CHINA AND JAPAN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5483, 23 October 1878, Page 2

CHINA AND JAPAN.

(OWN COimESPONDENT.PIIESS AGENCY.) A Naval Court has boon held to inquire into the loss of the British barque Harlaw, which, as stated in my last, loft Sydney hden with coal, ami on the 31st July last was wrecked on the Tsing-Sha hank in the river Yangtze- The Court And that the cause of the ship running on the bank and becoming a wreck was that a licensed pilot named John Hume navigated her in an undecided and injudicious manner. The Court promised to bring his conduct to the notice of the proper authorities. It was considered that no blame attached to the master or mates, who. the Court said, did all in their power to secure the safety of the ship and tho lives'of all on board, and William Buyers, the second mate, was specially complimented for his gallant and humane conduct. . Messrs. Tong-King-Sing and Chu-Yuchee, two of tho managers of the China Merchant Steam Navigation Company, have had conferred upon them tho distinction of a rod button. Both gentlemen were regarded a short time ago as in disgrace in consequence of the Joss, although unavoidable, of two of the Company’s steamers. This early restoration to tho Imperial fa . or and promotion has gained for them the congratulations of many friends. The preparations now being mado for conducting mining operations on a large scale in the north of China is one of tho most significant and encouraging facts for tho future of. tills Empire. A preliminary examination of tho country at Kaoping has proved very satisfactory ; a flat district about twenty miles long is found to bo covered with coal and ironstone, botli of which appear to be of excellent quality. It was lately believed that a railway was about to bo made from Taka to Tientsin; all that is intended at present, however, is to erect a telegraph line between those places. ■When the Viceroy lately Inspected the gunboats at Tftku, the first shot from one of tho 38-ton guns carried away tho target. His Excellency was so pleased that he immediately gave orders for four more gunboats of tho same pattern. Anew phase of Western civilisation has just been developed among tho Japanese, Some three or four thousand of tho workmen employed at tho Takachima coal mine have struck for an increase of wages. The matter at one time threatened to bo serious, but has now been amicably settled. The Emperor of Japan is again childless, bis son, Tahauo 'Miya, not quite twt years .old, having just ' died. . -