The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-01 00:00:00

CHINA.

We have China pipers to the 30th July, from which
we make the following extracts. The prices of opium
on the 29th July were—

Patna.....
Renares .
Malwa

780
750
720 to 760.

From Canton we learn that up to the 28th no further
disturbances had taken place, though confidence is by no
means restored, and business continues to be interrupted.
The Chinese guard at the factories have been conside-
rably increased, but their cowardice is too well known to
allow them to be trusted to, as they would either desert
their posts, or mingle with the crowd in case of an
attack. The Chinese authorities have paid 500 taels to
the widow and family of the person who was shot. Mr.
Forbes, the American Consul, has been applied to to
deliver up the person who shot him, and to order the St.
Louis to leave Whampoa, neither of which is he likely to
comply with. This application is reported by some to
have been made by Keying, but as he would more natu-
rally address Mr. Cushing, it probably proceeded from
the local magistrates.
Her Majesty's ship Wolverine has returned toWham-
poa, with directions, it is said, to proceed to Canton and
lie off the factories, should that be considered necessary.
This is as it should be, and though such a measure
would probably be remonstrated against by the Chinese,
it is proper they should be made to understand that
England will not allow herself to be obstructed by the
bare letter of the treaty from defending the lives and
properties of her subjects when these are endangered in
the territories of an ally hither too weak or too faithless
to protect them. Indeed, we consider our Government
ought to assume higher ground, and plainly intimate to
the Imperial Commissioner, that a riot occurring by
which any of our countrymen shall suffer in person or
property, and which they, the Chinese, well knowing it
was threatened for weeks, yet took no adequate mea-
sures to prevent, will be considered a breach of the peace
existing between the two nations, and lead inevitably
to a renewal of hostilities. We are satisfied such a
declaration would be productive of the best effects,
and it is what the occasion sufficiently justifies. For
them to remain passive under such circumstances is
equivalent to giving their approbation, and is the same
as if any European Power should allow a plot against a
neighbouring State to be prepared within their territo-
ries without interfering to prevent it—a case which no-
thing but the weakness of the party assailed would pre-
vent from leading to a declaration of war between them.
—Hong-Kong Register, July 2.
The British residents at Canton have, through our
Consul, F. C. Macgregor, Esq., forwarded a letter of
thanks to Captain Tilton, of the United States ship St.
Louis, for the protection afforded them, and the conse-
quent " feeling of security," when they " had but slender
means of self defence against the outrages of a violent
mob."—lbid.

A memorial to the throne states that all the forts at
Canton are now ready. Cannon of immense dimension,
though of comparatively small calibre, is constantly put
into them, as soon as the pieces are cast and ready for
use ; and within less than a year the numerous de-
fences erected to guard the approach to the provincial
city will bri3tle with these engines of destruction.—
Hong-Kong Register, July 30.
Kekung, the late Governor-General, who asked leave
of absence to retire for a time from his arduous duties, is
no more. lie died on the 13th of :July of old age. From
Lord Napier's time until Keshen's disgrace, he was
Lieutenant-Governor, and with great skill kept himself
out of all 3,:rapes, a small fine or a reprimand from the
Court being the only punishment inflicted upon him.
Fuhshan gun foundry is still in full operation
and furnishes a sufficient quantity of metal to all the
fortifications and fortresses that have latterly been
erected. The pieces now placed at the embrasures are
at least double the number of what they were before.—
Ibid.