The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1857-04-21
From the N. Y. Journal OF Commerce
Interesting from China ..Seventy Thousand
Cinnamon Kilied.. Renewed Attempt at
Poisoning.
We have been favored with the following
letter dated
"MACAo, Jan. 20, 1857.

We have been favored with the following
letter, dated
"MAcAo, Jan. 20, 1857.
"All foreign business is not only suspended,
but entirely at an end, both here, at Hong
Kong and at Canton. Since my last letter,
tho greater part of the western suburbs Of
the latter city, in which were situated nearly
all the warehouses, shops, DC, concerned in
foreign trade have been consumed. OF the
total destruction of the foreign factories, you
will have heard by my last letter. The Chi
nese compute their losses in houses, go-downs,
shops, &c, at over 1000 buidings-up 10 the
present time; and in merchandise, and the
value of the above property, they state their
loss at 100000 of dollars-which is prob
ably not far from the truth. We cannot, of
course, know very accurately the damage eus-
tanned by the city Of Canton, since the bom-
bardinent began, 2Sth October last; but as
the latter has been kept up with more or less
pertinacity, to within a few days ago, when
the English Admiral retired with his forces
from before the city, it is fair to suppose the
Chinese DO not oyer-estimato the loss in life,
when they state it at 70,00O-of all ages and
sexes. Every thing fasos this calculation,
MS it is well known that the streets arc cxcee-
dinghy narrow, the population of great den
sity, the means or the power to move, within
the reach of the comparatively few; willie the
custom Of closing the gates of every street,
during a period Of public danger, creates i'm
mensc loss of lfc--by any sudden movement
Of the populacc. To say nothing Of all the
other distresses which have been rivetcd upon
them and which arc inseperabe from such a
condition of things, the total destruction of
the trade Of the place, the interruption to all
the daily avocations of the people, DC, arc
very oppressive in their effects. Still, up to
the present moment, the Chinese do not
make the slightest concession. The Viccroy,
Yeb, in all his official documents is as firm
at this moment as he was when tho Arrow
lorcha was seized by his officers on the 9Th of
October last. The people, too, arc even
more bitter and exasperated against the Eng
lish, and, perhaps, all foreigners--and, not
withstanding their distress and sutferings,
their opposition to everything which bears the
appearance Of reconciliation or terms Of any
kind is greater than ever.
"At Hong Kong, most comprehensive
scheme to poison the foreign community was
planned by China baker named Esng, who
mixed large quantity of arsenic in the bread
baked for the consumption of the 18th inst.
Upwards of 400 persons were poisoned; ma
ny had narrow escapes from death; the suf
ferings of all were drcadful-but, providen-
tally, it is not ascertained that single per-
son died. The quantity Of arsenic was too
large, so that, Immediately after eating the
bread, sickness and nausea followed, and the
poison was thus elected from the stomach
The effects, however, are many. Since then,
another attempt has been made, but on a
much more moderate scale, through poisoned
oranges, quantity of which (about 5000 in
number) was introduced into the colony. It
failed however in this instance, as too little
of the poison bad been absorbed by the fruit,
although two deaths took place, and they
Chinese. The Chinese have a method Of
poisoning orapges-by piercing them in the
first instance with minute holes and then
placing them over tho vapor of the poisonous
substance, which they then cause them to in
hale.
."Attempts have also been made 10 fire
the settlement. That the Chinese arc subtle
enough to create some great catastrophe, is
well known, but how or when, no one can
uNiho' iho eohocHoohSo 30, eh"s 'ho "HoiO
community is living in a state Of COM
plete and painful anxiety and ALARM
There is large force there, a6oat and ashore.
Still the mode Of circumventing their enemy,
by the Chinese, is always hidden and secret;
and while every street and pass is guarded,
either poison, sudden kidnapping, or assassi-
nation, strikes terror throughout. In the
latter tho Chinese are great adopts, as you
will see, if you take the trouble 10 read the
newspapers have ordered TO bo sent TO you.
AT this place, Macao, on the other hand,
we enjoy the most perfect peace and security.
The Portuguese, who have held this place
now more than 800 years, know the Chinese
people well. They live on terms of. mutual
good will-so far as any Chinese can possibly
Le with anything foreign-and there is o reg