American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-04-23
Correspondence Of he London Times.l
CANTON, Jan, 2S.
Tkc OCCeIpnti0h OF Caution.


On the 2lst lreturned to my quarters in
Canton. and found that all the tender solici.
tude OF the people o tie Hong Kong had bee
entirely ythrownaway. traversea the whole
cltywith my trunk and chow chow baskets,
myself the only escort 10 my four coolies.
Along the great east and west thoroughfare
u closed shop was become rare exceptions,
and the only difficulty was 10 push our way
| through the crowd. The people we're cut
ting up their pigs and llieir fish, (the abun.
/ dance ol immense cargo, tench and roach in
the streets Of the cityis wonderfully } and cook
ing their comestibles in full business. like
security. ldlers We're playing at Chinese
hazard, and exhibiting their piles OF coius
upon The board. The curiosity shops, in in.
credible numbers, were spread with curious
antiques OF the newest fashions ami were
Ivictimiziug credulous iieutenants in "a way
which Menclus would not have approved.
The crowds are not even afraid to manifest
curiosity al the c.ohes and features of their
| European guests, and the storekeepers invite
you into their shops with polileness that
proves they have no missivins tha, you will
exercise any right OF conquest except con.
quest By purchase. Ye, The spirit of inso-
lence has departed ou, ofihem. Neither in
word nor gesture is there any symptom Of
hostility or even of dislike. have seen two
people frightened very much by scolling
Tor using the word Fan. guci (foreign devil)
but believe they used IL IN all Innocence
! having never heard il called by any other
,n1,n,e. would neglect no precautions. for
the mcgee OF precautions nearly proved our
destruction a! N:"Rro during the las, war
but, so far from there heing any notion OF
re,aking this city, ] believe that 10 ten
Cinnamon within sight Of Canton wonld dare
lrn, firiyF F,,,t tl,.a # ~. n
or French soldier or sailor,
The commercial parts Of Canton lave been
much over estimated. We have believed
that there must be some grain OF truth in
the bombast and brag of the Chinamen.
Canton is big ana populous; that is all. In
other respects it is u very ordinary China
city. lis temples are numerous, aud the
Coniucan and the temple OF Five Hundred
Gods are good OF their kind, bat most Of the
others are miserable and dilupiIaled. The
nine-storied pagoda is n so rnnous a con
dltion that the General the other forbade The
a,tempt TO climb the fragments of il. broken
stairs. Major Luard, whose success at the
escolade seems TO have inspired him with
mania lor climbing, had previously risked
his neck in getting some way up. Yet This
4 Pagoda is the great boast aud lion of Canton
The Chinese boasted of il because foreigners
D
miserabH ruin il is What can we think of
a people who will not afford few dollars to
save their monuments from mouldering?
found the yamun Of Peh kwei in a much
more busy state than when left. Through
The open doors crowds OF Chinese come and
:. 90. The Chinese tribunal Of Prh.Kwei and
The tribunal OF The thee Commissioners.
. Colonel Holloway, le Capilainc Nlartineau,
and Mr. Parkes are aUC pchS sOms. Thank )
to the energy OF The triumviri. the streets of
!, Canton are as safe from the European vio.
lence as the streets of Paris are from Chinese
eXactlons. Colonel Hol!oways court takes
all the mixed cases; and, finding the other
day that Chnaman was in The wrong, he
was sent over to Pen Kwei with statement
OF the circumstances. he Mandarin wa
so charming with the compliment that he
had the poor wretch bambOoed nearly 10
death The new court has established a
new Canton police. Captain Ppm is the
Colonel Rowan OF Canton. He had one hun.
dred soldiers undeI hiin armed with swords
and revoIverS, land the French have separate
BODY OF 30 men. Associated with the Eu.
ropcan police are an number Of Tariars
Five EngIish and two French stations have
been established in convenient parts of the
city and suburbs, aud the shopkecping com
munity are likely to obtain under British
ana French rule security they never hoped
for. =
The three imperial armores were in q
nigh state OF efficiency. The double handed
swords were immense in numbers and Ter.
rloie TO look upon There were rooms ful!
OF thosc Iear-inspirng shields which, i'm some
quite modern periods OF Chinese history pro &.
badly gave 10 some pratiral Greek the idea
OF The shield of Minerva. There were arrows
IN thousands, yery carefully finished and pre-
served IN cases, but the Mandarin bows were
very rare Great store of quilted war. jack
els filled with presses, and there were many
complete suits OF Chinese armor. The swords
and pixies, and gingals and matclocks were
; nnumeTable; but the chief attraction was
live brass guns, which were followed BY
covetous eyes as they were talked off BY the
coolies. In another esta abishmcnt we found
collected all the shot tha, could be recovered
alter The last years bomha rdment. and also
some exploded shells. which had been fired
upon the city on tile 18Th December There
was also a great depot Of internal machines
: in form like dark lantern made of Tim :
many flags and banners were also carried off.
have taken some pains 10 ascertain the
loss suffered BY The Chinese during the BON.
bardmcnt and he storm. We have all the
Official returns Of The first day in our posses.
sion. and no account that have seen places
the deaths during The whole operations high
er than 300. Some distrust the Chinese n "a
coun's,but am inclined 10 put faith in them.
I Unless you surround Chinese soldiers you
may never Kill many Of them. You ne er
catch thom upon an island or in on isolated
position. They &C, upon The principle Of the
Wife OF Bath that
"A mouse who trusts 10 one poor hole,
Can Dogcr be mouse Of any soul"
They fire very fiercely upon you as you
arc coming up 10 attack them bu, escape by
lbe back doot as soon as you get too near -
Our escalado was complete surprise upon
mem They fancied you were advancing
under the Gre from their walls 10 attack
i Port Cough they never expected that YOU
would turn aside and nilimn nnnn Won den