The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-30 00:00:00

THE CHINESE WAR•

HONG KONG.

The riotous disposition displayed by the Chinese
mob in Hong Kong had caused serious disquiet.
Several heavy fines ha been imposed under a local
nuisance ordinance ; and this, in conjunction with
a general feeling of discontent against the police,
produced an excitement which vented itself by the
voluntary closing of all the shops. The excitement,
however, would have speedily subsided of itself,
but for an endeavour on the part of the idle vaga-
bonds with whom the colony teems, to turn the
state of affairs to account ; but their schemes were
frustrated as much by the moderation of the better
classes as by the appearance of the military patrol-
ling the streets, and beyond the throwing of a few
stones nothing has occurred, while the issue of a
proclamation by the Lieutenant-Governor had the
effect of calming the minds of the shopkeepers, so
that, after a meeting of the principal men, held at
the joss-house, the shops were opened and business
resumed.

Lieut-Colonel Caine, the lieutenant-governor of
Hong Kong, had issued a proclamation, in which it
is notified to the residents of this colony, that her
Majesty's Government having reason to believe that
the large influx of suspicious characters from the
Chinese main which bad taken place during the last
few weeks, and the seditious and treasonable demon-
strations of this date in the streets of this city, had
been occasioned by the direct agency of secret emis-
saries from the persons (Commissioner Yeh and the
Cantonese) carrying on a lawless war against her
Majesty's forces in the neighbouring province of
Kwang-tong,—it was the determination of her
Majesty's government within the colony of Hong
Kong to take instant measures for putting in force
the provisions of the Registration Ordinance No. 7
of 1846 ; and that so soon as the said ordinance
should be brought into full operation, all unregis-
tered Chinese would be required to depart from the
colony._

The China Mai/ complains that the piracies in
and around, and especially in the moons or en-
trances to the harbour, had latterly become more
numerous and daring than had ever before been ex-
perienced. The "rebels" were running riot, per-
fectly uninterfered with and uncontrolled by our
government ; and Hong Kong was literally in a
state of blockade as far as the native traffic was
concerned. Innumerable instances of seizures of
trading and market-junks were known—many
snore than were reported to the police ; and even
the stone junks, with building materials for the
colony, were only allowed to pass into the harbour
On payment of " black mail " to three pirate pa
triots. Two sugar laden junks were taken by them
on the morning of Nov. 26 ; and, besides them, on
the 17th inst. a cargo boat was taken as she was
leaving the harbour ( he boat has since been re
covered), a trader was seized off Sa-chow ; and two
fishing bias oft Cliek-chu. On the 19th a cargo
boat; while at anchor off the village of Chim-sa-
chuy, on the opposite side of the Itarbour. On Ca
21st, a trading junk in the Capsuy-mo, n ; three of
the pirates have since been apprehended. On tne
22d, a passage stoat at Chun chuy. Ou the 24-h, a
largc, Chi nohow trader, off Tae-p'ung.
Her Majesty's brig Acorn, Captain Hood, which
left Singapore ou the Ist Nov. for Hong Kong,
was looked for here hourly.

On the morning of the 26th Nov. the Russian
frigate Aurora saluted. the Braise flag, and the
salute was returned by the Murray Battery. On
the 27th a salute was tired by rile frigate i❑ conse-
quence of a visit Prow his Excellency the Governor.

CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE ENGLISH
AND CHINEsE.

(From the lona Kong Gazette Extraordinary of Yov, 23 )
ADDRESS OF THE INAHABITANTS OF THE WEI AC CITY To
HIS EXCELLENCY THE PLENIPOTENTIARY Or GRFAT
BRITAIN (SIMILAR ADDRESS PRESENTED TO ♦DMIRAL
SIR MICHAEL SEYMOUR).

Every question t,a, i a rights, every position its con-
tingencies of advantage and disadvantage. We cannot
refrain from stating those incidental to the present one
for the benefit of your Excellency's nation.
We, the Cantonese, who have been born and brought
up in this place, some of us in the public service, some
of us in trade, whatever our vocation, have each one all
our property, our very food and raiment, i❑ this city;
and to all of us, hundreds of thousands in number, the
city is our base and oar foundation.

, Excellency the Plenipotentiary, insists that there shall
be !,enceforth ur restnoted freedom of intercourse between
the native authorities within and the foreign represents
tiv:-s without the city. This simple an i reasonable
re-
que the Governor-Generat has mixed up with the pa-t
discussions regarding the Treaty right. Peti inners will
do well at once to move his Excellency with all spesd
to abandon this false and dangerous position. If they
neglect to make this appeal to him they will share not
only the calamitous consequences of 'stubbornness, bet at
the same time the serious responsibility of not averting
these in due season. His Excellency has tested the
power with which he has to deal ; he must have seen
with what certainty that which is threatened is accom-
plished' Let petitioners reflect that more sudden and
tecrible things are yet in its hand to do, and let them
earn.stly press their chief authorities to yield while it it
yet time.

SIR JOHN BOWRING TO YEH, THE IMPERIAL COMMISSIONER.
Superintendency of Trade, Nov. 10, 1856.
Sir,—His Excellency the Naval Commander-in Chief
S r Michael Seymour has communicated to me copies of
his late correspondence with your Excellency.
In the hope of preventing a recurrence of the present
unfortunate state of things at Canton, his Excellency has
proposed that, as elsewhere, there should be free inter-
couree between the authorities within and foreign repre•
sentativee without the city. This proposition your
Excellency declines to entertain ; you insist not only in
confounding it with the vast discussions of the treaty
right of all foreigners to enter the city, but in maintain•
ing that the right itself is shown to have been definitively
abandoned in a despatch from my predecessor, Mr.
Bonham, dated 9th April, 1849.
The passage cited is not quoted in full by your Excel-
lency. Referring to the non fulfilment of the engage
ment entered Pito in 1849, Mr. Bonham proceeds—
" Although entered into by Keping, and confirmed by
your Emperor, it (the engagement) has not been carried
out ; the question at issue rests where it was; and must
remain in abeyance. • The discussion of it cannot, at
present, be further prosecuted between your Excellency
and myself. I can but repeat my regret at the unsatis-
factory report which this evasion of the treaty will compel
me to make to my Government."
Your Excellency seeks to construe as declaratory of
its cessation fur evermore, words simply signifying that
discussion of treaty right was suspended until reports
of its repudiation could be made to her Majesty's Go.
vernment. Pending their reference, Mr. Bonham called
on British subjects to abstain from attempting to enter
Canton.
Teat the British Government never abated an iota of
t. 15 claim, is -flown by Mr. letter of the 21st
Augu-t, 1849. This was written under instruction, of
Lord Palmerston, .hen Principal Secretary of State for
F.,reige Affairs, met his Excellency Seu was request-d
to transmit it to Peking. The assumption of Seu him-
eeif in his reply, dated 271 e August, 1849, that the di--
eussion was no mere to t,e renewed, was at once re-
j(:c7cel by Mr. Bonham ; aid your Excellency must
be well aware that ever since my return to this
untry as Minister Plenipotentiary, the subject ha'
been foremost amongst those of which I have bed occa
4100 to advise your Excellence the British Giver meat
.eoked fur a satisfactory adjustment.
to r.:ter von particui-rly to me comemnicatiens
of the 25th April, 10th July, and 276 IYc., 1854, ant
of the llte June, 1855.
The ter-our of your correspondence with Sir tt. Sey-
mour, obliges me urce more to remind yeti, that the
treaty right of British subjects to he admitted into Cen-
ton has never been abandoned by the British Govern-
ment. But this right is not at the present mower, t
under discueeien. The admiral i. simply insi -ring on
certaicty of access to the iocal authorities ; anti wi'
eon,' reesen. Had 'he Briti h Consul been able to ob-
tain suet] access on the day that the lercha's flag was
ro down a-d her crew unlawfully seized, the affair
might have been settled in a tingle interview ; as it was,
eeer aft r letter ha,i to be andressitd to your Excel-
lency ; several you allowed to remain for days without a
reply ; and to this hour you have neither apologised for
the rnisconduc, of your executive, nor have you given
any sufficient assurance diet henceforward our flag and
jurisdiction shall be respected.
Your Excellency's pertinacity in ignoring your obliga-
tiens on these poi:lts has rendered necessary a series of
coercive measures ; and it is to avoid the future neces-
sity of a course as opposed to our interests as it is offen-
sive to our feelings, that the admiral has made to you
this simple proposition.
I have only to ac.l4, that I heartily concur with his
Excellency in the necessity and propriety of what he has
proposed.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) JOHN BOWRING.

TRH, IMPERIAL COMMISSIONER, GOVERNOR-GENERAL OP
THE TWO KWANG, MAKES COM3IUNICATIoN IN
RRPLY.
On the 11th instant I received your Excellency's
letter of the 10th, with the contents of which I have ac-
quainted myself.
Your Excellency addressed me on the 12th, and again
on the 14th ult., respecting the seizure made of a Chinese
criminal on board a lorcha ' and my replies to these
letters, of the 21st and 22d respectively, in which the
circums'ances of the capture and conviction of the crimi-
nal were clearly set forth, will, I presume, have received
your Excellency's careful attention.
It was shown on trial of the prisoner, that the lorcha
was built by Soo Aching, &Chinese; a register was pur-
chased for her of the merchant Block for 1,000 dole., and
she assemed the British flag without being entitled to
it. (1) She was lying, at the time of the seizure, off the
Dutah Folly, and, as has been clearly proved, with no
ensign flying; it being, as it appears, an established law
with British vessels to haul down t eir ensign when they
'drop anchor, and not to hoist it again until they get
under way.
Had it been show* on the trial that the flag was bona
fide that of a British merchant vas-el, it would have been
doubtless oerrect to follow some other course than the
one pursued ; but the fact being, that a Chinese had as-
sinned the flag without, title, what need was there for Mr.
Consul Parkes to put himself forward as his advocate 1
Again—the tweive men seized were all taken back by
Hen, assistant magistrate ot Nanhae, on the 22d ultimo;
but Consul Parkes declined to receive eiteer of them, or
a d.;l3atch sent with them from me. The letter uneer
acknowle lgment says that had the authorities been ac-
cessible to the consul the affeir might have been dispo,ed
of in a sinle interview.
The assistant magistrate, Hen, was gent twice with
the men to be surrender el ; it is through him that (f
reign) correspondence with me is always transmitted
Now, the assistant magistrate is a commieeioned officer
of the Chinese empire. Heretofore any foreign bind
noes that has had to be transacted by deputy has been
trausected by officers similarly deputed, awl the pre-rot
was a case of all others requiring common conference,
but Consul Parkes had made up his mind net to consent
to -what was prep aed.
On a eetheequent cretanien I sent 'raining, Prefect of
Luyeshoy-foo., to the foreign factories, to con-ider %hat
steps should be taken, but the consut now ineined on
tinething more than the rendition of the men captured
oa board the lerciea. There being in ad this no iliac
cess bility on the part of Chinese officials, what was
there to make an immediate adjustment impracticable ?
Yet, on the 3d, 24th, and 25th ultimo, the different
forts of the city were occupied or destroyed, and, fry ni
the 27th ult, to the sth inst., a cannonade was kept up,
by wide,' numberless dwelling-houses in the new tied
ofd city were ()et-mutat:l, with considerable sacrifice of
life. I still lerbore, remembering how many years you
have been at peace with us ; but the people were now
gnashing their teeth with rage at the terrible suffering to
which they had been subjected.
I-nazine it—that the simple fact being, that a seizure
was made by the Chinese Government of Chinese offend-
ers, ,enona it was a duty to seize, it is pretended that
tee British ensign was hauled down ; and this is followed
up :ey a movement of troops and a cannonade, to the in-
flictien of terrible suffering on the people. I must beg
your Excellency to pass an opinion on such a state of
things.
To come to the question of admission into the city. On
your Excellency's arrival here as minister in 1854 you
addressed me on the suoject. I replied in plain terms,
that the real truth w.s, tnat the whole city population
was opposed to it, and that there was not, on my part,
either fiction of statement or design of obstruction. On
the last occasion (that it was discussed), the British ple-
nipotentiary, Mr. Bonham, saw that the trade of every
house was (or would be) stopped ; the foreign mercan-
tile communitiee as well, became alarmed lest the trouble
incidental to this question ehould be productive of other
troubles. A letter was received from Mr. Bonham,
stating that it could be no more discussed, and a notice
was issued by him prohibiting foreigners from entering
the city, which was put in the papers. If admission into
the city was practicable in 1849, Mr. Bonham need
neither have written this letter nor issuel this notice.
Mr. Bonham having go written, a representation ware
made to that effect to his elajesty the Emperor by wysel,
then governor of the province, in concert with the late
Commissiener Seu. Mr. Benhatn as I have node; coon,
addressed (2) your Excellency's doverument to the same
ffect ; and thus it was that there was not a native of
a: y nation utetware that there would be no mere di:-
cu sion ot thus question.
I have understood, too, that some time after this, in
1850, Mr. B am despatched an officer to Tien-tsin, when
an earnest inquest that admission into the city might be
c 'Needed, and that his Majesty the Emperor did him
the honour to signify his pleasure that it should not be
c-nceoed. It wi.l be hence apparent that this (e,xelusien)
is the result of a feeling participated in by an tanks, of
corsiTUOTI sentiment of the whole city population, and
not of any pri7ate opii:iori individually eLtertaic'ed
by me.
Ina le't,r from his Excellency Admiral Seymour, re-
ceived some days ago, he says that the present proposi-
tion is in no way connected with those of former years ;
that his demand ie si.epty for admission of the foreign
representative. The proposition made before was vb.
jected to by the etaire population of Canton ; the people
effect •d by the present la/ position are the same Cantos
w,tohtantn)art,ptihni,,,ei,trie,t,nhises
p,ople ; the city is the same Canton &ty. How, thee,
et:tiß'witiette,bnenith:aeri'eti
enna.nctoonraiection wheteee;
fierce and violent, differing people are very
In temper from the
it,' do; ftlitS of other provinces
ci!y was refused you in 1849, a'irnieeion into the.
Ca,,ton of the present cal
Canton, and the people by the people
are the people of Canton of the
year 1849; 70,d is this additional difficulty in mootm,
of adsoittitig subjects into the city '11,3t.1e question
tbat the strong feeling enalint your. Exaen,amellf•
C: witrynie.n having been aggravated by neetli,ern,cit,Yi:

Your nation has traded at Canton for more than a
century, during which it may be said that, between you
and ourselves, the Cantonese, there have been relations
of friendship, and net of hostility.
The late affair of the Lorcha was a trifle--it was no
case for deep-seated animosity ; no great offence that
could not be forgotten. Yet you have suddenly taken
up arms, and for several days you have been firing shell,
until yOu have burned dwellings, and destroyed people,
in untold numbers. It cannot be, either, told how many
old people, infante, and females, have left their homes in
afltiction. If your countrymen have not seen this, they
have surely heard—have they not—that such is the case!
What offence has been committed by the people of Can.
ton that such calamity should befal thew ?

Again, it has come to our knowledge that you are in
listing on official receptions within the city This is
doubtless with a view to amicable relations ; but, when
your only proceeding is to open a fire upon us which
destroys the peothe—supootsing that you were to on-
tain admission into 'he city—still, Ara sons, biethers,
and kindred of the people whom you have burned
oat and killed, will be ready to lay cli:,wn fives to be
avenged on your country.nen, nor will the authorities
be able to prevent them. Toe authoriied are ebb ro
accord you admission into the city, but they are notable
to assure to such of your countrymen as do ent.-r
a perfect immunity from harm. It, then, your country-
me4 were admitted, could you always have a largo force
here for their protec, ion ! A. protecting force cannot
remain h-re army grea,t, length ut tiLue, aud, if death and
wounds were to be the cond,tion of metering it, what
boon would admission into the city he, ,iveo Here you
to obtain it!
. •

There is another point ; although shells have been fly.
ing against the city f r . ever& .'ays, burning buildings
and destroying lite, no tire has been returned by the
troops ; this is friendly and conceding. It is enough
to content you ; and 84 you res .rted to hostilities for
a small matter, so row---(that i,, having oow taken -Aich
ample stu,ietacti,o,)-I.r the sake of the people's s,
you may suspend them ; and, considering what ha;
been e.c:Aeved at the present age of pr.,ceedings, there
allow them to termin.te. Why add ale,ther I litheuity
to the exi.uing ore, and so cause an inteieup.ion ot ;,tie
friendly understanding b,tweeo our cotLitries ?
To conclude : it is not well to trustone's o vn r&w,t
too far, nei her is it right to let a feud so c,mfirin i self
that it cannot be ended. There is one point of which
you . sight
lose • you do not remember that our autho-
rities are subject to promotion, translation, and sinii.ar
changes of office, whicn may remove then front wang-
tong. In the twinloin of an ye its whole e-ta:.
went may be cha i,:ed ; he native trader has beet.
here, generation after generation, from father to son,
from grandsire to grandsin, for hundreds and ',honsands
of years, without interruption of the line. Y u io no,.
reject upon the tiiesn,, future—t,ia, to inflict injury
on the Canton people is to make enemies of thousa•t.
and million,. of men ; that the longer the tend endures
the deeper rooted it will he ; that the inere protracted
the struggle the more impetuous will be the z•-al for it.
It is in your power to go the extreme length of injury
that can be inflicted. To resolve on this is truculently
to contemplate the extermination of every living being
in Canton—is to contemplate the total abandonment of
its trade. What in that case would be your gain! And
if resolved to go this length, how are you to dispose of
the French, the Americans, and other foreign nations
This is the unanimous declaration, made with sincerity
and earnestness, of the Cantonese. We submit it in the
hope that your Excellency will deign to consider it, and
we respectfully present our wishes for you: Excellency's
peace and prosperity.
Representation made by the whole population of
Canton.

Translated by

THOMAS WAD;
Chinese Secretary.

11111 OF H.B.M. PLENIPOTENTIARY TO THE FOREGOING
'aßss, PURPORTING TO BE FROM THE WHOLE POPU-
LATION OF THE CITY OF CANTON.
Hong Kong, Nov. 10, 1856.
His Excellency .
Sir John Bowring, It., dm, has re-
ceived an address purporting to be from the whole popu
latioo of Canto:' deprecating a continuance of the ope-
rations Of the British naval
farces now before that ci! y,
and, in particular,
his Excellency the ' , to the demand made by
14aval Comman‘'er-in-Chief for un-
restricted ihteroourse tie,.ween the naive and foreig,,
authorities.
The operations in which the Briti,ili navy are engager:
have been rendered the obsti,,ac) mid di,-
nourte,y of the Governov.%B7,,brYal y,h. /I
having insulted the Britian fl, —is ex,,cut
ject to British contr I and pi:g.,eca:iod: 'z
ci
W,rB„:itnil;u„P''
preuted regret for what was 'tone no; he ray
that the like shall not he done aiiair,. He h° proniistti
one ccer.
t,:: quently compelled the admiral to peueeett from bas
cen"
e care
cive inea,ure to another ; am',a though every i
been taken by hdt Excellency the AdmiLlu
t,,
t spare
lives and property of the people, manyhave
suffered much. The responsibilityof their i-titt„i„,,rnnat
be laid upon the governer-general, and on him alone.
As to the almission of foreigners it:to the city, thi,, it,
a treaty right, undisputed at the rest of the portl. The
petitioners thetaielvee do not dispute it, for Fay they,
"the authorities can concede it." were it other than a
treaty right,-no such concession could be made by the
authorities. Bnt they add that " the authorities having
conceded it, cannot pri;tect thove who avail theinselvesof
it against the people." Tnis is to entail on foreigners the
necessity of Leeching the people that if interfered wit:-:
by any one in the exercise of a right conceded by th-
governioei.t th,y can protect therwelves. Thv interests
of commerce which, according to the petition, are to be
so seri-u:ly prejudiced by the enforcement of this claim,
must derive their main security from a faithful observ-
ance of tr. aly provisions. It lc by the vieLtion of these
alone that they are in risk of being jeopardised. These
inter,to are indeed most important, but they are rot so i
dear to t, !e Britisb riat:ori as its h.,nour, nor is a British
minister at liberty to give them precedence where the ' (1) Or fraudulently,
national honour is involve.l. (2) The words are put air as: to lead the reader t
Petii.ir ,r,i i.47e bee,! 11 'S 'd or this 0,. Linn. consul, sinn. 'To suppose that the prefect was to Confer with the '''
prtvtLt • L, r,,,
~,r,;,„„f am ;,, or- ~ r- -, .!Ir:l's vis:cti ' 1i,.: had been sent to conifer with the admiral, a app.,ra
experience shows may grow to fietions consequences, his from Yeh's letter, of the 31st Oct., to Sir Michael Sty-
Excellent-, the Admiral, with the full concurrence of his mour.