The Waiwupu received the other day a telegram from H.E. Hsii, the Chinese Minister at Seoul, to the effect that he has discovered that Russia and Corea have signed the Yang-Ampho (Sinico: Lungyenp'u) Agreement and that on this account the tension between Japan and Russia had become so strained that war seemed probable at any moment between these two Powers. Minister Hsti therefore urged the Central Government to keep strict watch upon the movements of Japan and Russia in order not to be caught napping when the storm burst.
China and Russia. advice It is reported from Peking that, under Prince Ching, the Empress Dowager is about to select a responsible Manchu official to go to St. Petersburg gard to the Manchurian Question. to confer with, the Czar's advisers in order to avoid espionage at the hands of certain interested Governments, the Manchu official will travel incog. and assume the part of a globetrofter.
Reported Additions for the yang Squadron.
A Nanking dispatch states that Viceroy Wei Kuang-t'ao is reported to have de-selves by the hard fight which had lasted nine hour Viceroy Chang denies the Report.
'A Peking letter states that Viceroy Chang Chili-tung, upon being recently asked by a high provincial official, who lately arrived in the capital, whether the report of the signing of a secret cement between China and Russia con-Manchuria was true or not, repu that he (Viceroy Chang) had her anything to do with the matter, indeed had he heard that the Imperial government had made such an agreement." In view of this reply it is stated that the high provincial official noted above telegraphed to various friends 1m the provinces refuting the rumour of a new Manchurian agreement with Russia and asking that the thing be made public as much as possible. What can be at the bottom of all this outsiders are at present at a lass to understand.
Good News if True.
There was a report in local mandarin <terday to the effect that Taotai Tu n—one of the returned American students—who is well-known in Wuchang and Hankow as the most trusted of Viceroy Chang Chih-tung's staff, is about to be appointed Taotai of the Han-Huang-Té Intendancy of Hupeh province (Customs Taotai of Hankow) in place of China's consent to the Russian occupation had been obtained. It is further reported that the city of Tsitsihar may be made the Russian capital of the Manchurian provinces.
Ex-Marshal Ssu.
was prognosticated in these "Notes" over a month ago, at the time of the arrest. and imprisonment in the Board of Punishments of ex-Marshal Ssu, who had been denounced by Viceroy Tsen Ch'un-hsien, that the ex-Marshal would not be decapitated but exiled to the military post roads, in spite of the fact that he was sentenced to be beheaded this coming autumn. A telegram from Peking to a relative of the ex-Marsfial in Shanghai, received hero yesterday, confirms this, and states that the Empress Dowager is now not at all incensed at ex-Marshal Ssu, and is therefore inclined to exercise mercy in his case, which means that he ull be exiled to Chinese Turkestan instead.
3rd September.
The New Ministry of Commerce.
According to a Peking dispatch, Prince Tsai Chén—Prince Ching's son—who some time ago ordered to report, upon andi nisse a proposed Mi merce. or Shangwupt, pre to the Throne on Mon st August)
Shipbuilting yard four torpedo guabeats Fade cided to order from a certain Japanese as Taotai Tsen, promoted to the Provincial and on the nex!
Wushang. Tsang Tootal is yus ued suneioing the Pines an ip Horas rat the Necking Naval Ac- ex-Yale University man, also a fine pose) Ministry, even to the appointment aaa eFreutenant Jao, will be appointed to abvuriatend' the boiling "of 9 foun
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.