CHINA AND JAPAN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5505, 18 November 1878, Page 2

CHINA AND JAPAN.

(own correspondent press agency.) Shanghai, September 21. It is stated, aud with some foundation, that a i*ail\vay is again about to bo introduced into China. It is not intended for passenger traflic so much as for use in connection with the recently opened mines near Tientsin. Some excitement has been caused at Poochow by the destruction of some Protestant missionary buildings in that city by a number of roughs, said to have been hired for the purpose by some of the local gentry. No personal injury was inflicted, and the foreign residents bear testimony to the good feeling of the Chinese generally. A memorial has been presented to her Majesty's Government on the subject. A farther disturbance, confined, however, entirely to natives, occurred at Ningpo. It was simply a demonstration on a large scale against what is known as the Pekin war-tax, whichhas since been temporarily remitted. It was altogether a peaceful demonstration, though one or two people were accidentally kdled. A more serious affair has occurred at the island of Cliii-slian. The islanders objected to pay taxes to the Government, and, when in ambush, slaughtered a number of soldiers sent to enforce the demands of the Government. .A large military and naval force was then despatched. many of the islanders being killed in open fight, and others captured and put to death. Mr. C. R. Thatcher, who is well known in* Australia and New Zealand, and who had paid several visits to China as a collector of curios, died suddenly here a few clftys ago from cholera. He had arrived from England only a week previously. His Excellency Kuo, Chinese Ambassador to England, has been relieved of his duties, and is succeeded by the Mandarin of Tseng. His Excellency Lin is also to return to Peking, being succeeded in Berlin by Li-fard-grad. The selection of the Mandarin of Tseng is considered a very judicious one, he being very favorably disposed to foreigners. An article has appeared in the Foochow Herald , in which pleasure is expressed at the prospect of a large increase of trade between China and New Zealand. The importation of Australian wool into Japan for manufacture is also being commented on, and the Southern colonies ore just now attracting much attention. A private letter to Singapore reports the sinking of the large floating dock at Batavia, which is a serious catastrophe, altogether impeding docking operations. A large number of foreign capitalists are reported as investing in different enterprises at Bangkok, in Siam, and an American, it is said, has obtained through his consul, a grant of gold-bearing laud on merely nominal terms. Yokohama, September 21. The chief item of interest in Japan during the past week or two is a military smeute at Tokio. It appears that many of the soldiers • have been discontented owing, as they allege, to not being fairly rewarded for their services in the recent Satsuma rebellion. One or twe officers were killed, and there was a considerable uproar caused by the discharge of firearms, bat little damage or injury was inflicted. It is said on the one hand that the affair had no political significance ; but on the other it is affirmed that the intentions of the rioters were prematurely discovered, and made known, and that what might have been a formidable insurrection has been nipped in the bud. Accounts from the famine districts continue to be more satisfactory. The Minister of Finance estimates the total revenue as about £9,750,000, one-eighth of which is yielded by the land tax. It is proposed to set apart five million yearly towards the liquidation of the national debt, which is now twelve times greater than in 1573. Nine new National Banks have been established within the last six weeks. This makes' about 130. Alarm is being fe 7 t at the steady depreciation of paper money, aud a financial crisis is considered not far off, It is rumored that as the mutineers of Takebashi would not divulge the -name of their chief they have been put to torture to extract a confession. On the 2nd, at the Kokonoye mountain, after groaning and trembling some time, one of its peaks broke off and slid down the mountain, killing several people in houses at the bottom. At another mountain, at the village of Shibaki on the 15th, a portion slipped down to its foot, destroying a number of houses. There have been great floods, causing great damage, houses and bridges being carried away. The rivers rose 15 and 20 feet in some places. At the mouth of one river 37 houses and a Bhuddist temple were carried away. Numbers were drowned.