New-York daily tribune., 1858-12-28
CHINA.
THE STATE OF CAN rOS-THE FRENCH
WAR on COCHIN CHINA.

Prom Our Own Correspondent
IIONG KONG, Sept. 81, 1853.
1t is now about two weeks since the blockade
was removed from the Canton River, at which
time it was confidently an,cI pated oy many that a
HOurisbiDg aid lucrative trade would st once spring
up This result has not been realized. There is
indeed renewed activity among the na,iSe Shipping
and some trade in rice salt, &c. Bat of all the
feet which lay at Whsmpos, aud Which have since
gone thitber not one is fortunate eDO1gh to secure
cargo at any price. Various reasons are assigned
to explain tn, present singular state of af,rs. 1t
is suggested that the larg Chinese merchants are
afraid to return to Canton untd thc 4" indemnify
money" is prOvi led for lest their return should ne
made n pretense for extracting largely from their
pockets. This is II most probable cont 4ency
and hence il may be that each one hangs back IN
order to let others have the honor OF be1dDg the
subscription Certain it is that the Hong mer-
chants will be obliged, as IN time past to pay the
greater part of the indemnity, there being neither
ability nor will OH the part ot tho Go.erDment to
Interfere in the matter. The duty Of liking dis
turbaDces and running away IN tlme ot dinsor IL
allotted to Government; the duty OF paying Tor the
damage done is one ot the perqusites OF the ner-
camille department.
By Others it is suggested that the Chinese have
no IDEA of opening trade or at keeping the peace
but only wait for the withdrawal OF the allied
the feeling of the Chinese ia quito as
hostile MS at any period OF the war no
one can doubt, and that upon the FIRST opportunity
they will break the treaty, and disregard ITS oDga-
tlOns. is also probable. The Emperor OF CHINA
we'll knew from experience that whatever treaty
be might make would have httle or no effect upon
the Canton question, since this province has long
been in the habit of managing ITS own affairs In
short if the allied forces were withdrawn to-day,
IT may be seriously questioned whether single
permanent good wiil result To any nation from the
txpen siye and destructive war which processes to
be now hnlshed.
In tie City of Canton itself there begin to be
some signs of life. The smaller traders coming
back slowly also the mechanics and untitled resi-
dents. The river swarus with boats bringing iur-
DituIe and household stuff into the city. An eye
witness details some udIcrous scenes, though
mixed with sadness, when the returning clnzens
are looking for the sites of their houses among toe
piles of ruins which cucumber many parts oi the
civ Many who left a comfortable home
can now hardly tell within a hundred yards where
his house formt rly stood-sO completely are some
of the streets oblterated by the RUNS which hll
them.
The pewly.installed Goyernor-General, Pi-kwei,
has been released from the close surveillance to
which he had been subjected ever since his appoint
ment and now begins to act Tor himself In
consequence of the pacific procamatlOns issued
by lie Chinese Commissioner, aud their ap-
parent effect on the people, the allies have made
some advances on their part. Many OF the guards
are withdraw from various points of the clty. Ibe
hourly patrols along the walls are discontinued.
The city gates are opened at ID a. III. and closed
at D. M. and between these hours there Is free
epress or ingress for all who choose to 90 or come.
Large stores of ammunition are beng sent to
Hong Kopg again, and great reduction 0i lOrce
is anticipated.
Another evidence of good will which the allies
o,,- . f.ru Is
M damage by shot and smell t. many of tho public
buildipqs The Governors Iamun. which was
most thoroughly peppered, has been So well re-
paired and SO thoroughly cleaned tina. Its former
occupant would not recognize 1t. la general, the
virtue of soap aud Sand and whtewash Is so prom
inenib brought into view that II Is to be hoped the
future nobility of Canton will be cleaner, If not
wiser men.
Affairs at the Northward remain unchanged. The
Allied ships have all left the mouth of the Pei H0,
some to return hOue some for other ports IN these
waters TIE good feeling or faith OF the Imperial
Government is fairly shown by the various procla-
nations and edicts promulgated in the Pekn
Gaz,tte The Gazette of August Il, after congratu-
lating the empire that the barbarians are driven
from the Pei.Ho urges stTenuously the prosecu-
tl0n OF the works in progress 10 prevent their re-
turn. Almost every high officer IN command OF tue
forts taken by the Allies, has been degraded from
his ranh, and To many of them the severest punish
fhtht n o''"'"O"' n single sptCtucu VI tuCec
perial DEGREES wlu give fair sample OF them all.
The following appears III the Pekln Gazette Of Au-
gust ::
" On presentation Of tie charge against Tan Ting
slang already degraded trom the post Of Cover
nor General Of CbilrLa, by Saogkolusin who alleges
that the loss Of the forts and the entr, of oaroasu
ships into the inner waters due to his 10 .bi.y TO
make evigorous defense Of the port We ISSUED de.
commanding hi tocone 70 the Capital ADD there
abide trisl and punishment We now commission the
Prince Hwui, Tssl Yden, AMI Twauhwa t. &c. as a.
ssors TO the Board of Puoshent. with it To A.,
certsn the facts of his failure and flight to award the
punishment required by law, aad to mAke their port
10 Us. Respect this
In view ofthis and like emapstions from the srne
source, it is difficult to understand how the most
sapguine diplOmstst can imagine that auy thing
permanent has been accomplished thus far.
The two Commissioners who were Ia Il eet Lord
Elgin at Shanghse, for the purpose of regulating
the new tariff, have not made their appearance nor
Is anything known VI their intentions. /, IS doubt.