A much to be regretted accident occurred three days ago. Mr. Dapper, Commi sioner of Customs, while tending one of his dogs received a bite on the left hand and the animal being in a bad atate of health the wound festered. Mr. and Mrs, Happer left yesterday for Port Arthur overland, whence they. will proceed to the Pasteur Institute at Saigon, and though we have every reason to hope that 10 serious consequences are to be apprehended, we cannot but agree that Mr, Happer is wise to avoid neglecting any precautionary measures obtainable; he has our sincere good wishes and sympathy in an affliction which has thrown gloom over the whole community and which we earnestly trust will have a favourable issue, The river at Tienchuangtai has been frozen over for the inst five or six days, carts hiving crossed opposite the settlement; the ice is still in a drifting state, Thermometer registers 4" below zero, 21st December, 1896, TEHNGANFU—HUPEH.,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.