CHINA AND JAPAN.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3046, 19 November 1878, Page 2

CHINA AND JAPAN.

(Pbb Pbbss Agency.)

Shanghai, September 21

Some excitement has been created at Foo Chow by the destruction of'iome 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, aud the foreign residents bear testimony to the good feeling of the Chinese gonerully. A memorial has been presented to Her Majesty's Government on ihfi subject. Another disturbance,

eontiued, however, entirely to natives, occurred at Nirigpo. It 'was simply a demonstration cm a large scale against what is known as the lekin or war tax, which has since been temporarily remitted. It was altogether a special demonstration, though oae or two people were accidentally killed. A more serious affair has occurred at the island of Chu Shan. The islanders objected to pay taxes to Government, and ambushed and slaughtered a number of soldiers sent to enforce the Government demands. 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. £. Thatcher, well-known in Australia and New Zealand, tad who had paid several visits to China at a collector of curioi, died suddenly here, a few days . ago, from cholera. He had arrired from England only a week previously. An article hat appeared in the Foe Chow 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 com* mented on, and the.Southern colonies ate just now attracting much attention. ) A large number of foreign capitalUfo are reported as investing in different enterprises in Bangkok, Siam, ana an American, it is said, has obtained through his consul a grant of gold bearing land on merely nominal terms. Yokohama, September' 21. The chief item of interest in Japan during the last week or two is a military emeute at Topio. It appears that many of the soldier* hare been idispbntenteft, owing, as they allege, to not being fairly rewarded for their/, services in the recent Satsuraa rebellion. One or two officers were killed, and^ there wat a considerable uproar caused by the discharge of firearms, but little damage or injury was in* flic ted. It is said, on the one hand, that the affair, had na, political significance, but on the'other it is affirmed that the intentions of the rioters were prematurely ~ discovered and made known, aad that what might have been a formidable insurrection has been nippedin,th* bud.,,. Accounts from the famine districts continue to be more satisfactory. Th«i Minis* ter of Finance estimates the ; total revenue as about £9,750,000, one-eighfh of which is yielded by land tax. It Is proposed to set apart £5,0C0,000 yearly, towaids" the liquidation of the national debt; which is now twejre times greater thaa in 1873, On tbe 2nd the Kokonoje.Mountain, after groaning and trembling for some time, one of its peaks broke off and slid down the'mountain, killing several people in a house 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.