, 1854-12-02

not to be wondered at that the rebels in
the province now number not less than
l00, 900; and as they live entirely by cX-
actious from the peaceably disposed, the
amount they have already collected must
amount to several millions of dollars
Till within the last week or two, the cas-
tern portion Of the province was quiet; but
the taking of Cowloong and Chung Chow
by bands of marauders from lIongkong,
has been followed by the capture, men-
toned elsewhere, of Ilai-fung and Lok-fung
in Hwui-chau. -
CANToN.-From Canton We learn that
the authorities have become uneasy of late
not on account Of the TriadS without, but
the rabble within the city, who have been
showing rather an unruly disposition, con
sequent on the scarcity and high price of
food. Every precaution, however, contin-
ues to be taken, and upwards of thous-
and megj have been engaged widening and
deepening the moat outside the walls.
CLTrER CoMEr-QUIcKEsT PASSAGE on
REcoRD--The China Mail Says the Amerir
can clipper Comet, 1886 tons, Capt Gard
ner, coal laden, arrived in the harbor of
Hongkong on Saturday, the 9th of Sep
tember, from Liverpool, having made the
passage in less than 50 dayS-the fastest
yet recorded The run to the equator oc-
cuped 25 days; thence to the meridian of
the Cape, 10 days; thence to Angler 2S
days; thence to Hongkong anchorage, l3
days--making S5 days, less the difference
of longitude in time. She sailed on straight
courseS-from noon to noon-lT 800 geo.
graphical miles-making an average of
about 2l5 miles per day, or a little more.
The best days run was $50 miles, (geo-
graphically The ship has made this pas
sage without losing sail, spar or rope, and
is as tight, staunch and strong as when she
left Liverpool" ...r .t
GREAT INCREASE OF PIRATE FLEErs.-
The waters around Hongkong, Canton and
Whampoa, are swarming with pirates, who
have become audacious in their attacks.
In conjunction with the Triads, they have
captured Hai-fung and Lok-fung, the chief
cities Of the districts on the mainland, from
which the Hongkong poultry market is
supplied. The chief magistrate of Hal
flung was killed 1t will be borne in mind
that Hongkong (the British colony, is an
island, very near the mainland, situated
at the entrance of Canton River, which at
its mouth widens into broad estuary. The
China Mail contains specification of no
less than thirty trading boats and junks,
many of them with valuable cargoes-be-
ing captured and plundered by the pirates
in August and September. The following
are few of the pracies mentioned On
the 22d of August, junk, while on her
passage from Singapore to Cochin China,
was attacked oil Sang-lee by ,piratical
boats; which took away Ten guns and
three piculs of powder; and on the 25th
utimo, while sailing up the Tan-lin-chin-
chow, she was again attacked and boarded
by forty men from five pratical boats, who
plundercd her of part of her cargo, and
detained the captain for three days:-when
an English man-of-war came up, destroyed
the pirates, and liberated him. The junk
arrived in Hongkong on the I'd of Septem-
ber et 81.
On the 25th, junk was captured of
Annoy, with large cargo on board, con
sisting of opium, twenty bales of long
cloth, number of bags Of rice, four large
guns, some muskets, &c.
The captain of the lorcha Anonyma re-
ports that between Whampoa and Hong
kong, he was hailed by an English fore-and
aft schooner, and desired to report at Hong
kong, that while becalmed on the 4th inst.
she had been boarded by the crews Of two
large pirate junks, and in the defence of
his schooner the owner was shot through
the thigh and wounded; the pirateA were
subsequently beaten of.
The ladrOnes have become so formidable
that descent on some Of the out-yillages
of the colony would not asonish u.s.. espe-
cialy as it is known that q strong feet of
thirty vessels, crowded with men. has with
in the last ten days been cruising at the
back of the island. ii
The British ships-ofwar, the Rather and
the Racehorse, went in pursuit Of the pi-
rates, but they did nothing further than
burning four Of their junks which had been
abandoned. The China papers denounce
the English naval officers severely for their
supineness and neglect in not pursuing and
breaking up these pirate fleets. The Amer
leans also come in for share of the cen
sure.
CRIME IN THE Cry OF New YoRK.-In
onnfhar coluun will hn found tho sta tisti.