The Emperor is such a devil of a fellow, that those about him are afraid to tell him the truth; and though his troops have been most unmercifully wallopped, he has been humbugged into the belief that they have achieved a victory.  A poor devil named Ke-shin, who happened to suggest the necessity for a stronger force, was instantly split up by order of the Emperor, who can now and then do things by halves, though such is not his ordinary custom.

We have sent out a correspondent of our own to China, who will supply us with the earliest intelligence.

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TO BENEVOLENT AND HUMANE JOKERS.

CASE OF EXTREME JOCULAR DISTRESS.

The sympathies of a charitable and witty public are earnestly solicited in behalf of

JOHN WILSON CROKER, Esq., late Secretary to the Admiralty, author of the “New Whig Guide,” &c., &c., who, from having been considered one of the first wits of his day, is now reduced to a state of unforeseen comic indigence.  It is earnestly hoped that this appeal will not be made in vain, and that, by the liberal contributions of the facetious, he will be restored to his former affluence in jokes, and that by such means he may be able to continue his contributions to the “Quarterly Review,” which have been recently refused from their utter dulness.

Contributions will be thankfully received at the PUNCH office; by the Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel; Rogers, Towgood, and Co.; at the House of Commons; and the Garrick’s Head.

SUBSCRIPTIONS ALREADY RECEIVED.

Samuel Rogers, Esq.—­Ten puns, and a copy of “Italy.”

Tom Cooke, Esq.—­One joke (musical), consisting of “God save the Queen,” arranged for the penny trumpet.

T. Hood, Esq.—­Twenty-three epigrams.

Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel.—­A laughable Corn-law pamphlet.

John Poole, Esq.—­A new farce, with liberty to extract all the jokes from the same, amounting to two jeux d’esprit and a pun.

Proprietors of PUNCH.—­The “copy” for No. 15 of the LONDON CHARIVARI, containing seventeen hundred sentences, and therefore as many jests.

Col.  Sibthorp.—­A conundrum.

Daniel O’Connell.—­An Irish tail.

Messrs. Grissel and Peto.—­A strike-ing masonic interlude, called “The
Stone-masons at a Stand-still; or, the Rusty Trowel.”

Commissioner Lin.—­A special edict.

Lord John Russell.—­“A new Guide to Matrimony,” and a facetious essay, called “How to leave one’s Lodgings.”

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LAURIE’S ESSAY ON THE PHARMACOPOEIA.

Sir P. LAURIE begs to inquire of the medical student, whose physiology is recorded in PUNCH, in what part of the country Farmer Copoeia resides, and whether he is for or against the Corn Laws?