The third Gymkhana was held on the 28th ult., and was favoured with brilliant weather, in spite of a short shower which carly in the afternoon. 'The pro nine was an_attractive one and contained several novelties, which would have drawn a large attendance but for " unter attraction in: the form of an' At-Home" by the officers of H.M.S. Tunar at H.M. Naval Yard. Also the first Cricket match of the season was being played that afternoon. H.E. the Governor was pre: kent and remained from start to. fin The drum and fife band of the Royal Welch Fusiliers was on the ground and gave a pleasing selection, being quite a change from the usual brass band.
The Club Lusitano, The members of the Lusitano Club celebrated the birthday of their Ki Queen by 4 dinner at their Club on the vening of the 28th ult. at which over seventy guests sat down. The Portuguese The health of the King and Queen of Portugal was most enthus: ins tically drunk, the Portuguese national anthem ed by the band of H. M. $. Argonaut, lent by the officers for the occasion.
Naval Movements during the past week hiv en fen unimportant. The arrivals were, on the 28th ult., the French cruiser Nive from Tonkin, on the 2nd inst., the British sloop Rosario, from Singapore, and, on the 4th, the French cruiser Friant from Amoy, The departures were, on the 28th ult., the British storeship Humber, for Shans! on the 30th idem, the German gunboat Itis for Cantons and, on the 2nd inst. the French cruiser Nive for Taku.
French Acquisition at Macao.
I hear that the French Government have purchased from the proprietor, Captain Clatke, the well-known hotel at called Boa Vista, for the sum of $75,000. The building is a good one and stands on very commanding and healthy site. It is for the officials from Indo-China. Tt seems stated that they require it as a sanatorium the scare of 1877, when the Colorado beetle was on everyone's lips, when comic songs to me, however, that if the French would only set to work to develop Tonkin they would not need to go so far afield for a sunatarium. There is a splendid mountain easy reach of Haiphong if only a light railway were laid, on which a fine sanatorium could be formed. But our French friends are so full of schemes for the extension of the French flag to other regions that they can spare neither time nor money to develop the resources of the fine colonies they have already acquired. The Macao authorities were evidently a little dubious about the admission into the Colony of so restless a neighbour, for they referred the question of the transfer of the property to Lisbon for decision,. However the trans. action is now completed, I believe, much to the chagrin of Hongkong residents, who were wont to make short trips to the neighbouring colony and obtain a pleasant resting Capt. Clarke's well managed hostelry. There is, of course, still a hotel in Macao, Dut it is min Hongkong, 5
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.