A uew era in the "moves" of the Chinese Government, and one which will cause considerable surprise and comment, has taken place at Foochow. The substance of the new departure, taken by the above Goveroment, is, as will be seen further on, one beyond the annals of any country whether civilized or not. The source from whence our information is derived is most reliable and authentic, and will plainly show that much of foreign innovation in China has been only skin-deep.
From the information gleaned we have been made aware of the fact that line of regular steam communication has been zed, under the auspices and with ction of the High Provincial to run between this port and the various ports in the island of Formosa. The steamers composing this line are the gunboats of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of China, which have been built at the Foochow Arsenal. The fact that there is to be a regular steatn communica~ tion, composed of Chinese vessels of war and Forniosa, is not of much jolt, but, when coupled lat, under Government supervision, these vessels of war have been advertised as open to receive cargo
money being paid, the matter becomes and passengers pon freight and passage one of templation. The walls and streets in the suttlement, suburbs, and city, have been used as the advertising medium; handbills (in Chinese) making known the fact, having been posted in the following term:
People who have resided in Tokio tell one that the upper classes in the capital are reverting to their native customs, Some reaction there must be from the sudden adoption of a new civilisation, No period in Oriental history has been more interesting than the past fifteen years in Japan one tfteon years ago could have predieted the advance that the nation has made in that time, so he would be bold who would prophesy what the next fifteen years will produce in Dai Nipon, Lovers of Ue picturesque will certainly wish, that if to nothing else, the Japanese may be induced to revert to their ancient costume.
Throughout the trip I noticed the great scarcity of domestic animals, Dogs and eats ato alike much rarer than in China Dut the dogs seem to be generally well-fed, and not tu display the hatred of forei that characterises the Chinese watd Probably this is due to the wide-spread adoption of the foreign costume by the I never saw a sheep o a pi the whole journey, and oxen an only in harness. 'I met a large number of pack- ud pack-oxen and afew heavy two-wheeled ox-way ous. Over A great part of the road the mails are carried in very dilapidated red carts drawn by one pony j and it some of the larger towns were four-wheeled waggonettes drawn by two ponies, but the greater part of the tratlie on the Tokaido is conducted by small two-barrows drawn by men. The time and labour caused by the frequently infamous condition of the road is ctwrnons; and an energetic people would for their own sake turn out and put the road in order.
The total cost of the trip was about yen, ur at the current ex char as possible ten pounds sterling.
includes jinricsha hire, extra coolie hire, steamer fares, fulls at bridges, &c., sions and beer bought in Kioto, and at teachonses and hotels, as ies of a yen and ai four coulivs.
had an pmetour OR PASSAGE BY GOVERNMENT STEAMER (FoR) ACROSS TO TAIWAN,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.