The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-07 00:00:00

THE CIIINFSE IN BORNEO,

The following interesting letter, written by a
lady, resident in the house of the Bishop of La-
btian, at Sarawak, at the time of the Chinese
insurrection, has been forwarded to us for publica-
tion :--

et SARA.WAK, MARCH 11.
" We were aroused soon after seven o'clock on
the night of the 19th. of February by a most alarm-
ing uproar—guns firing, shrieks, and yells. At first
I thought that it was some Chinese New-year re-
joicing, but was quickly undeceived. I ran to Mrs.
M‘Dougn.ll's room, and was met by the Bishop,
who told us to get dressed immediately, as he li,ad
no doubt but that it was theKungsi. These Chinese
lived at Bauh, about 30 miles up the river, and
were gold-washers. From the north verandah we
saw the flashes from the guns, and the light from
the torches discovered to us a most disorderly rab-
ble. In a few momen's the Rajah's hours burst
into a flame, with Mr. Crookshank's to the left and
Mr. Middleion's to the right. The fort was soon
taken. We assembled in the dining-room—our-
selves, the school peop!e and the two families
of Channons, expecting every moment some
dreadful fate. The Bishop knelt in the
midst of us and commended us to God.
It was all he could do ; resistance would have
b. en vain. We started once, for the jungle,
but he recalled ; flight was impossible with su;:h
a party. Till morning dawned we sat and watcht d
in agony for the fate of those around us. With
early morning came a Malay, who told us that the
Rajah had escaped ; that Mr. Crookshank was
wounded ; and that Mrs. Crookshank was lying
near the ashes of her house severely wounded. A
man then came from the Kungsi chief to tell us that
we hadn ,thing to fear, th at the Bishop was an 'orang
baik' (good man), and they did not wish to injure
him. Theysnitfer him totend theirwounded. Mean-
while everything was prepared to receive Mrs.
Crookshauk, but the Kungi around her would nut
ht her come. Three times tte attempt was made,
until at last the Bishop ob'ained permission to re-
ceive her. Poor thing ! the wretches surrounded
them before they heard them. They tried to es..lape
through the bathhouse ; her white dross betraye I
her, and a Kt-log.Bi gave her a fearful gash in the
thigh. She fell, of course ; her husband tried to de-
fend her, but was obliged t ) fly. He had • a cut in'
his arm. She crawled from the spot whore she fell
and tried to hide, but -bey discovered her. Her
fortitude and self-command are wonderful. The,
Rajah had been very far from well, so that
Panty (his servant) slept in the room next to his.
He was aroused, and at once saw that fight was
his only safety. He escaped through the bath-
house, sword in hand, and swam across a creek,
and went to the Datoo Banda's, where Mr. Crook-
shank joined him. Mr. Nicholet, a youth of 16,
on a 'visit to the Rajah, was killed. Middleton
escaped, but his two little sons were killed, and Mr.
Wellington, who came out with us. Mrs. Middle-
too escaped almost miraculously.
" The 20th passed heavily. The Bishop, Datoo

Banda, Mr. Helms, and Mr. Ruppell met the Kung-
si in Council. After this they went away. The
Bishop obtained the consent of the Kungsi to
send away his wife and family to Singapore.
They made the distillation between us, as British
subjects, and the Government people here. At
three o'clock (Friday, the 20th) Mrs. M'Dougall,
Alan, the two children, and I, went in the lifeboat,
intending to join the Goodluck at the mouth of
the river. The Datoo Banda at that very time
expressed his determination to follow the
Kuugsi to Bali)). Mr. Ruppell was determined
to go to Singapore. Mr. Helms was lost in the
jungle, thus leaving the Bishop alone in this
terrible extremity. On Saturday the Datuo fol-
lowed the Kungsi up the river, but was unable
to effect anything. Everything seemed so quiet
that the Rajah thought of returning. The Bishop
met him at Tanah Puteh, and on his return told all
to be ready for flight .at a moment's notice. Sun-
day morning the Kungsi came again. The Rajah
came up in a boat, but the Malays were worsted.
The miscreants were left in possession, and they
immediately set fire to the Malay village.
" In the meantime we reached the Goodluck, but
found it (a small schooner) so crowdel with fugitive
Chinese that we at once decided that it was impos-
sible to go to Singapore. It was quite late at,night,
and our crew deserted us, when Mr. Helms most
fortunately arrived, after having hid in the jungle
all day. He took us to Yemang, a Malay
village ; we stayed in the boat that night and were
-received into a native house on Saturday. In the
night Mrs. M`Dougall had a letter from the Bishop
telling us to go up again with Middleton and
Crymble, who then joined us. We did so the next
day, but soon saw the smoke from Kuchin, and not
long after, the boats flying from Sarawak. Poor
Mrs. Crookshank was lying at the bottom of a boat
without any mattress. We took some in and all
met at Yemang, where we divided—the Bishop,*
Mrs. M‘Dougall and the children, Mr. and Mrs.
Crookshank, the Stahls, and Channons and school
for Linga ; Mr. Tidman, Miss Coomes, and myself,
with M. Helms, for Sambas ; the Rajah and his
followers in a Malay war-boat. It was a dreadful
night. On the next day, about midday, we de=cried
the Sir James Brooke entering the river, and were
soon on board. The Rajah almost immediately
c ime up, and we went to Sarawak amid eager
preparations for war. A few shots from our great
guns cleared the place of the Kungsi. W. e pro-
ceeded to the Malay village, where the Rajah :was
moot joyfully received, and, returning, anchored
before the town. A large " Balls" was collected
from all quarters. In a few days Balidah was re-
taken, Bauh, Siniawen, &c., burnt to the ground,
and the Kungsi driven from the country with the loss
of nearlyl,2oo fighting men and all their treasure.
Our church, house, and school stand, but property
of every kind has been carried away or wantonly
destroyed, except the books. The cup and paten
belonging to the communion service have been re-
covered. All the valuables were carried away,
wearing apparel, ac., cut to pieces ; but we are
well off compared with others. The Rajah has lost
everything. He now weals the native dress, and
lives in the fort, which has been strengthened.
He is, indeed, a noble man, so unselfish, so kindly
thoughtful for all, and so energetic in all his plans.
The loyalty and devotion of his native subjects
have been a great support to him. He applied to
the Dutch Government for help, and a war
steamer arrived from Singapore on Monday. The
work is done, but it is pleasant to know that there
is help so near.
The Bishop has been staying at Linga, a small
fort about ten miles from Banting, Mr. Chambers'
station, without books or occup +tier), but obliged
to stay with Mrs. Crookshank. She is now out of
danger, and wind or weather permitting they will
be here on Friday or Saturday. 1. shall have the
ho'ise in somewhat better order ; but if you have
never seen a house which has been ransacked, and
pillaged you can have no idea of what it 15.,

* The Bishop and his party appear to have gone cn to
Linga, and hence no letters have been received from him.

ADMISSION OF SOLICITORS.--The Master of the Rolls
has given notice that he has appointed Friday next, at
the Rolls Court, Chancery-lane, at 4 o'clock, for the
swearing in of soiicitors.
PRESENTATION or ELECTION PETITIONS.—By an order
of the House of Comnittins all eLtetion petitions must be
presented within fourteen days from this day (Thursday),
when the session commences.
THE DUNMOW FLITCH.—The Essex Standard says :
The claimants to the Duntnow Flitch are stated to be
Thomas f. Heard, Staffordshire, police-officer ; William
Sparke, Saffron Walden, coachmaker ; and Sergeant
O'Brien, Es-ex Rifles, Colchester.
THE GRAND TRUNK RAILWAY OF CANADA.—Montreal
letters, received by the Niagara yesterday, state that the
Grand Trunk Aid Bill had been read a first lime, and
there was no doubt of its passing. The Government gives
up 3,111,5001. without claiming any interest until bond-
holders and shareholders receive 6 per cent., which is
tantamount to a gift ; it relieves the company from all
Government influence as directors at the board ; the com-
pany may raise what capital they think proper on being
sanctioned by two-thirds of the shareholders ; the com-
pany may expend the moneys raised by the new pr-feren-
tial bonds upon works deemed most urgent within the
limits of the act of last session, without waiting for the
whole to be subscribed ; and any excess of traffic after
6 per per cent. is paid out of traffic to the railway bonds
and shares, arid to the Government bonds, such excess to
go to pay additional dividend to the original shareholders.
—Lit•erpool Daily Pot of Tuesday.
BOILER EXPLOSION AT THE MILLFIELDS FURNACES,
NEAR WOLVERHAMPTON.—On Tuesday afternoon an ex-
plosion, attended with fatal results, occurred at these
works. The result was that three men were killed on the
spot, and several others were seriously injured. The
Birmingham Journal of yesterday gives toe followi
iring
account of the accident A blast furnace on .n
works of Messrs. Riley, at Millfields, near Bilston, sod-
denly, and from causes as yet unascertained, exploded
this (Tuesday) afternoon at half-pag three o'clock, forc-
ing out the surrounding brick work, and scattering the
burning scoria throughout the casting house, in which at
the time were employed two men and a boy, who were
literally burnt to cinders, and whose bodies are now
lying at an adjacent public-house, awaiting a corcnor'r
inquest. Their names were Thomas Davis, 25, moulder;
Samuel Thomas, 26, moulder ; and Thomas Fletcher,
a lad of 0 years of age, employed in the same capa-
city. The following were immediately removed to the
South Staffordshire Hospital. Wolverhampton :—John
Bilston ; Henry
S'PatrickPurtell, 26,
-Bb
iisltdoinn
Marr,
38a,gGedibb3e5t, G
.
laner,iffinetahrg
William Rigby, 34, Gibbet-lane, near Bilston ;
TBailfstt,on ;
and James Corbett, 46, Bilston. The house-surgeon,
S. B. Farr, Esq., states that the first four named are
extensively burned all over the body ; that John Marr
and Henry Taft are burned to that extent as t 3 leave
their recovery hopeless. James Corbett, who escaped
with the fewest injuries, has since been removed to his
family. John Mortboy, 40, Ettingshall, was also re-
moved to the hovital last evening, badly burned."

LITERATURE'.

.---i-

Christianity In China, Thibst, and Tartar'. By
l'Abbii Flue, author of "The Chmese Em-
pire.' 2 WOlB. Lougm n.
The writ-np of the Abbe Hue are well known
atid highly estee'ned among books of travel. He
has aldediaigely -LI our knowledge f the Celestial
Empire in- his f.raier work. At the present time,
when the " discord.tnt noises" of wetr are directing

our attention to tliat peculiar nation, it may not ba
unintere3iing to the general reader to ga,her some-
thing of their earlier history, as well a 3 some ac-
count of t'ne:r progress in religion, science, and
civilistrion, from the .pages of an observer of sl
much intelligence and experience. M. Hue, finding

an acquaiwance with the history of that period in--
dispensable to the comptebension of the wiventures
and successes of the missionaries, has given a very
interesting sketch of the great Mongol empire.

The powe-r and extent of the dominions of tress
barbarians is not generally known. The following
is the description given by M. Hue of Klubla'
Khau and his dominions. He wal tit.) grandson of
the founder of the Mlngol empire, and it will be seen
.coald 1-,oa•A of au enlightenment which was consi-.
derahly in advance of his age and rice :
" At the same epoch (1302) there (red also at Pekin
the great Emperor of the Chinese and
Oriental Tartars. Kublai was indisputably the sovereign
of 'the motet enormous empire that the annals of the
world have ever made known ; it comprehended the
whole of China, Corea, Thibet, Tonquin, and Cochin
China, a great part of Ihdia beyond the Ganges, many
islands of the Indian Ocean,' and the whole north of the
enntinet of Asia' from the Pacific to the Dnieper. Persia
also was a feudatory of the throne ; its sovereigns, the
successors of Houlagon, receiving their investiture from
the Emperor of China, and as the dominkris of these
great vassals extended to the Mediterranean and the
frontiers of the Greek Empire it may he said that the
whole of Asia was subject to the laws of the great Khan,
who had chosen Pekin as the central seat of his Govern-

.rent. What was the empire of Alexander the Great, or
of the Mimans, or of Tchinginz Kau himself compared
with that iif Kublai And yet this a•tonishing potentate
is scarc.ily known at all among us, and our most learned
historians hardly say a word about him ! This reign of
Kublai offers to our observation one remarkable pheno-
menon. We see-this powerful sovereign ruling at
once over the most civilised nations of the Blot,
and over those who had scarcely issued from bar-
barism. With one hand encouraging the arts of
peace, and with the other exciting ardour for martial
enterprises, softening nations already vanquished, and
unchaining against others the furies of war. Kublai
had received a Chinese education ; he appreciated the
advantages of civilisation ; he admired the institutions
of China, and protected literature and the sciences. lie
had some of the best Chinese books translated into the

Mongol language, and founded schools for the young
people of his own country, and gave much encourage-
ment to their studies. He received with favour learned
and literary men of every country and religion, granting
them many pr:vileges, and exempting them from taxes and
tributes. It was he who established the college of Ilan-
lin, the first academical institution of China. He spread
the taste for mathematics, and with the assistance of the
Arabs laboured in the construction of a new system of
astronomy, greatly superior to any that the Chinese bad
hitherto been acquaninted with. He aff ,rded, al,o, great
encouragement to agriculture, industry, and commerce ;
be bad numerous canals dug in all the provinces of China,
and he threw open the seaports to all foreigners. Bet
the task of civilising the Tartar proved beyond the
power of even Sahlai. The intere.ourse of these igno-
rant and warlike tribes with a peaceful and cultivated
nation never effected any fusioa between them, and
whilst the Tartars retained their rude, turbulent, and
vagabond habits, the .Chinese submitted patiently to
their conquest, and devoted themselvas to commerce and
industry, arts and letters.
M. Hue was for many years a missionary in China,
consequently his information is authentic and ex-
tensive. His accaunti of the Catholic missions will
of course be mpst interesting to those of his own
faith ; but the sufferings and struggle's of the first
missionaries in a heathen country is a subject that
possesses an interest for all denominations of Chris-
tians. There is reason to suppose, from recent
discoveries and deductions, that Christianity and
civilisation were introduced to the Chinese by tea"
yellers from Europe many centuries since. It ar
pears that they were' acquainted with gunpowdef
at a very early period. One of the first to give the
civilised world a description of the wonderful ere'
pire of Kubla Khan was the celebrated Venetian
traveller, Marco Polo. He was a resident fef
many years at his court, and stood high in his
favour. After remaining in China for seventeen
years he returned to Venice with his relations'
The voyage at that time was extremely perilous,
and occupied three years and a half. When thei
reappeared in Europe the attention of the Wet
was for the first time drawn to those remote re-
gions, and Marco Polo being taken priioner shortly
afterwards, in a war between the Venetians and
the Genoese, employed the time of his captivity is
arranging an account of his travels. " This work,
says M. luc, " W? 4, to European readers, like the
announcement of a 'new world— a revelation
of the habits and manners of a nelf
race." The travellers who had preceded him had
remained but a short time, and observed nothing
but deserts. It is a remarkable testimony to the
value of Marco Polo's account, and at the sanle
time a proof of the little progress made by the
Tartar race, that M. Hue, in his recent travels_,,
found the very characters and habits described SP.
, centuries ago. Our author naturally regrets that,
the Venetian traveller affords but scanty inforls;
toe respecting; the state of the missionsin Chilea"
that time. He testifies their existence and re
marks that Nagan, the leader of a formidable in'
EMrrection, and the nephew of the Khan, was a
Christian, and that a large number of his arms
were also of that faith. The mission in China I;P:
at length finally established by the efrOrt3 of Fathe;
Ricci, one of the most eminent of its members, sgb
availed himself of his superior talents and acquirs
ments to secure the respect of a conceited a. 5,4
sceptical people. His knowledge of ma-thereat%
and the physical seiences contributed largely to 131
influence over them, and his judgment and discrei
tion were put to severe test by the stormy polit'ea
scenes of which he was a witness. He devoted bits
self to his great object with entire self-devotio/
during many years in so much toil, danger, ne:g
difficulty that M. Hue closing the memoir of IP.,
life remarks that the longest martyrdom knovfP
would have spared him much suffering. The
torical and geographical portions of the book 111,
be to mauy the most interesting. They certain,.'4o
possess much value from the high reputation of t°_,
writer, which the present careful and laborion'
work will undoubtedly add to.

LONDON AND BROMPTON CANCER

HOSPITAL.

The Lancet, in a lengthened account of a visa
to this hospital, says :—" On the 14th of April
°
paid a visit to the out-patients' department
this hospital, and saw a large number of cases'
some of them under treatment, and others, aga',,,4o
presenting themselves for the first time. We vie`i
surprised to find amingst many of these, se-01110
from various parts of the country, and it must P 3
a mater for gratification to the governors
knowsulseribers to this noble charity to that snc
is the reputation of their hospital, that palieea to
come even from the most distant parts of E0g1311,,,
to obtain relief. This Flyaks much for the rep
tation of the staff connected with it.
It were needless to go into detail upon them e' 0,
remarkable cases which were presented to our Pio
tice • a large proportion of them ate instanced
which' the female breast is implicated, in e've.i
B t•
variety and stage of the disease. These under tre-
ment were doing well. the
esides examples of cancer in other parts of of
body, we saw several instances of indurationad
the breast, which the patients either feared or 1/i4,
been told elsewhere were cancer. These were u;jj
pelled with constitutional treatment. But we c:,(1
truly say they would be received as cancer, trea'o,
as cancer, and cured as cancer, by some of the his
e
terious cancer curers; who cannot distioguish 'a,
disease from others, who call everything oall -
and who abound in this great metropolis. f
We hope shortly to give some brief reports °-
teresting cases from this hospital, with a refer R)
to the treatment pursued, which is quite open„,}l.ol
fair. Nothing is here concealed. Any n 1 of
practitioner is permitted to witness the practic°oo
the hospital on simply presenting his card. sof
will see from forty to fifty cases of various foirf.,o.o
c ricer amongst the out-patients' departuatanta.':iorl
which the worst cases are selected for adllos'd
into the hospital itself, situated at Bromptooa
we feel certain every visitor will leave not
satisfied, but highly gratified with everything
netted with the charity.

Sir William and Lady Maxwell and Miss Loganhole sr'
left Edwards's Hotel for Bickford Hall, Chester. to,
arid Mrs. Huntingdon have arrived at the same Cs

lish,nent from Paris.
General Sir Robert Vivian ha 3 arrived at the )71.1.3":1
wick Hotel, Jerrnyn-street. Sir C. and Lady Lamb/ ,„0
Sir Ross, are amongst the departures for the sal"'
establishment. rr-
-0
Mr. T. L. Blanc has arrived at the Clarendon,
4
Winkfield Park, near Windsor. ph-cl
A Cabinet Council was held yesterday at the e"' 'O,
residence of the First Lord of the Treasury, in 131°-:1A1-
ing-street. The Ministers present were V)ecouut ."-r,
meraton, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, the NDy
quia of Lansdowne, the Earl of Harrowby, Sir Gr• Grey
!he Earl of Clarendon, Mr. Secretary Labouchere, Pi 0
Panmure, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Cnar bet
Wood, the Right Hon. R. V. Smith, aud tbe lig
Eli )a, M. T. Baines.