London, 21st February.
A mass meeting ling taken place in Hyde Park under the auspices of the Socinlisis, at which it was predicted Uhat there would be bloodshed unless there was social reform. The meeting: dispersed quietly.
We understand that Shao Tao-t'si's forthcoming mission to Hongkong is for the purpose of arranging with the Colonial Government some aystem of collecting duties on opium before the drug has left the island. We trust the Hongkong officials I take warning from the irregularities which followed the introduction of lekin runners into the foreign settlements here, will think twice before gi consent to any arrangement likely productive of similar troubles in " British Colony.
The death of Mr. F. B. Johnson removes one who wasan old. lent in Canton, Hong-cong, and Shanghai, din Canton about 1850 or 1851 and from 1854 to 1856 he lived here, returning in the latter year to Caution. In 1862 Uereasa partner son & Eu., which suc ce:
james Bowman é&.Co.,. connec ti 3. W. H. Wardley & Ca., the had ori in Hongkong, and was a member of the Lezislative Council in eu formity with the old custom that the ch partner of Messrs. Jardine, Mather Jo. in the colony should hold that position While here Mr. Johnson took great i terest in local affairs, and was an active other public bodies and combat Hongkong he took " Inryo shure tu tive and other public matters. departure for England in Aare 1885 address was presented to him in the Hall by a number of gen! ing various communities recognition of his public servic a was " victim to Alum's poisoning scheme in Hongkong, in January, 1857, after the destruction of the Canton factories, and he suffered 90 acutely from the effects of the arsenic that he never know really good health afterwards, ILE F. de Luca, China, left Shanghai on'Thursday morning at 7 o'clock in a tugboat to proceed on board the Djemnah. A number of officials, i ing Sir Richard Rennie, and friends were on the M.M, Co.'s pontoon to ave him off. received a telegram. from home authorizing him to give up his proposed visit to Siam owing to the sickly Seaton which would commence in Siam i April, and as BLE, would have to wni Singapore till the arrival of the Itali man-of-war Rapido, which could not get to Singapore till some time in March, We regret to hear that Mr, Denny, Chief Commissioner of Customs in Corea, tained the loss of his baggage and effects the late fico in Yokohama, and that Mra, Denny injured her foot in escaping from the Hotel.
The Report of the Hongkong and Shang-1 Banking Corpo: very favourable, Accounta exhibit an increase on Whose to the 30th of June of $900,000 in the 1 Circulation; $12,000,000, posits, and $6,600,000 in Billa Payable which, we prostime, are chiefly the ex-go drafts issued. On the other side investment in Three per Cents and In-diau Goverment Sterling Loxn—$£250,000 all—appeat for the first time and hel to increase the investments; the: Bills Discounted are $5,000,000 and the Bille Receivable $13,000,000' more than at the of June. All these changes indi considerable improvement in b result of returning confidence.
Immediately after the ordinary annual meeting of the Shareholders in the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation on Saturday, the 27th inst., an extraordinary meeting will be held for the purpose of passing a resolution authorising the Direotors to apply for an ordinance renewing and extending the Hongkong and Shauighai Bavk Ordinance 1866 for a further term of twenty-one years.
From the report of the French Gas Company, which we publish in another column, it will b
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.