The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-11-13 00:00:00

ty's ship Volage, Captain Warren, and her Majesty's ship
Hyacinth.
Arrived.-9th instant, her Majesty's ship Alligator, 28,
Kuper, captain ; 16th, Hon. Company's armed steamer
Madagascar, Captain Dicey ; 21st, her Britannic Majesty's
ships Wellesley, 74 guns, Capt. T. Maitland, bearing the
broad pennant of Commodore Sir J. J. Gordon Bremer;
Cruiser, 16, Mr. H. W. Giffard commander; Algerine, 10,
Mr. T. S. Mason commander •, and Rattlesnake troop-ship,
Mr. Brodie commander; Hon. East India Company's
steamers, Queen, Captain Warden ; Atalanta, Capt. Rogers,
and with the transperts, Blundell, Trail; David Malcolm,
Malcolm ; Defiance, Evatt ; Eagle ; Edmonstone, Macdou-
gal ; Ernaad, Hill; Indian Oak, Rayne ; Isabella Robert-
son, Cole ; John Adams. Eales ; Medusa, Purdie ; Mermaid,
Sedgwick ; Rahoinany, Landers; Rustoinjee Cowasjee, Gal-
lie ; Stalkart, Dixon ; Sulimany, Macfarlane ; Victoria,
Potter; 'William Wilson, Hawkins, from Singapore, 22;
her Majesty's ship Conway, 28th, C. D. Bethune, captain ;
Larne, 20, Captain J. P. Blake, with transports ; Elizabeth
Ainslie, Lyster ; Futtach Salem, Gillet; Mahomed Schah,
Ovenstone, from Singapore, 11th instant.
The above list of arrivals in the Chinese waters has refer-
ence e the most important event that has ever been our
fortitite to record in the pages of the Canton Register—the
presence of an armed British force in the Chinese empire,
to enforce reparation for injuries done to British subjects,
and the restitution of spoliated British property.
The first arrival of this armament was her Majesty's ship
Alligator, on the 28th, Captain Kuper, between 2 and 3
o'clock, a. in., on the 9th instant, in the Capsingmoon, at the
very moment that the Chinese officers bad sent in about 18
fire-rafts, constructed of old outside fishing-boats and some
cargo boats, chained together two and two, and filled with
combustible matter of all descriptions, to burn the British
shipping.
The fleet did not suffer any damage from these rafts, set
adrift before the wind and tide, and they were speedily
towed on shore by the boats of the squadron.
Thus at the very instant of his arrival, Captain Kuper
found his countrymen and the Chinese engaged in hostilities.
We may here repeat, that previous to this third attempt
to burn the Englishtfleet, the Chinese government had sent a
boat-load of poisoned tea, packed in small parcels, to be sold
to the sailors this nefarious attempt, it is reported, was
thus discovered. The boat was captured by pirates, who sold
her cargo to their fellow-countrymen. Many deaths followed
the use of the poisoned tea, so many, indeed, that it is said
the attention of the district magistrates was drawn to the
circumstances.

The Allegator brought the overland mail of the 4th of
March, and was followed by the Hon. East India Company's
armed steamer Madagascar, Captain Dicey, which vessels
arrived on the 16th inst. On the 15th and 20th her Ma-
jesty's ship Alligator and the Hon. East India Company's
steamer Madagascar respectively anchored in the roads, and
saluted the city of Macao with 19 guns, which on both occa-
sions was immediately returned by the Franciscan Fort.
Her Majesty's ship of the line, Wellesley, bearing the
broad pennant of Commodore Sir James John Gordon
Bremer, Knight, C. 8., K.C.H., Commander-in-Chief on
the India station, arrived last Sunday, the 12th inst., with
her Majesty's ships Cruiser, Algerine, Rattlesnake (troop-
ship), the East India Company's armed steamers the Queen
and Atalanta, and 18 sail of transports in company, having
on board her Majesty's 49th, 26th (Cameronians), 18th
(Royal Irish), the Sepoy volunteers from Calcutta, and a de-
tachment of sappers and miners from Madras. We are happy
to report that the troops have arrived in the highest condition
of health and spirits, under the command of Col. Burrell.
On Monday evening two of the squadron, with some of
the transports, proceeded to the northward; and this morn-
ing her Britannic Majesty's ship Wellesley, with the rest of
the squadron, except those hereafter mentioned, stood to the
southward to join the transports said to be outside, after
which junction the whole squadron and transports will pro-
ceed to the northward.
Her Majesty's ships Druid, Volage, Hyacinth, Larne, and
the Hon. Company's armed steamer Madagascar, remain to
enforce the blockade of the river and port of Canton by all
its entrances, which blockade is to be established under the
strictest form on Sunday next, the 28th instant.
Two transports, with troops, are also left under the com-
mand of the senor officer, probably with a view of protect-
ing this settlement, or to ulterior operations in this province
on the arrival of Adml. Elliott.—Canton Register, June 25.

The point of destination to the northward we know not ;
we have not authority on which we can raise even a surmise;
the movement may have been made merely for the purpose
of gaining a higher latitude, and placing the fleet beyond the
range of typhoons ; but we fervently hope the object of the
expedition is to take possession of Tinghae district,ln the
province of Chekeang—in other words, of the island of Chu-
san ; and, with the overpowering force that has already sail-
ed, we think this object could be attained without spilling a
drop of blood. This island bears nearly the same relation
to the province of Chekeang, as the Isle of Wight does to
Hampshire. In possession of this fair, fertile, and populous
spot as head-quarters, and the military possession of this
district would be a severe blow to the Imperial Government,
for part of the celestial territory would then be in the hands
of strangers ; thence a mission might be sent to the Pei-ho,
or north river, which is navigable for large boats up to the
city of Tungchowfoo, 12 miles east by south from Pekin.
We have little doubt that should a mission be sent, as a po-
litic and friendly preliminary proceeding becoming a civilised
nation and the high standing of England, it will fail. No
answer will be given, much less positive and satisfactory
answers. It will be ordered away, her Majesty's ships will
be ordered to leave the Chinese waters, and the British
troops to evacuate Tinghde •, then the imperial dragon may
deign to give an answer—but not till then. In the then
emergency it rests with the Commanders-in-chief to adopt
such measures as to compass the objects of the expedition—
which are to obtain reparation for the insults and injuries
offered to her Majesty's superintendent and her Majesty's
subjects by the Chinese Government; and, in the second
place, they were to obtain for the merchants trading with
China an indemnification for the loss of their property, in-
curred by threats of violence offered by persons under the
direction of the Chinese Government ; and, in the last place,
they were to obtain a certain security that persons and pro-
perty in future trading with China shall be protected from
insult or injury, and that their trade and commerce be main-
tained upon a proper footing.