We hear also that Li Ping-heag, the retiring Governor, in his rage at the thought of foreigners occupying the sacred soil of this province, proposed to give up his appointment to Szechuan, and devote his energies to sweeping the barbarians into the sea. The saying in the streets of the provincial capital is " the Governor's belly is of the size of Heaven, but it is of little use in stopping cannon balls!" From which the uninterested bystander concludes that the people of Chinanfa have learned a little something as to foreign military science versus Mandarin bombast. We have to note an error in ITEMS IN BRIEF, Willison's Circus is now performing at Yokohama, where apparently it is doing a business.—An exhibition of water colour and crayon sketches by Brockelbank has just been opened at Yokohama—A series of frauds has been discovered in the Customs here and already fifteen Japanese have been arrested. The robberies amount to about yen 60,000. Sever-employees of foreign houses are implicate al of the officials and some Japanese
ed. One or two Chinese are also mixed up in the swindle, which has been kept going by means of forged permits and receipts—News has been received here of the loss on the Loochoos of a Norwegian steamer bound to Japan with sugar from Manila, The exact name of the vessel is not known here at present.—News has been received of a serious fire on board the N.Y.K. new steamer Kawachi Maru in London docks on the 7th instant. Three holds and the engine room had to be flooded before the fire could be mastered.—Yesterday evening, off Sagami, the N.Y.K. Seattle liner Kiuehiu Maru, Captain Sommers, was in collision with the Japanese steamer Hokushiu Maru. The former was badly damaged but managed to make Yokohama at 9 pam. yesterday (12th), She has been taken off the line as her repairs will occupy a month, The Mateuyama Maru leaves in her place on the 18th. The cargo taken in at Hongkong and Shanghai is reported to have practically escaped without damage.
very successful concert was given at Yokohama last Friday night by the pupils of Mrs. Patton's Tonic Sol-Fa Juvenile Choral Society—The K. R. & A. O. has made a new departure this winter by inaugrating a series of fortnightly dances in the evening before dinner.
Kobe, 13th December.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.