On the last day of the old year this newly-built and handsome hotel for sriramer visitors passed into the possession of M. Vernon, of Astor House fame. Various rumours are current as to M. Vernon's intentions and plans in the direction of developing the port as a summer seaside resort. He has realised what a splendid field e cists here for na employe capital, and while the uncertain attitude of the British Government might prevent many from investing private funds in the purchase of Jand or in house property in the Colony, it has not deterred the successful hotel-manager from assuming considerable financial responsibility. There is little doubt that the investment will prove a good one. In view of the short season during whi the hotel is likely to be full, M. Verne realised that to make it pay morn accommodation will have to be provided and very considerable extensions of the, hotel are to be taken in hand as soon as the winter is over. According to reports current here, as many a3 40 more rooms are to be added to the hotel, which with other improvements will involve an outlay of about $50,000.
Warships.
ELMS. Terrible, Captain Percy Scott, C.B., went down to Hongkong on the 27th ult, and is replicad as port guard-ship by HALS. Argonaut. The Rosario has also left us, after a prolonged stay, for Nagasaki,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.