The Queen's Message to Parliament is brief and formal. It explains the reason for calling out the reserve forces to be the necessity for taking steps to maintain peace and to protect British interests.
Lord Salisbury has exchanged the post of Secretary of State for India for that of Foreign' Secretary, and Colonel the Hon.
Arthur Stanley, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, is appointed Secretary of State for War. ' These appointments have been confirmed. Mr. Gathorno Hardy is raised to the Peorage with the title of Lord Staplehurst, and is transferred to the Indian Department.
The British Government has warned the Colonies of the necessity for adorning defensive measures to protect assailable territory.
The Russians are fortifying the lines of Tehataldja.
The British Government has issued a circular dispatch to other powers, in which the Foreign Secretary (Lord Salisbury) expresses deep regret at the decision of Russia exempting some of the conditions of peace from debate at the proposed Congress. The British Government refuses to agree to partial examination of the conditions.
Wo are glad to soo that the English Council have agreed to the suggestion made by our neighbours, that a channel should be excavated to connect the Yang-king-pang and Defence Croeks.—The Police are directed to prevent the overcrowding of carriages; but in order to do this efficiently the vehicles should be marked and licensed to carry a certain number people. At present, a one-horse omnibus is often heavy enough, and carries passengers enough, tivo ponies.
The French Municipal Minutes note tual Regulations have been agreed on at Peking between the Chinese Government and the Foreign Ministers, for the conservation of the port of Shanghai.—A tender has been accepted to build the now Quarters for the Municipal Staff, for Tls. 6,750.—Five men were taken on to complete the strength of the (European) police force.—The recent increase in the tax on carriages plying for hire is not to apply to foreign-owned vehicles, except omnibuses.—Weecongratulatethe Council on the excellent job they have at last made of the Sikaway road. They were a long time before undertaking it, but now they have set to work they have done it thoroughly. The Taotai, as we remarked some time ago, has been induced to clean out the city moat, apd the mud has now been all carted
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.