Letter from Hongkong (Correspondence Pac. Commercial Advertiser, 1859)

Source: The Pacific Commercial Advertiser. Honolulu: June 30, 1859. 

HONGKONG, April 18, 1859

DEAR SIR: -The clipper ship Sea Serpent, Capt. Whitmore, arrived yesterday, and brought us full files of your valuable paper. It has been several months since we have heard from the Islands, and we were all glad to hear from you. Business here continues to be unusually depressed; everything is at a dead stand. With the exception of a few ships now on the berth for California, there is nothing doing. At present we have very few ships in port, most of them having left here in ballast, and many of them home direct in ballast. Should the dry weather which we now have continue a few days more, the rice crop will be seriously damaged, which will again give employment to ships to bring rice from the south. Calcutta, Penang, Singapore, and even Bankok, are full of ships, with nothing to do.

The U.S.S. frigate Powhatan has gone to Singapore to bring up the American Minister, and one of H.B.M.’s frigates has gone down for Mr. Bruce, the English Ambassador. They are both expected here in a few days. A large force is now ready to go with them to Pekin.

The U.S.S. Mississippi and sloop-of-war Germantown are at Japan, and it is probable the Mississippi will be in your port before you receive this, on her way to Panama, with the Japanese Ambassador. The First Lieutenant of the Germantown is here very sick, and is not expected to live from day to day. His complaint is abscess of the liver, which of which burst into the cavity of the chest.

No whaleships have touched here this season, which is something very unusual. We have heard of several at Nangasaki, in Japan; but the report was not reliable and very indefinite. For the principal intelligence I must refer you to the papers which I send you with this.

Very truly yours, * * * * *