8 MAY 1841, Page 7

By the overland mail from India, intelligence has been received

from Bombay to the 1st April, and from Macao to the 12th February.

The news from China is not very satisfactory. From the time of the restoration of the Bogue forts to the Chinese, negotiations with the Imperial Commissioner, Keshen, went on through the medium of subordinates on the part of the Celestials, until the 27th January. On that day, Captain Elliot went up the Canton river, in the steamer Nemesis, to hold an appointed interview with the Commissioner. He was accompanied by M. Challaye, the French Vice-Consul, Mr. Johnston, the Deputy-Superintendent, several naval and military officers, and Captain Rosamel, of the French sloop-of-war Danaide ; in all about twenty persons, besides a party of Marines. Keshen was attended by the principal officers of the province, and by Howqua, Mowqua, and Pawnkehqua, three of the Hong merchants. He was hospitable; and that day passed in banqueting and military shows by the Marines. All the party departed on the same afternoon, except Captain Elliot and some of his attendants; who remained in the steamer, to continue the negotiations : and there they staid at the time of the latest dates ; it being unknown what progress had been made in the promised settlement. It was supposed that Kediell bad persuaded Captain Elliot to wait until an answer respecting the original convention had been received from the Emperor. It was, however, understood in Canton on the 7th February, that the conduct of Keshen appeared to be vacillating, and that he seemed disinclined to fulfil his engagements. It was further reported, that an Imperial edict had arrived from Pekin, in reply to the report of the capture of the forts of Tycoktow and Chuenpee, the import of which was decidedly hostile to the English ; and that a new Commissioner was about to proceed to Canton, to supersede Keshen. A very general opinion was gaining ground that hostilities would have to be renewed.

Meanwhile, the trade had not been reopened according to the promise in the preliminary convention. On the 30th January, Captain Elliot issued a circular, stating that negotiations were proceeding satisfactorily ; but at the same time intimating, that in the existing state of affairs he did not consider it advisable for British subjects to proceed to Canton. The smuggling of tea, however, continued with increased activity ; though prices were very high.

On the 1st February. the Commodore and Plenipotentiary issued conjointly a proclamation to the inhabitants of Hong Kong, informing them that the place had become a part of the dominions of the Queen of England, and that natives residing on the island must consider themselves subjects of her Britannic Majesty. It also guaranteed to the Chinese the free exercise of their religious and social customs, and the preservation of their private property. On the 9th of the same month, another proclamation was made by Captain Elliot, in virtue of authority vested in him under the great seal of the United Kingdom, reserving her Majesty's rights, royalties, and privileges over the island ; *sting the government pending her Majesty's pleasure in the person holding the office of Chief Superintendent, and declaring that the Chinese within the jurisdiction should be governed by their own laws and customs.

A private letter announces the actual occupation of Hong-Kong

" We are now at Hong-Kong ; the island being by the new arrangements ceded to the British Crown. The flag has been hoisted, and the island taken possession of; and the Chinese war is now at an end, and we are all looking out to be sent back to Bengal very soon. Orders have gone up to Colonel Burrell to give up Chusan, and to bring the whole force to this place."

We pick out a bit or two of the same letter from an account of the interview with Keshen, at which the writer was present

" On arriving there, Keshen came to the door of the tent, and received his Excellency the Plenipotentiary very graciously; when all the party was intro duced by his Excellency to the Imperial Commissioner. Among them was a young Middy of her Majesty's ship Herald, about twelve years of age. Keshen inquired his age ; and after being informed, his remark was, had much better study his book than be brought up to the art of war.' After this, all under the rank of a Commissioner were requested to withdraw from the Imperial Commissioner's tent; and I being one among the party, we visited the Hong merchants, who had a tent close by. I saw Howqua, who is a very old man; indeed, this is the principal and most wealthy man among the Rungs." They had tea with the Hong merchants ; then a walk ; and then a real gorge" at tiffin with the Imperial Commissioner " Tiffin being over, the Imperial Commissioner expressed a wish to see two of the Marines: consequently two of the largest were picked out, each six feet

three in height, and underwent an inspection by Keshen himself. He exa

mined very minutely the musket with the bayonet, the cross-belt with cartonche-box ; and then he felt their arms to see if their jackets were stuffed with ; anci, very much to his surprise, found all was muscle, and no mistake." The Marines next performed a variety of evolutions, to the astonishment of 40,000 or 50,000 spectators " The Imperial Commissioner is a fine, intelligent, shrewd-looking man, rather corpulent, and about six feet in height, and very affable and polite : we all were highly delighted with our day's excursion."