The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-12
G n ! N A
The Rebel Demonstration at Tien-tsin and
Disgrace of an Imperial General.
National Development and Foreign
Diplomacy.

ments al Vien-tsin-An Imperial General
D'sgraced-Steam Travel and Trade to
America-Post Office aud Mail Services.
SHANaHAE, May 20, 1858.
Our polltical position In China is at the present
moment an unpleasant subject to dwell on, as moth
Ing definite can be given to foreign readers. Politics
IN Pekin seem at standstlll or the United States
Charge dAfaires (Alr. Williams) we hear nothing,
thonga ms policy Is probably cooperative STILL The
British Minister Sr rutherford Alcockl, who az Con.
sui was always looked on as an able and iudcious
ofhcer, has In his present position shown himself
almost incompetent for the high position he now
fills. In a recent despatch in reply the memorials
the revision OF the treaty which have reached him
from each port he broadly accuses the whole foreign
mercantile community OF China OF commercial i'm.
morality, and specially charges the famous
house OF Dent Il Co. with committing fraud on the
revenue at Yankow owing TO which, he says the
Chinese have been fully justified in postponing many
very necessary measures OF Custom House reforms
for couple Of years. Dent Co. have fully exoner-
ated themselves from the charge their Minister
brings against them-a charge which 1t seem lie took
no trouble to inquire into taking the Chinese report
OF the affair as gospel Can II be much wondered at,
therefore, that such mandarin worsbipper this
should hold the opinion that the treaty requires no
revision at all, II it does that the revision
should tend rather against than in favor OF the
foreigners
Rebellion is once more rife in China. No sooner
does the movement appear to die out in quarter
than rumOrs of its temperance in another reach us.
The Viceroy Trengkuo-fan was on his road to
visit Shanghai to inquire INTO the scheme for rail-
way between this and SoOchOw the Chinese say and
was t0wed by Chinese steamer the Tenella from
Nankin to Chinkiang. Thence he was to visit Yang
chow, great imperial salt depot, and subsequently
was expected to travel to this place by the inland
route. few days since, however, received in
teigence that his Excelency is compelled TO defer
his visit TO Shanghai indefinitely, the appearance OF
rebels at Lechow, north of Yangchow having COM
PEELED him TO return to Nankin and make arrange
ments for opposing them.
Steamers from Tien-tsfn bring contradictory
statements of the dongs OF rebels in that locality.
They are apparently in great force, and 1t at
first supposed they intended to capture the imperial
grain junks lying In the river. Had they on
their irst appearance suddenly attempted this they
must have been successful for the place quite
undefended. Now the imperalists have greatly
strengthened themselves, another British gunboat
and French frigate have arrived to assist in pro-
tecting the place. Li-hung chang, the Chinese
Generalssimo has been disgraced and ordered to
give up his two-eyed peacock's feather ms yellow
jacket and his command for permitting the inroad
OF the Uonan Nenier rebels. This order he has de-
cncd to obey, and he Is too powerful for the
government 10 enforce 1t. They have therefore
resorted 10 the subterfuge OF nominating the Tun-
chIngwang q prince OF the blood TO the supreme
command; and General Tso the rival and political
opponent to whom 81 was ordered TO surrender the
command, as well "a 81 himself are both placed
under his orders and their pride thus saved Mean
while the government Is, doubtless, watching General
81 very narrowly. He Is, IN military point OF view,
the strongest man In the empire, and, IL driven TO
desperation and opposition TO the government,
would be most formidable opponent IL has, there
FORE been resolved on, doubtless, to abase him and
crush his power the iirst opportunity ne gives his
enemies ut court chance OF doing 50 with success.
These disturbances IN the north and the prospect
OF Tentsn falling into the hands Of the rebels any
moment have naturally caused the most disastrous
consequences to trade at our northern ports, all bust
ness being al stagnatlon point me latest news we
have received 10 hand, per luentszefei to-day to
the effect hat the rebels have again retired rom
negh6orhood ana are said TO be hemmed In be, ween
the imperial forces and the sea. with such contra
dictory advices as we are now IN the habit OF re-
brings news That Iientsln has been taken and Pekin
itself In danger.
Affairs seem improving In the Pacific mail for the
steamer arrived here only five days after time, and
has thus seven days to lie In port, the mercantile
community having time to answer their correspon-
dence. on the last occasion the had to turn
round again In twenty-iour hours and great the
waiting among all parties. II the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company wish TO maintain their supre-
macy in this part OF the world they must give us
than one mail IN SIX weeks, and Ii that Is all
they can for the present afford us, for goodness
report OF the President OF the Pacific Mail steamship
Company to the stockholders has been published In
our local journals and very fayorabiy commented
on. If the report IL correct figures IL shows
that the China branch. for the FIRST year. on i've
voyages, made pront In the currency OF sI47 ST.
and the earnings OF the Panama and Atlantic |
steamers, on through business In connection with
sas V siaSoco currency Same i've voyages
II IL a great pity we cannot In Shanghai have an |
International post Office, for at present We are |
bothered with four offices under different controls,
each making up Its own mails, and the confusion |
regning IL great in the extreme. First in order Of
comes own United States Consular postal
department. Here mails are at present only made |
up for the departures OF the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company's steamers, and letters are by them only
conveyed 10 japanese ports and to California and
beyond. Here OF course our own postage stamps
only are available. II is supposed that before long
this department will also make up mais for Ameri-
steamers leaving for the iangtsze river and
coast ports and they would OF course have q
perfect right To do so. The revenue from this
source would be considerable as the bulk OF the
steamers on the great river under the
American nag. The British have a post ONCE
OF their own, and here the mails arriving
and departing by the Pacific and Oriental steamers
are dealt with We also make up mails for despatch
ports OF Tientsin, Newchwang and ChefOo and the |
coast ports south Of Ningpo third postal estab.
lishment Is known "a the Local Post.n This was |
established by the Shanghae municipality to serve
the purposes OF town delivery, but II gradually
tended us Operations ana grabbed al ette5 could
securing the safe delivery at other ports or not. |
The nuisance became lntoerable, but matters have
now been considerably modified BY the execution
OF convention between II and the British
post, under which the town delivery. Yangtsze |
river ports and Nngpo. to which we have
daily steamer, il left TO the charge Of the local
post, all other places being delegated TO TO the /
charge OF its imperial rival Matters seems working
better now, though confusion frequently regns su
preme, a. 1t Is only residents that eau comprehend |
the complicated machinery under winch letters for |
Nngpo, to our southwark, must be sent 10 one |
once, adorned with q postage stamp which n sup
posed to bear dragon az its efgy, generally known
locally az "dancing catawampus," while letters for
Chefoo TO the northward must go to the British post
and bear on the right hand corner the image and
prescription OF queen Victoria. TO add TO the
fusion, as the Messageres lmperales Company run /
monthly steam line from France, calling at Shang-
nae IN route to iis terminus at iokohama the French
authorities have established q post Office OF their
own where mails for their own steamers are made |
up and distributed. Here OF course none but the or
thodox French postage stamps pass current and with
the exception of through mail TO London, which the
British post 10 privileged to send closed per French
mail fhe only place at which letters can be posted
to be forwarded by the Messageres lmperaIe
packets is the French Bureau des Postes We have,
therefore, between American, British, French and