The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-10-19
CORRESPONDENCE OF TIE ERA.
FROM CHINA.
CANTON, CHINA, July 10, 1854

O@'~1
r. ,u Editor of the National Era:
rn.il very recently, the Province of Kwang-
- has been undisturbed by the insurgents
" - have been aiming at the overthrow OF the
W. I.ssnt dynasty At this time, however, il is
lof the seats of war. Within few weeks.
.cro1s villages have been attacked by
S..5s Of robbers, who collected together at va
U .'.s noints Becoming more numerous and
ID I'd larger towns fell prey to them. A
O. w since. they captured Fat-shan, large
-: - twelve miles up the river from Canton.
=. Government sent large force to recover
4. r;ty. but have not succeeded yet. The near
Zach of the insurgents to this city caused
~ alarm; mul.itudes fed in every direc-
-, valuable property was sent to places of
.e,,7 foreign merchants shipped their treas
- n Macao and Hong Kong, and made pro-
s;o- fo- selfdefence, if an emergency should
-, Within day or two, a number Of vii
a., north of the city have been in state of
,5-,rqctioa. and the defeat, yesterday, of
~. sent out to dispense them, has caused an
.,.tsse Of TIE former excitement and alarm.
-. action occurred within three or four miles
f.bs sity. and three mandarins, with three or
r., hundred imperial soldiers, are said to
-, be,n killed. A larger force under the
T,r.skoT General has been able to keep the
M. q. bay, and protect the city for the pres
=. activity of the Provincial Government
:.....ed By the fact that not less than / 900
- 5syc been executed in this city within
--r.b This Wholesale murder seems but to
:..-sase the spirit of rebellion, and new evil
I.,,es Of Dissatisfaction are being developed
.r,r7 5ay. The time is manifestIy near, when
n. mart Of China will pass into the hands of
-bsr rulers. or be left in state Of anarchy
r. l. supposed by some that the capture of
,ss city will be attended only with the elaugh-
,,r + scne Of tho mandarins and Tartars, and
he, shops will soon be reopened and business
,o,,ipned: bat no one "knows what day
rlY bring forth"
i British r1an-of-war and two American
.rsners are at anchor in the river 30 that
r-jgn residents entertain but little fear for
5.:r own safety, although any disturbances
rsy be attended with loss of property.
Two days since, Capt. Rodgers, Mr.. Spooner,
,sinc American Consul and Rev. Mr.. Bon
., with twenty-five soldiers, went up to Fat
IN in small boats, to learn the condition of
;,iacs there A short distance below the city,
srebe on shore fired at one of the boats, the
l,I passing near Mr.. Spooner's face. The
:ltsrs Immediately shot down the rebel, and
.5.y were net attacked again.
The visit Of the Susquehanna to Nam
hing hss confirmed previous reports, and de-
picgti more fully the religious character of
he rebellion. One of the leaders has assumed
TIC tile Of Comforter, or Holy Spirit, using the
Characters which stand in the New Testament
lr Hs'y Ghost. The printing of the Bible was
s,ll cn:inued but the deep-seated corruptions
o,.he Chinese character were yet too manifest
il The masses of the people. The "Susquehsn-
ne - proceeded to Wu-hu, seventy miles above
Making, through splendid country, densely
yJplated, but not yet recovered from the raw
ages Of civil strife No doubt can be enter
tanned that the Yang-tz- kisng is magnificent
-ysT for steam navigation.
The rebel armies in the north seem to have
made no very great conquests during the pres
,nt summer. Preparations, however, have
been made for vigorous efforts which may be
= operation at this time.
Yours, truly, K.
P 5. Fighting continues at the north gate
dthe city. Many of the street gates are closed
and barricaded.