Madras 7th January.
The Directors of the Bank of Madras have declared a dividend of 10 per cent per annum, supplemented by a bonus at the ratoof'2 por cent per annum. This isa second bonus for the last year, the first having boon at the rate of 4' per cent. The net profits for the half year ended Sist ultimo are Rs. 2,00,134, while Rs. 2.85,487 in brought forward from the previous half year. In addition to the above sum Rs. 49,476 have been given asa bonus to the staff, snd Re, 226,145 carried forward. On this occasion no addition has been made to the reserve fund, doubtless in view of the premium which will be received in the new issue of capital which will amount to ten lakhs, and which it is intended to add to the reserve, raising the percentage of the reserve to capital from 40 to 60 lakhs. Lahore, 11th January.
The Lieutensnt-Governor being satisfied that a portion of the Punjab is visited by an provisions of the law are insufficient for outbreak of plague, and that the ordinary the purpose of preventing the spread of the disease, prescribes the following temporary regulations:—No intermediate or third class ticket shall be sold to any person at any of the following stations—Chihera, Phagwara, Goraya, Phillour, and Ladhowal. No intermediate or third class ticket shall be sold' at Jullundur Cantonment and Ludhiana stations for use by av} a who has not satisfied the medical officer. No' person from the direction of Phagwara in' the direction of Jullundar, or from the direction of Phagwara in the direction of Phillour.
The telegram from the Queen-Empress to Lady Havelok-Allan, breaking the sad news of her husband's death, recalls 2 for the death of Havelock, at Lucknow, memory the warm expression of sympa
fon the 25th November, 1857, from the Queen and Prince Albert, which was conveyed to his widow in December, 1857, through the Duke of Cambridge. In replying to the Duke, Lady Havelock said "Tu the loneliness of my present position, Icannot help wishing that every woman thus bereaved, might have such a son (I might say sons) to comfort and heal her ken heart." An imposing tablet has been erected on the site of Sir H. Have-Tock-Allan's death.
Already rough estimates are being made of this year's shipments of tes from Ceylon, and Messrs. Forbes and Walker put it at 124,000,000 Ibs., of which 103,000,000 Ibs., they think, are likely to be sent to the United Kingdom. Bat till the returns sent in to the Central Planters' Association by the District Associations are made known, all anticipations must be mere guesses, for, however skilful one may be at working on past crops and past estimates there is one element that is always liable to throw a Colombo estimate out, and that isthe quantity of new land coming into bearing. This can only be ascertained by detailed enquiry and estate returns, or otherwise, they may be over-estimated as well as under-estimated, Sir James Lyall, President of the Famine Commission, has halted for a few days at Allahabad en route to Calcutta. The programme of proceedings of the Commission is not yet definitely settled, but we understand it will be empowered to call and mine witnesses whenever such a course is considered desirable.
The Queen has been pleased to confer the honour of og. ©. S. I. upon Sir George White, Commander-in-Chief in India, and the honour of a K. O. I. E. upon Sir Francis Maclean, the Chief Justice of Bengal, in recognition of his services in connection with the Indian Famine Relief Fund.
Reports from both the Peshawur and Kohat border show that the Afridis are feeling severely the effect of the measures resorted to in the Tirah, Bara, and Bazaar valleys, and the maintenance of a strict blockade is making their position still more uncomfortable. Still the Zakka Khel make sign of submission. The future garrison of the Tachi Valley will consist of two squadrons of cavalry, four mountain guns, and four battalions of native infantry four Maxim guns. Colonel Egerton will romain in command of this force. ay the Mody Bay quarantine camp, which was partially destroyed. Numbers of sons under detention escaped.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.