(From the Foochow Daily Echo of 22nd inst.)
The Mutual Company's steamer Pakling arrived in London onthe 17th instant, making the run from Fuochow in 37 days.
Wo regret tu hear that HE. the Vicervy, has been very indisposed for many days past.
A sensation was caused in the city on Tuesday last by a young bride-elect being discovered dead in her sedan chair on her arrival at her future husband's house. The cause of death was not known, but was supposed to be heart disease.
We have very sad accounts of the state of the people in and about Kienningfu, brought about, it is said, by the severity of the floods at the end of May and beginning of June, Famine is staring the masses in the face. The little rice there is, has risen to a prohibitive price to all but the wealthy. Foochow en ill afford to part with any of its supplies of grain, but what can be done in the way of affording relief to the sufferers is being done by the wuthoriti Reports also reach us that the people of Hokehang are in a state of famine. The sweet potato crop, their chief article of food is a total failure through want of rain, Men, women, children and cattle, it are dying of starvation by hundreds.
When we add to the above news that as many as 30 fatal cases of cholera are reported as taking place in the city daily, we think it will be admitted that this part of the province is having rather more than its share of trouble at present.
'A proclamation has bee ing those of the poorer classes who tw partake of the Dowager Empress's bounty on the anniversary of H. I, Majesty's birthday, to send in their names tu the magistrates of their several districts so that a proper apportionment may be made. As mentioned in these columns Inst month, 20,000 are to be distributed to the in each of the eighteen provinces of Owing to the expected urge influx of penple—estimated, it is said, at from 25,000 to 30,000—to attend the Literary examina-ims for the 2nd degree in September, H. E. the Provincial Judge has issued a pro: clamation calling upon the guards to make their necessary arrangements for extra watchfulness, They are to scrutinize carefully the strangers as they arrive, and to render every assistance in their power to visitors who may come solely through having some interest in the proceedings, There is nothing like giving orders in good tim Wo have news from the Ingehong district, near Lunghua, of a tiger having been killed by a native. A shepherd boy in charge of x flock of goats was surprised by two tigers bounding suddenly into his flock and carrying off a kid each. The boy screaming for assistance was heard by two native sportsmen who were out with their yttns for a day's shooting and turning ronnd saw the tigers coming towards them. One immediately fired and wounded one of the animals so severely that he was able to approach closer and despatch hin und barrel. The boy fearing to go home without the two kids, assuring the tiger slayer that his father would not believe his story of their having been exrried off by tigers, was kindly taken home by the heroic sportsman who sot matters right and presented the father with the dead tiger asa recompense for his loss, (From the Poochow Duily Beko of 29th inst.)
A further supply of rice fom the Northern porta for the replenishing of the Government. granaries has been ordered by the For a long time past spurious cash have disappeared from the market, the penalties instituted by the authorities against their nse having proved sufficiently severe. But, strange to say, these coins ate again mekanil to the annoyance of the people.
A notice has appeared in the city signed by their Excellencies the Viceroy and the Literary Chancellor stating that an allowances to bemadetostudeuts coming here for the 2nd degree examinations, and that on their return to their homes they will exch be allowed to take with them 20 catties of tea free of likin duty. A strict watch is to be kept that none but those entitled to this exemption shall be permitted to take advantage of it.
'A. petition signed by several Chinese merchants of this port, including, we expect, many large junk owners, has been lodged this week at the Viceroy's yamen, The petitioners pray that the blockade near Limpoo may be removed, as great inconvenience and danger to navigation are caused thereby, especially when the tide is low; and the petitioners express their willingness to contribute to the cost of the removal if called upon to do so. It will b> in the recollection of foreign residents still here, that this blockade was sunk during the Franco-Chinese troubles in 1884. The Viceroy has, we understand, appointed the Min magistrate to look into the matter and draw up estimates of the cost of carrying out the wishes of the petitioners, Itis quite time the Viceroy took energetic steps to stop the daily robberies that take place by the likin boats in the Mingan Pass, Not a single boat laden with fish escapes these barefaced thieves, and on Monday last we witnessed a series of robberies, that made us wonder why victims did not knife the impudent. oft 1 thieves, A sampan Inden with shell-fish was boarded by seven different likin boats and each one: stole " bucketful of shellfish. On king the sampan man if there was any likin on shell-fish he replied, No, and on farther enquiring why he let these Viceroy's thieves rob him in this way he he resented it he would only get into trouble by and by. A dog will Sght for its bone, but these people appear to have less spirit than dogs, cowed as they are by these official thieves. Tt is such acts as these which lead to discontent and disaffection, and eventually to the formation of secret societies for the overthrow of the government. We exposed more than one case last year of brutal extortion by the underlings of the likin commissioners. Tt is only now and again thet these official robberies are brought to our notice or we should be able to show them up more frequently, as they are, as stated above, daily occurrence. The ruling Viceroy is a man who would not countenance such oppression for one moment, but his high position stands in the way of ordinary sympathetic foreigners pouring out their righteous indignation before him, and it is no part of the duty of the foreign Consuls to bring the scandal to his notice, however sympathetic they may be with the industrious native poor.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.