Exp Shanghai residents, who remember the chief actor in the transactions when he was a member of our community, will read with considerable intoresi and attention the articles on "the dis. missal of Mr, Olipkani" which occupy 80 Inrge © space in the Indian papers recently at hand. In few words, the case appears to be this. Some ago Sir Salar Jung went to to prosecute certain claims which he had against the British Government, the main point about which he was anxious being the transfer of Berar to the Hyderabad Government. Thoro germs no reason to doubt that Lord Salisbury gave him a written anthorization or empowerment to arge th demand on the Viceroy and Cor: his return to India, Belie this document was sufficient and sati factory, Sir Salar quitted Bugiaud and, nothing doubting, presented a carefully prepared note urging his demands, at the great assemblage at Delli. If there is a flaw in Sir Salar's case, we suspect, though there is no evidence on the subject, that it may. be found to be connected with the time and manner of this presentation of his claim. Still, we frankly confess that no impropriety has been hitherto alleged in this respect, and we are perhaps going beyond what is written in suspecting anything out of order. But the next step in the proceedings is so inexplicable that we look narrowly for a motive justifying the action of the Government; for they indignantly refuse the note of Sir Salar and ignore the recommendation of Lord Salisbury, who, as the Indinnstatesman conceived, had supported his claims and was pledged to secure the gratification of his wishes. Now, Mr. Arthur Oliphant Lad accompanied Sir Salar Jung to England, as some of our readers will recollect, in the capacity of Secretary. He had been acquainted with all the circumstances from the very beginning. Hoe knew that the claims of his patron bad been acknowledged by the Secretary of State for India, and he knew also how cruel and utterly unexpected a rebuff he had received from the Viceroy. Nothing, then, could be more natural than for Mi. Oliphant to endeavour by tongue and pen to obtain justice from the power that had acted, as it seemed to him, so capriciously and illegally. He memorialized, and wrote in influential journals and brought all his powers to bear upon the matter, and as the result proves he was discovered to have rather a formidable pen. At all events he has succeeded in most thoroughly exasperating the Government, for, though holding an office under a native of such high rank as Sir Salar, the Indian Foreign Office have dismissed the too active Secretary. The cuse is of course a very remarkable one, and is exciting the warmest interest in Indian political society. The Press are agreed in con-dernning the action of the Government, for by dismissing Mr. Oliphant they have acted perhaps according to the letter, but undoubtedly against the spirit, of the law. It seems that an old treaty empowered the Government to exclude Europeans from the Nizam's employ; but this old treaty stipulation was directed from first to last against the era ployment by the Prince of foreign intriguers against ourselves, In effect, a provision originally intended to check the employment of traitors and spies of the type of Sir Walter Scott's "Richard Middlemas," has been used to deprive a great native statesman of the uld of an upright and able servant, utterly incapable of doing anything likely to imperil British interests.
This is the view which the Indian Press tues of a very remarkable proceeding. " We are not in a position to take side, and are perfectly prepared to learn that some reasons at present hidden from us may be brought forward to justify the action of the Foreign Office. We are not prepared to denounce the Government of Lord Lytton, and to accuse him, as some of the opposition papers do, of inaugurating an "Asiatic" policy in in India, whatever that may mean (for on the face of it, it would almost seem to be the right policy); but we still hope that the matter will be cleared up. Hitherto, Sir Salar Jung has deserved well of the British Gov. ernment; and it is strange to find Lord Lytton, who has been hitherto accused of championing the natives against the English, suddenly treating with such sharp disfavour a native of the first consideration. It may be impossible at the present crisis to transfer the Borars to the Hyderabad Government. We know that these are very difficalt times, Russian intrigue is extending a net-work over the North-west prov-ices, and the Government may have good reason for delaying the gratification of Sir Salar's wishes. Still, it is unfortunate for Mr. Oliphant, that he should be a victim of their policy.
The month. of December has been unusually cold, with no fall of either snow or but in the south of Chihli, moisture, reported, has been abundant, According to the latest news from the province of Honan, the number of persons in need of relief was between six and seven millions, The Peking Gazette of the 14th December contains a decree removing from office and degrading by three steps the Governor of the province of Honan, Li K'ing-ngao, and cashiering the Lieutenant-Governor and Financial Commissioner, Liu Ts'i-hien, on account of the charge established against them of suppressing at the outset the reports of the local authorities respecting the famine.—Wo remarked very recently, when publishing an earlier decree in reference to certain charges against these officials, that the verdict seemed rather to savour of "don't do it again and it would seem that the accusers have now pressed the matter so that they cannot longer be shielded.
'A number of changes have taken place among the Chinese provincial authorities, in consequence. Tu Tsung-ying, who was Taotai at Shanghai in 1870, subsequently Lieutenant-Governor of Hunan, and promotedin 1876tothe Governorship of Kwangsi, is transferred to Honan, and succeeded in the office he vacates by his chief subordinate, Yang Chung-ya. The Licutenant-Governorship of Kwangsi thus vacated, is filled by the promotion of the Judicial Commissioner of this province, Leh Fang-k'i, and the latter is succeeded on promotion by Kung Yih-t'u, who has been since 1870 Taotai at Chefoo, He is well-spoken of by foreigners, One of the senior clerks of the Yamen of Foreign Affairs at Peking, Fang Ju-yih by name, is appointed to the Taotaiship at Chefoo.
We understand that, in answer to an enguiry from the Foreign Ministers, the Chinese Government has very bluntly stated its determination to have nothin; to do with a Mint or a civil: of currency. The Viceroy at Nanking and all the provincial Governments are said—as is only natural—to have pronounced strongly against any such pestilential i2ea3j and the silver—if not golden—anticipations cherished in certain quarters, are consequently disappointed, Winter, after a severe struggle and considerable rain flow, seems to have gained the ascendency, and in consequence fires ecome more than luxuries. Of stirring incidents, we have nothing new to report, The wood case" referred to in my last communication, has (on account of the unwillingness of the native officials to enter on a matter likely to be compromising) been remitted to the German Consul at Shanghai, for any further action that he may now think necessary, We may mention that attempts have been made to get at the native witness, even to the extent of sending a posse of police to take him out of the foreign hong in which he has taken refuge; but dri the foreigner declining to give him up except in obedience to a warrant, backed as by treaty provided, the constables withdrew. I understand that counter-charges have been drawn up against the unhappy individual. Report. fixes the number of these at seven. From the same source we hear that the charges are now said to comprehend offences unconnected with the wood affair, and not relating to foreigners. As, however, the first acousations were (we have every reason for believing) to the effect that after selling, this wood to a foreigner, he had attempted to smuggle it on the purchaser's behalf,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.