tel Seo "aussie to, the "Bung Li Hung-chang has' been sending lon
'Yamétn—one of two thousand words in cipher which was not: translated, as the ordinary messages are,' in the Yamen, but, was taken home to the' private residence of one of the Ministers. It is supposed to have concerned the Russian railway construction through Manchuria, The Chinese here assert that the ex-Viceroy Li has no authority to settle anything, His mission is entirely one of courtesy to Russia and thereafter a look see at Europe and America, The Germans appear to have been disappointed that he dit not give big orders for guns and warships. They have no occasion, however, to complain, as one of their agents here, it is said, has secured from the Tsungli Yamen an order for the construction of some war vessels, Great, Britain and the United States are also said to have secured three each, An article in Engineering of the 6th of May detailing the steps taken by a German lation in petitioning the Minister of Public Works to lower the railway rates on shipbuilding material and if possible to use only German material in the construction of Government, war vessels in order to drive British steel and iron from the—Germany, is very suggestive. But we hardly expect these facts to be known to the Chinese Minister. Seventy per. cent of all the shipbuilding in the world is said to be it in British ports, SOME RESULTS OF THE WAR, We are begitining to see some good results of the war, or rather of the heavy indemnity paid by China to Japan. The former has been drained of all her available resources; the exchequer is empty and there are no means. of -replenishing it. The Government has been driven to look about for sources of revenue. The Post Office has been set afloat and a stamp duty is likely soon to follow, but it will take time and honesty to develop these possible sources of income, many years the former is likely to have a yearly deficit, and the Jatter will be ey: ¥y the people as far as possible. The Government has issued edicts Franti liberty and facilities for the working
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.