The Express. — 1866-12-13 (London, England)

THE CHINA MAIL. AN AMERICAN BY SCHOONER DESTROYED FIRE. "News from Corea," says the Hong Kong Mail of November 1, "has arrived to the effect that the French have initiated proceedings to teach the Coreans that murdering foreigners is an unlawful pastime. The French admiral has sailed with his squadron to the Corea, but active operations will be deferred until after the winter. A sad tale of Corean barbarity accompanies this intelligence. Tho master and crew of an American schooner, named the General Sherman, with two English gentlemen, a Mr. Thomas and Mr. Hogarth, have been roasted to death by order of the king or his father—some accounts say the latter—the unhappy victims having been tied down in their bertha and the ship then set on fire. We may suppose that some notic.t will be taken of this by the British government. Whether law:ully there or not, their semi-barbarous murderers have no shadow of excuse for this atrocity, and it is to be hoped that prompt and effectual punishment will be inflicted ; not a pecuniary one only let us trust, as there is but too good reason to fear will be the case where the lives of British subjects are concerned." The Shanghai Recorder says : We are informed that Mr. Thomas L. McCready, of the firm of Allen and Co., has proceeded to Chefoo in the Nanning with a view of endeavouring if possible to obtain intelligence respecting the people on board the General Sherman. He will go on, if necessary, from Chefoo to Tientsin and thence to Peking; where he will obtain a passport from the United States' Legation, and will then continue his journey to Monkden, where he will endeavour to procure the assistance of the Chinese authorities in tracing out the facts connected with this matter. It is not altogether without the bounds of possibility that the Coreans may have taken the foreigners to the barrier and have handed them over to the Chinese. Should such be the case, there may be some difficulty in finding them out, as the Mandarins at Monkden have upon more occasions than one thrown foreigners into gaol to avoid the expense of mending them on to their proper authorities. It is not very long ago since Mr. Meadows, the British consul at Newchwang, was instrumental in obtaining the release of four Russians, who bad been for a lengthened time in prison at that place, and the attempt made to induce Captain M`Caslin and the crew of the steamer Surprise to take up their quarters in a gaol would probably have resulted in their being similarly detained, had they allowed themselves to get into the mandarins' power to that extent. The plan contemplated by Mr. McCready of going to the barrier in company nith Chinese officials will probably prove the most satisfactory that could be devised, as the Coreans are familiar with the Chinese authorities, and their presence will secure the matter receive attention at head-quarters.  The MelbonnteArius of Oct. 27 says : " The revenue returns continue to be of an unsatisfactory character in so far as the duties derivable from the customs department continue to show a serious falling off. The net decrease on the first nine months of the year was 24,000 i. In the ' customs there is a decrease of 14,8431. on the