Mesens. Mexemens & Ca. ask us to ate that the case referred to in the q from the "Straits Times" in this issue was decided entirely on its merits and had nothing to do with new clauses in bills of lading of the N.-D. Lloyd and Hamburg-America companies. The reported new clauses have not been introduced, and will not, so far as Messrs. Melchers and Ca. know, be introduced.
Tue Pull Mall Gazette" of the 7th ultimo says that many Boer prisoners at Cape Town have offered their services with the British forces in China, Tue attention of those who ate going up for the Cambridge Local Examination here in December next is directed to the advertisement in this morning's " North-China Daily News."
Tae water mark at Hankow on the Lich instant was 29%. din, and at Kiukiang on the 19th, 28ft. din.
Cas one conceive (asks the writer of the Brussels letter in the Gaulois") that in a few years the super conception of Brus.cls as a seaport will he realised! Tt is reckoned that in tive years the gigantic works in connection with this project will be completed. The King will soon lay the first stone of the dockyards, the earthworks of which have already been commenced. O. that occasion imposing public fetes will take place in the locality where soon the merchant ships of all nations will float, ing note on the crisis in tie The Boxer insurrection seems to be increasing, a3 the Chinese authorities are er unable or unwilling to employ adequate means for its early and decisive suppression. Nevertheless, there appears no ground for the fear that it will lose its purely local significance, or that the whole Chinese empire will fall to pieces. It is only needful to remember what little influence the last sanguinary war between China and Japan had upon the Chi provinces not immediately touched by it and the present Boxer rising is child's play compared with that. The suppression of the rebellion would only lose its local character if it occasioned a struggle between the Great Powers for the supremacy in China, or in large portions of that empire. We do not believe that any cause has been given for serious uneasiness, but rather that all the Great Powers concerned clearly perceive that their work must be done in complete concord, and that every attempt favour particular interests would have, just now, most unpleasant results.
Tne Bureau Veritas Monthly List, published on the Ist of July, of wrecks and casualties recorded in May last, announces that 75 sailing vessels were reported as totally lost; 3U by stranding, 2 by collision, 2 by fice; while 3 foundered, 1 wax abandoned, 33 were condemned, and 3 were missing. No less than 196 sailing vessels were damaged; 36 by stranding. 34 by collision, 4 by fire, 18 by leaks, and 34 by stress of weather. The steamers totally lost were 29;; 8 by stranding, 4 by collision, 3 by fice; while 3 foundered, 8 were con Aeniued, and 3 were missing. The steamers damaged were 194; 56 by stranding, 56 by collision, 13 by fire, 7 by stress of weather while 62 reported injury to their engines or boilers.
'Tae steamer Sakura Maru of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha, commanded by Captain Greene, bound from 'Taku to Mojiy fell in with' the steamer Toonan makin; signals of distress. She was disable through the loss of her propeller. The Sakura Maru arrived alongside of her at 2.30a.m. on the 29h of July and despite the rough choppy sea, had her tow line on board at 330 and started towing her to Moji, where she arrived at7 p.m. the same day, all well. 'The Toonan is a steamer of 2,000 tons, owned by the China Merchants' Steam Navigation Ca., but under the American flag' since the commencement of the trouble in China. She was hound from Shanghai to Moji and was disabled only a few hours when the Sakura Mara took her in tow.—"Japan Mail."
'tHe steamer Mei Dah, built by Messrs, S.C. Farnham & Ca., Ld. to the order of Messrs. Melchers & Ca. for the Lower Yangtze trade, was successfully launched at the Cosmopolitan Dock on Saturday. Mrs. Korff gracefully performed the christening ceremony. The first of the steamers, Mei Lee, is now ready for service, and the second, the Mei Shun, is fast approaching completion. These steamers are of the twin-screw, light draft class, especially constructed for the river service trade, and are fitted with all the latest improvements, Special attention has been directed to the European and Chinese passenger accom. modation, which is large and airy. The fourth vessel, a stern-wheeler for the same company, will sharily be ready for launching, and the owners are to be congratulated, upon the acquisition of so fine a fleet of steamers, H.M. S. Esk and Whiting arrived here on Saturday and moored in the naval berth. The former came from Chinkiang and the latter took mils to H. M.S. Waterwitch and dispatches 10 H. M.S. Goliath, The last-named vessel came up to Woosung on Saturday night. The Whiting is to leave for Woosang on Tuesday to await orders, The Dido, which recently left for Taku, took up a number of sick bay attendants who had just come out by the mail steamer Chusan, "The Dutch cruiser Holland left this for Taku on Sunday, Tax French gunboat Surprise, from Taku, arrived here on Monday, and also the French armoured cruiser' L'Amiral Charrier, from France. Both vessels moored in the lower berth, as also did the Russian gunboat Gremiastehy, all three anchoring in the lower levels. The Amino! Charrier is a ship of 4,792 tons dis-pucement, 8.30) indicated ' horsepower, was built in 1893 at Rochefort, and carries bin. 2 get, 4 25in, 6 Her complement H. M. S. Proven and Whiting left Shanghai on Friday morning, the former for and the latter bearing mails for HLMLS, Waterwitch and other ships outside. H.M.S. Goliath, from Hongkong, was reported outside Woosung early on Friday morning.
Tat armoured of H.M S. Centurion, who accidentally shot himself whilst repairing a istd during the operations of the relief column, has, we regret to hear, died at Weihaiwei. "The bullet entered his ley above the knee ant came out in the calf. The limb was amputated but the operation proved unsuccessful.
H.M S. Esk entered the Old Dock on Monday, the C.M.S. Hsinfung was docked at the Tangkadoo Dock the same day, and the C.M.S. Toonwn and the barque Elizabeth Nicholson were docked at the Cosmopolitan Dock yesterday afternoon, Tue P. & O. S. Parramatta with the London mail of the 20th of July left Singapore at 5 p.m. on Sunday the 12th of August for Shanghai.
Tue M.S. Coptic arrived at Yokohama from San Francisco on the 12th inst. and may be expected to reach Shanghai on the 19th idem.
"fne RMS. Empress of India, carrying the London mail of the 12th of Julio arrived at Yokohama on Monday, ted 13th inst. 0 pan. and was expectly, to reach Kuby at 4.30 p.m. yesterday.
Tae R.M.S. Empress of Japan arrived at Vancouver on Wednesday, the 8th inst.
Tue two big steamers for the Great, Northern Railway Co.'s transpacific trade are being built at New London, Conn. U.S.A. Each steamer is to be 625 feet long, 73 feet beam, and 32 feet Gin. deep.
'Tae C.M.S. Kiwangchi, which arrived on Friday from Chefoo,' reports having passed a Steamer with a lighter in tow off the N.E. Promontory.
Tar U.S.S. Princeton came up friar Woosung on Friday to a berth off the Old Ningpo wharf.
Tue C.N.S. Chibli, from Hongkong, reports passing the U.S. transport Grant, bound south, off Tungting Island.
Tue C.N.S. Hoangho, which arrived yesterday from Tinghai,' reports passing H.MLS. Goliath at anchor in Bell Channel, Chusan Island.
Tae "Bloemfontein Post" quotes from a Natal paper.an incident related by a member
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.