Mr. A. D. Startseff of Tientsin has purchased the German steamer Tai Vick for the Russian Steam Navigation in the East. The steamer was transferred to the Rassian flag on the 14ch inst. and renamed Vostok (The East). She will trade on the company's regular line between this port and Vladivostock, calling at Chefoo, Port Arthur, Nagasaki, and Corean ports on both ways. She left this port on her maiden trip under her new ensign at nown yesterday under the command of Captain A. G. Bellman. She is 1,005 tons net, 1,678 gross, and 2,300 tons dead-weight capacity, 264 feet Tong aver all, 36 feet beam, and 21 feet moulded depth, engines 186 nominal and 900 indicated horsepower. Built at Rostock, Germany, Inst rear, of steel with teak decks and double jortom.
'Tue accounts of Messrs. Boyd & Ca., Ld., for the year ended the 30th of April last' show net earnings, after paying directors' and auditor's fees, amounting to Tls. 193,985. The directors propose out is. 30,000 to the reserve fund, raising it to 'Ils. 220,000; to pla 'Tls. 15,000 to maintenance and depreciation fund; to pay a dividend of 15 cent on the ordinary shares, and of 'Ils, 117 on each founders' share; and to carry forward the balance, Tls. 8,585.
Mr. J. A. Ballard, the Shanghai Agent, has sent us the 88th annual pd for 1897, of the North British and Mercantile Insurance Company. In the FireDepattment the net premia amounted to £1,433,829 and the net total losses to £809,605. In the Life Department the income for the year was £1,026,716, and the claims with bonuses were £470,028. The Fire funds at the end of the year amounted to £2,578,819; the Life fund to £7,554,350 and the Annuity fund to £2,573,320.. The paid-up capital was £687,500, and the total assets on the 31st of December last over thirteen and a-half millions sterling. In a leading article the Review ut the 11th ult. dwells on the remarkable prosperity
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.