The Secretary of State for War, re-to a question, said that the rich Government had resolved to withdraw the British troops from As-souari, and that Egyptian troops would hold Wady Haifa, On the 10th instant the Chinese Lekin farmers, or contractors, or whatever they onl themselves, at Chinkiang seized four chests of opium which had just been Innded at the wharf of the China Merts' Steam Navigation Company. The opium is the property of a British subject uty was. paid upon it in the usual way at the foreign Customs, and it was being conveyed to the Hong in which the owner is a partner, when it was seized not two hundred yards from the hulk. The pretext for the seizure is that the opium was outside the Foreig fore must have b process of bein conveyed into the tative city. But this assumption would allow the runners or any Chinese acting under orders from guilds or farmers to seize all goods imported into Chinkiang by the steamers of the Chis Merchants? Company, aa thy Company's wharf is just beyond the oF the Gonoceriva, BALtho bounds of the port of kiang do not terminate at the lines of the Iand conceded to foreigners, and conqiautly this opium was within the port of chinkiang, ing the property of a foreigner was not linble to seizure for lekin. What is, we understand, the ground o which the Consul has been using best efforts to get the avtai to int fore, but hitherto without success. the Waotui has let or sold the lekin at Chinkinng to some Chinese, but these farmera did not employ their own or the usual runners to make this seizure, but hired a sufficient number of coolies for the position of the whart of hina Merchants' Ca makes this case a one, for if it were ruled that the wharf is beyond the open port of Chi Kiung, all cargo the property of foreig ers Innded at it, might be considered by the officials as smuggled. This is of course absurd, but it shows how hard driven the Chinese must have been to find any defence for their conduct in this ter when they advance such a plea Chinese at Chinkiang are being advised by Me. Drummond, who has now returned to Shanghai from' that port.
Phere was a very large, pleasant and representative gathering xt the German Consulate-General on Monday night to celebrat the double.event of the birthday of the Emperor of Germany, and the housewarming of the new building dour fitly typifies the ete that Germany la now taking the politics and commerce of the Far East, Vhe fine suite of rooms along the river front of the new bull the spacious halls, and the comfortable smoking room, were crowded the oficial and social rank and fashion of Shanghai, and the genial host and charm. ing hostess, Dr. and Mra. Liihrsen, did everything in their power to make the party one of the most brilliant and successful that has ever been given here. went on merrily to the strains of orchestra of strings selected from the Bandy-led by Chev: Vela at the pinnu, and shortly" before midnight supper was announced, and after a brief and eloquent address from the Consul-General, the health of Keiser Wilheln was anth toasted by the guests, The wui sity of Shanghai society was never more cunpletely represented that at this ball, and the general hope of those present was, that the much-loved Kaiser may have many more birthdays, and that they may -sbe alleys celebrated as, brilliantly and delightfully, as.on Monday. night, All the foreign men-of-war in port on Monday were decorated with thole flags in houone of the birthday of the Emperor of Germany.
We regret to have to record the loss of the Indo-China Co.'s steamer Seewo, which left here on Wednesday, 17th instant, for Amoy and Swatow. All went well to Tongting, which was passed at 10.55 p.m., two miles off. At 4 oan. on Thursday, a dense fog set in, and the engines were stopped Inter on to get a cast of the lead. While this was being done, land ighted, and at 7.30 a.m, hip struck on Shang Rock. The engines were put full speed astern, then stopped to find a place to the weather being thick, they could not find the land, ao stood in again, and the two life-boats were lowered and the passengers put into them with orders to stand by the ship, but the officers had a good deal of trouble in keeping discipline. the water gained rapidly on the pumps, and it was found im. possible to keep the sh-p afloat, and she sank in ten fathom after rhe ashore to T people remained two treated by the inhabitants iguals which were seen steamer Seeatow, which was bound Vientsin. When they left the island, Friday, the tops of the Seetcu's tunaty wore visible at high water. The Swatow brought the survivors to the tsze, as far as Tungsha Lightship, and then transferred them to the tugboat Fokelin, which landed them at hai at 130 p.m, on Sunday (flat). Se were drowned at the were, chief compradore, who had $300 on his pexson, a Chinese passenger, two tallyman, and the Captain's and the mess-room boy." No one on board saved anything fromthe wreck. Shang Rock is about a mile and a half to the north of Trichow Island.
News was received by foley: kong on Friday, and day, of th steamer Bi Cwungle: which left Hongkong on Friday in " dead calm, soon encountered a dense fox which lasted till Beaker Point, During the night, the wind blew with a force of 6, moderating towards morning to 5. At 7.30 am. on Saturday she passed in the vicinity of the Wi Brecoushire badly on shore with her forefoot com-letely out of water, and her stern had the kin wer it at low water. Several strands of wire rope over the bow were fastened to the boulders, while the crew were on the rocks, The forehall was full of water and her after hold appeared to be in the same condition. The wreck was ly about " quarter of " mile S.W. of the spot where the Douglus was wrecked. The Tui-wan was at and about a mile off the wreck, and her Commander, Captain Clegs, told those on beard the Kwanglee that his ship had been engaged by the day to render assistance to the wreck, and that he left Swatow with coolies to discharge the cargo. It does not appears probable. that the Breconshire will yet off. If a strong blow comes, it is possible she will soon break up.
Asad accident occurred on board H.M.S, Albatross the week before Inst, while the icivity of Port Hamilton. Watross had been out for Nordenfeldt guns being used. The order to cease firing having been given, the vessel was headed for the port spain, By some unfortunate oversight, a cartridge appears to have been left in one of the bow. Nurdeneldis, and a rope, it is supposed, struck the handle of the gun, causing it to move and fire off the undgawn cartridge. Tie bullet struck three men, mortally wounding to of them, third severely. The Albatros has since left Port Hamilton, but the two men died before her departure, Mr, George Jamieson, H.M.'s Consul at Kiukiang, comes to Shanghai to take the place of Mr. R. A. Mowat, who is going home on leave, and is to be replaced by Mr. C. W. Everard, at present Actin Assistant Chinese Secretary in H.M,'s Legation at Peking.
A Chinese Correspondent at Peking writes that it is rumoured there that Tong Sung-sao, who is acting ax Boundary Come missioner in"Tongking, hiss seriously displeased the Imperial authorities, and his degradation is expected, HE. Liu Jui-fon, the new. Chinese Minister to the Court of St. James, Lady Liu, and the Minister's suite left Here in the Saghalien on Thursday morning for London The Tavtai of Shanghai la expected to leave shortly for Peking to have an audience with the Emperor.
We notice the arrival by the Hydaspes Jo Wedeesday night of Mr, Iwan Berner, who will act as General Manager of the Great Northern Telegeaph Company at this port, during Mr, J, Henuingsen's absence on leave, Wo learn by a telegram dated Wi 91h Fehrunry, that the Preside rome wD, Kennedy, Carolina, to be Consul-General of the United States at SI i, We regret to see that Mra, Bayard, the of the U.S Secretary of State, only ed the death of her daughter, Miss ard, some lio weeks, Our San Francisco Correspondent mentions the death on the 9th February of General Hancock, Democratic Candidate for President in 1880, The tel-gram which is to be found another plice gives us two of the princi ples, and doubtless the leading ones, of Mr, Gladatone's Irish measure. There is to be Parliament in Dublin, and the Landlords are to be bought out. are doubtless Th securities and safeguards in the proposals of the Premier, int these have been unsatis factory to two members of the Cabine at all events in one easontial point Mr.
berlain and Mr. Trevelyan are not clined to place the same implicit faith in an Trish Parliament as Mr, Gladstone, and the rest of his colleagues. It la scarce. ly probable that the electors of England and Sevtlind will sanction such an enormous trust being reposed in an unknown body, sich as an Irish Parliament, as Mr, Gladstone proposes, or mako themselves responsible for the loan which it will be necessary to raise in one form or another to expropriate the landlords, Irish rentals duy to the State are but doubt.
The plan of buying out the landlords was the feature of the achemo propounded in the Statist to which we drew attention some weeks ago. and which was attributed to Mr. Giffen of the Board of Trale. But-the redemption money therein was only estimated at 160 millions; and it evident from recently received newal papers that such a scheme was under the consideration of the Conservative Govern. ment shortly before it was upset. We should imagine that the Irish landlords will be only too happy to get either sum, The telegram which we published on the 17th instant appears in this form in the Daily Press:—It is reported that th Annamite rebels have killed a French captain and ten meu, and that Admiral Yourane (the Admital commanding at Tourane) has advanced upon Quinhon, K. ©. ¥. advocates the total abolition of wil duties on tea in China. We have not the slightest" objec i and everything else dw home; but would it be reasonable to ask the Peking Government to give up the export tea duty, or, if it should foreigners reasonable to ask th to be conceded? It may be, and doubtless is, quite true that Japanese teas are more
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.