We have very little local news to record. The meeting of the Shanghai. Gas Company is at last announced, for Thursday next. It is said to be the intention of the Directors to advise a dividend: of 12 per cent, and that 12. per cent be written off to depreciation.
The condition of the river opposite the tlement has attracted attention; and Marine Department has been urged to take some action to prevent the growing deterioration of the channel, opposite Pootung Point.
Wo have received ® programme of the Spring Regatta of the Shanghai Yacht Club, to be held on the-2nd April. It. comprises first 'A Challenge Cup," open to all Yachts; second, 'A House-Boat Race"; third, "A Scurry Race, for House-
Boat Our readers will observe that the case Morris 'v. Wong-sze, on which we had occasion to comment some days ago, came up again at the Mixed' Court, on Saturday. Not only has the sum decreed to the plaintiff not yet been paid by the defendant; but the latter has addressed petition to the, Supreme Court, in which ho re-assorts all the sets-off that were disproved in the Mixed Court, and seeks to enter a suit against the plaintiff for the amount, The plaintiff asked the Mixed Court, on Saturday, to restrain him from proceeding so purely vexatious, and this quest was promptly acceded to, We are sorry not to learn that an order was added, for th immediate payment of the judgment debt.
An interesting episode in Chinese official life has just occurred in Shanghai—resulting in the withdrawal, from the Che-hsien, of his button and peacock's feather. It is well known that a personal responsibility lies on Chinese Magistrates, in: regard to the detection and punishment of crimes committed within their jurisdiction. If they fail, within. a certain time, to detect the culprits, they lose their: button—the time allowed being extended in: proportion to the distance. A burglary oceurred some time ago, at a medicine shop in the south suburb of Shanghai—which the Magistrate reported to the "Fatal 'a8 having occurred at a distance of (15 from the city. The Futai, however, replied that he had once been Taotai of "Shanghai, atid know perfectly well the spot indicated, which was.only 21i from the "wall. The allotted, time- for the capture ofthe burglars had therefore expired; and not only. had.the"Che-hsien been remiss in;.thia respect, but he: had also.tried..to de-"ceive ihis superior.—Sentence, that he be deprived of his button and pescock's fea~ glad to find Ting thus summarily punishing a fault which is believed by foreigners to be common with Chinese officials. If the latter set an example of deceit, what can expected from the people From Hanxow, we have the strange news that both the English and the U. 8. Consuls, when calling on Viceroy Li, were refused admittance except by the side-door, while the acting French Consul was recognised on terms of equality, and obtained entrance by the middle or large door. It is just possible that the determined aspect assumed by the French Government on two or. three occasions Lately, had paved the way for its representative at this time. Neither the U. S. nor English Consul availed himself of Li's condescension to be visited by the side-door. A correspondent, remarking on the incident, says, "Tt ts fair to add that the Consuls have no actual right to the central door, for they only rank as Taotais, who cannot claim this honor, and never have it yielded to them by mandarin of Li' standing. - Still, the admission of the French, and rejection of the English and American Consuls, 1s significant enough.
It may seem very trifling to your Home Readers; but in a country where etiquette is ao punctiliously regarded, every such incident has a political value."
Dr. PorterSmithhas published a brochure of some 100 pages, recording his past 5 years' experience at the Hankow Medical Mission Hospital. It is in some measure a reprint of previous reports; but in " more compact form and it is enriched by an Introduction, in which interesting information given regarding the status, and degree of knowledge, of Chinese Doctors, and regarding tke charitable institutions frequent with the Chineso—as bearing on. their estimation of foreign hospitals. "In Hankow, a wealthy port which may be taken asia farr sample of the benevolence of merchants and others, there are several Tang or halls for providing coffins, burying the unclaimed dead, collecting scattered bones, vaccinating children, prescribing for the sick poor, establishing rice gruel depots, and for assisting stranded vessels by means of hawsers and other necessary apphanoes. The establishment of free schools, life boats' and fire engine stations, is all mixed up with these several objects." We have have said enough to show that the interest of the little book we are reviewing, is not confined to Medical men, or even to those: specially interested in Missionary work..Tt contains matter of much interest tothe general reader, and we unhesitatingly commend it to those in search of information about the people among whom we live, The Hankow races are fixed for the 18th and.19th proximo, There are to be two day's sport—soven events on each day. Entries close onthe 4th April. A lecture was delivered at the Hankow Club, on the lst ulto,' by Dr.-F. Porter Smith, on "Chines Character and Civilization."
We bavet 1zwrsrx dates to the7th March, The Shansi got inside the bar, first of the northern steamers, and stored her cargo at Taku. A day later, the Ying-tre-feisucceeded in forcing! Frit a. her way from Taka uptothesottlement, through s foot thickness of ice, and ar. rived there on this 2nd March, much to the surprise of all, and to thedisgust of shirting holders,—asshecaused adropintheratefrom Tls.2.36 to-Tls. 2.25, without benefitting any body. The river is still frozen over; aleighs are plying, and there is no appearance of the ice clearing away so as to allow of boats being launched, for some days longer. A good number of native merchants had arrived, but they wore waiting, to buy, until they could forward their purchases inland by the river. The weather still very cold,. and freezing every night.
A Cxzr0o' correspondent writes that the hotel at the beach now being built for Mr. Bielfeld, is progressing, and promises to bes spacious house and well adapted to secure the summer visitors " pleasant residence. The public rooms fronting the bay will afford plenty of room for largo parties at the Table d'Hote, and even for dances when there are sufficient lady visitors to encourage such an entertainment.
A serious fire broke out in the southern suburbs of: Foocrow, on the 21st ull destroying 700 or 800 houses. The ruin: cover several acres. A Mission Church erected in 1857 was also burnt. Subscriptions are being raised, to rebuild it.
Mr. Chaloner Alabaster, H. B. M. Vico-Consul at Swatow, who was recently spinted Vice-Consul at Shanghai, has left england, on eighteen months loave absence.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.