The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-21 00:00:00

come to the conclusion that I am right, then Go-
vernment should see that uo more iron vessels shall
be sent to sea without the safeguard of powerful
longitudinal bearings and fastenings.
This is not a discussion for a newspaper; but
life is not long enough to move official men in this
country ; I am unable_ to correspond with ship.
builders ; let this have its chance therefore through
your columns, for the sake of humanity.—l am, sir,
your very obedient servant, D. BAIN.
Downe's-wharf, London, Nov. 18.

STEAM VESSELS FOR THE GANGES.

The first of two steamers, intended for the navi-
gation of the Ganges, is now ready for launching
from Messrs. Reid and Co.'s shipbuilding yard at
Port Glasgow, and is immediately to be towed
round to Liverpool to receive her engines, which
have been constructed by Messrs. Fawcett and
Preston, the eminent engineers, _ These steimers,
which are the property of the Oriental Inland
Steam Company of London, are of light draught,
and are intended to tow barges which will collec-
tively carry a very large cargo with a draught of
water not exceeding two feet, and with this immer-
sion they will be able to navigate the Ganges
during the driest season. The nominal power is
250 horses, but the engines are expected to work
up to 1,000 horses. These vessels are remarkable
for their strength and lightness. They are effec-
tually trussed beneath the decks by a framework
of angle iron, and above deck by wrought iron
tubes, whereby suck. longittilinal strength is
imparted that the vessel eminot be damaged,
ihoulil she get-' aground,- -a circumstance of fre-
quent occurrence in all vessels navigating the
Ganges or other rivers of the East. The barges
belonging to this steamer have already been built
by Messrs. Reid, and were shipped to Calcutta about
two months ago. The steamer now to-be launched,
it is proposed, shall sail to Calcutta round the Cape.
She will thus 'be ready to commence plying on the
river immediately on her arrival, arinst which
time the barges already sent out will, it is expected,
have been erected and got ready for work. The
second steamer, which is also advanced far towards
completion, will be tried on the Clyde with her
barges attached before being despatched to India.
When it is stated that each of these barges will
carry about 600 tons measurement of cargo, and
that it is expected that each steamer will tow five
barges, it is easy to see what an enormous cargo
these vessels will be able to convey. There are no
vessels now in India of anything near the same ton-
nage or power. It may be fairly expected, there-
fore, that these vessels will be at least as successful
as those already plying on the Ganges. What that
success is will best appear by a reference to the
dividends which the existing Ganges Companies
have been paying for some years, which have risen
by degrees to 40, 50, 60, 70, and, as appears by the
last mail from Calcutta, to 80 per cent. per annum.
These vessels will be immediately on the spot,
and will be prepared to reap their proportion
of the rich harvest which is to be there gathered.—
Greenock Advertiser.

,THE AMERICAN MINISTER AND THE

CHINESE OFFICIALS.

A correspondent of the 'Journal of Commerce,
writing on board the United States' ship Powhat-
tan under date of the 15th of July, gives the fol-
lowing account of Mr. Ward's interview with the
Governor-General of one of the Chinese provinces :
" The conference was now opened, being sustained
entirely on the one side, and mainly by the Gover-
nor-General on the other, the second red-button
mandarin only occasionally joining it. The Gover-
nor-General was neatly but plainly dressed, easy,
gentle, and polite in his bearing, and, however
earnestly speaking, using but little gesticulation.
His age is 52. He is moderate in stature and size, aid
altogether, mentally, physically, and in manners, in
a good degree of harmony with European ideas.
Different in all respects was his associate, a stout,
gross-built man, and his face indicative also of
grossness of mind, cheerful and even laughing, and
considerably boisterous in conversation, which he
enlivened and enforced by the use of much gesticu-
lation. From his appearance he might be judged to
be about 40 years old. As soon as they were ooatod
in the room the Governor-General asked the Mini-
ster what had brought him to the north. He re-
plied that he was on his way to Pekin, there to ex-
change the ratifications of the tre*y. The Gover-
nor-General asked if he had heard of the battle
which had recently taken place with the English.
The Minister replied, Yes. The Governor-Gene-
ral then asked if the English had not acted very
hastily and improperly. The Minister replied
These difficulties must be settled by themselves.
He was pursuing the course marked out by the
American treaty, that he hoped and believed the
Chinese Government would abide by the stipula-
tions of the treaty, and furnish him with the means
of going to Pekin. The Governor-General replied
that the treaty was to be exchanged at Pekin, but
that the Minister could not go until the arrival of
the Commissioners from Shanghai who had been
appointed by his Majesty to conduct him there.
Our Minister said that it was a matter to him per-
sonally of no importance where he remained, but it
was not respectful to the nation he represented to
keep him more than a month off the coast awaiting
the arrival of the commissioners, and that he should
so report it to his Government. The Governor-Ge-
neral asked at what point he would prefer remain-
ing until the arrival of the commissioners. Our Mi-
nister replied, In Pekin, or on beard his own fri-
gate.' The Governor-General thei? proposed that if
neither of the commissioners arrived within ten days
of that time our. Minister should' then proceed to
Pekin, and there await the arrival of the commis-
sioners from Shanghai. T. this our Minister as-
sented, and subsequently all preparations - were
made for Mr. Ward and his party by the Governor
General. The hall soon became so crowded with
ofi
sight, and s ranks,
tohear,
even if they could
all desirous to see
not understand, all of them standing through
the whole session, that they obstructed the circu-
lation of the air, and made the heat oppressive.
tlieansdtraarinngse s
It was estimated that about 50 of these officials
were present in this contracted room. It seems to
be a privilege among the Chinese to attend upon
such occasions, showing there is a democratic ele-
ment even under this despotic Government; and it
is said to be extensively diffused, and sometimes
quite rigorous, the people of a neighbourhood or
district.even posting printed notices and calls for
cropmeaegtialnsgsi' to • get up petitions and remon-
strances the wrongs they may be suffering
from the Mandarins. Reference was made in the
conversation to the recent action at the mouth of the
Peiho, when it was remarked by the Governor-
General that the hasty and rash conduct of the
English had produced all the mischief, attempting
to show that the Chinese officials had been highly
forbearing and entirely unexceptionable. It was
evident that his Excellency and others were quite
uneasy in contemplation of the past and the future,
and were even alarmed by their victory. This was
especially evident when the Governor inquired about
the English fleet, and was told that both the French
and English Ministers lead left the Gulf of Pet-
cheelee and gone down to Shanghai. Obviously
they desired to conciliate the good opinion of Mr.
Ward and the Commodore, and secure their inter-
position and kind offices, though they did not avow
this. Some notice of the Chinese military, as they
appeared on this occasion, may not be out of place.
The troops through which the cavalcade passed
seemed to be.of two kinds. Those on the right of
their line, which rested on the hall of conference,
were dressed in a uniform which, from its uni-
formity in wear and tear, seemed to have but recently
come into use, consisting of a short blue cotton
blouse, with lappels and cuffs of Ted, while a sort
of medallion in Chinese characters was worked in
white on the breast. Most of thin were armed
with spears, the staff unpainted, land apparently
new. The heads were of iron, and quite rusty.
The men were far from uniform in size, with smooth
faces, indicative of occupation within doors rather
than out, and having the appearance of a militia
hastily collected from the neighbouring villages
and towns. The rest, comprising two-thirds of the
whole force, not eveeding 500 in number,
were uncommonly stout, sunburpt, and hardy-
looking fellows. They were stern and steady in de-
meanour, having the air of regular troops, though
without pretensions to European drill. Four-fifths
were armed with matchlock muskets and swords,
and the remainder with bows. The archers seemed
to have been selected for stature and strength.
They were not in uniform, except that nearly all
wore black leather boots, reaching up to the
lower part of the calf of the leg. They also wore
caps with broad black brims, which were turned up
all round, so as to rise above and conceal the top of
the cap, a circumstance which led some of the
English soldiers, who got close up to the forts when
the attempt was made to storm them, to think that
they wore their black hair plaited, and standing
straight up from their heads. Perhaps these troops
were Mongol Tartars. The conference, which lasted
about two hours, ended with:the:usual ceremony of