morals. The gunboats opened
fire early in the morning with small arms and
canister. Several men were killed, and some 20
boats were captured. From the usual mismanage-
ment which attends combined attacks, the military
farce, although on the ground before the time spe-
cified in orders, were four hours too late, and nearly
all the pirates escaped over the mountains. The
troops were of some use, however, in tracking out
pirates of whom information could be obtained from
the villagers.
One ruffian, who was concealed in the mountains,
had a brace of double-barrelled pistols upon him.
In one barrel there were five bullets, and in a box
found in his possession there were 105 dols., jars of
opium, caps, and gunpowder. He was taken on
board the Bustard, left high:and dry upon the mud,
where he contrived to poison himself, before 12
hours were up, with opium. The Woodcock was to
have returned in the afternoon with a party of some
50 soldiers, but, although they were in boats, wait-
ing to embark, she went without them, and they
were accordingly taken to the French gunboat
Alarme, 6, stationed some four miles off, itt one of
the mouths of the channel. I resolved to return with
the French, who waited for the French Commis-
sioner here, who answers to our military magistrate.
We had not gone far before a heavy fog came on,
with rain. At midnight we gave up our search,
and landed at a small village on a rocky island
(which was pointed out by our guide, a Frenchman
and quondam pirate, up to any villany), where we
passed the night in a joss-house. The French offi-
cers, naval and military, some seven in number,
soon sat down to a capital supper in one of the four
or five cottages, and I was invited to join the party
which I, dinnerless as the rest, was not loth to do.
We slept as best we could, among the gods and god-
desses, on soft planks or straw, and embarked at 5
on the following day. The captain of the Alarme
met us en route to the ship, and handed over two
bottles of rum to each gig, so that we did not go
without our "morning." I found out afterwards that
he gave his new English charge a warm reception,
plied them with grog and gave them a capital supper
with beds on the lower deck, and breakfast on the
following morning. In this quarter of the globe
French and English pull well together. The
failure of the expedition must be attributed to the
passion of naval officers for military operations, and
the difficulty of conducting a combined attack with
an allied force.

The old order relative to officers' baggage and
tents has been lately published here. Each officer
is allowed two Chinese coolies to carry his baggage,
which must not exceed 1201 b. One bell tent is
allotted to each field officer, to a captain with his
two subalterns, to a surgeon with his three assist-
ants. So that the doctors do not derive any advan-
tage from the Royal Warrant published in their
favour. The surgeon, who ranks, or rather is sup-
posed to rank, with a field officer, not only does not
receive the consideration shown to the officers of
that rank, but he is positively worse off than even
the captain, who ranks below him. However ad-
visable it may be to economise in the number of
tents to be carried, yet it is quite unjustifiable that
the special duties of medical officers should be lost
sight of, and their claims and privileges encroached
upon more than those of any other officers. A
regimental surgeon may have to spend several hours,
not only of the day, but of the night, in the hospi-
tal marquee, surrounded by an atmosphere tainted
by disease, This alone ought to exempt him from
being overcrowded in his own tent, and I cannot
but think that the order arises solely from ignor-
ance of the nature of the duties performed by medi-
cal officers in the field. The Mars has ceased to be
a hospital ship.
The 24th was duly observed at the fiery hour of
noon by our troops, who were drawn up on the
ramparts and fired a feu de joie. The Chinese
powder used by us was either bad or damp, and
half the guns did nothing more than breathe out
flames and clouds of innocuous smoke. I hope to
be able to report in my next letter the capture of
Nankin. There will be few events in the way of
conquest to record this year. Winter at the north
will soon set in with its usual severity. July and
August are rainy months, while from October till
March there are frosts, and the cold is far more in-
tense than at Moscow. A few days ago I met a mili-
tary mandarin in purple spencer and fancy cap, who,
instead of leaving his red tia-zoo, left a thin shiny
card, and inscribed in French, beneath the name,
were the words " Lieutenant of the 3d Regiment of

--,----
The Duncan, 10.1, screw two-decker, steamed
out of Portsmouth harbour on her trial of speed at
the measured mile in Stokes Bay yesterday. The
wind was fresh, westerly, but she realised a speed
that as yet has been unequalled by any line-of-battle
ship in the service--nearly 13 knots. Her engines
are by Messrs. Penn and Sons. Both engines and
boilers worked well during the trial.
The experiments upon Jones's target were recom-
menced at Portsmouth yesterday from the gunboat
Stork, under the supervision of Capt.R. S. Hewlett,
C.B. The practice was first commenced on the same
iron plate upon vallich seven shots had taken effect
daring Saturday's practice. Seven additional shots
were fired yesterday at the same plate, and every
shot struck within a space of four square feet on the
target. After the fourth shot yesterday the upper
edge of the target bulged out, in consequence of t he
repeated hammering upon one spot. The fifth shot
followed on the sameplacenear the upper edge, and
it waa evident it was the intention to test this plate
to an extraordinary degree, as no other iron plate in
Portsmouth harbour had ever been subjected to a
similarly severe test. Another shot followed on the
same spot, exhibiting a singular instance of good
gunnery and also of the extraordinary tenacity of the
plate,or the correctnessof the principle of the inven-
tion ; the shot in this instance, as in the former
ones, being shattered into fragments. The seventh
shot was merely a repetition of the sixth, the frag-
ments splitting up the rail of the frigate. This
was the last shot at the iron plate. The eighth
shot was directed against the 3,le—inch steel plate,
and the result appeared to be that the shot chipped
off from the extreme upper edge of the plate a piece •
about half the eireutpfere.nee of the .shot itself, but
leaving no sign of a fracture. This must have
happened under the circumstances of any shot
striking the plate in such a place, and it cannot be ,
considered a fair test of the principle of the target, •
as it was merely an edge-blow. No. 9 shot struck
at the junction of the edges of the two steel plates;
the.shot itself was shattered into fragments, and
made a less indentation than even that which had
been made upon the iron plate. The result of the
experiments so far has been satisfactory to an ex-
traordinary degree, as proving the capabilities of a
target constructed on Mr. donests system to resist
the penetrating powers of the most effective of
modern ordnance at short range. The experiments
on the steel plates would be resumed to-day, and
there was every probability of the results being
equally satisfactory.
The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :—Lieut. W. H. Annesley-to the
Melpomene • W. G. Wratten, chief engineer, to
the Cumberland, for service in the Atlas ; E. Boul-
ton, chief engineer, to the Asia, for service in the
Princess Royal ; G. F. Gossage, acting third-class
assist.-engineer, to the Fisgard, additional for ser-
vice in the Monkey; H. Swiss, acting third-class
assist.-engineer, to the Fisgard, additional for ser-
vice in the Bustler; W. J. Grant and E. Last, act-
ing third-class assist.-engineers, to the Asia, as
supernumeraries.

Tg RR_ROYAL RAYMARKET.I
Leagee, Mr. J. B. Buckstone.
THE, EVENING the performances will commence with
HALLOWEEN. By the Leclercqs.
And THE OVERLANDCi ROUT
le. E.
Rog M
eesrs, srs. C. MatCharleshews,
Buckstoue, Compton, ppenda Mrs.
Mathews, Miss Weekes, and Mrs. Wilkins.
After which, the new comedietta, HIS
ea EXCELLENCY,
In which Mr. and Mrs. C. Mathews will appr.
To conclude with THE KLNIG'S GARDENER.
Commence at 7.

RO YAL PRINCESS'S TIIEATIE.-
Lessee, Mr. A. Harris.
!THIS EVENING, will be performed TIIE LADY OF
LXONS. Mr. G. Melville and Miss Heath.
After which, UNE FILLS TERRIBLE. Characters by
the Zonaves.
Followed by AN AMBUSCADE AT INKERMAN.
To conclude with THRICE MARRIED.
Commence at 7.

ADELPHI, NEW THEATRE-ROYAL.
Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Benj. Webster.
The Annual Benefit of Mr. B: Webster.
JANET PRIDE. Messrs. B. Webster.
THIS EVENING,
insToole, P. Bedford, Stuart, C. Selby; Miss Woolgar and
Laidlaw.
After which, OUR FEMALE AMERICAN COUSIN.
Messrs. Stuart, C. Selby, ton. Billi Eburne, Miss Julia
Daly, K. Kelly, Laidlaw, and sington.
Commence at 7.
Box-office open from 10 till 5.
Private boxes, £2 2s. ; Family Boxes, £l.
Orchestra Stalls, ss. ; Balcony, 4s. ; Front Circle Stalls, as. ;
Pit Stalls, 25.; Pit, is. 6d. ; Amphitheatre, 1s ; Gallery, 6d.
Acting Manager—Mr. Wm. Smith.

A STLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE-
Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Wm. BATTY.
Immense Success of "Mazeppa."
A Grand MID-DAY PERFORMANCE will take place on
SATURDAY next, Aug 11, commencing at Two o'clock.
This Evening, Lord Byron's splendid Hippo-drama of
MAZEPPA AND THE WILD HORSE, with entiretmely new
and beautiful scenery, costly costumes, and app
introducing introducing the largest stud of highly-trained Horses, Po-
nies, Buffaloes, and Camels in the World.
To be followed by Scenes in the Arena by the Star Riders
of the day.
ast 6, performance commence at 7.
Doors open at half-p
Box-office open daily from 11 till 4.
Stage Manager—Mr. W. WEST.
Director of the Arena—M. Felix Revolti.

CANTERBURY HALLVENING. CONCERTS.-
THIS E
C. H. GOUNOD'S OPERA.
FAUST. •
First Time in this Country.
Faust Mr. Henry Herbert.
Mephistopheles Mr. C. Bernard.
Siobel Mrs. Anderson.
Marguerite ..... Miss Russell.
Conductor Mr. Jong,rhmans.
And selections from
Dinorah, Trovatorentertainmentacbe , Mt h, and numerous other
E s.
Balcony, ls, Hall. 6d.
Comic Vocalists —Messrs. George Hodson (the Irish Come-
dian and Mimic), and C. Marshall.
The ETHIOPIANS, consisting of 17 performers (organised
expressly for this Establishment). for the performance of
Vocal and Instrumental Music, Comic and Sentimental, with
Negro delineations, anecdotes, lc., in addition to the usual
entertainments.
The gallery is open from 5 till 11 on Sunday Evening.

THE SUN.

THE WEATHER.—Strx OFFICE, AUGUST 8, 1860.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADB.
65—highest since noon yesterday.
50—lowest this morning and during the night.
60—this day at noon.
BaltomETEß-29.74.
WIND--South-Westerly ; rather fresh, with dull rainy
weather.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
THIS DAM—Morning, sh. 30m.—Afternoon, sh. 47m
To-moßßow.-Morning, 6h. 4m.—Afternoon, 6h. 22m

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LONDON, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 1860

Lord GRANVILLE frightened his brother Peers
last night. His language implied that they might
be required to attend to business till the end of
August, or even—in mercy to the partridges—over
the Ist of September ! Well might he be saluted

with an " Oh! oh !" His lordship, however, only
went on coolly to prove his point, and even to point
to the example of the Commons. If they are
willing to work so hard and so long—to come toge-
ther to the number of upwards of 500 on the

6th of August to settle such a question as a penny
more or less duty on paper,—if they will toil morn-
ing and evening too, to get through what is brought
before them—why, what would the country say to
the Lords if they could not hold out as well and as
long. Very easy work too, at the hardest, that of
Noble Lords. They want no forty peers to form a
house; their presence at a debate is not even required
for a vote at its close. A kind of omniscience is
in courtesy attributed to them ; and, unlike the
judges of the land, or the members of the Lower
House, they are supposed to know all that goes
on in their absence, and to understand both sides
of an argument which they have never heard.
But the Lords have a standing order by which
they will not accept a bill unless it be read a second
time by the 27th of July. An order very well meant
'no doubt. Its object is to brush up the House of

Commons, to compel it to hasten its pace,
to cough down prosy talkers, to expedite business,
and, if it can, to stop the HORSMANS and ELPHIN-
STONES when they insist on riding their hobbies
out of breath on almost every occasion. Why should