LATEST FROM CHINA.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1293, 11 May 1878, Page 3

LATEST FROM CHINA.

[Bx Teiegeaph.] (SPECIAI COBBESrONDENTS TO PBESS AGENCY.) Shanghai, March 14. The topic of chief interest at the present mom eat is the famine in North China. Last year parts of the sea board provinces of this vast Empire, Shuntung and Chihli, suffered from the failure of the crops, but this year the scene of misery and destitution is much greater, covering portions of four provinces ; ui fact, the central part of Northern China on both banks of the Yellow Eiver. Not only is the famine district much greater than that of lust year, but it is far lees accessible ; hence the suffering is much more fearful in extent. It would be almost impossible to exaggerate the state of poverty, hunger and wretchedness which prevails. It is estimated that about ten million people are famine stricken within the province of Shan si alone. A native estimate gives one thousand deaths daily from absolute want. Not from native sources alone however are accounts obtained of the extent and character of the suffering. Protestant and Catholic missionaries have gone to the famine dietricts and reported upon what they saw. Did not the statements come from indisputable sources, it would be impossible to believe in such a terrible mortality. To obtain a morsel of food parents sell their children as slaves. Girls and women have been consigned to a condition worse than ; slavery, and in many instances the wretched inhabitants have been driven to eat corpses to maintain their own lives. In some places the roads were found strewn with the dead, and famished crowds followed the missionaries, piteouely demanding succour. The Imperial Government has exerted itself on behalf of the sufferers from famine, sending large quantities of rice to the districts, and remitting taxation. The foreigners in China who aided so nobly last year are also striving hard to mitigate the distress. A committee has been formed at Shanghai to receive subscriptions, and this city and Hong Kong have been canvassed for help. Aid was solicited by telegraph from Europe and America. The result of these appeals has been the collection of about £IO,OOO, which is being'forwarded to the missionaries in the north, who are personally superintending the distribution of relief. All, however, that haß been and can be clone by the Government and private aid will be a mere drop in the ocean, and the famine of 1878 will be remembered as one of the most terrible on record. The China- Merchants' Steam Navigation Co. has just suffered considerably by the loss of the llowsang and the Kiang Chang, two of their finest steamers. This company, consisting entirely of Chinese, purchased but a year ago the ships, plant, and property of the Shanghai Steuin Navigation Co. for 2,000,000 taels, equal to over £500,000. The object of the company is to drive foreign vessels from the coastjand river trade, it being part of the imperial policy to get rid of the "outride barbarians." The mult of the company's undertaking is being watched with great interest. The llowsang was lost on Dodd's Island in tho Amoy, and the Xiangchong on the Porpoise Bock in the Yangtse. Courts of enquiry were held on the less of both vessels which were commanded and officered by foreigners, pending the time when, as the Chinese hope, their own countrymen may be able to fill such appointments. In the case of the Howsang the chief officer, who was in charge at the time of tho wreck, was drowned, and the Court came to no decision. No other life was loßt. In the case of the Kiang-chang, the Court attributed the loss to errors of judgment on the pait of the foreign pilot. The company does not insure its vessels. A case was tried in the Supreme Court lately in which a British gunboat sought to recover damages for collision from tie owners of the steamer Dragon. Ihe collision took place some time ago in the river Yarigtse, the JFrolie sustaining great damage, being in fact

almost cut in two; and the curious part of the case was that both vessels had been wntching each other for a loiig time before the collision, and striving to get out of each other's way. The Court found that the fault lay with the Dragon, and gave judgment for the guuboat, damages to be assessed. The Dragon attributed tho collision to the imperfect lights of the Frolic, and official evidence was given showing that the lights carried by the gunboat, although up to recent regulation pattern, are so small and imperfect, as tested by the Board of Trade requirements, that no British merchant vessel woidd be allowed to clear from any poit with them. The Court hinted that they thought better lights should he carried by British men-of-war, but were not of opinion that the character of the lights had led to the collision. The lights were in fact up to the requirements of the Act of Parliament, though much below the Board of Trade regulations.

The Woosung' Bail way, twelve miles long, from Woosung to Shanghai, and the only one in China, recently purchased from its foreign owners by the Chinese Government has been pulled up. The whole material lies piled up. Its destination is unknown. The destruction of the railway has been made a great deal of, as showing the conservative and retrogressive spirit of the Chinese, but subsequent revelations have shown that the Chinese have been greatly imposed upon, that they had never really consented to the construction of a railway, and that the work was executed in an underhand manner. Probably by destroying the line the Government only wished to assert its authority, and to show that foreign inventions must not be forced upon them. During its short career the Natives very extensively patronised the railway ; and that the "Chinese are not so conservative as commonly imagined is shown by their constant use of steamboats, and by the fact that the first large firm in Shanghai to avail itself of the telephone is the Native 6teamboat company above alluded to. A native company is being formed to work coal and iron mines to the north-west of Tientsin. These districts have been inspected by a foreign mining engineer, and most favorably reported upon. There is every reason for believing that China is rich in minerals. The capital of the company is over £200,000, the greater pnrt of which has been subscribed. The China Merchants Steam Navigation Company and the Imperial arsenals will have the right to purchase the coal and iron before any is put in the market. A fixed dividend of 10 per cent. on each share will first be paid ; one-fifth of the remaining profit will be distributed as a bonus amongst the employes; and the balance will go to the shareholders. _ The opening of these mines is more significant than may at first sight appear. China has been treasuring her minerals for the benefit of future generations, trusting that the exhaustion of other lands would add greatly to her wealth' and position. Circumstances, however, are awakening her to a knowledge of the present value and importance of such riches, and tempting her to discard her ancient policy. Most important results may be expected to follow from the opening of these mines.

At present there is nothing of particular interest to report concerning Moucktown Synnot's experiments in woollen yarns. His agents hero are having further samples of cloth made, and are steadily persevering in their efforts for the promotion of the undertaking. It must bo remembered that the Chinese are very slow in such matters, and difficulty is experienced in getting them to take up actively an experimental business of this kind, from which they do not anticipate an immediate pecuniary benefit.