The Captain of thes.s. Wachang reports passing a mine with spikes on the 27th instant in Lat. 33° 35" N., Long. 122° 36" E., 130 miles N. 11° E. (magnetic) from Shaweishan.
Captain McKinnon of the C.N: S. Hsinfung, which arrived here last Friday morning from Tientsin, reports that when about three miles §.E. by 8. of the North-east Promontory, he saw a drifting mine and circled slowly connd it, ficing atit with all the rifle son board the steamer. It was struck twice, the second shot exploding it, at a distance of about a hundred yards from the steamer. A column of water was thrown into the air, some twenty feet in diameter, a glass in one of the vessel's skylights was broken, and a lamp in the chief officer's room was knocked to pieces and pieces of iron fell in a shower, some of them on the vessel. No one was hurt. Capt. McKinnon opines that it would be decidedly unsafe to go nearer than a hundred yards to one of these pestilent contrivances if it were intended to explode it.
Captain Hansen, of the str, Tsintau, reports: Passed a big floating mine on the 22nd instant in Lat. 37° 32° N., Long. 122° 26' 30" E., Kiming Island bearing 8. by E. 2? E. (Mag.), distant 5.5 miles.
Ir is suggested to us that the mercantile marine steamers that run to the North of China should receive the title of ''Mine Destroyers for the protection of His Britannic Majesty's Fleet" in that quarter.
Union Church was well filled on Sunday evening when the Rev. Chas E. Darwent preached on Count Tolstoi's address Bethink Yourselves." The text was, St. Mark I, 15, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye and believe in' the Gospel." The title, it was explained, of Count Tolstoi's address, " Betbink ye" was his rendering of the words ' Repent ye," Some instructive lessons were drawn from the address the preacher quoting largely from the pamphlet containing Count Tolstoi's words, which he held in his hand, and of which he advised all his hearers to secure a copy and carefully study it. But the preacher laboured under the disadvantage of having only a few minutes at his disposal to discuss a subject so great and important that several hours might be profitably devoted toit. Half-a-dozen lectures on the same account for 1903 and farmer years of subject by the popular minister of Union Church would be acceptable. At the close of the sermon, the following. musical programme was gone through:—Chorus, "See what love hath tha Father" from "St. Paul," Mendelssohn, by the choir; Bass Solo, "It is Enough" from "Elijah," by Mr. H. R..H. Thomas, and the Anthem 'I will Jay me down' in. peace," A. C. Edwards, by the choir. It was announced that there would be an organ recite' on the 10th of next month, In the account of the March meeting of the Soochow Literary Society it should have been, " Mrs. DuBose read a translation of the ' Fortunate Union.'"
Tas annual meeting of the Shanghai and Hongkew Wharf Ca., Ld., was held at Messrs. Jarding Matheson and Co.'s offices on Wednesilay afternoon. The Chairman, Mr. H, Keswick, gave an interesting account of the work on the Tangkadoo property. The retiring dir-actors were re-elected, and dividends of Tls. 6 per share on the old shares and Tis, 3 on the new. shares were declared.
CoxsctgnTIOUSLY and unobtrusively, the Shanghai Ladies' Benevolent Sovicty keeps up its admirable work in our midst, and we have now before us its 28tly Annual Report, for 1904. The sad list of cases relieved—and how much more sad their Jot would have been but for the kindness of the ladies who devote themselves to this task—is in itse]f an eloquent appeal for funds, and it is difficult to understand how it is that in a rich eommunity like this,.the Society's outgo would exceed its income, but lor occasional windfall. The income Last year, excluding the balance in hand on the 1st of January, was only $1,767, and the expenditure was $2,022, all disbursed for relief except the trifling sum of $43 for stationery, ete. The calls upon.the Society were, as might be expected, unusually heavy last year, and we urge our readers to remember its needs. The Committee for this year comprises Mrs, Brand, President, Mrs. Tours, Vice-President, Miss Islay Campbell, Hon, Treasurer, Mrs. Platt, Hon. Secretary, and Mesdames Boisragon, Harding, Kirchner, Prentice, and Walker, and Miss Warren.
We understand it is the intention of the Directors of the Shanghdi Waterworks Company to recommend at the next annual meeting a final dividend for the past year of thirty-seven shillings and aod (37/6) per share at exchange Taz report of the Shanghai and. Hongkew, Wharf Ca., L:., for 1904, shows a divisible balance of Tis, 190,256. It is Proposed to pay a final dividend of Tia. 6 on the old shares, making 10 per cent for the year, and Tis, 3 on the new shares, to place Tls. 24,000 to repairs account, and carry forward the balance, Tls. 10,712.
Tue report of the Now Zealand Insurance No. for the year ending the 30th of November last shows a divisible balance, after paying an interim dividend of per cent on the paid-up capital of £200,000, of £81,519. It was proposed to pay a final dividend 74 of per cent, making 15 per cent for the year, to place £35,000 to reserve Pee raising it- to £200,000, and £5, to reinsurance fund, raising it to £175,000, and to a forward the balance, £26,519. The report has been sent us by Mr. Edw. E. Parsons, the Shanghai manager of the company.
THE report to the-lst of December last of the Yangtsze Insurance Association, Ld., shows a divisible balance in the $288,191 It "is" proposed to pay
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.