Zo the Editor of the Sim,—Considering the present very critical position of affairs between Great Britain and China—when in fact steamer from the North may bring news of a rupture of relations, it is not alto-other satisfactory to foreign residents at Shanghai to witness a large force of Imperial troops collecting at our very door, and of which, after the next return of the Flamingo from Formosa, there will be at least 10,000. It will be remembered that these troops originally started from the neighbourhood of Yangchow; and that they should not return to their original starting point, but quarter themselves on the other side of the Sikawei creek, is a circumstance that cannot fail to call for, to say the least, some surmise, and to form ground for a demand by our officials of the intentions of the Chinese. The Yunnan aggression is now an affair of many months ago, and the Chinese Government has doubtless gained long since an inkling that justice will be demanded with a firm hand, On the Yunnan fron siderable demonstration of resistance, or, as many of the Indian papers style it, show of menace, has already been reported to be made, This movement might still be attributed to the policy only of local officials; but the present massing of troops by the imperial Government around the only port where Englishmen reside in any important numbers, is singularly in keeping with the Yunnan action, and cannot fail to be viewed by some minds as an additional menace to Great Britai The rupture of relations at Peking, which is generally admitted to be quite within the hounds of probability, might be considered by the Chinese sufficient to justify sudden action, and the present position of affairs in Shanghai seems of a character to require Englishmen to be on their guard.
Yours, &c., A Brurise Restpenr, His Hoxovn asked if there was any agreement made that" plaintiff's wages were to be kept in arrear?
Defendant replied that there was not.
'His Hoxoun—Then he is entitled to the tw months' wages, for June and July, but nothi for August—indeed ho does not claim any. thing for August.
Defeudant—Then you think he must of be stopped, although he left without giving notice?
His Hoxour said it was competent for defendant to have made an agreement with his boys, with respect to wages, by which the wages might be kept in arrear for a certain time by way of security for their good conduct, but be admitted having made none; it was usual for people in Shanghai to their servants at a moment's notice, servants adopted the same course equally their side, Therefore, defendant being tied to discharge plaintiff ata moment's ngti plaintiff was entitled to leave at a moment's noti¢ Plaintiff, on being asked if he had paid the $5 for washing, said he had not, That sun was therefore struck out of the account.
His Hoxove gave judgment for plaintiff for $23.20, ordering him, however, to pay the costs of Court, because he hind taken out the summons without first applying to his master payment,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.