COCHIN CHINA.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1712, 1 April 1862, Page 6

COCHIN CHINA.

(From the Pinany Gazette. January \S.) A recent letter f'rum Saigon brings sad news to the French priesthood here. Bishop Cuinot has been arrested and imprisoned. When the edict for the disperson of the CliristiansNvas put in execution, and searc'.i mide for him, ha was concealed in the house of a pagon in the middle of a double wall. This house was searched without success by different parties of soldiers on two successive days, but ou the third day the bishop being unable to bear the excessive thirst longer, came out of the wall, and surrendered himself. The barbarians, devoid of any respect for his hairs, whitened by a sojourn of thirty-four years in Annain, twenty-seven of which had been pussed in the severe toil of the episcapate, bound the poor old bishop, and placed him in a narrow cage. This unfortunate event was the signal for cirrying on the general persecution of the Christians with redoubled activity and harshness. We are informed that a r,epoit came by the last mail steamer that Bishop Cuinot died in prison of dysenterj. It is said that while hia prisonej, the Cochin China authorities treated him very humanely. Buen-hoa has been ciptured by the French with the loss of only one killed and one or two wounded. All the Christians had been previously placed in an enclosure

i and on the ere of tfrecapture it was set en fire ) and they were all burned to death. / A letter from Saig. n mentions that the dispute between the French and Siamese does not ,' relate to the governorship ofKomput, but to the succession to the throne of Karaboja. There have been warm discussions on the subject between Mr. Castelneau and the Kalabom, who intimated on one occasion that if France interfered farther he would be compelled to declare war. From the Overland Trade Report, January 13. Affairs at Japan continue in a very unsatisfactory state. Under the terms of the treaty, Yeddo was to be opened to foreigners, and several new ports were to be made available for commerce on the Ist of January this year. It was hardly anticipated that these conditions would be carried ou t in their full integrity, but it was expected that some concessions would be obtained as an equivalent for waiving these treaty rights. For instance, it was hoped that the nefarious currency juggle (whereby the Government pocket, in direct violation of the plain terms of the treaties, thirty-three per cent, on the large amount of treasure imported to make up the balance of trade in favour of the Japanese) would be done away with. The enormous amount of pilferage thus derived i» reality stands as a douceur to the Government by way of an inducement to allow the trade to continue. Who : the responsible members of Government are the British minister himself has stated he does not know. A- strong combination of nobles, hpwever, appear to have the power of revolutionising the country at pleasure, the implement used being the assassins knife. Whether their inimical c >nduct towiirds foreigners arises, as is alleged, from a dread that European notions may subvert their peculiar institutions, or whether the political party which is out is wr-ingling for a share of pilferage filched by the party thatisin can only be conjectured. The melancholy fact is certain, that the British and Araeiican ministers have waived the treaty right, regarding the entrance into Yeddo, and the opening of the new ports, either out of respect for or dread of the noble assasins above referred to, and from a different motive have allowed the pilferage on the curreucy to continue and remain. What that motive may be it may be difficult to determine,' but as the foreign officials are exempt from the juggle on a very liberable scale, it cannot be doubted that the salaries of foreign ministers residents in Japan are enhanced at least fifty per cent.- by the peculiar action of the nefarious system. The Prince of Mito, who was the firebrand of the anti-foreign party is dead, his son and successor being apparently a man of a contrary stamp. The British and French ministera have body guards of their own countrymen as a protection against the assassin nobles. (From the Straits Times) At tl«e capture of Buen-hoa by the French troops the chief mandarin of the place was taken and hanged. The mandarin, it seems, has been very busy in creating an ill-feeling against the French Government, and through his influence many of the natives originally friendly towards the French progress, have been induced to act in opposition to it, Since the taking of Biuen-hoa the stale of affairs has been very unsatisfactoryj and business is-quite at a standstill. An expedition, consisting of seven vessels left on the morning of the sth, for the purpose of taking a native position near St. James, which was quite successful, the natives at once retreating to the interior. Skirmishes are constantly taking place at the outposts.