The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-22

We received few days since number of the
Overland China Mail of the 29th Of September last,
printed at Hong Kong. 1t is much occupied with
the subject OF piracy, and the measures taken to
suppress it, American affairs appear to attract no
inconsiderabe attention. supplement to the pa
per contains AN interesting paragraph relative to
the postal convention with the United States, and
lengthy meteorological observations made on board
the United States ship Plymouth, during the ty-
phoon of the 18th September
Lieut.. Page and Mr.. Fox, of the United States
ship Plymouth, had gone TO Hong Kong, TO give
evidence in curious case, wherein Commodore
Gesinger, who commands the American fleet, had
given his aid to the British against the Hainan pi-
rates, of whom eight heavily armed junks had
rived at Cumsingmoon, under suspicious circum-
stances. The British commander, who went to
investigate the matter, sent back for aid and there
being no British vessels in the harbor of Hong
Kong, application made to Commodore Gel
singer at Macao.
''lmmedately receiving the intelligence, the
commodore despatched the Dolphin to Cumsing-
moon, under command of Lieutenant Page, of the
Plymouth, with orders, if satisfied of the piratica
character of the junks to capture destroy them.
"1he Dolphin reached the anchorage at 10 a.
of the 2lst, and Mr.. Page, failing to obtain satsfac
tory Information in the quarter he first applied to-
boarded the junks, in order to Judge for himself
He inspected seven in all, and took in charge two,
in which cotton was found; but he did not conceive
his instructions authorized him to detain the other
five, or to search the foreign vessels. The armed
unks, which first excited suspicious as the char
acter Of the whole, had departed ON the 18th, two
days before the Dolphin arrived.
"On the return OF the Dolphin with her prizes
Commodore Geisinger wrote to Captain TrouLridge
offering, the cotton manifestly the property
OF British subjects, to place the junks at his dis
posal; and accordingly the Columbine, the only
vessel left in Hong Kong harbor, sent on the
tl,n, Il
day, when she sailed for Hong Kong, and arrived
the 9th The quantity of cotton on board the
junks was about forty bales, besides sugar and
other articles, which did not appear to have been
honestly come by. What may be of more import
ance, quantity Of Chinese papers was found and
handed over to Captain Hay, of the Columbine
at is pretty certain that the junks captured
and their consorts part of the pirate fleet which
has of late been formidable on the southwest
coast"
The Hong Kong Mail is filled with accounts of
depredatons by the formidable Chinese pirates,
and the attacks made upon them by the British
cruisers. The Hainan pirates spoken of above
part of the great band of pirates which infest the
coast of Hainan and the Gulf of Tongun and are
all led by able chief, who, recently, after tax
ing forty junks at Tienpak entered the town in ri
umphal procession, in great state, took possession,
and levied tribute upon the people. The Chinese
authorities unable to fight him, had endeavored to
buy him off, by offering pardon for past offences,
but without much success. They had, however,
employed him and his forces to subdue another
piratical fleet under 10, rival chief. The great
chief, Shap ing tsei, defeated Lo, took four hun
dred prisoners, and sent them to the governor Of
Macao, claiming his promised reward This lat
ter demurred at.
With regard to the murder of Amaral, the Por-
tuguese Governor of Macao, Seu, the viceroy of
had in w To ioin f-b from
the French, Spanish and American ministers, a
copy of his despatch to the British plenpotentiary
which contained allusion 10 the invasion of
Macao by Captain Keppel. Seu adduces this
instance of the arbitrary department of the late
Governor Amaral, who, he says, having thrown ii
British subject into Jail, rendered it necessary 10
send force from ship-ofwar to rescue him.
He had also executed Chinese known Shaen,
Saen, the murderer, but il was doubtful whe-
Their he really the person. The Mail says:
1.-TWO days ago information was received that
the head and hand were to be delivered at the Bar
rier Gate on the morning of the 9th at daybreak;
and at the hour named, the foreign minister's Com
modore Geisenger, Captain La Graviere, and ofi-
GERS from the French and two American men-of-
war, met the Council of Government and other Of
hcers civil and military, at the appointed place,
where they waited for nearly three hours; when,
finding there was no appearance of the approach
of the deputation from the viceroy they returned
home, and most of the assemblage dispersed. About
10 O'Clock. heusver, the council received mes
-~sa from the Mandarin OF GAIA Branca, stating
that the commissioner deputed by Seu could not
deliver the Governors head and hand until the
three soldiers taken at the Barrier and detained
witnesses were surrendered by the Portuguese,
which at present they not likely to do.
"Since the capture of the Passalhoa, and the
cupation Of the Barrier Gate by the Portuguese, no
overt act of hostility has disturbed the usual quiet
Of Macao. The Chinese have not returned 10 the
fort, and the Portuguese still hold the Barrier,
al the battery the HILL facing il, 10 completed.
The temple, houses and brushwood at the barrier
have been cleared away, leaving only the gate and
the walls across the isthmus. People continue to
take their usual evening exercise, extending their
rides as far the Passalhoa fort; and long
the Portuguese guard remains at the Barrier, this
may be done with impunty; and even after il is
Withdrawn, the Chinese may possibly not interfere
with practice to which they arc now accustomed;
especially after the erection Of the Portuguese
battery.
Great activity prevails at GAIA Branca, where
intrenchments have been thrown up and encamp-
mcnts formed; but such warlike preparations may
be only defensive, and the presence of the two
American and one French ships Of afford a
guarantee against the Chinese acting on the often
sive. The Amazon has been withdrawn by direc-
ton Of bis ercellcncy the governor Of Hong Kong,
who may possibly consider that the presence Of the
forces Of other friendly powers renders the assist
ance he so cordially rendered unnecessary; or he
may think that such arrangements will be best left
10 the Admiral, who is expected in the course Of
ten days His principal object IN returning TO China
10 sec the Governor of Macao, whose death he
must now deplore, or perhaps avengc.
"a guard Of French sailors (stout, active looking
fcows) Is stationed at the residence Of the French
envoy, and Commodore Geisinger continues 70 fur
nish detachment for the protection Of the United
States naval stores, and another at the Praia The
Macao municipal guard Is almost constantly on
duty"
The Rsy Case-Tbe spanish Consul dis
charged.
The New Orleans papers which were received
yesterday evening bring confirmation Of the tel
egrsphic report Of the grand jury ignoring the bill