, 1860-06-15

la1An4u7 ~'s'eapoaheoeso ol tne n. !. ETg, PoatJ
The rebels are said to be in ferce near the
strength and Influence. THAR moTxhsa nts sre
watched With anxiety, a tic regioa IFeIy to be
under their CONTROL ii ifsueceaofuj. Ti1>ep,In and
entirely the most important tea -and .siIF 1fpv.
ing districts of the empire, A. report was Sir.
sgiated @ FEY days slnce. that Hong Chow had
lanen INTO the hands ofthe rebels. Thisrtport
/ wealthy residents Of the old cry 81 S6al9hli
several hundred Of whom removed at ouce IRON
the city, either taking rooms in the foreign let.
t!ement or going iaso the country. More re.
cent news haa served TO quiet the people, Il
sssms that she rebel forces did set poseessioff oi
The suburbs. and even forced their way into tbs
sity, from which they we're Afterwards driven
hY the Imperial troops. after hard fought bat.
te. =IhAy,aka said 1oKta ba. .eatzenohedR Rilhin
f1Ght OF the city walt, committing sad -depF9da1
tlons upnti LII poor and innHsust7a inh1bRants
Of the rural districts, aud devastating ths eoun-
~ = p!tinl 70 see ths terror Of these help
ens them from within, as well a. from thelr e.
ternalioee. !; 49, - :.
There is something absolutely friRhtfal in tho
contemplation Of war introduced into ths pop.
ious districts of this county,: You cannot CON-
pute the kofrors Of war here By comparison
wltn any other country uader heaven. Owing
to The wonderful density Of its population, ere1
r square inch Of soil is put uuder contribntion,
ahq by refinement in the arts of enrichine
and cultivation, unknown ia any other land. e
made to yield to it's utmost capacity those
grams and vegetables that constitute The chiaf
sustenance Of the inhabitants There is no
waste land here, down to the very waters edge,
"nefever blade Of grass, or a stalk Of grain,
Or nutritious vegetable, can he unade to grow,
mere the tlreiess patience Of i Chinese hand
has planted aEt his ingenuity brought to per-
lection aoneihiug that can be used to sustain
human life: Every river, rivu!es and lake is BE-
sieged by the busy multitude and made to weld
Of .ts hony tribes. aud the feathered inhabitants
OF the atr are subject to the sume demand. Ey.
cry avenue Of trade and industry that offers .
chance lor u1an, woman or child to earn t1i1e,
50 rs to be able to sustain 1ie is beseRed bY al,
eager multitude, nil seemingly anxious to sup
ply their daily wants by patient industry.
There is also ~ immense population here
Eho subsss entirely upon the products Of the
are numbered By millions: they arc born,
grow up. live and dis in their little boats. Isis
no uncommon thing to see q nan with his .TiEe
and Several children Occupying -daF and night,
summer and winter, their tiny craft for all pur-
posas- This large class have no other home.
4 Eau,s boat il ''his castle" as truly "a Is IN
wonderfully industrious; and they surpass most
people in frugality. TIE art of1iving Is reduced
70 its ebeapest and simplest forms, 40 far as food
is concerned. :, ,..
The people seem literally crowded for room,
and the great question is, hnw can they be fed!
During times Of pence and plenty, when the
avenues OF trade aud commerce. are ali open.
aud while the seasons oFe favorable and the
toll yields its usual increase of grain,
China, like vast beehive in pleasant sum.
nler dag, Wien the hotey bearing flowers
are all in bloom. seems TO be pleasant
and prosperous iaud. An unreasonable rain, or
the other extreme Of drought, the ris,t Of the
locust, or any other Of those casualties that af-
ftet lnjuriously the harvest, is trnly national
calamity. We shall a1l starre, said poor
old woman as she saw the locusts settling down
upon her httls patch Of rice, just ~ it began to
!lptn, alter hasi Jug been carefully attended By
her Tor several months. "l lear We shall
starve. IS common remark in China, when
the supply OF food is cut short by an accident.
No wonder. then, the people dread war. Those
who IA By the bullet. bayonet and sword, con-
stitute but q small part ofthe sufferers. 0f,eD,
indeed, they ara the ones rather to be cougrat-
ulated than p1tied, us they are spared the wit.
Messing evils Of 50 much greater magnitude.
Every foot OF all Of hoatile army landed On the
shores of China, crushes ont the lives Of multi.
tudes OF human beinga, whom they never meet,
aud who hare never offended them or their 1oy-
ernuent in any way. The horrors Of battle
field, few hours after the strife is over, mar
be depicted, but who can erer lima xipe the long
and dreasy weeks and months Of hopeless, bteaf
starvation aud misery that will stalk alopg in
the deso'ated pathway Of an army marching
through The heart Of this empire sFarmiug with
human life?