PROGRESS OF THE OPIUM WAR.

Of the attempt to burn the invading fleet, which was made on the 9th June, the following particulars had appeared in the Canton Register- " The first alarm was given about two a.m. on Tuesday. A noise was heard from amongst the small Chinese boats inshore. It appeared on subse- quent inquiry, that some Mandarin boats had got in amongst them for the pur- pose of making captures. They attacked the cutter Devil, and wounded the lasears on board. Immediately after, distant lights appeared in the direction of the passage of the Capsingmoon, called the Flood-,rates; and the comtnand- ing officer of the Danish King tired a gun and hoisted the signal previously ordered by the senior officer of her Majesty's ships for tire-rafts ; and instantly almost the fire burst forth front at least fifteen tire-boats. The appearance was very beautiful. The wind and the the were then favourable for tlteir course. As they approached they blew up like some beautiful tire-works, what in English pyrotechnical science would be called a flower-pot. The beauties of the sight, however, did not dissipate the alarm felt by those on hoard the ships, who were also fearful there might he other crafty schemes in progress, and that they might be attacked from other quarters: cons:equently, most of the ships slipped their cables and moved out of danger, each more anxious than his neighbour to get into the rear. The scene amid danger caused great excitement : the night was very dark. "The junks were first turned adrift, chained together two and two. Nine of these rafts were counted, which gives eighteen boat.4. But it was eseer- tented that sonic had not ignited, and some had exploded, the wrecks being seen floating about the hay the next morning.

" On examination, the fire-rafts were found to be constructed of what had been very old outside fishing-haats: what remains of them will supply the fleet with firewood for a month. They were full of dross, the remains of the com- bustible matter."

The united strength of the invading fleet is thus 1eaerilied- 0 Limier Commodore Sir G. Bremer—I ler Majesty's ship Wellesley, 71 ; 28; Conway, 28 ; Cruiser, 16 ; Algerine, 10 ; Rattlesnake (troop-ship) ; Honourable Company's steamers Queen, Atalanta, and eighteen transports. "Under Admiral Elliot — Melville, 7.1.; Blonde, II; Pylades, it ; two transports, and one store-ship.

"The remainder of Admiral Elliot's force—Blenheim, 7:2; Pique, 44 ;

Ti- constant, 36 ; Andromache, 36; Nimrod, 20; Wanderer, 18 ; tel the Hydra steam-frigate—had not reached Macao." The blockading squadron consists of her Majesty's ships Druid, Volage, Hyacinth, and Larne, and the s:ectiner Madegasear; a tbree, considering the numerous outlets between Canton end the sea; by no mane too great. The Canton Press says—" Imperfectly as we believe the estuary of dee river to he known, atol affording as it does, by means of passages throuflt the many

islands, called hy the natives the Ten Thousaint peeess to the river to native boats of all sizes, we suspect the I:loin:ding squadrdu will have quite enough to do to guard them stilliciently. Logue entrance is, we ledieve, generally preferred by native vessels as the ei :zees: way to Canton, through the main channel or the river, which runs in a perLetly stra4;Itt courz.: ttummt the Bogue to the first bar ; and by that entrance alone forLigo ships ai.e allowed

to approach Can but, besides that urn of the riettr, generally called the Macao passage, by AS hicll foreigners are obliged to go between Canton atal Macao, if in native boats, and to which there are many yeti-motes by channels formed by the many islands, there arc other navigaMe arms of the Chekiang River, the mouths of which are, we believe, consider...lily to the westward of Macao, one of which connects the wealthy town of Faishan, in the neiirliboar- hood of Canton, with the sea. 'The with of the wh•ile estuary of the Che- kiang, taking the Rogue entrance to be the noot eenerly, cannot fall short Id' seventy to eighty miles from North-east to South- west ; and will therefore require a numerous flotilla to guard it strictly."

We cull a few more extracts front the published accounts, to fill tip

the picture.

" Be fore leaving Macao, Captain Elliot, in conjunctien with the Portn geese Governor, made some egreement with the Mandarins of thci district, that the supplies of the place were not to be stopped, and that the English were not to be annoyed; in consideration of which, tier Ma josty's naval oilteer imm C01111111.1111 at that station had engaged not to annoy native boats enteeleg or leaving. Macao. The people outside are said to be 1m.a.-fee:1y well-disposed towards :he English."

" There can be no doubt of the easy postiesioti or r mml tm, the cltiets twee

Chusan—a place even now of very considerable trae.e. 11 descrihed es Iem mi a great resemblance to Venire, being in some ile,.a.ce car:mulled as well mm,he: tersected by canals, over which sleep Midges are thrievn, ml ml; mire aseended liy steps, like the Rialto. The idand or Clinsmi, which Ilea!s; nearly themImmmm relation to the pros ince of Chekea ng as the Isle of does to IlainpdtIre, is rather larger than Singapore, and situated in a deliehtt'el climate, mei d ee.,es North. Its soil is fertile, and the country!

henney 2rom iteen- tral position,' says the Content Press, and ime vicinity to the riche-, pro-

vinces and greatest emporiums of trade--:1'0111 its !;,'1!.g 11C711' the pre, •s

which produce the greatest qtelittity ml tie;

ited nutuulactured—and from its being pro\ Id, ml mm timtItet: lett' atett. it RCM to be particularly adopted to l;.2 le t t4, II foreign trade ; and, in fact, if pe•tessien of it C LI . . 1 mmmi the ellineSe, we have no doubt that it will soon b.,,site., mm ■re

Canton has ever been ; altlunielt it cannot Le dendel that the nereee!ee is considerably longer, and that daring a e.reater part of the ye ir the et-is t channel is a stormy rind dangerous navigutien. In the favoutete te eee- that is, in the summer months—a ship sailing. from Macao may re ,11 La

in four or live days: during the Northerly- munsoun, tie! itati.;‘,....Itet will uf course he much protracted. " The latest accounts from Canton are to the 30th of June ; on eth:ei mImmv all the Americans were to leave that rely. Li .11 was said to be ;:ee

and a report had gone abroad that he e..1-; ill and It been I. lie

and his friends are said to hare been greatly alarmed on he Iring o! ;1.11 val of the steamers at Macao. 'rile 'lima of the hiceka■lo had alk) etml t. ml to

add to their emliarrassment. The I lomi, merchants w...re. olelip!ii to hire coolers to protect their houses, which they tiTreil would be attacked nod pillaged by the populace. " With regard to the probable period of the renewal of the trade, all the letters concur in the belief that the businessw... m ae a protraeted ene. Mean- while, shipments of cotton to China are in progress at Bombay, Calcutta, aud

Madras. The export f Bombay is already large ; and there are six or seven vessels, including an American, IlOW taking in cargo. This is too irely 011 the speculation of being ready to take advantage of the first opening of the trade.-