The Sun. — 1860-04-27 (London, England)

CHINA.  The following is from the China Mail, HongKong, March 15 : " Sir Hope Grant, Commander in Chief of the British Expeditionary Force, arrived here on the 13th inst., along with his staff. No further details of the British and French forces have arrived, but we have intelligence of several vessels with troops on board having reached Singapore. All kinds of rumours are going about as to the preparations made by the Chinese,their determination to fight, and their efforts to engage Europeans in their service ; but no dependence can be placed in these rumours. There is a general impression among the Chinese that the Court of Pekin intends to make a determined stand, but that is only conjecture on their part. _ _ _  " We mentioned in our last summary that four English war vessels—the Samson, Actaeon, Algerine, and Dove—had left Shanghae under sealed orders, and that we had heard they were to take a strip of land iu Shantung as a depot. One of them, the Samson, has since come down to Hong Kong, having left the other vessels on the 4th inst. safely anchored at a port in the entrance to the Gulf of Pechelee. These vessels went first to Ta-lien Bay, near, we think, to the port of Tang-chau, that was to be opened by the new treaty. The inhabitants, who had never seen a European ship before, were alarmed at their appearance, but showed no hostility. The country round was found to be extensively cultivated, and growing much grain. Fresh provisions could not be obtained, and fruit and vegetables must be scarce. There are salmon and oysters in the bay, and the thermometer was so low as 18, the shore being lined with ice. A singular report exists among the Chinese at Canton, to the effect that the two gunboats have been taken, but no one believes it. It is true that the news of the loss of the gunboats at the mouth of the Peiho last summer was reported in Canton nine days after the event took place, and before our vessels brought the intelligence to Shanghae ; but though Chinese stories often prove correct, yet they cannot be relied on, and in this case all the probability is against it. The story only shows that the Cantonese expect hostilities in the north.  0 Admiral Page has issued a proclamation, opening the River of Saigon, in Cochin China, to the commercial vessels of all nations at peace with France.  " The rebels in the valley of the Yangtsze have had some more success, and also in Sze-chuen. There have also been some disturbances near Canton from rebels, or rather local marauders. In eight separate districts of Kwang-tung bands of marauders have risen up and set the mandarins at defiance, refusing to pay the taxes, and plundering the villages, which they surround during the night and enter at dawn. The mandarins sent out 4,000 men against them in the commencement of this week, and will probably reduce them to order; but these and other local disturbances, which are mainly owing. to the shock given by foreigners to the prestige of the Chinese authorities, must cause much misery.  " The state of matters in Japan appear to be getting worse and worse, and the foreign community there is living in great apprehension. On the 26th of February two Dutch captains, Capt. De Vos, of the brig Christian Louis, and Capt. Dekker, of the schooner Henrietta Louise, were murdered in Yokohama. They were walking through the streets, and, it is said, had given no offence, being respectable, quiet men, when they were attacked by some Japanese with swords. Capt. De Vois was killed almost immediately, and Capt. Dekker was pursued a short way before he was dispatched. No canse is assigned for this act. The Japanese are a high-spirited people, and have been known to commit suicide when insulted by foreigners; it is not impossible that the unfortu nate captains may have committed offence without intending to do so, or they may have been sacrificed to expiate the acts of other foreigners. The burial of Mr. Alcock's servant was attended by officials. The mission to the coal mines is said to have been a failure ; but it has been found that Hirado goal can be advantageously used by all steamers when it is mixed with an equal portion of Welsh coal. The imitative powers of the Japanese must be very great, for muskets and rifles are now made by them as well as in Europe, and the retainers of the princes are daily taught their exercise and use. There is an idle story going about of one of the Japanese Ministers having, the heat of a recent discussion, laid his hand upon his sword and exclaimed, "Let us rid ourselves of these treaties and fight for freedom." At Hakodadi good feeling exists between the foreigners and Japanese. and articles are exported from there which are held back at the other ports. Copper, iron, tin, and coal exist in the island of Yea() ; and the ores are said to possess from 75 to 85 per cent. of fine metal. Russian influence is there said to be supreme ; there are always two Russian men-of-war in the bay, and large Consular mansions. The Japanese Ministers to New York were to have sailed before this time in the Powhatan, and one of their own steamers was to accompany them under the direction of Lieutenant Brooke, late of the United States surveying schooner Fenimore Cooper. " Mr. Tarrant is to be released in a few days; but the heavy costs of his trial will probably confine him in the debtors' gaol for some time longer. The gaol authorities condemned him lately to solitary imprisonment for a short time on bread and water, because the end of a cigar was discovered in his cell. Such a fact scarcely requires comment, and shows that, whatever may have been the faults of some of the papers in Hong Kong, no small share of the obloquy should fall upon the officials who thus demonstrate their incapacity for comprehending the age in which we live, and so wantonly embitter the state of matters. Captain Saunders has been committed for trial at the Supreme Court, on the charges of the murder of a Chinaman, and of shooting and wounding other Chinamen, on board a Customs' boat, at Siva' tow. He has been released on bail, the securities being himself for 6,000 dols., and two friends for 5,000 dols. each.