LATER NEWS FROM CHINA.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1697, 29 July 1879, Page 2

LATER NEWS FROM CHINA.

[Br Telegbaph.] The Press Agency correspondent at Shanghai, uuder date June 3rd, sends the following:— Sir Thomas Wade, British Minister to China, and Mr Seward, TJ. S. Minister to China, have just arrived at Shanghai en route for Pekin. Sir Thomas has been here for a holiday, and Mr Seward had been recalled by his Government to offer an explanation as to certain charges touching hiß conduct when Consul. Mr Seward refused to produce his official boots when asked to do bo by the Investigation Committee, on the ground that the charges had been got up by his enemies out of personal ill-feeling. Many people here regret the course he has taken, whi'e the natives animadvert freely on the matter. Mr Seward has unquestionably lost much of his influence in China. Germany is now moving for a modification of the transit dues in China. Jf such modification can bo obtained, foreign goods will be much better distributed through the Empire, and an increase in foreign trade may be looked for. General Grant an-ired in Shanghai on May lGth, and was given a magnificent reception by the Chinese officials and foreign residents. A sad accident marred the] [festivities. A torchlight procession of the local Eire Biigado took place in the General's honour, part of the demonstration consisting of burning blue lights. Somo highly explosive compound, the which has not been made public, was also used. It was contained in a,n iron drum, and by some moans exploded, scattering portions of the drum in all directions. The effect was like the explosion of a shell in a regiment of soldiers, for the place was densely crowded at the time. One European had his leg completely smashed, and it is doubtful if he will recover. One Chinaman was ki"ed, and many wounded. The General was greatly affected by the accident, sending his own travelling physician to attend the inquest. The General left Shanghai the following week for Keitsin, where Le Hing Chong, the moßt influential Governor in the Empire, gave him a most cordial welcome. He goes on to Pekin, but it is very doubtful how he will be received by the authorities at the capital. The tea season has now begun. The London Castle, one of the largest of the tea steamers, having nioro than eight million pounds of tea aboard, grounded in coming down, and is still ashore. The expense in getting hor off will be enormous —probably not lesß than £BOOO. Prices Rre somewhat lower than in the previous year, and the quality is said to be good. The season is said to be good for foreign tea men. The first indications are that the first crop will be 10 per cent, smaller than last year. The total export to date is 5,167,G57 chests, against 10,017,16" chests in 1878. The rate of exchange is rising, and there in groat scarcity of silver. The right value of the pound sterling at current rates is—taels 3.84, or dollars 5.50. Native 'interest to-day is quoted at taels 1 per 1000 per day, or equal to 3G per annum, against 14.2 per cent, last year. Piracy, about which little has been heard in China for somo yearß, iB becoming rife. A small sailing vessel was attacked a few days ago and plundered. A European qunrtor-mast6r belonging to u Chinese revenue cruiser, which had captured a pirate junk, was murdered while left in charge of the latter. A brutal murder has been committed in Shanghai. A countiyman from a northern province was enticed into a tea-house, and his legs completely severed from his body. The river pirates are also getting numerous about here. Some nights ago they attacked an opium shop in the foreign settlement, secured a largo amount of booty, and got off before an alarm was raised. Two of thorn, were, however, apprehended a few days after, and have been cent to be dealt With by tha native authorities. They will no doubt bo beheaded.