The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-03-23
THE MAILS nv THEALPS
HIGHLY fNTEREsTIyti FRoM CHINA

The mails by the Alps, with dates from Liver.
pool to 5o'ciock, p. NJ, on the 4th inst, are .,
hand The news Of importance ether than tha,
from China has been published by telegraph
From the correspondence Ct the London Times we
AXE .
HIGHLY INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF AFFAIRS IN
CHINA.
HONG KONG. Jan. 15-Our troops remain in
trenched 10 the Garden. Her Majesty's steamer
Niger, with the flag OF Admiral Seymour, ia at
anchor off the ruins of the factories and the other
men of war are Distributed in the river commands
Ing the most important points Several exceed
lngiy wellLlanned attempts have been made to
blow up and burn our vessels; and, although they
have been a. yet. unsucce ssful in doing any mate
rial injury, the greatest vigilance is necessary
Tne mandarfns have collected large number of
war juuks in the creeks of the river; and on the
4th, they attacked the Macao Fort at low water
Her Msjesty's steamer Encounter attempted to
move down from her anchorage, but grounded and
the Fight was maintained by the fort, the steamer
Coromandel, and men of wars boats until the rise
OF the tide enabled the steamer to come to their
assistance. when the junks retired into shallow
water beyond range. MFR Pesrn, masters assist
ant of her Majestys ship Sybille. as killed during
the action, and two officers and three seamen were
wounded. The loss on the side of the Chinese
uuss have been considerable, as the MIME rifles
Of our marines told severely
On the 3Hh Mt the postal steamer Thistle while
on her way from Canton, was cut off by q party of
Suaese, WoO nAu oeen received on board as pas
sengers for Hong Kong, but proved to be enisss
ries OF the Chiaese government hired to perform
the tragedy in which they succeeded All on board
were murdered with the exception of some Chi
nese passengers and the vessel was run ashore
and burnt. There were two foreign passengers
on ooard at the time, viz q Spanish gentleman,
Senior Dias, formerly Peruvian consul general and
an invalid of the SO b re .iment
Since this dreacful occurrence another river
steamer has been attacked and narrowly escaped
n a th0 ho 11l Of a. a.
munication with Canton is now almost entirely
suspended There are no foreign residents there
now whatever. No trace has been obtaiuei of
MIR. Cowper. who was kidnapped at Wampoa A
cola oiooded murder has been perpetrated there
the victim being German servant of DR. RYDER.
The Wampoa anchorage has been abandoned
. Ii is not expected that any active measures will
be taken against the city of Canton until the arr
val OF troops and gunboats places int the hands of
Admiral Seymour the means of striking decisive
blow both by land aud water. At present it is by
no means an easy task to hold his present positions
out this, we doubt not he will DO if possible as
any retrograde movement would be deemed
victory by the Chinese.
Of the Vceroy Yeh we have heard nothing
lately, nor has any commissioner arrived from
Pekin. although the Chinese assert that very hiz zh
official is on the way.
In Hong Kong all remains quiet as yet, and the
stringent precautions which have been taken have
had beneficial effect. Some of the worst char
acters have been apprehended, and will be deport
ed. Three men have been seized who are doubt
less emissaries from Canton, sent here with mis-
chevous intent The result of their examination
has not yet transpired. The colonI'a government
has hired and armed small steamer to cruise in
the neighborhood. The msndarns have issued in
various districts the most bloodthirsty edicts
against the Eoglish and have offered large rewaros
to those who may succeed in assassination or in
cendiarism in Hong Kong Al! Chinese have been
ordered to quit the service of foreigners and re.
turn to their homes, and so powerful Is the man.
DARN system that disob edience entails much trou
bic, If not positive destruction, upon the relatives
of the offender. Nearly all the Chinese servants
have left or are leaving, and this Greats no small
inconvenince, and also renders private property
more insecure Her Majestys ship Calcutta is in
the harbor, and Admiral Guerin has in the most
handsome manner offered the services of the
crews of La Virginia and steamer Catipat when.
ever they may be required; indeed, there is now
French guard stationed atkore of the most un>
protected points. The Americans have also IL n IL
ed guard at their naval stores and at another
point.
informing us that the whole of the suburbs west
of the city had been burnt by our force on the l2
iRs: In this service we regret TO say that party
of the 59th Regiment missed their way, and get.
ting under the city wall were assailed with stones
and matchlocks, losing two men killed, eleven se.
verely wounded, and ten slightly wounded. A
Ia ge fire had also taken place inside the city -
Admiral Seymour has decided on blowiug up the
Dutch Folly, retiring from the gardens, and ma
hing the Birds Nest Fort his outpost, where we
hope he will be able to remain until reinforce.
mems arrive.
HONG KONG, Jan Is, P. M-An attempt was
made this morning to poison considerable mn ~
ber of the foreign community. The author of this
diaboiical act is a Chinese baker, named Esing,
who (being doubtless induced by the promise of
reward held out by the mandarins) mixed with
his bread large quantity of arsenic, and after
sending it round to his customers. left for Macao
in a steamer at 8. A. M All who partook OF this
bread were shortly afterwards seized with violent
retchiogs and other symptoms, but, prompt rene,
dies being applied, we are happy to state that up
10 the present time no deaths have ensued, al
though great numbers have been i'll, and some are
still in a dangerous state The quantity OF al se-
mic was too large to answer the intended purpose,
its presence being imme diately betrayed apd an
tidOtes forthwith Administered. 1t is fearful to
contemplate what the results might otherwise
have been A steamer has been despatched to
Macao in hopes of intercepting Esing, but we fear
he will have gained the mainland ere she arrives
Trade remains entirely suspended here. Ex
change on London, As Sad. TO As Oh; on Bombay,
2l6E Very little doing. Freights to England
are nominal; but some vessels are taken up to
convey emigrants to Australia
From Annoy we have nothing important. Last
dates are to the 18th inst. A fair business was
doing at declining rates
Fooehow letters are to the 10th inst. All re
mained tranquil, and no disturbance was appre.
tea market, and prices were two 10 three taeis
dearer than last month. Stocks are small. and the
previous reports Of short supply are confirmed
Two vessels had sailed for London.
From Shanghai " have advices 10 the 7th inst.
Intelligence of fair authenticity had been received
from Nankin, from which we gather that the rebels
had fallen out among themselves, aud commtte
many savage deeds. The Leader, Hung siu tsiuep,
or Tai pangwapg, STILL however remained at the
head of affairs, and had again defeated the impe-
Iial troops. The authorities at Shanghai remained
as cordial as ever towards foreigners.
Extract from q letter received at Liverpool!
dated Hong Kong Jan 15 1857:
How things will end, il IS impossible to say |;
but Notwithstanding the ir jury to interests,
cannot regret that the Cauton people are at last
about to meet their deserts. Trifiing as was the
original matter ia dispute, the lime must have
come, sooner or later, when the humiliatiug posi-
ton cf foreigners could be no longer endured.
AT the other ports it is altogether different, and
it will be q serious matter II they become closed
against our trade but don't think they will Tie
Canton people are % much hated by the Northerns
as foreigners are in the South, ard Shanghai men
openly express their satisfaction st the procee d.
ings Of our Navy.
'The exports of tea for the season will be q, =
900 0G0 to 10000 600 lbs deficient"
Extract from another letter, dated Hong Kong,
18Th January:
The baker from whom the poisoned bread was
purchased Ia In custody, but it Is feared legal diff
ficuities will prevent conviction. Ny bread, for
tunately, was baked the day before, and toasted
so that we escaped the effects of the poison. Ma