Mr. Oliphant's account of His Lordship's visit was very graphic; the great city four miles square; the rows of houses overhanging the Canals; the Grand Canal crowded with small craft; the myriads of lookers-on from the doors, windows, and house-tops; the dash within the Fou Men by which they gained access to the streets; the first visit of Europeans in foreign dress to within the walls of the city, etc., etc. The visit of the distinguished ambassador to Soochow. and also his stay at Canton, Peking, and Hankow were graphically given to the Literary Society in a paper by the Rov. J. W. Nichols. 'The speakers' who followed expressed groat pleasure. at. the way the subject was treated, The Low Price of Rice.
The "'rice-guild" is decidedly "down in the mouth" over the low price of: this staple, which is almost the one source of income for this prefecture. The reason assigned is, that on account of the threatened troubles in the North, investors who usually purchase a few thousand piculs, prefer now to hold their money, which is " more portable commodity, in case the clash of arms is heard in this section. This affects trade considerably. Other lines of business are complaining, and all charge it to the same cause—Russian aggression.
The Examinations.
The Prefectural Examinations proparatory to the arrival of the Literary Ohancellor next year are now being carried on, and the attendance is said to be amaher than usual on account of many students turning their attention to Western science. At the final examination before the Chancellor, seats are assigned, the intermediate examinations a friend must hold a seat till whole day's preparation of the ' Wen-chang." There are no questions on the new learning.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.