CHINA AND THE STRAITS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 196, 21 June 1860, Page 4

CHINA AND THE STRAITS.

[From the Overland China Mail, March 15.]

Sir Hope Grant, commander in China of the British expeditionary force, arrived here (Hong Kong) on the 13th instant, along with liis 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. AH 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 on 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 lastrsummary tharfOUl* English war vessels—the Sampson, //ctaeon, Algerine, and Dove, liad left Shanghai under sealed orders, and that ’we had heard they were to take a strip. of land in Shantung as a depot. One of them, the Sampson, has since come down to Hong Kong; having left the other vessels on the 4th instant safely anchored at a port in the entrance to the Gulf of Pechelee. These vessels went first to Talien Bay, near, we think, to the port of Tangchau, that was to be opened by the new treaty. Tlie inhabitants, who* liad never seen a -European ship before, were alarmed at their appearance, but showed no hostility. The country round was found to be extensively cullivated, and gt owing much grain. Fresh provisions could i ot be obtained, and fruit and vegetables must be scarce. There are salmon and oysters in the bay, and the thermometer was as low as 18; the shore being lined with ice. The rebels in the valley of the Yang-tsze have had some more success, and also in Szechuen. 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 villages, which they surround during the night and enter at dawn. The mandarins sent out four thousand men against them in the commencement of the week, and will probably reduce them to order; but these and other local disturbances, which; are mainly owing to tlie shock given by foreigners to Ih.e prestige of the Chinese authorities, must cause much misery.

7’he French admiral (Page) lias taken pos- t session of the town of Saigon, the chief town r of Cochin China, and opened it for general v trade. . This step has been taken in conse- l quence of murders and cruelties committed on ii the French missionaries and others by the l natives. In his proclamation the admiral says —r-“ I exerted myself strenuously to obtain by g a treaty that which is recognized by nearly all r the nations of the earth, namely, a certain ( freedom of commerce, and the guarantee that ( no French subject would be sacrificed to the £ caprice of the uncivilized mandarins. . I stipu- ] dated also, that in the precincts of the kingdom y none, if duly obeying the laws, would be per- { , secuted solely for their religious principles. I < was not even granted these simple, and to t . them unimportant conditions. My first act is ] , to. place the city and territory of Saigon under - , the French authority; no Annamese soldier | j or mandarin will be allowed within it, and if I captured will be considered and punished as a ; I spy. The laws and usages of the country will . t be respected, but the-administration, of justice and measures of public safety will be in the hands of the French authorities. The practice ’ aud equity of our laws; protecting equally the ' rights aud interests of all men) will no doubt f call from all parts numerous inhabitants, and . you will soon learn to appreciate aud rejoice j at the blessings of the benign influence of Eua ropean civilization.” ) Singapore, -r- The Chinese pirates have s commenced their operations this season in the s Gulf of Siam, aud have already taken several junks. One belonging to Singapore is said to

have been plundered of property to the value of 18,000 dollars. The leader of the pirates, it is reported, is a former rebel admiral, who after being defeated by the imperialists at Amoy, found a temporary refuge at Singapore with part of his fleet. The field of operations at present is off the coasts of Camboja and Cochin China. H.M. steamer Pearl was despatched by the senior naval officer on the 14th instant, to beat up , the quarters of these sea robbers. They are said to have a large junk which serves as a kind of receiving ship, While several smaller vessels collect the prey in different directions. —Singapore Free Press, 16th February. The telegraphic communication between Singapore and Batavia is st : ll suspended, but it has been ascertained that the cable has been damaged in two places.— lbid. Thirty-five English ships of war and three transports, were expected from Europe en route for China.

An Excursion in Japan. —The following extracts are taken from a letter from Nagasaki, dated 28th November last:—“ About 10 a.m. a party of six or seven of us started, under the conduct of a medical gentleman of Desima, who was our entertainer. We were mounted on very sure-footed little horses, whose feats would have astonished any one at home. I assure you, had I not been fully prepared by the experience of others, I should not have much liked the adventurous doings of these nice little animals. We ascended flights of steps almost perpendicular, and descended the same. Also went down'steep rugged gull:e? where a man would have hesitated ; yet these horses, clinging like goats, without a stumble carried us in safety. All we had to do was to give them the bridle, and repose full confidence—a. slip would, have been attended with broken neck We went several miles inland, and were greatly charmed with the picturesqueness of the scenery, which was truly exqirs’te; the diversity of hill, dale, and woods renders it the most beautiful country one can desire. The steep slopes, beautifully wooded with dwarfish firs of every hue of verdure, and the bald summits of the hills rearing in cones at every point, afford different views at every step the traveller advances. We lunched at a neat cottage built thirty years ago by permission of the Japanese government for a,Dutch doctor, to enable him to study the. botany of the country. The grounds around this cottage still retain traces of the taste of the original occupant, as beautiful ferns, shrubs, and plants adorn the steep rising slope behind the bouse, while the camellia japonica, with its delicate flowers, is everywhere around, common as a hedge-row at homer 'Qur lunch, sent on by the _ doctor, was excellent, consisting of all manner of nice things. After some rest we resumed our ride, and saw where all executed criminals are interred. The two last victims were handed over, to Dr. for anatomical illustration, the first concession of the sort ever mado by the Japanese. He is instructing a body of young men as future surgeons, so that this boon was very opportune. We also saw where they execute ; on one of the high road approaches to Nagasaki, a rough stone pillar marks the place. We visited a village some two miles from town, where the last of the Japanese converts to Christianity were burned; their history you will see recorded in all histories of Japan. Their sacrifices for religion were marvellous, and the determination of the authorities to exterminate them most persevering. The circumstances offer an insuperable barrier to missionary labours. Already the chaplain of an American man-of-war asked permission 10 teach some children the English tongue. This was granted, and he gave them some small books of our religion, which being discovered by the authorities was almost attended with very serious consequences, ' Had the children been adults it is alleged each would have lost his head. In this case the parents had a severe threat. ~ . -• The country

being cultivated in neat little terraces gives the whole a peculiar aspect. Millet is ripe and abundant. Oranges grow everywhere, but are not quite ripe yet. Saw lots of sweet potatoes and other vegetables. . . I really think Nagasaki is the prettiest place I ever saw; the walks are exquisite, and so varied that you might walk for months changing the route. . . . Busy preparing for sea, as We go to-morrow through an unknown inland passage,, amt expect to the capital^ in less than a fortnight.. Weather cold,, but beautifully fine.”

The state of matters in Japan appears to be s getting worse and worse, and the foreign com- t munity there is living in great apprehension. v On the 26th February, two Dutch captains, ( Captain De Yos of the brig Christian Louis, i and Captain D.ekker of the schooner Henrietta | Loise, were murdered in Yokohama. They , were walking through the streets, and, it is said, had given no offence, being respectable t quiet men, when they were attacked by some £ Japanese with swords. Captain De Vos was ( killed almost immediately, and Captain Dekker ( was pursued a short way before he was des , patched. No cause is assigned for this act. j The Japanese are a high-spirited people, and , have been known to commit suicide when insulted by foreigners; it is not impossible that _ the Unfortunate captains may have : committed offence without intending to do so, or they may 1 have been sacrificed to expiate the acts of ! other foreigners. The mission to the coal ; mines is said to have been a failure ; but it I has been found that Hirado coal can be ad- ; vantageously used by all steamers when it is • used 'with an equal portion of Welsh coal. The imitative powers of the Japanese m,ust be very i great, for muskegs and rifles are now made by 3 them as well as in Europe, and the retainers 1 of the princes are daily taught their exercise a aud use. There i. 3 an idle story going about

of one of the Japanese ministers having, in the heat of a recent discussion* laid liis liand upoti his sword and exclaimed* “ Let us rid our selves 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 other ports. Copper, iron, tin, and coal exist in the* island of Yezo; and the ores are said to possess from 75 to 85 per cent, of fine metal. Russian influence is there said to, be there are always two Russian meu-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, Lieut. Brooke, late of the United States surveying schooner Fennimore Cooper.

COLUMN TOR yOLUNTEEBS. The Volunteer’s Day.—-On March 7tb, the Queen held a Court in St. James’s Palace, exclusively for the reception |of officers of Volunteer Corps; who mustered about 2500. Several hundreds were unable, from various causes, to attend. At twelve o’clock, they began to arrive, and were conducted to the drawing-room, Queen Anne’s room, the guardchamber, banquet-room, and other apartments of the palace, where they.were formed into companies. Her Majesty arrived soon after two o’clock, attended by the Prince Consort, the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, and the Duke of Cambridge. In preconcerted order,. each group passed through the throne-room, headed by its senior officer The Lord Chamberlain standing on the right of the Queen, read aloud the names of each group as they were presented by the Lord Lieutenant of their absence Vy the Undersecretary of State for the War-Department. The officers then drew up in a line, before the Queen, bowed, and retired. Throughout the presentation, precedence was giyen to each corps by reference fco.its number in the Array List. The list of officers presented extends over six columns of the daily journals. In the evening about 700 sat down to dinner. The Duke of Cambridge, took the chair and in the coarse of the evening said

“ Some gentlemen seem to think that volunteer corps Ought to do nothing but shoot. ,1 have a great respect for General Hay. He is one of the best shots in the country, and lie very naturally thinks that the great aim of volunteers should be to become good marksmen. To a certain extent, I concur with that gallant officer: but, on the other hand, I think that in order to become a good soldier a man -muet- l>«--TrcH “acquainted with drill. There has of late been a great deal said,about ‘loose drill.’ Loose drill is in fact very excellent drill. As a military man, I look upon loose drill as a very difficult thing to master. In learning what use to make of this tree and that bush there is a great deal more than meets the eye at first sight, and I believe that until you can drill steadily it is impossible for you to drill loosely. I have heard with great pleasure that this volunteer movement is taking root downwards, and that our young friends at school are beginning already to have a foretaste of subsequent drill. Nothing I believe can tend more to make the move* meat permanent than the preparatory drilling of young persons.”' . .... The day was closed with a .ball; in the grand Floral H&ll adjoining Covent Gardeii. Theatre. The first .coup • yasL ; the bsi|liant confusion into which the assembling masses entangled themselves; but the second—the wreathes, festoons, and bouquets of white and red roses, tastefully hung about the building, the handsome chandeliers, between the light pillars, the broad gilt cornice of iron, at the base of the roof, the assembly of 40C0- or 5000 ladies and gentlemen ; the yariety of uniforms—presented a very splendid spectacle. Dancing, of conrse, was somewhat impeded, but on the whole the ball was a great success.

A Bifle Cokes Electing its Officers, “•In one of the populous and thriving manufacturing towns near Ashton-under-Ayne, .one of the volunteer rifle companies recently held a meeting for the purpose of choosing officers. It was known that there were many candidates for the honour, but it was not till the time of election that the exact state of the ca«ia._ was - unJeretood. On .that occasion- tt suggestion was made that all, the gentlemen desirous of becoming officers should retire during the election, when, to the, general astonishment, it was found that only three members of the, company were left to proceed with business. The three gentlemen left te do the work, however, did not flinch from their duty, and those who retired were in due time summoned back to the meeting. They were then informed that the meeting had felt great difficulty about the selection, because the claims of all who had left the room were so conspicuous, it seemed invidious, to take one in preference to another. Under these circumstances the meeting had adopted the , most obvious and satisfactory way of escaping the difficulty by electingthemselves to fill the vacant posts.”