CHINA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5368, 11 June 1878, Page 3

CHINA.

(Prom the China correspondent of the Press Agency.) Shanghai, April 13.

The North China famine still continues the subject of the deepest interest. A China famine is no new thing, but the present is almost without parallel. The writer who describes it in the London Spectator as perhaps the most widespread and fearful scourge that has befallen humanity for the last 200 years merely stated a simple fact. There is often a deal of exaggeration, if not imagination, in the accounts of great disasters ; but the records of suffering caused by the present famine reach us from the most trustworthy sources, the statements of the foreign missionaries, who have made it their duty to traverse the famine districts, bearing out the official reports of the natives. Notwithstanding all that has been written about tho prevalence of infanticide, there is no doubt the Chinese love their offspring as much as other people do theirs, but so fearful have been the sufferings that parents have in some instances slain and eaten their own children. Li Hung Chang, Governor of Chihli, one of the famine-stricken provinces, has memorialised the Emperor, drawing attention to the heavy consumption of foodstuffs entailed by the distillation of spirits, that industry being carried on to a large extent in his province. There are there about 1000 distilleries, and he estimates the distillation takes away between two and three millions of individuals’ daily food. During previous famines distillation was stopped, and Li Hung Chang recommends the adoption of the same course now until the famine ceases. Her Britannic Majesty’s Consular service has suffered a great loss in the death of W. F. Mayers, late Chinese Secretary to the British Legation at Pekin. Mr. Mayers was on his way home on sick leave, hut ■ died at Shanghai a few hours after landing. He was an excellent Chinese scholar, the author of several useful works connected with the study of Chinese, and an indefatigable worker. A case of murder through the effects of drink has occurred here. The steamer Anchises, from Liverpool, arrived on the 29th March. In the evening some of tho men went ashore and got drunk. A fight took place afterwards on board. James Smith, tho boatswain, a quiet inoffensive man, interfered, when one of the sailors named Charles Roberta, who was drunk, buried his sheath knife to the hilt in Smith’s left breast. Smith died immediately, Roberts has been committed for trial.

A case which will excite considerable interest in America and elsewhere has been advanced another stage. Mr. Myers, the United States Consul General at this port, was suspended from office by Minister Seward, at Pekin. Mr. Myers has made serious charges against Vice-Consul Bradford, and has accused Minister Seward of serious misconduct. The matter is now before the committee of the United States Congress, It is understood that Mr. Seward has resigned, and will proceed to Washington to meet the charges preferred against him. Mr. Bradford will bs arraigned here on an indictment for offences of a grave nature connected with the discharge of his official duties. Xhe proposed mining for coal and iron in

North China will he proceeded with at once, the engineers and machinery having just arrived from Europe. An attempt will be shortly made to introduce a steam cottou-spinniug mill into China. It has long been felt as an anomaly that China should export raw cotton, to receive it back manufactured, when cheap and good laborcan be had here in abundance. The success which has attended tho_ establishment of similar manufactories in India affords great encouragement to the promoters, the conditions being if anything more favorable here than in India. Efforts will be made to secure the co-operation of the officials or influential Chinese in the undertaking. IE the attempt prove successful, and if rightly managed, as there is little doubt it will be, the result, combined with the opening of coal and iron mines, will produce one of the most important changes in foreign trade to China. Arrived--Pacific Slope, Ist April, from Hokianga. Commercial.—Black tea, no business to report ; green, business has continued at previous low scale of prices, and the market is now nearly cleared, only about 2000 halfchests of all descriptions being loft on offer ; silk, a strong reaction has set in, and a large daily business is being done at hardening rates. The closing quotations show an advance of from £5 to £6 per 1331b5.