We have received a pamphlet entitled "The Value of European Life in India." It is written by Dr. BMouatt, one of the best known Medical Officers in in defence of views he has formerly advocated, upholding the principles of the Life Insurance Society.
We have to acknowledge the Journal of the N.-C, Branch of the Asiatic Society
reviewing at length, hereafter. The volume contains a number of interesting papers, and sundry illustrations of Chinese instruments of music, of inscriptions, which add to its value.
There seems to be a little tempest raging at Cumvranc, about the opium trade. The local dealers have issued a cir~ cular—purporting to emanate from the foreign hongs—restricting the reade in opium to certain privileged persons, under penalty of utter mercantile extinction.
B. M, Consul has of course protested against the combinationes illegal, and called on the Authorities to suppress the false document, We have little sympathy with the opium trade; but such proceedings as those of the Chinkiang dealers must be quashed, on principle. Mr. Medhurst, we believe, purposes going to Chinkiang tomorrow, to settle the matter.
The Foocuow Herald gives further particulars of the damage done by the flood which we mentioned last week. It will be remembered that a quantity of timber was carried away and jammed against a bridge, The mandarins could see no better way of clearing it than offering it as loot to whoever could carry it off. The result was the loss of $270,000 worth of property, and 200 lives.—An A, D. performance is announeed.—An Athletic Sports meeting is to come off at an early date.—'The Races came off on the 7th and 8th, The meeting was a successful one, We are obliged to defer particulars till to-morrow.—Several buoys are being placed to mark the entrance to the river outside Sharp Peak.—A body of native troops are wader order for Formosa.
The Jaran Herald gives some further details of the wreck of the Nil, which will be found elsewhere.—It is reported that the Japanese contemplate an expedition to Formosa, to punish the natives for ill-treatment of shipwrecked sailors, It will be curious to see how China likes such proceedings towards her subjects. She will probably sit by and say the Japanese are vassals acting by her orders, By the str. Cawdor Castle we havea Naoasakr Bzpress of the 13th inst, The British schooner City of Niagara had foundered, about 18 miles from the Gotto Islands, Four Japanese sailors and the Chinese assistant supercargo had arrived at Nagasaki; having been taken off the island of Koskiki, which they had reached in a boat, by a pilot schooner, A second boat, in which the captain, two mates, two Japanese sailors, the cook and 5 Chinese had embarked, has not been heard of. The City of Niagara left Na-sasaki for Taku on the 19th ulto,, and came to grief during a heavy N.E. gale which occurred shortly after starting.
By the str. Ningpo we have one day later papers from Honaxone, but they contain nothing of interest.—The Tom Morton has gone into dock to be cleaned.—The barque George Alfred has been sold for $2,380.—The tin belonging to the Yangtze Insurance Company has been saved from the wreck of the Sunfoo.—The Chiarini Circus is performing, A full summary of news is given under the usual heading.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.