CHINA NEWS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2780, 21 December 1887, Page 2

CHINA NEWS.

A CHAPTER OF HORRORS. Sydney, December 19. Telegraphic advices from Port Ken* nedy (Thursday Island) report the arrival of the Fairlie, at that place from Hong Kong. She brings news of a number of extremely fatal disasters which have occurred within Chinese territory and waters. The steamer Wall Yung, which sails under the British flag, caught fire when lying within 220 yds of the shore. Upwards of 100 persons from the burning vessel managed to effect a landing, but about 400 persons perished by drowning, among whom were 200 small-footed Chinese women, who were accomodated below the ! deck. I A military magazine at Amoy ex- ' ploded with terrific violence, a Chinese : general and 50 soldiers being blown to atoms. Four hundred houses m ; the vicinity came down with a crash, 1 burying the inmates in the ruins. A j concomitant fire broke out, which i spread from the debris in all directions and destroyed upwards of 800 other buildings. An alarming epidemic of typhoid fever prevails at the town of Port Arthur. Over 2000 deaths have already occurred. The Hoang Ho (Yellow River) broke its banks in the vicinity of Ching Chow, inundating an enormous aiea ;of country. Thirteen cities are Si.b- ---: merged, and the loss of life and proI perty is fearful, the distress of the sur- | vivors being indescribable. | The steamships Wakanoara and • Mara aie advertised to sail on 20th November k- Honolulu. Six thou- ; sand four hundred and thirty Japanese j immigrants are booked by the vessels,