Yesterday being the shortest day in the though not very where the java and nigh the ofticints their auporio festival is called Tung Chih, or Mid Winter. Many people eond their obiid for that one day, as a sort of inaugural of & atudent's career during the ce yarr. Books and all other requirements of the young acholer, as a student, out, anda firat lesson in each redoubtable Chief of the Black Fiags probably rather wary of coming to this place. A tiger in the plain is not by far 0 dangerous aa he would be in hi in fastnesses, and Liu Jung-fa no doubt knows very well that, however terrible he waa to the C) ud Annamese occupation of Lay-kai and all Commissioner's seal to him, unless Jui gave him three thousand tacla—a most unusual thing even for China. Jui declined, and is thus left out in. the cold, thout office and without seals. I hear he has returned his appointment papers to the Viceroy in disgust, 22nd Dec.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.