Tue English mail of the 2nd April arrived on the 22nd May, with telegrams to the 1st May; we have two days later advices, via It appears to have been decided not to allow a Chinese Consul at Hongkong; and the probability of the Convention being ratified is very small. The French Government is said to strongly disapprove it. M. de Lallemand is waiting the decision of the English Government, before leaving for Peking. Sir R. Alcock was expected in London on the 9th April. There is no mail leaving during the current week; so we have deferred our issue till to day, to enable us to complete our revision of the report of the Rate-payers' meeting, which we now publish at length.
A Cricket match, between Old and New Residents, was played on Friday and Saturday last, despite unfavourable weather on the second day. Tt ended in favour of the New Residents, who made 213 runs; while the Old made only 178, A report of the scores will be found in another column, A race was run on Tuesday, from the River Police hulk to Woosung and back, between the Eshun and Yew-lo house-boats, The former rounded the buoy at Woosung 1}m. before her opponent, but after a neck and neck race home, the Yew-lo boat passed the post 20 feet, barely half a length, ahead. The entire distance was done in 4th.
The Rowing Club had a few trial races on the 26th instance, to keep up interest in the amusement. Two races—eight-oar, and four-oar, were announced. There were two entries for the former, and four for the lat ter. The course chosen was on the river, from Morrice Behncke's wharf to Lindsay's wharf, distance mile. A report of the proceedings will be found elsewhere.
We publish, lo-day, o full and varetully revised report of the very lengthy pro~ ceedings at the Rate Payers' meeting on the English settlement, held on the 9th and 13th instant.
A meeting of Rate-payers in the French settlement was held on the' 27th instant, the proceedings at which were remarkably brief; The Report for 1869-70, showing a receipt of Tls. 76,000 and an oxpenditure of Tls. 74,000 was read; a3 well as the Budget for 1870-71, showing an estimated receipt of Tls. 80,000 besides a balance of Tls. 8,000 from the previous year, and an estimated outlay of Tis, 85,000, leaving a balance, on the 3ist March 1871, of Tls. 3,000.
meeting of members of the Shanghai Club was held on the 27th instant, to dis cuss new Rules, which had been drawn up by the Committee, in consequence of instructions given them by the members, at a meeting held on the 18th March. The only point of interest raised was, whether the billiard rooms should be open on Sunday. This was negatived by a large majority.
Tuesday, the Queen's birthday, was kept holiday in the various public offices. The French vessels of war in harbour were decked in honour of the occasion, and H. L M, corvette Dupleix courteously fired a royal salute at noon. There is no English vessel of war in port. A -number of merchant ships of different nationalities were gaily decked, and we noticed that the Astor House was illuminated in the evening.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.