The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-23 00:00:00

OVERLAND MAIL

MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS.

FROM THE MORNING PIPERS OF THIS DAY.
CITY, THURSDAY EVENING.
TIMES.—The premium on gold at Paris is 10 per
mille, which, at the English Mint price of 3/. 17s.
10+d. per ounce for standard gold, gives an, exchange
of 25 401, and the exchange at Paris on London at
short being 25 57i, it follows that gold is 0.68 per
cent. dearer in London than in Paris.
By advices from Hamburgh, the price of gold is
430+ per mark, which, at the English Mint price of
3/. 17s. 100. per ounce for standard gold, gives an
exchange of 13 74, and the exchange at Hamburgh
on London at short being 13 10, it follows that gold
is 1.03 per cent. dearer in London than in Hamburgh.
The course of exchange at New York on London
is 106- per cent., and the par of exchange between
England and America being 109 23-40 per cent., it
follows that the exchange is 3.32 per cent. against
England ; but the quoted exchange at New York
being for bills at 60 days' sight, the interest must
be deducted from the above difference. .

CHINA AND INDIA.

CHINA.

The intelligence, both from China and Affghan-
istan, has, as might naturally be expected, produced
the highest satisfaction among the merchants and
others who have any interest whatever in the com-
mercial and political aspect of affairs in the East.
The doubts expressed yesterday at the coffee-houses
and other places of City resort are now entirely re-
moved. Indeed, in the first instance, however scep-
tical they might feel as to the news being genuine,
it was rather because they thought the China treaty
" too good to be true," than that they had any sub-
stantial reason for disbelief. The terms of the treaty
were so explicitly stated yesterday, were so circum-
stantial, and bore such an appearance of truth, that
they even counteracted the strong disposition to
doubt. All this sort of doubt, which scarcely pre-
vailed among the, better informed, is now at an end.
The conclusion of a peace with China, from more
considerations than one, must have a beneficial effect
upon the trade with this country. lii the first place,
the ruinous speculation in the leaf, the great export
of the Celestial Empire, the chief consumption of
which is ialethis country, will now cease. This spe-
culation haFbeen entirely sustained by the interrup-
tion to the trade occasioned by the war, which having
terminated, business will return to the state in which
it was prior to the commencement of hostilities, un-
less indeed the favourable terms of the treaty lead to
an increase in our supplies hitherto unprecedented.
This will be a vast benefit in a commercial point
view, for besides the unsettling of the trade in the ar-
ticle, which has ended in the absolute ruin of many
speculators, including several persons of the highest
respectability, the disturbed condition of the market
caused the consumer to pay a much higher price
than was customary. These evils will now be ob-
viated by the satisfactory termination of the war,
and there will probably be the further advantage to
the public of obtaining tea at a lower price than has
hitherto been paid. In the second place, the trade
in our domestic manufactures will be greatl ex-
tended by the opening of the new ports in China,
and the free intercourse established between two
countries, the prejudices of one of which have here-
' tofore prevented commerce from being carried on with
anything like reciprocal advantages. In fact, this
treaty is regarded as the precursor of a field of en- '
terrrise opened in Asia, which, up to the present, has
not only been untried, but even uncontemplated. It
was scarcely hoped, desirable as it might appear, that
any concession of territory would be granted, even in
the event of a peace with the Celestial Empire,
although it was thought that we might obtain coin-
pensation for the expenses of the war, and the value
of the opium, the destruction of which at first occa-
sioned the interrupon of tranquillity. The Emperor,
it appears, was very unwilling to allow the British
to be too near the "Bohea country," at the port of
Foo-choo-foo, which is a strong instance of his de-
termination to adhere to the old exclusive Chinese
policy, and to prevent the opening of a trade with
the interior. From the open expression of his caution
in this respect, the value of a trade with this spot
may be gathered.
Among the capitalists who have long had large
amounts of money lying dormant in their coffers,
the abundance being too great to allow of profitable
employment, the news has been received with the
highest interest and gratification. The absence of
commercial activity, protracted in a great measure
by the position of affairs in the East, has caused the
plethora in the money-market, which has been so
often a subject of complaint, and which the opening
of new channels of such high importance will in a
measure obviate. The Treasury, having its expenses
reimbursed by the successive payments of the
s2l,ooo,ooo—should no juggle be attempted by the
Chinese authorities—will be relieved to a certain
extent of the temporary embarrassments with
which it has had of late to struggle. A" juggle " to
evade payment of the sum specified in the terms of
peace i 3 the only contingency that is dreaded, since
no doubt is for a moment entertained of the resources
of the Celestial Empire for the payment of a sum so
insignificant compared with the supposed receipts of
the Imperial Treasury. The current joke in the City
on the subject of this payment is, that it decreases the
probability of the Income-tax lasting beyond the pe-,
riod first assigned for it by the Premier. On the
whole, the intelligence viewed by persons of all:classes,
connected directly or indirectly with mercantile af-
fairs, has created a complete exhilaration in the me-
tropolis. The public, who were prepared for a series
of harassing disasters both in Affghanistan and on the
Chinese coast, and were therefore apprehensive of a
continued stagnation of trade, now suddenly look for-
ward to anew state of things, which they hope will
repay the commercial world for the losses sustained
during the last few years.
POST.—A statement of the prospects of the Great
Western Railway Company, for the half-year ending
December 31st next, has been drawn up, in anticipa-
tion of the actual Report to be submitted to the share-
holders for that period, which appears to be highly
favourable; and although the items of income and
expenditure have, for the unexpired term, yet to be
completed, the account is probably not far from the
truth. The receipts to July 31st were 71,400/. ; to
August 28th, 59,270/. ; to September 25th, 57,251/. ;
to October 30th, 69,4011. For November to the
27th, they are estimated at 46,000/. ; and for Decem-
ber dawn to the 31st at 60,0001. These sums, in-
cluding a surplus of 2,605/., carried over from the
June account, make a total of 365,9271. The ex-
pense of working the line and its branches is taken at
125,0001., being about 3,000/. less than was paid last
half-year; the rent of the Cheltenham line at 8,5001.,
rent and toll of the Exeter line at 24,0001., the interest
on capital borrowed, being 3,472,4091., at five per
cent per annum, at 86,8101, but from which is re-
bated, for interest on money in hand, 6,810/. ; the
dividend on shares, namely, 3,015,0134 at eight per
cent. per annum, at 120,6001. The total of expendi-
ture is therefore assumed to be 358,1001., which leaves
a balance to be carried to the next account of 7,8271.
There has been an attempt to decry this admirable
undertaking, no doubt from a mercenary object, but
the present exhibition of receipts and the improving
prospects .of the Company, its superior accommoda-
tions, ease, speed, and solidity, form, it is justly re-
marked, a sufficient reply to the parties who have
assailed it.
SUN.—The English investments had a very firm ap-
pearance_up to the_elose, and there is still an opinion
that the highly favourable news will materially
strengthen the market. For January, Consols touched
95* to I. Fer Money the price closed at 944 f. The
unfunded debt was 565. to 58s. premium, and India
Bonds improved to 545. premium. East India Stock
rose to 264 and 265, and Bank Stock to 1701 and 171.
New Three-and-a-Half per Cents. touched 1011 and
102, and the Reduced Three per Cent. Annuities 93i
to 94*. The purchase in the latter on account of the
Savings' Banks was to the amount of 6,000/. at 94.
We noticed in the morning a decline in Mexican
Stock, and which arises it appears from the state.
ment in circulation to the effect, that there are more
bonds issued than the terms of the conversion would
justify. The agents no doubt will be able to clear up
the matter, which is founded upon some mistake, the
original loan being for an amount , which it is very
easy to ascertain. Mexican Bonds closed at 324.
Spanish were heavy, and the Actives receded to 171,
while the Three per Cents. got down as low as 21g.
There was an improvement in Colombian to 21i.
Dutch Five per Cents. of the New Loan were 991 to 4.
Very little can be said of the Railway Shares, and
the bargains of the afternoon were at the following
rates :--Edinburgh and Glasgow were 14, Brighton
15, and Eastern Counties 141 discount ; Great
Western were 20, the Fifths 4, the Birmingham
Thirds 30k, the Newcastle and Darlington Junction
and Paris and Rouen 3* premium.
The China news seemed even to affect the Ex-
changes, and probablythe infliienAcemoefrictahewarsecaelsont
heavy arrival of specie from South
11; Amsterdam,
,
felt.H
a m b Theurgb r, a tle3s
10a 90
to days sllw
:02 61
5;
IPAlri,s,‘:n2ms,fe.rpB,oc.l2to4i2stfo .Ic2.
4•
il4';ritannkdf'Trieste
9 574- to 58.
The following are the official returns of the exports
of bullion from the port of London for the -week end-
ing Thursday last :—Silver Bars to llamburgh,
3,600 ounces.

The following letters give some interesting details
of the capture of Tchang-Keang and Nanking :
" July 30, 1842.

" The storming and capture of Tchang-Keang on
the 21st instant, has been one of the most important,
as it has been the most sanguinary engagement we
have yet had in China. The city is situated on the
western bank of the river Yang-tze-keang, near its
intersection by the Grand Canal, about 40 miles below
Nanking. The fleet arrived off the town on the 20th,
and the troops were landed next morning.
" It has been almost entirely a military affair. The
troops were divided into three brigades, which attacked
the town at different points. As little or no resistance
was anticipated, the services of the naval force were
considered unnecessary, with the exception of one
shelling steamer, and it was the envied post of the
Auckland to co-operate with the Royal Artillery in
effecting a breach in that part of the wall which over-
looks and commands the river, for the entrance of the
centre brigade.
" The wall which surrounds the town is built of
brick, about 25 or 30 feet high ; it is very abundantly
supplied with bastions, embrasures, port-holes, &c.,
and was fortified with 12 and 6 pr. pieces, and jingals.
That part of it which is nearest the river (about a
quarter of a mile from it) extends over a rising
ground of considerable elevation and steepness, and
has a strong and fort-like appearance. On this point
the Auckland and rocket corps of the Royal Artillery,
which was stationed on a bill close adjoining, opened
their fire at ten o'clock, and it is merely necessary to
state that the appearance of the wall afterwards gave
ample evidence of the manner in which they performed
their task. Time, however, was not allowed them to
make a breach in the wall ; their fire had been main-
tained and returned with spirit for about half an hour,
when the advance of the sappers and miners with
three ladders, followed by her Majesty's 55th Madras
rifle brigade, and 2d and 6th Regiments of Madras
Native Infantry, (which composed the whole of the
centre brigade) was the signal for them to cease firing.
The ladders were planted with magical rapidity, and
the grenadier company of the 55th (who were, pro-
perly speaking, the forlorn hope) commenced their
dangerous ascent under cover of a close fire from the
Rifles, who were stretched on their fronts on the face
of the hill, picking off every man who showed himself
at the embrasures; from which, however, the enemy
kept up a very deadly fire for some minutes, and a
good many.of our men fell dead and wounded. The
first man who reached the top of the wall was Lieut.
Cuddy, of the grenadier company of the 55th ; he be-
haved with matchless gallantry—slowly, but firmly,
he climbed the ladder. On reaching the top he waved
his sword, and then deliberately seated himself on the
wall and assisted his men over. At this moment the
anxiety and interest which w is felt by every one for his
safety, who witnessed his daring conduct was intense. I
could scarcely breathe ! It was more than miracu-
lous that he was not shot dead or hurled from the
wall. It was like a man jumping into his own coffin !
He was severely wounded in the foot by jingal ball
while on the wall, which disabled him for the rest of
the day. In about a quarter of an hour the ensign of
England and the colours of the 55th were shown
from the wall, which was responded to by three hearty
cheers from the fleet—but though the colours were
shown, the place was by no means taken ; on the
contrary, they had the greatest difficulty in driving
the enemy from the walls; the Tartars fought with
great bravery, made repeated charges on our men
with theii long spears, and disputed every inch of
ground. The British bayonet, however, at length
prevailed. They returned. to the town and took
shelter in the houses, from which they kept up a
most deadly and harassing fire; our troops were fired
at from all quarters, without being able to see from
whence it came, and it was not until they made a
general charge and closed in upon the houses, that
they were able to return the fire with any effect. This
destructive firing was protracted for five or six hours,
or indeed I may say for the rest of the day, till dark-
heie,exteheepytiwogerseheahllooswehdoretoarpmasssorougtaysseitohthouert
ness favoured their escape from the walls or gates,
hfrionnidran'
evidence of their being soldiers.
" As I did not witness, I will say nothing about the
great, though
/ei / occurrednotho
g
movements and achievements of the other brigades.
during`‘ th
A great many
amy.an3T,.
The heat c Ise sof
'coup-d
to what it is in some parts of India. Colonel Driver,
of the 6th Madras Native Infantry, and Major Uniacke,
of the Royal Marines, died from this cause, but the
98th suffered most, having lost about twenty men ;
this was probably owing to their having been on board
ship on salt provisions for 'seven months, And to their
being fresh from England. They had, however, been
very healthy in the Belleisle, although not fewer than
1,278 souls, including her crew, came out in her.
" I walked through a part of the town next day
with an escort. It was almost entirely deserted, at
least no further resistance was offered by its now ter-
ror-stricken inhabitants. I need not say that the
most disgusting sights met the eye at every step. The
dead and wounded of the enemy (although most of
them had been carried away) were lying about in all
directions, no attention whatever being paid to the
latter. Already had the houses and shops been broken
open, and the most valuable property (as teas, bales
of silk, furs, &c.) was scattered about like rubbish.
All the houses which were supposed to have any con-
nection with Government, or Government officers,
were either burned or being burned. As at other
places we have taken from the Chinese, suicides were
committed to a fearful extent—men, women, and chil-
dren were found strangled, or taken out of the wells
by dozens. But why dwell on scenes so repulsive !
scenes at which humanity should blush; but which are
the too frequent and unavoidable concomitants of war!
" One Mandann, besides a good many persons of
lower rank, are .on board the flag-ship.
" The natives are very kind to us, and have been
so all along. They occasionally bring us presents of
vegetables, &c. Their vegetables are very fine. They
have excellent brinjals, French beans, celery, cucum-
bers, &c.; for these they will not take payment, un-
less it be a slip of paper, with British Protection'
written upon it, which they are all very glad to get.
" The Yang-tze-Keang is a most noble river ; at
its lower part the navigation is rather difficult (at least
we found it so, having no previous knowledge of its
channel) on account of sand-banks—but for 40 miles
below this it is very deep, and here, off Tchang-Keang
were it is about 1i miles broad, it is only at certain
parts that anchorage can be found for the ships. The
current, at the springs, is rapid,—more than a six.
oared gig can pull against.
" The weather is now about the hottest—the
thermometer averaging, in the shade, from 84 to 90
deg. Fahrenheit, and I have only once seen it above 90.
" The country on the western bank of the river is
in some parts picturesque and beautiful, that on the
eastern bank is a dead flat, and, as it is marshy, I fear
we will have a good deal of fever. Should we winter
at Nanking, as is expected, we are in hopes of being
able to establish a bazaar, and to have an abundant
supply of fresh provisions. They have very fine
poultry."

" Chin-Ketmg-foo, 35 miles from Nankin,
18th August.

" My dear -,---We did the business entirely at
this place, as an Irishman would say, and put it out of
the heads of the Chinese that our guns were the only
formidable thing amongst the barbarians; they
now confess- it is our men and not our
guns. The powerful nation (as they now
call us) escaladed this fort in splendid stile, and soon
were masters of the place, although the .tartar troops
fought splendidly and stood to the last. A Chinese
mandarin, writing to Nanking, says, these barba-
rians are very fierce, and there is no standing against
them; they open our strongest gates with a little
powder, and walk over our highest walls with pieces
of stick.' I never saw such loss of life and property
as took place here ; we lost officers and men enough,
but it is impossible even to compute the loss of the Chi-
nese, for when they found they could stand no longer
against us, they cut the throats of their wives and
children, or drove them into wells and ponds, and
then destroyed themselves ; in many houses there were
from eight to twelve dead bodies, and I myself have
seen a dozen women and children drowning them-
selves in a small 'pond the day after the fight. The
whole of the city and suburbs are a mass of ruins,
whole streets have been burnt down, and the place has
been completely gutted by Chinese plunderers. We
occupy a joss house on a hill on the barks of Yang-
Tze-Keang river, together with a company of her
Majesty's 98th ; the 55th and 6th Madras Native In-
fantry occupy a similar hill on the opposite side of
the city, about three miles from this ; the rest of the
troops are up at Nanking."

OFFICIAL DISPATCHES.
The following are the dispatches transmitte d to the
Governor-General of India, by Admiral Parker, de-
Therescribing the operations of the British fleet in' the --- -
ang-tze-Keang river up to the 26th of June :
is reason to believe that her Majesty's inter- •'
tion of visiting Brighton this season is now .a
SECRET DEPARTMENT.
dotted, and that about the middle or latter end of next
BOMBAY CASTLE OCT 8
The Honourable the Governor in Council is pled
week the Court will return frOm Walmer to Wind-
to re-publish for general information the following ge e
sor. Her Majesty has been induced to come to this
ral order issued at Simla, on the 23d ult., by the Right
determination from a report that scarlet fever is still
prevalent at Brighton. I Hon. the Governor-General of India, directing the pub-
CARMARTHEN CATTLE FAIII.—At our fair last lication of a dispatch from Vice-Admiral Sir W. Parker,
Monday few sales were effected, and those few were K.C.8., Naval Commander-in• Chief on the coast of
at greatly reduced prices. This fair has always China, enclosing copies of his Excellency's reports to
hitherto been a very large one ; but this year it was a the Admiralty of the successful operations of the corn.:
very poor one indeed, and but the shadow of its former bined forces in China, in the capture of Woosung,
Paonshatt, and Shanghae.
stir and fullness. The falling off was no less remark-
B order of the Hon. the Governor in Council
able than lamentable. Cattle could find no purchasers J,
.P. WILLOUGHJIY, Secretary to Government.
at any price.— Weishma