(From the Foochow Daily Echo of 25th ult.)
We understand that H.E. the Viceroy intends to start on the annual visit to the provincial towns next week, as customary with the Governor of this province, 'A fine chance has been open to speculators with the late appreciation of the yellow metal. The price of gold leaf which we quoted a month ago at $39 per tael is now $40 50 per tael weight.
We hear that the wealthy Wong Hing-lee, the lucky discoverer of the treasure on the hill, has ordered six electric Iamps from Shanghai. He has been told that they better light and are safer than the ordinary lamp.
The usual proclamation which appears at this time of the year cautioning the people to be careful to prevent the outbreak of fire in their houses has just been posted in the city. It is signed by the Viceroy and threatens the severest punishment to incendisries. Handsome rewards are offered to any person apprehending such criminals and handing them over to justice.
Some yamen runners made a raid on a Hwahui lottery shop in a town close to the Pagoda Anchorage last week, but wore repulsed by the members of the establish ment and their friends and they fled. A reinforcement was despatched, which, however, arrived too late, the shop was empty and all those connected with it had gone, The following clever swindle was perpetrated on Tuesday Inst, Two well dressed natives selected at a respectable silveramith's shop jewellery to the value of $40. One asked permission to take his purchases out to show to friend, leaving his friend, and " bundle of notes on the counter, and the unsuspecting silversmith made no objection. As be did not return for a long time the friend proposed to the silversmith that they should go out together and look after him, which they at once did, leaving a small boy in charge of the shop. On their getting to the Long Bridge (the shop was close by) the friend jumped ints the river and "warn to shore leaving the silversmith much astonished. However, he went home and opened the bundle of notes. There he found to his sorrow that they were valueless.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.