CHINA NEWS. (Special to Press Agency.) Shanghai, March 14.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 1885, 11 May 1878, Page 2

CHINA NEWS. (Special to Press Agency.) Shanghai, March 14.

Tho topic of chief interest at tho present moment is the famino in North China. Last year parts of tho seaboard provinces of this vast empire, Shunning and Chickoi, suffered from tho failure of the crops, but this year the scene of misery and destitution is much greater, covering portions of four provinces — Shansi, Shansi North, Honau, and South Chilali — in fact all the central part of Northorn China on both banks of the Yollow river. Not only is tho famine district much greater than last year, but it is far less accessible, hence tho suffering is to a muoh more fearful extent. It would be almost impossible to exaggerate the state of poverty, hunger, and wretchedness which prevails It is estimated that about ten millions of people are famine stricken within tho province of Shansi alono. 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 tho suffering; Protestant and Catholic missionaries have gone to tho famino districts, and reported upon what they saw. Did not tho statements come from indisputable sources it would bo impossible to believe in such a terrible mortality. To obtain a morsel of food, parents sell their children as slaves. Girls and women have boon consigned to a condition worse than slavery, and in many instances the wretched inhabitants havo beon driven to eat corpses to maintain their own lives. In tome places the roads were strewn with dead, and famished crowds followed the missionaries, piteoiisly demanding succour. The Imperial Government has exerted itself on behalf of the sufferers from famine, sending large quantities of rice to tho districts and remitting taxation. The foreigners in China, who acted so nobly last year, are also striving hard to investigate the distress. A. Committee has been formed at Shanghai to receive subscriptions, and this city and Hong Kong havo been canvassed for help. Aid was solicited by telegraph from Europe and Amorica. The result of these appeals has been the collection of about LlO,OOO, which is being forwarded to tho missionaries in the North, who are personally superintending the distribution of relief. All, however, that has been, and can be, done by the Government and pri1 vato aid will be as a mere drop in the ocenn, and tho famino of 1878 will bo remembered as one of the most terrible on recorcL^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company ha* just suffered considerably by tho loss of the Howsang and the Kiang Chang, two of their finest steamers. This company, consisting entirely of Chinese., purchased but this year the fcb,»]4», plant, and property of the Shanghai Negation ' Company, for two million talc*, equal to over L 500.000. The object 6f the company is to drive foreign vessels from' tho coast and river trade, it being part of the Imperial policy to get rid of the " outer barbarians." The result of the Company's undertaking is watched with great interest. The Howsang was lost on Dodd's Island of Amoy, and tho Kiang Chang on Porpoise Rock, in tho Yangtseyo. Courts of Enquiry were hold on the loss of both vessels, which were commanded and officered by foreigners, pending the time when 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 the wreck, was drowned, and the Court came to no decision. No other life was lost. In the case of the Kiang Chang, the Court attributed it to errors of judgment on the part 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 the owners of the Dragon. The collision took place sotqo time ago in the River Yangtsye, the Frolic sustaining great damage, being, in fact, almost cue in twain ; and the curious part of the case was, that both vessels bad been watching each other for a long 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 gunboat ; damage to be assessed. The Dragon attributed the 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 would be allowed to clear from any port with them. The Court hinted that they thought better lights should be 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 Railway, 12 miles long, from Woosung to Shanghai, and the only one in China, was purchased from its foreign owners by the Chinese Government, and has been pulled up lately. The whole of the 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. They say that they nave 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 inveni tions must not be forced upon them. During its short career, the Natives very extensively patronised the railway, and the Chinese are not so Conservative as commonly imagined, is shown by their constant steamboat purchases, and by the tact that the first large firm in Shanghai has availed itself of the telephone. At present there is nothing of particu* lar interest to report concerning Mr Moncktown-Synnot's experiments in woollen yarus ; his agents hero are having further samples of cloth made, and are iteadily persevering in their efforts for the promotion of the undertaking. It must be remembored that the Chinese are very slow in suoh matters, and a difficulty is experienced in getting them to take up actively an experimental business of tho kind, from which they do not anticipate an immediate pecuniary bene • fit.