CHINA AND JAPAN.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1562, 20 February 1879, Page 3

CHINA AND JAPAN.

[By Tbieqraph.] [prom the correspondent of the press AGBNOT.] Shanghai, December 23. Recent statistics show that out of about two millions and a half of tonnage of vessels trading to China, England owns considerably more than two millions. Bishop Langquillat, S.J.A., the French Catholic Bishop, who has been in China since 1843, died a few days ago, near Shanghai. He was given a magnificent funeral. Mr Pairclough, the tragedian, well known, I believe, in the Australian colonies, is now in Shanghai. A lino of telegraph is now being erected between Tientsin and the Takau forts. The permission for erection was given to the Native Steam Boat Company, and the line is intended chielly for the transmission of official business. Trade amongst foreigners just now is very dull, and two of the largo mercantile houses of this settlement suspended business some days ago. One has since resumed. The China Merchants’ Steam Navigation Company is endeavoring to get rid of some of its largo workshops, which have proved a kind of white elephant to them. The affairs of this company are evidently in anything but a prosperous state, and some important alterations in its constitution are anticipated. The Chinese are watching with considerable interest the progress of the war in Afghan-

isian, and are anxious that Russia may bo drawn into it, in which case China would probably take active measures for recovery of her districts in Central Asia which have been seized and are now held by Russia. There is no news of importance from Japan. There is prospect of renewed trouble with Corea in consequence of the latter country imposing a heavy tax on Japanese goods.