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A PROGRESSIVE SPIRIT.
In my anxiety to benefit my Empire and know- ing that in military, agricultural, mechanical, and commercial matters foreign countries are superior to ours in that they succeed in streng. thening and enriching their respective countries, I the Empress Dowager Tze-hsi-(naa-yu, etc., desire that such portions of the above branches as may be useful to China may be selected and copied by us and success will follow our at- tempts. It has been declared by heedless per- sons that the Imperial House is desirous only of walking in the footsteps of our ancestors and cares not to provide for the distant future. This, however, is all wrong. I only desire to do things beneficial to the country at large irres. pective of the source from whence these solid benefits may come, and insist on eradicating barmful practices. The duty of putting such into effect however lies with the high pro vincial officers of the empire, and I depend for information as to the success or nou-success of such measures upon the scrutiny of the Cen- sors. I therefore hereby command that if the said bigh officials and Censors hereafter desire to put any measure that may benefit the country into practice, they shall at once memorialise me on the subject, and I will select the most practical and useful to the people for immediate trial. Let me see something practical done and not merely empty words. Let this decree be made known to the whole empire.
MURDER OF AN EAGLISH MISSIONARY.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
SETTLEMENT EXTENSION
AT SHANGWÀI.
The following telegram has been received by the Shanghai Taotai from the Viceroy Lin of Nanking:-" Great Britain and the United States have requested for an extension of the Anglo-American Settlements of Shanghai and the Central Government at Peking has seceded to the said request. with instructions that I should appoint the Taotai of Shanghai to act in conjunction with the Consals-General of Great Britain and the United States for the settlement of the said extension. As I am, however, now engaged in settling the Ningpo Cemetery Riot affair with the French Consul- General, you are hereby instructed to make an arrangement with the first-named Consuls- General as to a postponement of the extension question until I shall have settled matters with the French Consul-General, when the other subject will be at once taken in hand.”—N. C. Daily News,
CANTON NOVES.
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[FROM THE CHUNG NGOI BAN PO The number of fires reported this season is much greater than in the corresponding seasons brigades have been ordered by the Kaifong of previous years, and in consequence the fire
people to be ready for service at any moment, On the 17th instant a fire broke out in a lac. quered-ware shop named Chi Cheung, in Ting. loong Street, when twenty houses were des troyed. On the 18th instant another big fire Shanghai, 18th November.
occurred in a bamboo-ware shop in Taihong Last night a telegraphic report was received Lane, when over forty-five house were burnt to here that a member of the China Inland Mission the ground. Awakening to the serious loss in Pangkai, not far from Kweiyang, the capital by fire, the shop people have concerted a plan of Kweichow province, had been murdered, to-
to protect themselves. They are going to estab. day official confirmation of the news was oblish a Fire Insurance Company on mutual lines tained. The victim is Mr. W. S. Fleming, who
and which will have no capital for investment, Las been murdered along with a native preacher all the affairs being managed by the charitable of the same mission No further particulars are institutions. If any house requires insurance it ak yet forthcoming.
is to pay two mace a month as premium for every hundred taels insured. If the premium does not meet the loss an average is to be struck, the sufferers being paid proportionately to the sum insured. All the pecuniary benefits realised by the undertaking are to be employed as charit- able funds. The Che Hong Club in Ngankung Street is to be temporarily used as the office of the Company.
Later information states that the murdered missionary was working amongst the Miaotze or semi-civilised tribes, over whom the Chinese Government professes to have only nominal cbutrol-China Gazette.
ĜI HUNG-CHANG APPOINTED FOR YELLOW RIVER WORK. The N. C. Daily News publishes the following Imperial decree, issued on the 13th Novem- ber:-
I, the Empress Dowager Tze-hsi-tuan-yu, etc., commanded the other day the Prince of Li and others to consider what should be done to pro- cure the proper couservation of the Yellow River in the future and their reply is that I should appoint some high officer to proceed to the spot and report upon the matter. I hereby appoint Li Hung-chang to go to Shantung and in conjunction with the Director-General of the River, Jen Taojung, and Chang Shu-wei, tio- vernor of Shantung, make a complete ex- amination of the embankments of the said river and report to me what they consider should be done to them. They must find out some tangible and proper way to stop the further ravages of this river and not recommend works that may turn ont in the end chimerical and impossible. Moreover the conservation of the Yellow River means peace and happiness to the inhabitants of several provinces and their lives and prosperity will depend upon the measures recommended; hence Li Hung-chang and his colleagues should do their duty thoroughly and diligently. I forbid each and all of them to push the responsibility of the work on one another's shoulders, and so baulk me of my rea! desires in this important matter of river con. servation. They are further to draw up a solid and proper estimate of the amount of money required for the work and present me with a detailed report in regard to the whole.
The Government Gazette announces that H.E. the Governor has been pleased to appoint Commander Hastings to be Acting Harbour Master (in addition to his other duties), with effect from 12th inst., during the temporary absence on account of sickness of Commander Ramsey.
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The soldiers who were sent to Sunon District
to suppress the alleged rising there were all shipped back to Canton the other day by the gunboat Kwang Yun. All is quiet there now and no disturbance has been reported.
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On the 18th instant a firewood junk together with her master and a junk-coolie was seized by a robbers' boat uear Yawong Bay, in Punu dis trict. The robbers proposed to sell the firewood and to detain the junk master and his servant for ransom. When the robbers were sailing to land a gunboat was seen approaching and the junk master shouted out loudly for assistance. The gunboat at once gave pursuit and succeeded in releasing the two captives and effecting the capture of two robbers, who were immediately sent to Cauton for trial.
HONGKONG.
There were 2,353 visitors to the City Hall Museum last week, of whom 188 were Europeans. Some 250 blue-jackets from the fleet had a march out as far as Happy Valley on the 28th November.
At the regular meeting of Victoria Lodge held on Tuesday night Bro. C. W. Spriggs was elected Worshipful Master for the ensuing year and Bro. A. V. Apcar Treasurer.
On the 18th Nov. the officers and crew of the Immortalité gave a concert to commemorate the completion of their three years' commission on the China Station.
The return of cases of communicable dis- eases notified as occuring in the colony last week shows three cases of enteric fever, of which two were in the harbour and one in the city, and one case of diphtheria.
At the regular meeting of the Perseverance Lodge, No. 1165, E.C.. held on the 16th inst., Bro. A. Shelton Hooper was elected Worshipful Master for the ensuing year and Bro. J. W. Cumming was elected Hon. Treasurer.
November 26, 1808.
In the case of Li Yuen Wa and Li Cheung Pin, which was a trial of certain issues having reference to the estate of Li Loang, who died in March, 1864, the parties have come to terms. The hearing of the case commenced on the 27th August,
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able to give a satisfactory explanation as to For being in possession of $200 without being how they came by it William Hughes and William Kerne were on 18th Nov. fined £10, or three months, by Commander Hastings. It appeared that on Sunday Detective-Inspector Moffat learned that defendants, who are sailors staying at the Sailors' Home, had a large sum of money in their possession. On going in search of the men the Inspector found Hughes in a house in Peel Street, with a $50 note and a $25 note on him. Hughes was taken to the Central Police Station. The Inspector, had procured a description of the other man from the house in Peel Street and shortly after noon P.C. Noble appeared at the Central Police Station with the man in his custody. Kerne had about $100 in notes concealed in one of his stocknings. They would give no information as to how they became possessed of the notes.
Two Chinamen were committed to the Best sions on 21st Nov. for an attempted robbery with arms. Several of the houses in Irving Street Refinery. These go to work at six o'clock are occupied by Chinese employés of the Sugar
every morning, so that for some time there are only women in the houses. The robbers were no doubt aware of this and timed their visit accordingly. In the house No. 13 were two women and a child. There was a sum of money in the room occupied by one of the women. Of this the robbers had probably got wind, for at seven o'clock yesterday morning they crept up the stairs and burst into one of the rooms where there was a woman and a child about ten years of age. They brandished knives, seized the woman by the throat, and threatened to kill her if she did not keep quiet. The child, how- ever, yelled out with all its might, and being afraid that it would alarm the neighbourhood the robbers decamped. Before they could make good their escape a Chinese barber who lives opposile, attracted by the obild's cries, appeared on the scene aud got hold of one of the men, the other getting away. When at the Police Station subsequently the barber recognised the other man in the yard, and at once gave him into custody.
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In response to an invitation stating that the-- captaid and officers of H.M.S. Powerful would be" At Home" on Tuesday evening, some 200 ladies and gentlemen assembled on the poop of the oruiser, which poop had been transformed into a most comfortable hall, for the occasion,~ and witnessed a most admirable performance of the musical extravaganza "Aladdin, or the wonderful Scamp" by the Officers' Amateur Dramatic Company. Said the programme "New scenery, dress, and effects prepared entirely for the occasion. The music composed by Signor Coalfield on the ancient models of A.D. 362 from Lotes on the spot. The costumes from the same old Clo'dian period. The scenery by a Powerful artist, and all the fine old crusted jokes freshly decanted for the occasion.” The following was the cast The Emperor (who compasses all his wants), Commander Stansfeld; The Grand Vizier (an electric old Fizzer), Lieut. Heueage; Pekoe (the Vizier's own peculiar joy), Engineer Sheen; Aladdin (a lad in years, but, alas ! in love), Lieut. Halsey; Alanazar the Magician (a Powerful fire-vater), Fleet Engineer Edwards; Genins of the Ring (a noted light weight), Lieut. Streatfeild; Slave of the Lamp (a heavy gun, 9.2), Lieut. Egerton; Widow Twaukey (with a War-spite reputation), Lieut. Hodges; Princess Badroul- badour (a vision of delight), Lieut. Ingles; Tee-To-Tum (a brotherly district visitor), Engineer Wall; Attendants of the Courts, Messrs. Charlton, Dowling, Bedford, Saunders, White, Lewin, Middleton. The performance was throughout of a most enjoyable character. Lieut. Ingles, in a summer frock and flowing looks, made a most fascinating princess, and Lient. Hodge ably sustained the part of Widow Twankey, The other characters were also in excellent hands. Messrs. Dawson and Whiting gare a capital acrobatic display. Lient. Nicolas was musical director, Gunner Sims stage dir. ector, and Fleet Paymaster Kay manager,