The English mail of December 30th arrived on the 18th instant, with telegrams to the 1st February.
Paris has at last succumbed; the forts around it have capitulated, the army remain as prisoners of war in the city, and an armistice for three weeks has been signed. Trochu is reported ill, and General Vinay to have been in command at the time of the negociations. Gambetta has issued a proclamation condemning the armistice and urging continued preparation for war.
The Conference on the Black Sea question met first, formally, on the 18th. The English, Austrian, Prussian, Turkish, Russian and Italian Representatives seem to have been present, No further information is given regarding the progress of the Black Sea Conference; but a fact is announced, which tends still further to complicate matters—that Roumania declares its independence, and repudiates the Treaty of 1856. Prussia is supposed to be acting with Russia in the matter. Itwill be remembered that the reigning Prince Charles is a member of the Prussian royal family.
A homeward mail leaves to-morrow, by M. M. steamer Phase.
Shanghai has been intent, during the last week, on the celebration of the Chinese New-year, which commenced on the 19th February. A complete cessation from business, an inordinate firing of crackers, and an elaborate interchange of visits are the prevailing characteristics of the season and the custom has been carefully followed out on the present occasion. The only special variety we noticed was the use, by two or three enlightened natives, of foreign carnages to assist them in making their rounds, Tt would no doubt be a very intelligent thing on the part of the Chinese, to adopt the same date for their New-year that Western nations have agreed upon; but there is also a great advantage in the maintenance of the present arrangement, It ensures two New-year holidays instead of one, And foreigners avail themselves of the privilege as heartily as Chinese.
We have to acknowledge a copy of the Customs Returns of Trade at Shanghai for the last Quarter of 1870. The plan lately adopted of circulating these statistics in a separate "pamphlet, pending the completion of the whole volume, is a great convenience to the community. The report for the last quarter of 1870 exhibits an increase in most branches of the import trade. Grey shirtings figure for 1,291,000 pieces against 403,000, white Shirtings 100,000 against 71,000; T-cloths 547,000 against 369,000. English and Dutch drills 60,000 and 73,000 against 32,000 and 30,000; American drills 6,800 against 57,700. The import of Turkey reds doubled, and that of velvetsnearly trebled that of Jeans was only 18,000 pieces against 59,000, chintzes 48,000 against 69,000, and of velveteens 3,800 against 8,000, Wool-Jens show a total increase of nearly 30,000 pieces, despite a falling off of 10,000 pieces in
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.