1504, 3.00 p. cb. Cotton A correspondent writes about the old grievance of Nos. 1, 2 and 3 dollars, and the squeezes to which a suffering public is daily subjected by the combination of shroffs, banks, and compradores. There are, ho says; the following varieties of dollars.
No. 1 (Sing-pun).—Some particular mintages which are very scarce and almost impossible to obtain.
No. 2 (Wei-won) which are market No. 1.
No. 3 which wore formerly No. 2, and which are the only ones foreigners ever got hold of, and in which the Banks cash their tael notes, and which, if you pay them back to the banks, are only received by them at discount of about 5 per cent.
Our correspondent characterises the aystem in language the reverse of complimentary, and wonders that the public allow themselves to be a0 squeezed. So long as a dollar is not debased, there is no reason why it should be subject to any amulet or doubt, any more than an older or newer shilling is, at Home. There are now, he says, only about 3 per cent. of the dollars in the place, that the shroffs consider No. 1; and their object in attaching fanciful preference to a particular kind, is to corner people who have to pay dollars, and make them pay " fancy price for that particular kind.
The Pextxc Gazette of the 2nd March tains a memorial from the Governor of Shantung, reporting the arrest of the murderer of Séng-ko-lin-sin, whose name is familiar to Foreigners 1s Commander of the Imperial Army during the campaign of 1860, and as having taken prisoners Sir Harry Parkes and his companions in September of that year. The Prince fell while on a campaign against the Nienfei in Shantung, in the spring of 1865, and his body was taken to Peking with great pomp during that yet. Various rumours were current as to the manner of his death; the first report (in the 1V.-O. Herald of June 3rd 1865) was that he had been killed in an engagement but it was subsequently ascertained beyond doubt that he was assassinated—though why, or by whom, has never been clearly shown. It was believed, however, that some of his own soldiers were the cul-brits; and the statement in the Gazette therefore, about this tardy capture of his murderer in the person of a rebel named ChangLing-yun, is questionable. However, the captor is to be promoted, and Chang Ling-yun la to be out to pieces and his heart offered at Song-ko-lin-sin's Ancestral Hall, in order to "display the justice of the laws of the Empire, and rejoice the hearts of the people."
Our Newcnwane correspondent writes that the first steamer of the season arrived on the 19th March, but found the river full of broken ice. In fact, on the 8th the ice in the river was still firmly set, nor was it expected to break up for some days. The thermometer stood in the morning at 8 Fahrt. 8}-1b. Shirtings are quoted Tls. 2 but there is no stock. Malwa, Tls. 490 nominal. Produce has declined. I may quote Beancake, Tls. 2.90. per 10 piculs The Grand Duke Alexis. has honoured Haxsow with a visit in' common "with other China ports, He arrived on the 24th ulto. in the steamer Kwantung: His arrival soon became known among the Chinese, and hundreds of them -were on the Bund from morning to night, to seo the Russian Taitse. One of the Russian hongs—opposite which the Kwantung had anchored—was very prettily illuminated last night, with Chinese lanterns of various colours. A few lanterns of a similar che acter was also observed on the bund'of Teh-Hsing Hong. The Grand Duke dined that night at the Russian Consulate, and was entertained by his countrymen on the following day, at tiffin, in the Club; other nationals, also forming part of the company. H.I. H. left on the 26th.
The China Maitlearns that the Viceroy has decided to build an Arsenal at Canton forthe manufacture of guns and other machinery, and that the Chinese Superintendent has already arrived at Hongkong' to purchase the necessary appliances. Woe can hardly give credence to a statement that the Vicoroy intends to dispense with foreign aid altogether in the matter, as however skilful or ingenious a Chinaman may: be, he cannot work without i We hear, however, that the Chinese Superintendent a very inventive turn of mind, may not be generally known, that the Ohinese Government School at Canton, Tung Won Kwan, will not admit other than tar or Manchu boys. This, says a native correspondent, is hard ly fair to the Chinese, as the school is supported by the Revenue, which is levied as much frd them as from the Tartar caste. Pda.
A meeting of the Morrison Society was Hékl in Honaxoxe on the 18th inst,; the funds in hand amounted to $3,276. It was resolved to devote $3,000 to founding' Morrisd Scholarship" at the Central School: meeting of the Union Insurance Coinptiny was held on the 2ist. The accounts showed balance in hand, on the 3ist December, of $202,652, besides $250,000 paid-up: Capital, and $250,000 Reserve. But, as heavy losses have Leon experienced during the current year, by the Serica, Lalla Rookh, and E. A. Oliver, it was resolved only to divide $50,000, and to sot apart $25,000 for contributing shareholders. A meeting of the Chinese Insurance Ca. was held on the 28th. The Report shows that the total receipts from all sources for the year ended Slat Deo. were $370,751. The sum of $187,639 had been paid out upon adjusted claims, and provision had been made in the sum of $57,105, for all claima ponding upon known casualties; $36,000 has been paid as interest on the subscribed capital; of the remaining $18,000 one-third goes to Reserve, and the remainder to contributors. We reprint from the Daily Press, a statement by a survivor of the crew of the Serica. He seems to be the sole survivor, and owes his life to the great kindness he experienced from a French Missionary, who was living near the place where he was cast on shore.
Full summaries of Jara nows will be found on another page.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.