News has just come to hand that. our popular Commodore has been promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral. have been preaching this particular form of the faith in the Luichan district. This has been causing some commotion amongst the townspeople of the place, and the officials, tean that there might be an outbreak of feeling, thought it best to make an example of some of the adherents. It is clear that the feelings against thigs Japanese in the Soath here are just as bitter as they were three months ago, and, perhaps, this is the reason why the officials fear trouble. It is not very likely, however, that, whilst other nationalities wed to preach their respective the Japanese will allow their missionaries to be excluded.
THE C.M.8. AVD THE RAILWAY, 'The Manager of the('hioa Merchants' Company in Canton has been giving expression to some rather gloomy views as to the future of the Company's steamers, when the Canton-Hankow railway will have been opened. According to the revelations made, the whole export trade of Canton for the North, that falls to the lot of the Company, does not amount to more that $100,000 per annum, and yet about seventy per cent of the freight outward falls to the lot of the China Merchants' Company. The manager does not understand how it is that other companies can manage to steamers except at a loss, as, ge percentage falling to his share, he only just manages to make both ends meet. It is assumed that the ager thinks that when the railw opened, there will be mach less freight for the north, inasmuch as it will be carried by rail direct to Hankow.
Hongkong seems to be the usual stepping stone from which Commodores move upward to the next step. Comtnodore' Stokes will, it in thought, remain on the station for another three months, and then proceed home. He has been very popular since he has been in Hongkong. Moreover he has always used his influence on the side the moral and social advance of the men, and I myself am in a position to affirm that on more than one occasion the sympathy of the Commodore has resulted in assistance from the Admiralty on behalf of deserving cause Rear-Admiral Stokes, as he now served on the Eclipse three years a half during the time the British fleet was so large in the East, about seven years must be well known in He has seen considerable service in different parts of the world, and was in the famous Egyptian war. All classes in Hongkong, and in the East generally, will congratulate him on his success.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.