The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-23 00:00:00

CHINA.

The following is the letter of our correspondent at
Hong-Kong, dated the 24th of July :
" The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Braganza arrived here on the 10th instant, bringing
advises from England to the 24th of May.
" His Excellency the Governor returned from
Shanghae on the 18th instant, in the Peninsular and
Oriental Company's steamer Lady Mary Wood.
" Her Majesty's screw-propeller sloop Reynard,
Captain Cracroft, arrived here from the mouth of the
Peiho river on the 17th. She was the bearer of the letter
to the Emperor, previously alluded
from the Queen, or, as some suppose, Lord Palmerston,
draught of water prevented her entering the river.
The letter was delivered to Mandarins, who came
to. The Reynard's
down from Teen-Sing, a town about nine miles from
the mouth of the Peiho (100 from Pekin), and who
gave a receipt for the letter, not couched, however, in
the most courteous language.
"As might have been expected, the reception of
Captain Cracroft, and those composing the mission,
was anything but friendly. They were told, we un-
derstand, that all communications must be made, as
formerly, through the Viceroy at Canton, to whom an
answer would be sent, and to whom therefore they
were referred. We had previously occasion to men-
tion that the letter in question is supposed to relate to
a proposal of increasing our intercourse with the
Chinese nation; but an unusual naptery is main-
tained here on this occasion, and consequently a good
deal is left to conjecture.
" We have always considered that the Governor's
mission to the north and that of the Reynard to the
Peiho river were rather calculated to do harm than
lead to any advantage, and it only cifords another
proof how ill-informed our Government at home is
with respect to our position here, and as to the esti-
mation we are held in by the Chinese, to augur good,
from such an expedition.

" Sickness among the European troops has been on
as many as 160 men have been in the
hospital
1 atone time, and about 35 have died of fever.
t,ts increase,happens
when there is no unusual sickness either
among the community or the Government police
force. In 1848 the 95th li,girnent, from illness and
the number in hospital, were declared unfit for duty,
and about 100 were carried off in a short space of
time. Some attribute the cause of this to the un-

healthy position of the barracks, occasioned chiefly by
the nature of the ground in the rear. It is more
likely, however, to proceed from the crowded state of
the rooms occupied by the men, and at night in par-
ticular, their beds being only six inches apart—as
close, we undestand, as they are in an European and
cold climate.
" Good ventilation and as much air as possible is
considered a desideratum and necessary by all in an
eastern climate, but the soldiers have been deprived
soefqtuheins necessaryceano
bn
ooxfi
oliufes
and poisonous atmosphere is ; air is excluded, and in con-
sequence
generated.
judge " In the hospital the same evils exist, and we have
heard those qualifiedp
n the atmosphere that exists in these places would
soon be affected and carried off
e s exposed t o express an opinion
for a short time to
that
as the unfortunate

troops are. •
" The orders from the Horse Guards for the go.
vernment and management of the men seem to be is-
sued without reference to climate and other circum-
stances, and those in authority on the spot are always
reluctant to take responsibility upon themselves. The
death of every soldier costs the country from 1201. to
1501.. it is to be hoped, therefore, the Government,
and diose mho are in the habit of urging upon them
economy, will turn their attention to these serious
losses; and on the score of humanity it is to be
hoped that measures will be taken to arrest, if pos-
sible, this distressing mortality, and relieve the British
soldier from being considered, as he is here, an object
of compassion.
" The Governor of Macao, Commodore da Cunha,
whose arrival we mentioned in our last, died on the
6th of July. He had been for some time in bad health.
His death is most unfortunate for the settlement of
Macao, matters with the Chinese Government not
being yet arranged.
" We mentioned in our last that the duty of two mace
had been laid on tea by the Chinese authorities at Can-
ton. By the printed regulations annexed it is stated
tbat the object of the duty is to raise funds to liqui-
date the old Hong debts. The matter was referred
by Dr. Bowring, the British Consul, to the Chamber
of Commerce, and a letter has been addressed by the
Chamber to his Excellency the Governor, stating that
in their opinion the measure on the part of the
Chinese authorities was a direct infraction of the
treaty, and pointing out the injurious consequences
to British trade if it were allowed to continue.

"No settlanent, in new congous have yet taken