Information has reached us of an important seizure made at Kobe, on the Sth Oct., of seven boxes of treasure of the of $34,000, supposed to consist of silver subsidiary coins packed up in small amounts in paper parcels. Tha cain belonged to Chinese, but was shipped for Shanghai in the name of the Hougkony Bank, that Corporation having bought bills ayainst it. The hoxes of coin, ax is usual in cases of this kind, were brought to the Bank for examination and shipment. The compradore made " partial tion into the contents of the boxes, and being satisfied that all was in order, they wore then sealed with the Bank's seal, and permit was applied for in the Bank's name by one of its officials. At the Custom House the officers insisted on inspecting the contents ut the boxes, to which the Chinamen interested objected, as such a course had fallen into deauotude. Late in the evening the compradore reported what had occurred to the Manager, and at the same time informed him that the Chinese owners of the treasure had con-teased that they had secreted at the bottom of three of the boxes, five hars of gold, of the value of $7,000; and it was li to that circu ice that the been seized,—gold bullion being a prohibited export. though gold coin, as is well kndfpn, is not.
'Phe facts of the case were brought w of Messrs, Aston and Lon; who proceeded to: the Custom House on behalf of the Bank,' and explained to the officers that though the treasure was a ped in the name of the Bank, as is usual in similar transactions, ney was owned, and left the they thought fit.
Inter on in the day, examination of the boxes took place in the presence ut those concerned, with the gold was d auch a way in the that nothing bu the most minute scrutiny could have found it. The Cust officials upon this declared their inten to confiscate the whole shipment, thow:
is doubtful whether they possess the power to do so loyally. The Bank is held to be exonerated from blame in the transection, and the Chinese will have to be: the brunt of it. If there be " loss austain it will have to he by the owners, as the Bank's bills have been met, and the treasure never belonged to it.
In connexion with the bore, a singular rumour is afloat to the effect that secret information leading to the seizure was given by a bank official, and that he dai a participation in the booty; but whether this be s it, we await the receipt of more positive information, as we reilly cannot credit that respectable pers would sully him-elf by being imply such a in the way: Phe Chinese in Kobe and Osaka are highly incensed, and threaten to withdraw their business from the Bank in question, the alleged act of whose official has landed two of their number in the awakard fix in which they find themselves. It is scarcely likely that the case will come befor a British Court, but in all probability the altair will be adjusted between the Japanese Custom House officials and the Chinese Consul.—Japan Herald,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.