The English mail of the 2st December arrived Saturday, by the P. & O. str. Indus.
The French mail of the 14th December arrived Monday, by the P. & O. str. Yangtse.
'A mail leaves to-morrow for Europe, by the P. & 0. str. Mongolia.
REUTER'S TELEGRAMS, (Supplied to the " N.-C. Daily-News.") London, 29th January.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in reply to a question asked, stated that authentic information had been received by the Government as to the conditions of peace. Russia demanded that Bulgaria should become autonomous as a tributary principality under o Christian ruler, that Roumania, Montenegro, and Servia should be declared independent, and that administra-tivo autonomy should be granted to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The amount of indemnity is not yet arranged. An ulterior agreement is proposed, protecting Russian interests in the Straits.
Sir Stafford Northcote also stated in: the House of Commons, that changes in South-East Europe affect European and. British interests, and that a separate treaty between. Russia aid Turkey is inadmissible.
TheGovernmentrequireda vote of money, and a vote of confidence to give England suitable prestige at a European Conference.
The debate on the Eastern Question in the House of Commons was adjourned until Thursday.
The order for the British Squadron to enter the Dardanelles has been rescinded, as Russia and Turkey have agreed to refer the question of the nagivation of the Straits to a European Conference.
The Russian Army is continuing its advance on Constantinople.
The French Mediterranean Squadron and an Italian Squadron have been sent to the Levant.
St January. In the House of Commons a vote of want of confidence was proposed, and Mr. Forster moved its rejection.
Mr. Cross said that the object of the Government was a lasting peace.
The debate was adjourned till Friday. 2nd February.
The Times states that the Greek Chamber has approved a resolution of confidence, which is tantamount to a declaration of war.
Terms of a general basis for the armistice and peace were to be signed on the Slst January.
3rd February.
A preliminary protocol of the armistice has been signed.
A suspension of hostilities has followed. Russia agrees to Austria's proposal of European Conference.
Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, Ohicf Secretary for ireland, succeeds the Earl of Carnarvon as Colonial Secretary.
The annual meeting of the Shanghai Race Club was held on the 30th January. A report is given elsewhere, from which it will be seen that the affairs of the Club, monetarily and otherwise, are in a flourishing condition.
'A meeting of shareholders in the Shanghai Washing Company was called for the same evening, but there were not a sufficient number present to form a quorum. Mr. Meller, the Secretary, produced plans of the proposed buildings, &c., and some practical suggestions were made as to the future progress of the Company, which may now be considered as fairly under way.
'The members of the Marine Engineers' Institute held their second anniversary meeting on Tuesday evening. It was stated that there are at present 76 paying members on the books; and that the Institute possesses a library of 1,600 volumes.
The Chinese New-Year holidays have passed off unusually quietly. It is said that, in consequence of hard times, dear rice and various untoward circumstances, the settling time has been rather a hard one with the Chinese, and that an unusual namber of accounts will have to be carried over.
We have the Shanghai portion of the Customs Gazette for the last Quarter of 1877. The import of Grey Shirtings (650,500 pieces) was little more than a third of that during the corresponding quarter of 1876; but then that Quarter was more than double either of the previous years. Shirtings of other kinds show a slight increase.—T-Cloths are sot down at 532,447 pieces, against 764,532; the latter figure, however, being more than double that of the corresponding Quarter of 74, and considerable greater that 1875. English Drills and Jeans show 2 considerable decrease; American and Dutch an increase, English Sheetings show a considerable increase, without, however, reaching nearly to the limit of 1876. American Sheetings show a progress so marked as to be worth tabulating—Last Quarter 1874 1875 1876 1877
200 16,000 45,400 91,383. Handkerchiefs quadrupled, reaching 176,000 dozens. Woollens show an increase, in the aggregate, of nearly 30,000 pieces; but considerable fluctuation in detail. The increase is in Lastings, Long Ells, and Lustres; while Camlets, Stripes and Cloths, show a falling off. The import of Iron was greater by 22,000 peculs than in 1876; that of Lead doubled. Opium varied only 500 chests. Shipping shows a marked increase, both in numbers and tonnage. The Revenue was less by Tls. 88,000, than in 1876, but exactly equal to the corresponding Quarter of "75.
It is reported that an effort will be made to induce the United States Government to hand over the surplus indemnity paid by China, on account of the Canton troubles, to the Famine Relief Fund. The sum in question is, we believe, about Tls. 200,000.
The hearing of the cross suits, arising out of the collision between H.B.M.'s gunboat Frolic and the steamer Dragon, in August last, has occupied H, B.M.'sSupreme Court for three days. R. A. Mowat, Esq., Acting Judge, presides, and ho has Captain E, Coleman, of the P, and 0. Mongotia., and Captain Shellard, of the P. and 0. str. Indus, as Assessors, Four legal gentlemen are engaged' in the case, two on each side. The case of the Frolic was concluded Tuesday and will be found below. That of the Dragon will appear in our next issue.
Referring again to the now Consular appointments, the L. de. Express says, "Wo now learn that Mr. W. M. Cooper, not Mr, ©. T. Gardner, will go to Ningpo, the latter gentleman being appointed Consul at Kiungchow, and Mr. George Phillips (mentioned as going to Kiungchow) being appointed Consul at Kiukiang. With these alterations, it says, the list as already published is correct. The examination of student interpreters fur China and Japan will be held early next year."
The L. & C. Express understands that the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce intends to petition the Government to' ratify the Chefoo Convention, A correspondent calls attention to an undoubted grievance, which is becoming more and more noteivorthy as the number of Chinego carriages in the Settle ment increases. Often the drivers seem to be native visitors who have never had reins in their hand before: often, when there is a mafoo on the carriage he is seated on the side, where he cannot see, or hanging behind supervising the eccentricities of the acting Jehu. Often the ponies are in such poor condition that they would scarcely escape interference from an Agent of a Society for the prevention of cruelty and still more often they are overloaded. Wo commend the whole matter to the attention of the Council and the Police.
There are plenty of very decent carriages plying for hire among the Chinese; but there are also many othermrise.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.