The Sun. — 1841-09-06 (London, England)

EVENING SUN  CHINA.  We have from Canton letters and papers up to the 19th of May, so that our present abstract extends over a period of fifty days. At the instigation, it was said, of ex-Commissioner Lin, Keshen had been ordered to Pekin in disgrace andin chains—there to be put to death by the most excruciating tortures: His filmily and relatives wereto be, exterminated, and the country for many miles round hi's birth-place to be laid desolate. The 'Memorial which this doomed states, Man puts forth to the EMperor is one of the most singular documents ever published; singularly characteriStic of the idolatry of even the highest men' in the empire-40r their adulation and submission amount to nothing less than worship—to the Celestial Majesty of the Emperor. A ship from England, loaded with provisions for the expedition had sailed north direct to Chusan, knowing nothing of recent alterations; when her Commander (Captain Stead, 11-N.), being suddenly seized upon, was murdered by the Mandarins. Trade had. been partially resumed; but sadly to our disadvantage; everything being sold for hard dollars, about one-third aboVe customary prices, and no goods beir,purchased from usin return, By the middle April many of the merchants had returned to Canton, where they found everything in and around their fbrmer premises exactly as it had been left. The British flag once more floats over the factories. On the 11th April, Captain Elliott issued a circular, stating that trade was going on well at Canton, and. that nearly onethird of the teas of the season had been got out. Early in May the Mandarins bad beun to exhibit a great increase of insolence and audacity. Every obstruction was thrown in the way of mercantile operations, and of the unloading of merchant ships; the immediate surrender of all the strongholds held by the English was demanded ; and the doctrine every where proclaimed, that no peace would ever be established betwixt us so long as we held a foot of Chinese territory in our possession, It was believed that about this time troops were flocking from every quarter of the interior to oppose us, and that thirty thousand were quartered in or near Canton ! the flower and champions of Chinese chivalry; very superior in appearance to any of the forces which had previously made their appearance. The erection of a fort —meant apparently to annoy our ships and factories—was about this time commenced near Canton ; while the authorities were assuming braggart airs of superiority and defiance. The titmost panic now began to spread amongst the Mercantile community. Money-lenders and men of property of all sorts in hundreds commenced retiring from a. scene where the renewal of hostilities was almoSt hourly- expected by them-Weeping, as they went, to be compelled to leave the home of their fathers. Oa the 18th May se*era' of the lighter ships of war moved up the river; Capt. Elliot preceding them in the Nemesis-steamer, with a view of endeavouring to quiet all.apprehensions. Of the results of these movements no intelligence has reached us. Meanwhile Hong Kong has been re-occupied,. and our Commissioner has at length got a field of exertion laid out for him exactly suited to his talents. Cities are being planned, spacious streets and squares laid down (on paper), and lands on the most extensive scale allotted off for those who choose to buy them. A code of laws has been drawn up, port and excise regulations published, magistrates appointed, and all the arrangements made for the peaceful occupation of a century. Such, we think, is a pretty fair outline of Eastern intelligenw since April Ist, in so far as it has reached us from China—less interesting by much, however, as we conceive at least, than the information on the same subject which India can itself supply. ' In the midst of national bad faith it is pleasing to observe instances of individual honesty. The annual dividend on Hingtae's debt had been duly paid .on the 9d May, and that on Kingqua's was promised on the Ist June.