The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-17 00:00:00

INDIA.

By the arrival of the Overland Mail we have re-
ceived advices from Calcutta to June 8, and from
Madras to June 15. The papers confirm the tele-
graphic messages as to the copious fall of rain
throughout the North-Western Provinces. The
showers had not been everywhere alike plentiful
in the famine stricken districts ; but in Bengal
they had been such as to give rise to the belief
that the ordinary rainy season had set in three
weeks before the usual time. Prices have fallen
considerably in the North-West. Throughout the
Punjaub, on the other hand, with the exception
of the city of Delhi, the suffering has increased,
and places hitherto free from it have been brought
within its influence. This is owing to the fact
that for the past few months the lower classes
found occupation in cutting down the spring crop,
and its abundance had a sensible influence on
prices. But the poor no longer find employment,
prices have risen. and the committee, which has
shown the greatest energy and wisdom in dis-
pensing relief, estimate their expenditure up to
the eud of September at £40,000, a sum which,
with the share of the English subscriptions
allotted to them up to Ist June, they will just
be able to meet.

Respecting Mr. Laing's departure the Hurkaru
says :—" The Australian from Penang was an-
nounced this morning with Mr. Laing on board.
Off the Gaspar Light at the Sandheads she be-
came unable to proceed on account of leaky
boilers. Mr. Laing then hired the tug Powerful,
which brought him, his son, Dr. Macnamara, and
Captain Gordon, np to town this afternoon. He is
still very ill, and leaves this for England by steamer
to-morrow. The Australian .having proceeded into
Saugor under steam, there stopped her leaks and
came up to town under steam. She encountered
such severe weather in the Bay that she was forced
to lie to for three days."

An uncontradicted rumour had been in circula-
tion for some time, that Sir William Denison had
resigned the governorship of Madras.

CHINA.

The dates of our China intelligence are Hong
Kong, May 29 ; Shanghai, May 18. There is very
little news. Of Hankow, which was reported to
have been taken by the rebels, the _North China
Herald says Hankow has not fallen, as was
believed. At Hankow trade seemed ready to start
upon the slightest encouragement. Our consul, Mr.
Gingell, has taken up his residence in the middle
of the town. The foreign concession is at the
eastern end of the city, with a good share of water
frontage, having eight fathoms close to the bank.
There is plenty of room for turning and good
anchorage. The Attalante, from Hankow to Woo-
sung, was only 60 hours under steam ; she passed
the Fire Dart 60 miles below Hankow on the 29th
April ; Nganking still holds out. At Kiu-Kiang
the foreign allotment was being measured out.
The following is from the summary of the China
Mail:—" The past fortnight has not been marked
by any event having a political bearing, either in
China or Japan. The news from the latter place is
to the effect that our consul had made some further
progress in coming to a liberal understanding with
the Japanese Government, with regard chiefly to
the adoption of a well defined course in tho future
treatment of foreigners whom it may be necessary
to arrest for any misdemeanour. The Government
of the Tycoon has expressed its disapproval of the
manner in which Mr. Moss was treated some
months ago. So far this speaks well for our future
dealings with the Japanese; and, as if to cement
this return of friendly relations, Admiral Hope will
shortly visit some of the ports in the Imperieuse, to
which vessel he lately removed his flag. At Peking,
matters, so far as we know, are in the same quiet
state as they were a fortnight ago. A rumour,
which has evidently been quite baseless, reached
us some time ago, to the effect that Mr. Bruce had
been insulted. As matters stand at present the
story is improbable, and it is quite unconfirmed.
Nothing further has been heard of the alleged re-
bellion in Mongolia, and it is open to doubt whether
it has any existence. There are bands of robbers
in various quarters, who having no pretension to
the name of rebels, are yet often dignified by that
title, thereby misleading many people in their
estimate of the present state of the country.
From Tien-tsin there is no particular news. The
greatest confidence still prevails with regard
to the future prosperity both of that
port and of Chefoo. At. Shanghai there is at pre-
sent only one subject of interest, but it is all-
absorbing ; that subject is the Yang-tsze River.
Its capabilities for navigation are now so com-
pletely determined, that no hesitation is felt on
that score, and all the enterprise in China is gradu-
ally being represented in this great highway of
commerce. A good many voyages have been made
to Hankow, which is the highest point on the river,
and all the vessels that have made that voyage
have shown every readiness to repeat it.