The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-13 00:00:00

ME SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 19. 1861.

the tea districts. From Einkiang to Hangkow the
distance is 135 miles, making the total distance
from Woosung to the latter place 600 miles. Hang-
kow comprises three cities—Hangkow proper, ;on
the left bank of the river—Wuchang, opposite to it
on the right—and Hanyang, on the same side as
Hangkow, but divided from it by the Han river. It
is an enormous place, although not half the size it
was, as seen by the ruins. Life and activity pre-
vailed, and, if not interfered with by revolutions,
its already immense trade is likely to increase.
Communications by water lead from it in all direc-
tions. The principal difficulty in the navigation
up the river was at Fooshan, but suitable steamers
and a little more experience of the river this will
in a great measure be obviated.
" From Tien-tsin we have dates to the 15th ult.
The ice had broken up, and business was likely to
be resumed with activity. _ _

S'E'E NEW ZEALAND WAR.

A letter from Melbourne, dated March 25, says :
Since the last mail no affair of importance has oc-
curred at the seat of war in New Zealand. The sap
has been steadily advanced against Kingi's strong
pah called Pukerangiora, and we are in daily expec-
tation of news of its storming and capture. In ad-
vancing the works there have been several skir-
Imishes with the natives, who invariably exhibit
great boldness in their attacks; but, although the
" casualties" are often severe, the Maories have on
all occasions been repulsed with loss. I shall pre-
sently give the generally scanty details of these skir-
mishes, but first it is necessary to state that the pah
called Pukerangiora was the stronghold of the
Ngati-awa when Taranaki was attacked by the
Waikatoes about 30 years ago, when the former
were beaten with great slaughter. It had been
neglected for many years until lately refortified by
Wirimu Kingi. This pah is situate on the left bank
of the Waitara River, about 12 miles from its mouth.
When taken by the Waikatoes under Te Whero-
Whero, better known as Potatau, the Maori King,
the pah, with a sort of surrounding suburb, con-
tained from 1,200 to 1,500 people—of these upwards
of 500 were killed and many eaten, and Te Whero-
Whero, then a man of great strength, is said to have
killed about 50 with his own hand. Most of the rest
were carried away as slaves, but some escaped to the
south. In 1845 not a single native occupied Puker-
angiora, and I believe:the present pah occupies the
site of what may be considered as the citadel of the
former pah.
The day after the last mail left Melbourne we re-
ceived intelligence of a sharp skirmish in which the
troops had been engaged whilst constructing an ad-
vanced redoubt, by which Capt. Strange of the 40th
Regiment, unfortunately lost his life. I give this
news in the words of the Taranaki Herald of the
11th February :
" General Pratt had resolved on constructing a
redoubt about a mile in advance of redoubt No. 6
in the peach-grove, and about 400 yards from the
Te Arei pah, near Pukerangiora. The pah is not
now in a fortified state, but there is a village of
a few huts on the site of an old pah, half way
up the slope of a ridge. There are many rifle pits
on several eminences around ; the ground is covered
with fern, in some places very high, and there is a
deep gully between the position chosen for the re-
doubt and Te Arei pah. A force, consisting of about
1,200 men of the 12th, 14th, 40th, and 65th Regi-
ments and Artillery, with the Royal Engineers,
advanced at daybreak yesterday, and was imme-
diately met by a heavy firing from the enemy en-
sconced in their pits. Oar men were obliged to lie
down, and the working parties were covered chiefly
by the fire of the artillery, as the natives could only
be seen at rare intervals. The Rifles, however, were
constantly in readiness to fire into the enemy when
seen. The natives were full of determination, and
at times came within speaking distance, inviting our
men to come on, who replied by recommending them
to stand out.

" Mr. Bruce, it was expected, would go to Pekin
on the 20th ult., and it is reported that the Em-
peror was to return to the capital. An Imperial
edict has appeared, establishing a Board of Foreign
Affairs at Pekin.
4, From Yokohama we have no later dates than
the 2d ult.

~ From Saigon we learn that the Anamese have
been driven out of the district, but what the subse-
quent proceedings of Ihe French are to be is not
known.

" There is nothing of local interest to communi.
cate.

" The London mail of Feb. 11th arrived here
on the 27th ult., and the outward mail leaves
to-day,"

HONG-KONG, APRIL 1.
Daring the past fortnight a fair amount of busi-
ness has been done in imports ; prices, however,
with the exception of cotton and yarn, show but
little alteration.
Canton silk—Quotations are nominal.

Tea—Business during the fortnight has been
small, owing to the firmness of teamen. Settle-
ments amount to 11 chops. Prices of the finer
descriptions show a slight advance. Country
green teas.—About 3,000 packages of fair to fine
quality have arrived, for which extreme rates are
demanded. In scented kinds there is no change,
and settlements are very trifling. Sales, stocks,
and prices are as follows :—Congou, 11 chops ;
Ohnams, 19 to 24 taels; Oopacks, 26 to 31 taels ;
Moning, 25 to 261 taels, stock, 47 chops.
The total export of silk from China to Europe is
74,834 bales, against 56,140 bales last year, or an
increase for this season of 18,694 bales.

AUSTRALIA.

(From the Times Corvespandent.)
MELBOURNE, MARCH 25.
The Northam, with the January mails, did nol
reach Hobson's Bay until Monday last, the 18th
inst. She brought to these colonies Sir J. Young,
the Governor of New South Wales, and Gen. Came-
ron, the commander of the forces in New Zealand.
Both proceeded in the Northam to Sydney. Gen.
Cameron proceeds to Auckland without delay to
confer with Governor Browne before taking the
command at Taranaki. It is by no means impro-
bable that Pukerangiora, the stronghold of Kingi,
may be demolished before the general's arrival.
Nothing of material interest to the English reader
has occurred in our legislature since last mail. The
House of Assembly has been engaged in discussing
the estimates item by item and salary by salary,
according to the approved colonial fashion. The
reductions are extensive, but are governed by Ca"
price rather than by any system, and the recom-
mendations of the Civil Service Commission ap-
pointed by the O'Shanassy Ministry, which pro-
duced a very able report, which, if carried out,
would have placed the civil service on a permanent
basis, combining efficiency with economy, have for
the present been set aside. In one attempt at
economy the Ministry has been defeated by the
Upper House. In the " golden age" the Gover-
nor's salary was fixed at £lO,OOO a-year, with
£5,000 for his staff, the Government also renting,
a house for £3,000 a year. Now that the cost of
living is not above half what it was when the
above extravagant remuneration was fixed, no one
doubts that £15,000 a year is too high for the Go-
vernor and his staff. The Government accordingly
brought in a bill to reduce it to £B,OOO and a house
to live in—for we have no Government House. But
as the salary of £15,000 is very properly viewed in
the light of a contract with the present Governor,
the bill provided that the reduction should not take
effect until the expiration of six years from the date
of Sir Henry Barkly's arrival in the colony; or
from the Governor's removal, if before the usual
period of six years. Thus if Sir Henry's usual period
of service should be extended, that extension would,
under the proposed bill, have been deemed a new
contract at the reduced salary. If Ministers had
fimly adhered to their bill, there is little doubt that
they would have carried it; but when it was in com-
mittee in the Assembly there was a good deal of dis-
cussion as to thea moan t which,considering the altered
circumstances of the colony, would be fit and proper.
When the schedule fixing the amount (X 8,000) had
been provisionally filled in came before the com-
mittee, Ministers themselves—evidently to curry
favour with some of their supporters of the " corner"
—proposed £7,000 ; which was carried by the
Ministers' votes. They could as easily have carried
their original proposal; and it was their vacillating
conduct (the very thing, by the way, which helped
to wreck the Nicholson Ministry), which induced
the Legislative Council to reject the bill which they
could not amend. However, the passing of the bill
by the Assembly must be taken by the Secretary of
State to the Colonies as notice, for there can be no
doubt that a somewhat similar bill will be passed
during next session, though there may be a reaction
in favour of a somewhat larger sum.
A Ministerial change has led to a privilege
question, which has "got itself settled," as Carlyle
would say, without much practical inconvenience
to the member most concerned. "Mr. Loader,
the Postmaster-General, was appointed also Com-
missioner of Trade and Customs, " without salary,"
so the Gazette announcement ran. One of our
constitutional enactments provides, following the
language of the statute of Anne, that any
member who shall accept an office of profit under
the Crown shall vacate his seat. Now, by the
Constitution Act, the Commissioner of Trade and
Customs is one of the offices expressly designated " S YDNEY, TUESDAY.
as a Ministerial office, and a salary is assigned to it e The Victory with news from Nelson to the 11th
in the schedule. Moreover the officer after a cer- and Taranaki to the 12th inst., arrived during the
twin term of service is entitled to a pension. Mr. night. There was reconfirmed interchange of shots
Wood, the late Attorney-General, brought the sub-
He contended
jest before the Assembly as a question of privilege. with natives, but nothing fresh had been effected
except that the British line was gradually
that the strengthening and advancing. On the 4th three
, with great cogency of reasoning, of the 40th and one of the 65th had been badly
altered by his agreein t
I think it g o tic
office was by the express words of the wounded. Only one of these is named—Private
status one of profit, and that its character was not M'Mellan, of the 40th, dangerously hurt in the
breast. The next d another of the 40tfi was
profit cept it without salary. Mr. Duffy
who threw in the argu- .Messenger,Volunteerßifleman,
ment that the contin was
• Conte was
right to a pension made •. *
tkiiolnl killed, and
Edwardtw o were
an office of it
without the statute. The 12th a flag of truce was hoisted by the enem. y,
question was referred eat
was shot dead on the 3d. On the afternoon of the
and the house affirmed° attic
The committee reported that the seat was vacated, secretary. The nature of the proposed communi-
eumrmepiotrte: ofmpr.rivLiloeagdeesr. and General Pratt at once sent for the nativ.e
.eonstituents, and was cation from the Maories was not known when the
accordingly went back to his Victory left. Three of the rifles used by the
returned without oppositio:
Mr. Ireland, the Attorney-General. He offered
Not so, however, troops had burst, one of them depriving Private
Ir.
Fern, of the 65th, of three fingers.
himself for Warnambout, a small trading town on " The New Zealand papers on
"SYDNEY,
W
the west coast. The Opposition
putup a very tails of the operations showing nothing, but prov-
tainEDfuNrEtshDeArYd.
e.
popular local man, named Manifold, then absent ing that, while the resistance of the Maories was as
from the colony, but daily expected, and Mr. Ire-
determined as ever, the tactics of General Pratt
land was defeated. This is really a misfortune to
were successfully driving them in, and have the
the Ministry, for Mr. Ireland is unquestionably an approval of the army. Fresh reinforcements of
able man and a good debater, added to which they Waikatoes were expected by and by."
have no law officers in the house.
- This is all the news I have. It is just possible
that the Sydney mail, with the New Zealand mail
At present tbere is no organised Opposition in a
this no doubt keeps
condition to take office, and for England, will bring in more to-day, in which
case I shall add it. lam at present -without any
Ministers in their places. private intelligence.
there
The supply of gold is about equal to last year's General Cameron, appointed to the command in
1113 to this time. For the first nine or ten weeks New Zealand, arrived here by the mail ship
seemed to be a fair prospect of increase, but Northam on the 18th. He landed, but remained
the ass ",.,,_
cease of only a few hours, and proceeded in the Northam
accounts made up to Friday-show' a dee
the quattity brought down last
. The totalquantity late, and
week was to Sydney, on his way to New Zealand. This ap-
against 435,2170 z last year.
only 27,8610 z • 413 9360 z, pointment has taken by surprise those who take an
is ,
The follo i "":" ships have sailed since my * w L ' qsgo7,ld: ainterestin before
Yorkshire, 38,6260 z. These vessels also took' hon.'e'i
Prince of Wales, 22,asioz .
last .—Boreas 10 4 --c— fortnight General Cameron's departure the
the affairs of New Zealand. At least
. Themis ' 23'59' 'oz; overnment must have been in possession of
spatchesde-
communicating
6,243 bales of 'wool, including Pratt at Mahoetahi, with the most ample details log the Lawrence
d
re-
Browne, which had no gold. The ; specting the very judicious and well conducted
have LllVortations
have been moderate, and the rate of exelgo the success of General
times as before.
rove
IN con- attack upon and capture of the three pahs on the
,Eaihihi, All military men in these parts an

" The redoubt was constructed on a small hill,
crowded with fern trees, commanding the gully,
and within easy shelling range of the village or pah
Te Arei.

" The 40th, and Captain Strange and Captain
Turner's companies, 65th, were extended in front
across the roads from the peach grove to Te Arei,
the 40th on the left, the 65th on the right. The
detachment of the 12th, and the light company
(65th), kept the road in rear of the working parties.
Almost every little eminence and the edges of the
bush were occupied by the enemy—one party as
near as 150 to 200 yards to the men of the 65th on
the right front. Captain Strange's men had formed
themselves little rifle pits, and that gallant officer
was lying in one of these when he received a wound
in the thigh, the bullet cutting the femoral artery,
and causing death by hemorrhage. Eleven others
were wounded—three of the Royal Artillery, one
of the 12th Regiment, one of the 40th, five of the
65th, and one bullockdriver. Nine of the bullocks
were hit, but not so as to injure them seriously.
The wounds, except two, which are dangerous, are
not of a character to disable the men permanently.
" Captain Strange was universally esteemed, not
only in his regiment, but by every one who came
in contact with him in the whole force.
"At present nothing is known of the Maori loss.
It is conjectured by a good authority that they did
suffer, and a rumour reached town this morning by
a native that two or more had been killed. Little,
however, was seen of them during the day beyond
the smoke of their guns. Ono individual placed at
the foot of the hill is said to have caused a large
part of the loss on our side ; but, though a great deal
of attention was paid to him in consequence, he
seemed to escape. The whole of the redoubts be-
tween Kairau and No. 6 are to be destroyed to-day.
Colonel Wyatt was left in command at the new
position, with about 350 men.
"A short time before the steamer left Waitara
intelligence was brought down to the camp from
the front that ' 17 dead natives were picked up at
daylight in the tern."

On the 20th of February there was a slight skir-
mish, in which Captain Richards was slightly
wounded, one corporal (Lawrence) killed, and two
privates wounded.

On the 23d of February a force under Major
Herbert engaged with and drove in a body of the
enemy. Five of our men were wounded. The Maori
loss was not known. Four or five men had also
been wounded while working at the redoubt.
On the night of the 26th of February a party OF
natives crept up to the advanced sap, set fire to
some gabions which filled a p artier. of the trench,
and retreated with a yell of defiance, firing a
volley. The operations at this pab were
steadily advancing, and it was generally thought
that it would be taken in a few days, but we have
12 days later news, and, as will be seen, it had
not been taken, though its fate cannot be long post-
poned. I now add the three last telegrams from
Sydney. The first was received on the 14th of
March by Sir Henry Barkly. The second and third
arrived on the 20th and 21st inst. :

" SYDNEY, WEDNESDAY, 8 A.M.
" Mail Steamer with intelligence from the seat of
war to the 27th ult. Field movements are active,
and skirmishes frequent ; deaths few. The audacity
of the rebels appears to be boundless. They now
swarm everywhere, and perpetrate deeds of atrocity
almost without name. Since the recent arrival of
troops from England they have got into their heads
that the Maori war is now to be one of total exter-
mination of the native race. They begin to see
they are playing a hopeless game. Desperation has
seized their ranks. New Zealand's dark night roll-
ing fast away, bright morning at hand. Since the
25th Captain Mercer's artillery, with six Armstrong
guns and 250 rank and file, has arrived at Auck-
land ; also 150 men from depots at home to reinforce
the 12th and 40th. Immense supply of munitions
of war in general.