The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-10
INTERESTING FROM CHINA.

| The Diplomatic Mission OF the United
France ana Probable Fate OF Canton ,.''' -
From the North China Herald, Oct "a
| Information has reached US through Chinese
in the AMOR and that the letter transmitted to Pc
| king by H. f. Count Poutiatine, mentioned in
| No. 37l, contained an offer from the Emperor Of
Russia to put down the Chinese rebellion by furnish
ing troops, provisions, &c, on condition that the
Emperor of China would cede to Russia the provinces
| of kirin and Helungkwang in Manchuria, and an
| other province, supposed to be Shing king.
The possession Of the two former would connect
the Russian dominions with the seaboard, the west
ern border of the first named being on the Russian
empire and the eastern boundary of Krin being the
| Gulf OF Tartary.
| Our informant places great reliance on the credi-
bility of the story, and there il much OF proba
bility in it that it deserves attention. 1t is said
however that the Emperor OF China has refused the
| Offer
| large number of foreign vessels, principally Ame-
rcan carry on trade between the west coast Of Anne
RIGA and the Amoor to which place they carry large
| supplies Of provisions. We would like to know why
our men of war do not occasionally visit those regions
and report the state OF affairs politically and COM
mercially.
The United States squadron, sent out to support
the negotiations of the newly appointed envoy, Mr.
Reed will consist of the steamers Minnesota, Mis-
sssipp and San Jacinto, with the sailing ships Ger
| mantown, vincennes, Portsmouth and Levant-not
a single steam tender, gun boat, or vessel adapted
for river work. We are at loss to comprehend the
policy or object of equipping such fleet. If that
| be all the United States government can do,
| they had much better have not augmented
| their naval force on the station-and if they
| could do better they should have done so, for
the force above described is so insignificant when
| compared with the British squadron, or even the
French that If it be meant to enforce treaty rights
or to impress the Chinese with an idea of their ma
tiona importance, it will not only fail in its purpose,
but have directly opposite tendency. In fact the
| position assumed by the government of the United
| Stotoc rdpU This ia hardly no.
coming or suitable to its position in the rank holds
with civilized nations. The object seems trade at
any price, position being selected apparently with
the option in view of lacking on to the tail Of the
British lion or should that animal drop his tail be-
| tween his legs to settle matters with Yeh as if
| thing had happened. Now, when the contempt that
the Chinese have for foreigners is borne in mind and
| the scale Of society THAT theV place traders in
| amongst themselves is rene abered-the impolcy
Of The present position that the United States
| have so persistently selected for themselves, can
| hardly be doubted. We feel quite that if the
result should render trucking to Yeh the game on
| the cards. the Americans would throw up their
hands rather than play the game out The conse-
/ quences of such result would be most serious TO
| contempate-it could not be adopted without en-
bracng Yeh's views and espousing his cause con-
| tngency that we feel assured every true American
| would recoil from with dsdain. If that would not
| be "entaDgling alliance" we don't know what
| would.
| We should have supposed that the paucty of force
! at Commodore Armstrong; command last Deem
ber and the unsuitable nature OF it, compelling him,
as il did, to leave his coUntrymen and their property
| to chance and to British men of war, would have
served as lesson to the United States government,
but it seems to have been lost upon them. We can
| only regret that matters are so and If we are not
much mistaken the whole American community in
| China take the same view OF the case as we do.
| From the London Shipping Gazette, Dec. ISL
The Chinese papers received by the last Overland
add confirmation to the opinions and remarks the
state of affairs in China which we made last week
| Russia, as usual is playing deep game, keeping
| the Chinese Court advised OF our movements and
course Of operations, and Offering aid, to serve her
| own purposes Thus the London Times correspon-
dent, who has just returned TO Hong Kong from the
Northern ports, and appears to be well informed On
matters Of local interest states that the two gov.
ernments upon the most friendly TERMS and
1.-THE Chinese quite alive to every point OF the
game they are now playing, and they are dis
posed TO avail themselves of Russia" Chi
nese envoy has Just returned from the Court
of Russia, and the Russians have been to
Tensin while the Russian Admiral has been pay
ing visits 10 Shanghai and the mouth of the Pehho.
The active Russian Minister, Count Pontiatine, is
very energetic in the Chinese waters. He had sent
home, by the last steamer M. Wolowski, an aHachG
of his mission, with dispatches to st. Petersburg,
and had gone in his war steamer, the America, on
visit TO Japan and was expected back at Shanghae,
/ where messenger with advices from the Amoor
! river, was waiting for him. large number OF for
| egn vessels, principally American, are carrying on
trade between the west coast OF America and the
|
| sions. Great advantages will be gained by Siberia
and the Amoor country by this new route, instead
of the tedious and expensive land carriage formerly
/ carried through Russia. In the words OF the
| Hong Kong journal, we should be glad TO hear
/ that concurrenwy with the vigorous movements of
| Russia in the far Eat, France had formed perma
nent establishment in Corea, and resumed at the
same time her rights in Cochin China, while Eng
land and America might plant the ensigns of order
| respectively in Chusan and Formosa "a shelters for
| the shipwrecked and beacons for the bcnightcd.
Passing from Russian movements We may alude
| TO the arranged operations In the South. The next
| mail may probably bring IA details of the attack up
| on Canton. The intended force IL assembling In
| large numbers. We have already upwards Of 500
| guns in the Chinese waters. or the fleet OF gun
boats fifteen had arrived Of the twentyfour and the
| remaining nine with the commander Of the 1eet,
were daily expected at Hong Kong The
/ Imperadcr, from Plymouth, with $50 ma
| rines, had Just arrived while equal number were
also looked Tor in the lmperatrix; 40 that the Adj
miral would have a strong aud efficient force at his
| command. seven days excursion bad been made
| by the steamers through the creeks and channels
| between Canton and Macao, adding something
TO the previously acquired knowledge OF the hydro
| graphy. ,-,-
mounting 200 guns, Of which four are gunboats and
| there are two American sloopsOf-war besides the
| Commodoreis steamer, carrying in all iortyseyen
| guns. With such foreign force threatening, the
prospects not very bright for the Chinese IN the
| South although the Mandarins OF Canton were
/ pressing every junk and river passageboa they
could get hold Of into their service for the purpose
| of carving soldiers 20 guard and defend But the
internal depression and the rebellion occupy large
share Of attention of the Chinese native reporters In
| the Friend If China
Al the present the province OF Kwang tung s in
tested on the north west by the Hung rebels ON the south
by the Hssabs, and in the Canton river by the English
navy The kwang ST province @jonng on inc ives, mas
become the lungs; the kang province adjoining on
north also belongs the Marking party and dis
trc Of the K~ang tupg province both at distance snd
near at hand without the OF protection and sal
vaton II Canton IL not lost this year 10 the lungs
| will fall 10 the foreigners.
These and other facts stated Of like tenor, augur
but III success 70 the Emperors forces, as well as 10
| the stability Of his throne.
We are inclined 10 believe with the Times cor
respondent that when have settled our difference
with the Cantonese, the scene of action will be re-
| moved TO the northern ports.