Forty thousand Seuteh farmers dem: reform of the iand laws, We are somewhat curious to know why the xeuius who presides over Reuter in Hougkong altered the above telegram when transmitting it to Shanghai, Our readers will find on reference to our issue of the date given, that the telegram which we published contained two words more than appear in the above, Now we understand that Shanghai is supplied by Reuter with a certain number of words per month, and it is therefore obviously to our interest that the messages forwarded here should not certain superfluous words, especially when these render news less definite.
We take the following from the Daily Press:—Tho Java Bode, referring to the charter granted to the British North Borneo Company, says:—"' A few days ayo Reuter signalled to us important nows regarding the well known settlement in North Borneo of the Messrs. Dent cum suis. The fact that royal charter has been granted to the undertaking of these gentlemen by the British Government, gives at once a new phase to this affair, which has been in a state of uncertainty daring the last three years. he Condominium which we have always striven to clear out of out way in other portions. of our territory with so much exertion apd trouble and at the cost of so many sacrifices, will now arise in Borneo. Ithas been within our power to become possessed of a rounded off island territory wholly belonging to us, but now, for good, an opportunity is again given for continuous friction with our mightiest and most dangerous Colonial neighbour. The only good that may probably come out of it is this—the example set by the British might spur us on to greater energy in making our rich possess ions more productive, and might in ce the Government of Netherlands India to frame more liberal and more practical legislation in land matters. Should these latter, result therefrom, we would consider the loss of North Bornev and of our unlimited dominion over that, the largest of our islands, to be a price not too dear for thom.—Straits Times." As the Press points out, the only territory in Borneo to which the Dutch could lay a territorial or any other claim is in the Southern part, and their rights there have not been clearly perceived, far less acknowledged, by other nations, not to mention several Borueon chiefs. The Dutch have never done anything to develop the resources of the Island over which the Bode says they had unlimited dominion.
they ever had any rights in North Borneo we may be sure these would have boon respected by the English Government, which' has acted with great deliberation inthe matter of the Royal Charter recently granted. Everyone will be pleased if the results of the recent events is to induce the Netherlands Government to set its house im the Hast in order, especially in Sumatra.
The Japan Gazette has heard on unquestionable authority that the published text of the Tseng treaty of St. Petersburg is far from being a complete document. Our readers will remember that we conveyed a hint to this effect in the Daily News several weeks ago, and it snow apparently leaking out elsewhere. By supplementary clauses," writes our contemporary, "the purport of which has been communicated to London, and no doubt other capitals, an offensive and defensive alliance, in given cases, has been made between China and Russia in other respects the new treaty following mainly the important provisions of the Qonvention made by Ch'ung Hou, The information of the Gazette leads it to the belief that "in addition to a mere nominal money indemnity Russia has obtained great powers over China to be used at some convenient season; and Russian aggression, foiled in India, is being turned in the direction of the extreme east."
We notice that the Straits Times Extra is about to be given up. A paragraph in the issues Inst to hand announces that the demand for the above publication having materially fallen off in consequence of telegraphic extension throughout the East its issue will be discontinued from and after the Sist December instant, The telegraphic summary will, as hitherto, be published in the Daily Times on arrival of the outward mail, and will be inserted in the weekly Straits Times in lien of the Extra.
The Indian papers state that a severe cyclone raged at Madras on 12th and 13th ult., and that great damage has bean done to the harbour works, The steamers Salisbury and Hobart were sunk, An Indian exchange gives some very curious particulars with respect to a case of prolonged fasting that has recently come under public notice, Dr. Tanner is said to have undertaken his suicidal entorpri in order to prove the possibility of Bible rades to a scoptical physician, A menficant of the Jain caste, at Pablanpur, has just completed a fast of ninety-one days from a motive equally religious, but not, apparently, from any wish to convert his neighbours. This holy man had fasted for eighty-six days during the previous year, and on the second occasion of his imposed penance had managed to exist five days longer than before. Itis probably after all a mere matter of training, and getting into what athletes call " condition." The condition into which the saint got himself eventually appears to have been of the most disagreeable nature." When seen on the ninety-first day of the recent fast," writes our contemporary, "his ab-demon had so much subsided as to form the shape of a pit; the veins were much swollen, and he seemed to speak only with great effort. He was seated on a blanket in a corner, and had near him the sour water.of curdled milk, which he sometimes
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.