We hear that a Racket Handicap is being got up,—play to commence on the 23rd April.
A meeting of the Gun Club was held on Saturday, at which three Sweepstakes were shot for. The first, (quail,) was won by Waller, Chambers second. The second, (pigeons) was won by Higson, Crofts second; and the third by HI L Ins Ganboat Tungche returned to Shanghai on Wednesday afternoon, from the Upper Yangtaze. This vessel was for two months detained above Hankow, in consequence "f the low state of the River; and in the attempt to render assistance to the unfortunate Confucius which was wrecked close to Tiger Hill, she ran on to one of the numerous banks when the water was still falling, and stuck fast until the river swelled sufliciently to float her. The river is now said to have risen 12to 14 feet, near Hankow.
The subjoined paragraph from the Pall Malt Guzette will show that, however dreadful a sink we Shanghaites reside in, other places enjoy very similar horrors. 'Yet people seen to li n in London so that we may hope to struggle through few more years, in Shanghai "A correspondent of the Builder calls attention to the fact that the present waste ground of the Law Courts' site is undermined by old drains and innumerable sewers, and that the soil surrounding these drains is in many places like a cesspool. The whole of last summer, the effluvium round the spot was, he says, 'a caution," and the neighbourhood has been severely stricken by fever; even the better classes have suffered, and how must it fare, he asks, with the poor that inhabit Maiden-lane and other thoroughfares and courts adjoining? In all probability it fares rather badly; but the site was 80 convenient, from its central position, for spreading'fever, and the old drains came in 80 conveniently, that we should have been departing from every time honoured precedent if we had taken any steps for preventing mischief from the cause referred to. The majority of our houses, even the best houses, are strongly suspected of having no communication whatever with the main sewer. The air we breathe, the ground we tread on, is contaminated by the pestilential gases which arise from new and old drains and sewers. Yet we bear it all without a murmur, and there is no reason why we should make any exception in favour of "the poor that inhabit Maiden-lane and other thoroughfares and courts adjoining" When we have unite finished embellishing the Houses of Parliament, and completed the Embankment, and removed the mud from the Serpentine, it will be time enough, if any of us are left, to turn our attention to these sanitary' matters which some poor fussy people who cannot die quietly, will keep intruding on our notice. masonic, The members of the Rising Sun" R. A. Chapter -S. (:.) met on the 2st instant, to celebrate their standard festival, "The Vernal Equinox." After the allotted work had been gone through in the Masonic Temple, the Companions adjourned toa banquet atthe Club. The following toasts were drunk, after dinner.
The Supreme Rulers of our Respective Countries Proposed by the Chair.
All Grand Royal Arch Chaptera—Comp.
"The Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland, whose festival we celebrate." Proposed by Camp. Blanchard.
The Zion Chapter—Proposed by Camp. Evans, acknowledged by Cump. Gundry.
Prosperity to the Rising Sun Chapter, proposed by Companion Gundry, acknowledged by Camp. Donaldson.
The Ladies—proposed by Camp. Miller; acknowledged by Camp. Steele.
The Press—pro sed by Eh ledged by Camp. a list of officers of the Rising Sun Chapter, for the ensuing year.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.