Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-05-28
INTERESTING FROM CHINA.


The last English Overland Mail brings tn.
Friend OF China to March TIL, which contains
variety of information relative to the progress o
the rebellion. The report of the capture of Nam
kin. which was alleged to have taken place on
the 10Th of February, was discredited, on the
ground that the Shanghae mail of the 26tl
brought no news of it. 1t was thought not i'm
probable, however, that the next mail might
bring account ofits being invested by one of the
four divisions of the insurgent army. No olficia
intelligence of the event had reached the Chinese
authorities in Canton on the 9Th.
The Pekin Gazette of the 18th month Goth
day, (30th january contains a stringent edic,
upon Seu's report of the capture and sackipg of
Wuchang the capital of Hoopih ;.Seu's previous
assertions of his ability to raise the seige his d.
latoriness in passing from Changsha to Wuchane
and general backwardness, being doalt with in
terms of severe apprehension; and, as punish
ment, His Majesty directs that he be Invested OF
his peacock's feathers and all dienities and only
hold Office as acting Governor of Honan and Hoo
pin, co operating with Keshen and Lukh kin
hing. the newly appointed Imperial Commission
ers, in their attempt to retake Wuchang. Sou,
in his memorial, ascribes the rebel success to
their ingenuity in springing mines, and to their
great ferocity. 1t is said of the slaughter that
the stencil from the unburisd was SO great, the
inhabitants of the city were forced to evacuate
their dwellings, and it was feared there would
be general pestilence.
There had been two fires in Shanghae, by the
first of which nineteen buildings were destroyed
and property to the value of $40, 900, and by the
second, which was n fortnight later, 40 houses
and their contents, valued at twice the amount OF
the previous loss. were destroyed. The second
fire was in the vicinity of the first. noswithstand
ing the owners and occupants OF the neghboring
building which escaped the confagration, went
on the following days to the temple of Postum,
the god of fire, and presented their thanks aud
offerings for their prese: walton, and expended
over $500 in employing the Tauish Priests to
perform the usual rites in that and other tenn
Piles to express their gratitude for their deye-
rance.
Some OF the sufferers were much enraged at
the god of fire, whom they had just before hos
nored with so much devotion, and say they have
no faith in him, and will worship him no more
The second fire caught from the flame of a wax
candle that was burning before the paper kitchen
god, which each family 10 the empire worships
twice every month, but particularly on that ri ght,
1t being the 23d of the 18th Chinese month, as
Immediately afterwards, they burn it with gilt
paper, and thus send it up to heaven, to renderto
the chief divinity of their pan theon, nn account
of the conduct OF the family during the past year.
During the progress of this fire, the presiding
idol of that neignborhood was consumed in his
shrine.
There was tremendous earthquake at ST.
chong, in Screchuen, and the walls Of tbs prison
were thrown down and number OF criminals es-
capped.