'M. Harmand has been appointed Consul-General for France at Calcutta.—Tongking Papers.
We direct our readers' attention to the two letters on the important mail day question from the agents of the two great mail lines. BIN, Chapsal's letter gives the welcome news that with the monsoon allowances are a thing of the past, and that, as at home, Friday is to be French mail day all the year round. "For this relief much thanks." Mr. Joseph's letter to the Chamber of Commerce is perhaps a little warmer than the occasion requires, but we are glad to gather from it that he will facilitate the transmission of the views of the Chamber of Commerce to his Directors on the subject of the departure of the mails during the S.W. monsoon. No-one doubts that every homeward French mail will be delivered at home in as good time as the Preceding English mail is therefore hard to w stand why not be as good @ day for the mail to close for the P. & O. Ca. as for the Messageries.
After a much longer delay than we anti cipated when we published Mr. Paton's letter on the Lith ult., we give to-da a reproduction of that gentleman's skefd of the Yellow River districts in the northern provinces. This will show our readers the changes which have taken place in recent times in the course of that river, and place before them the extent of the last inundai idly than could be done: by mere description. We are indebted to the Revd. Mr, Muirhead for the use of Mr. Paton's sketch, which has been engraved for us at the Presbyterian Mission Press, Chinese Minister to Beslin and other places, Heir Ching-cheng, the retiring
his wife and suite, arrived here on the 2Hth ult. in the Saghalien.
H.E, Senhor Thomas de Souza Roza, Portuguese Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to China, returned to Shanghai by the Saghalien on the 25th ult.
Vice-Admiral Schmidt, of the Imperial Russian Navy, arrived here by the Saghalien on Wednesday (25th). He is accompanied by Onpaia Molas, and A.D.C. Grigorovitsch.
Ve hear on what. we believe to be good authority that Sir John Walsham intends to go home soon after navigation opens, and that Mr. Howard, the present Secretary of Legation, will act as Charge d' Affaires during his absence.
On Thursday morning (26th) Dr. L.
little was called in to attend Madame tean, proprietress of the Pension Bou who was said to be ina dying state. She been found in bed in a state of insensibility, and was evidently suffering from narcotic soning. She was too far gone however for medical skill to ind she died about noon, The French Consul and the Police at the Central Station were communicated with, and an enquiry was instituted, from which it became sufficiently clear that the unfortunate woman, who was in pecuniary trouble owing to the difficulties in collecting debts due to her by customers, taken an overdose of morphia. It is from an observation said to en made by the deceased the night before last to an employee at her establishment, that she retired to her room with the intention of taking a sleeping draught.
We regret to read the news in the Hong-ong papers of the death of, Mr., Gideon Nye, U.S. Vice-Consul at Canton. Mr. Nye came to China in 1833, and was probably the oldest foreign resident in the country. He had been ill for about a week and died peaceably on the 25th ult. His personal reminiscences of the old days in Canton have amused and instructed many generations of foreigners in Ching, and he Intely been engaged on a comprehensive work, of which we gave some notice Prees anys' with justice that "he will be when the prospectus appeared. The Daily
much missed and greatly regretted in Canton, where he was an interesting link with the The mail brings the sad news of the death by his own hand at Macao on the 19th ultimo of Mr. Mortimer Murray, H.M.'s Vice-Consul at that port. Mr. Murray had engaged in business as usual during the day, and at 5 o'clock in the take him a cup of tea, and found him tying in bed dead, shot through the head. It appears that he had been suffering severely from neuralgia. Mr. Murray had been nineteen years in Macao, and was head of the firm of Margesson & Ca., and there was no-one in the southern ports better known, or more generally and deservedly popular.—The remains were buried in Macao on the 20th, the coffin being placed on a gun carriage, drawn by ten men, and covered with the Union Jack, on which were placed the deceased's sword and hat. Mr. Jennings, the Hongkong colonial chaplain, read the service, and among those present were Admiral Hamilton, the Governor and Chief Tustice of Macao, and some of Mr. Murray's consular colleagues.
At Hankow on the 26th ult. the water was 24 inches below zero. This rather unscientific. mode of expression does not mean that there was 2} inches less than no water in the river, but that it was that distance below the lowest former winter level. Ts would be well for the Customs to take standard soundings at Hankow and Kiu-Kiang, and thus be able to announce the actual depth of water in the river, instead of using the present system. Possibly the shifting nature of the bottom, however, would render this difficult at Hankow.
The Shanghai District Magistrateis noted, as Haroun-al-Raschid was, for searching out adventures. A recent story about him is to this effect. A short time agoho sallied out in the gurb of a poor man, and ioni after midnight came to a house, inside which he heard the people at work, Knocking at the door, it was opened by a woman, The incognito said he was very thirsty and asked the woman to give him a cup of tan. While thia was getting ready, asked her how it was she worked 60 Into, upon which she replied that her husband was dead. and that having to support herself, her sister, and four children, it was necessary for her to work so late to keep the wolf from the door: The Magistrate pretended to attempt to induce her to break her allegiance to her departed husband, and not succeeding, left. The next morning, he sent for one of his runners and gave him $50 to take to the woman as a wresenit from the District Magistrate. A few nights after this, he again paid the woman a visit, and found her hard at work again, He asked her how it was she was working so late, seeing that she had received some money from the Magistrate. She admitted that one of the Magistrate's runners had called upon her with a present of $2, but that was all she had received, and as $2 would not go very far, she had to keep on at her old employment. The Magistrate returned to his yamen and the runners had a pretty bad time of it in the morning. It appears the chief runner had kept $25 of the money for himself, while the' next took what he considered his share, so that finally the poor won ian only received but a very small proportion of the sum intended for her.
On Wednesday night Mr. M. Boyd Bredon, the newly elected Captain of No. 3 Ca., 8.V.C., entertained the members of his Company at dinner in the Central Hotel. Several old Volunteers, us well as the Chairman of the Municipal Council, and Major Morrison, the Rev. H. C. Hodges, Chaplain, and: the officers of the other companies, were amongst the specially invited guests, and a most enjoyable evening, we understand, was the result. After the walnuts and wine, several capital songs and speeches were contributed, and were followed by a most entertaining and amusing sketch of volunteering in the old Taiping days, by one of the boys of the old brigade. " Altogether the reunion was most successful, id the host had the satisfaction of kn that, his new and spirited departure was heartily appreciated by every one present.
The annual general meeting of the mem-afternoon, his boy went up to his room to bers of No. 3 Ca., S.V.C., was held last
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.