The American mail of the Ist January arrived Saturday, by the M.B. atx. Saikio Maru.
The English mail of the 32nd December Monday, by the P. & O. atr. to-morrow for Europe, by tx, Lombardy. following late telegrams have been the Represontati effect that An order has been publ Turkish Mi enthusiastic shouts of dishonour!" to contrary to th the: Turkish Em; unanimous in its decided, amidst "death before them es being integrity of "he Council, was It in reported: that private telegram was received hereon Saturday—' Russia trying to withdraw from the position: she has taken up."
The Chinese are preparing for their Now Year holidays, which commence on Sunday, the leat day of the old year. The following week will: be observed near]; general holiday.—H.B.M.'s Consulate and the Registry Office of Shipping will be closed to public business from the 12th to the 17th instant, inclusive, on account of the Chinese New Yesr holidays—The Shipping Office will, however, be open at certain specified hours.on the 16th, 16th, and 17th instant, for the entry and clearance: of vessels,—The offices of the U.S. Conmulate-General will also be closed fo public business from the 12th to the 17th juatant, inclusive; but: the Shipping Ellice li be. open from ten to twal on the 15th, 16th, and 17th The Banks will be closed-on the 13th, J4th, 16th, and 17¢h—The Custom House will be closed and the shipment and delivery of cargo suspended on the 12th, 43th, and 14th mat.; and general business pill not be transacted on the three fellening days, but the office will open for the issue of any special permits that may be required, ana vessels will be allowed to load and discharge.
'An Amateur Performance, in which Indies took part, was given last night at the Lyceum 'Theatre. piece selected Th for production was W. 8. Gilbert's comedy, 'Randall's Thumb." We' may safely say that we have or seen gronter- success on the Shanghai boards; The house was crowded, ad nee appeared to thoron formance throughout, testifying their ight by constant rounds of apple ind a determined double call for the actors tthe close, The proceeds are to be de. Yoted to the funds of the Shanghai General Hospital and the Amateur Dramatic Corps. "William Kdwards, the oon with breaking out of H.B.M.'s Qthult., was brought up at the Police Gourt, Friday, on remand, for the production of his warrant of commitment. This document having been produced and worn to by the Chief Conatable of the gaol, the depositions previously taken were read over and signed, after which the prisoner was formally committed for trial Nothing was said as to the written statement Edwards was suid to have made during his Fernand, and on being asked in the usual may, if he wished to say anything in Court, shook his head negatively. Since his jcarcoration, he has behaved in a peculiar manner, and his demeanour in Court was that of a man broken down; but, notwith: standing this seeming prostration, he was no sooner outside the gaol on his way to curt than he attempted to slip his handcuffs, and had succeeded in neatly releasing ne hand before the attempt was detected. In the prison, extra care is now taken, by locking him in cell with double doors, each having a different lock, Some native speculators have started an omnibus for the accommodation of Chinese passengers, to run to and fro Wetween the Shanghai Railway Station and the Little East Gate, the fare: charged being 100 cash each way. It-la already running on the Honan' road: route, and appéare to be itronised.. With prot verbal skill in-imitation, thia vehicle is nearly an exact copy of the railway oar-nages now in use. The interior la icorfortably fitted up, and. is: provided with attired in a livery evidently a close copy of that worn bj y. officials, altogether presen ud cleanly, it is intended, we are told, to builds number of similar vehicles, to ply on iff We reprint from the Sinpao " translation of note from the Tsung-li Yemen, informing the, Inspector-General of Customs. the arrangement for the exemption of Foreign goods from lekin withly Foreign Settlement: understand that it igi of Commerce will protest officially. against, rules as tending to hamper.aud intere with trade; and we have no doubt they. iplitied before they are put. in execution, Asa matter of fact, all: the reposed stamping and morkin, superfluous, Forgigy goods, ara, from Lekin within the Foreign Settlements,, Decause they are Foreign goods,; and. they. mulgated by 1 corrupt practic" afford one more instance of the excellent theories of Chinese government; but show again how wretchedly it fails in practice. The yamen runners, it is ace Inowledged, are guilty of many corrupt practices, "auch as capturing a defendant dud keeping him in prison without the, knowledge of the mandarin; detaining jofendant in custody after he has bee dismissed by the authorities, with a view to extorting " bribe; or conspiring with the plaintiff to kidnap the defendant, and. present a petition against him." And to prevent all this—the dates and reasons of arrests and releases are required to be written on boards, to be hung outside the Magistrate's yamen, What could be better in theory? So the Courts are open in theory. But practically, wher honest business is on hand, do believe that either rule is an instance, we Consul lately wrote to the Magistr Paoahan, requesting the release of a tipao who lad been imprisoned. in connection with some of the Railway land sale troubles; and was informed in reply that the man had been liberated; whereas he was really being still kept in prison by the, yamen runners—an exact illustration of. the evil which Tseng Kwo-fan desired to restrain, and of the hopeless iniquities: of Chinese judicial practice,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.