Great changes have taken place in the weather during the past week. The thermometer reached 77 in the shade, on the morning of the 22nd instant, with a south wind, but dropped in a few hours nearly 90 degrees, after a sudden change to the north, Strong northerly and north westerly gales have since prevailed.
A mooting of shareholders in the Shanghai Stenin Navigation Company thas boon hold, at which the report and accounts which will be found olsowhore were read and passed. The shareholders have every reason to congratulate thomaclvos on the snosess of the year's working, which hay resulted in a profit of "is. 800,000 ana las enabled them to wipe off the whole of the cost of the now stentors, whose purchase wasanthorisod at the last mooting. It was revolved to declare a stock dividend of 50
Dor cent, and to r-ieswo the capital of the Company in Ts, 100 instead of Ti. 1,000 shares, Thostoamors Afanchu and Warrior wore purchased from Messrs, Russell & Ca.
The following Directors were clooted for the ensuing year; Mossra, Cunningham, President; Portor Forbes, Bryans, and Ovorweg.
The report of the Directors of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank has been pubished, from which it will be soon that the not profit during the half year ending Bist December 1807, was $362,270, From this, dividend at the rate of 12 por cent por cent per annum is recommended, which will leave $125,000 to be carried to the Resorro Fund, and $57,276 to thocredit of now profit and loss account, The Reserv Fund is to be invested in Govommont Socurities. Agencies are to be opened at Caleuita and Hankow. mooting of members of the Gymnasinm, too, was called on the 21st instant, Dut sulliciont members did not attend, Wo are glad to sco that the institution still appears to flourish, comprising over 150 members, and possessing a cons dorable cash balance. Wo think that, under these circumstances, a sugyostion which had been mooted, to change an on-ranes feo of $5 in future, would be a mistake. The present rules have hitherto worked #0 well that they lind better stand.
We presume mgasnres will soon be taken to got up the Spring Athletic Sports meeting.
'A mooting of Friends and Subscriburs to ho Chinese Hospital in Shantung Road was hold yestenlay afternoon, Wo hear that a pension has been con-forred upon one Haing ta-shing, who has bean employed in H. B, Bf, Consulate, as The new Chinese embassy to Western Courts loft on the 25th instant, in the Coste Rica, A sketch of its personnel is given in our loading article.
A Consular Notification hus been issued, eecribing n Flag to be shown by vessels in distress off Formosa, to solute protection from the natives, under the agreenient Intely concluded with the atter by the U. 8. Consul at. Amoy. It is rod, oblong in shape, 2ft. 9in, Jong and 1ft, Tin, broads A great fall in steamer freights to Tiontsin has taken place, through the break down of 1 combination to keep them up. Ibis hardly likely, however, that the competition wil last, About twenty griffins were offered on Saturday, at the Horse Bazaar, of which about throo-fourths wore sold at prices which certainly augur well for the coming races. Theo ponies fetched Ts, 100 and upwards, the premier price being Tls. 185 for s well-made chesnut, The next in price, a white, fetched Tis, 160, and isin our opinion, a much better purchase, although neither of them were worth the money. Another white fetched Tis, 100, although little lame; and the remaining prices were Tis, 90, 75, 70, 65, 00, ete, ets.
The barques Kew-hee and Talee have boon, sold for Tls. 9,460 and 11,000 respectively.
'A now Masonic Lodge is to be opened today, at Nivoro, A number of brethren left yesterday afternoon, to be prosont at the eeronony of consecration.
Wo give in another column comparative statement of the principal imports into Haxxow during the past five years, which shows a groat ineronso in most, though a falling off in some of the principal foreign imports.
ran eoreespondont, wring under date Februnry Ist, mentions a report hint 10 Mahomedan robela have cotmeneed wir threatened enmmpaign againat Shinto, cagturod three towns, Very heavy is of snow hind taken place, Stotsbaahi is reported to b6 massing troops in Yurn0, where there is a strong feeling in theextle strongly guarded, an hus been fortifying the city against am attack, Tt in aleo stated that ho Ins.beon sonding steamers to different parte of the coust, to collect hin neatlered forees, The Japan Times remarks that prospects for the spring are certainly warlike, nnd highly otrimontal to prospects of trade." Usaxa, however, the war is regarded as over, Satsuma, Tosa, and Chosin are to carry on Government, as delegates of the Mikado; and the troops of the former garrison the foreign wottlomont of Hiogo. Every desire in manifested to keep on ftiondly terms with foreigners, A demand Juns boon made that the officer who com manded the Prince of Bizon's troops, on the occasion of their ontbrenk at Kobe, hall be capitally punished; and the Mikado, acknowledging the request to be reasonable, has nccoded to it, The Prince is to ako compensation for injury dono by retainers, 'Two reports have boon wront hero, for the past two days—one that Japan' has been. thrown entirely pon to foreigners, the other that the for-ign residents of Naganakt hnd boon obliged to take refuge on bontd the ships in Iunrbour. Neither report is traceable to riy source, andi both uppent to come therefore under the category of" bunders."
Wooxtract from the-China Mail n full report of the Hoxaxoxca races, from which it will be oon that' Birmingham won the Challenge Cup,, but was benton by Exeter next day, giving him 8 1b, Cornucopia also showed wollup. Mors-an-Denés won unc race. The Governor of Kwantung has not, turned rebel, us was reported; but goos to ako command wuder Too, in the eanpaign against the Mahomedans, in Kanguh, "At!
meeting of shareholders in the Hongkong, and Shanghai Bank, the Directors report, which we publish clsowhero, was adopted.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.