The French mail of Jan. 2st is sig-nailed as we go to press.
It is reported that the Washington Ca-bluet will not withdraw any part of the Alabama Claims. A young Irishman named O'Conner, apparently deranged, climbed the railings of Buckingham Palace on the 29th Feb. and presented a pistol at the Queen with one hand and a petition for the release of Fenians with the other, as the Queen was about to alight from her carriage. The man was made prisoner by the equerries, The pistol was found to be unloaded and with a broken lock. The Queen is expected to visit Germany. Prussia has informed the French Government that she will accept advance Payment of 410 millions due on the fourth half milliard, at discount of 5 per cent. Admiral Grimault has been appointed to the command of the French Fleet in China waters. M. Geofroy, French Minister, leaves Marseilles on the 31st March for Peking. The Great Northern Telegraph Company has decided to lay a cable to Amoy.
We have had a good deal of local amusement during the week.
A very successful Sham Fight, between the Volunteers, and men of H. M.S. Juno, came off on Monday, on the banks of the Soochow Creek. The movements will be found described elsewhere.
A Paper Hunt Handicap, the closing event of the season, was run on Tuesday, gards ground at weather, The start was under favourable circumstances as re-
at 3.30 p.m., from the 4-mile stone on the Sikawei road; and the finish, near the Lawn, The first prize was a Cup presented by Mr. Morgan of Hongkong; the second, a cup presented by the Stewards of the Hunt Club; the third, a Cup presented by a visitor. The result was altogether in favour of the men who got a start. 24 minutes mean at. least of a mile; and this is a great deal to pick up in a run only 5 miles long. The race between the first ponies up, however, was close throughout. Mfr. Symonds won, Mr. Meller second, Mr. Koight third, Mr. Turnbull fourth.
The Race Course was opened for training, on Friday.
The Philharmonic Society gave its second concert for the season, in the Masonic Hall, on Saturday night. There wasa full attendance, and the programme prepared gave lively satisfaction. The orchestral pieces were very good, Beethoven's symphony in C being the piece of the evening. The air for bass from Lucrezia Borgia was splendidly sung, and the tenor surpassed himself in that from Lucia di Lammer-moor and the pretty English ballad "Goodbye, Sweetheart, Goodbye." In the duet for piano and violin, the difficult part taken by the latter instrament was creditably executed. The piano solo was brilliant; and the Concert altogether was a success on which, in face of some recent defections from its ranks, we feel that we must congratulate the Society.
A very successful performance was again given on Tuesday night, at the Club Concordia theatre, by the German Amateurs. The piece was the vaudeville posse in four acts "Robert and Bertram,"—performed in the same theatre five seasons ago—and we can only say that in scenery and acting it could not easily be surpassed on the boards of a private theatre. The incidents were lively, and secured the interest of the audience till past midnight; the length of the piece and the changing of scenery rendering the performance an unusually protracted one. The Orchestra contributed music before each rising of the curtain, and played in excellent style.
A row occurred on Thursday last, between the French Police and some Chinese marines. The latter, as is the wont of their class, wanted to see a theatrical performance without paying. The owner of the theatre resisted, and they tried to carry him off. The Police interfered, and the gunboat men fought them. Eventually several were arrested. These were brought before the (French) Mixed Court on Saturday, and sent in to the Taotai for punishment. We hear also that the Consul-General has peremptorily requested the-'Taotai to order the Gunboat-men to be kept on board their boats, or at least out of the Foreign Settlement.
An appeal case irom Foochow, Westray and Gibb ¢. J. Foster & Ca., has come before the Supreme Court. The particulars, with a precis of the remarks of Counsel, will be found elsewhere. The appeal was to reverse a finding of the Consular Court at Foochow, which had the effect of nullifying a judgment of the Supreme Court New York, in favour of appellants, for 1,000. The Court here sustains the appeal, and therefore enforces the judgment of the New York Court.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.