MISCELLANEOUS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXII, Issue 5230, 17 July 1876, Page 1 (Supplement)

MISCELLANEOUS.

THE CHINESE AND THE MISSIONAKIE*. From Hong Kong the mail brings news to the 30th of | March. The China iVail quotes from a Foo-chow paper an account of another attack by the Chinese upon missionaries. This occurred at Kien-ning, where the English Church Mission had rented a building for chapel purposes. One of their catechists was sent there, and three students were also sent to learn the dialect of that region, and prepare themselves for future usefulness. All was quiet for a time, but one day a mob burst into the building, seized the cathecist, tho students, and a church member who was there, dragged them out to the front of the Emperor's temple, stripped them naked, and hung two of them to trees by their thumbs. After a long time had elapsed, the magistrate sent and had the Christians taken to hi« yamen ; but some of the literati went to the prefect, and demanded that they should be sent out of the city, which was done. The chapel was entirely destroyed.

the kino or dahomey's fink. The King of Dahomey has refused to pay the fine imposed upon him, namely 300 puncheons of palm oil, valued at £6,000, for the outrages on British subjects committed m his dominions, and has invited Commodore Hewitt to Abomey, stating that he will then pay him in powder and bullets.

SOUTH AMERICAN EXPLORATION. Mr. Herman Simpson writes that he has received a letter from his brother, Mr. Alfred Simson, in which he states that he has successfully navigated the river lea, or Putumayo, in South America, by steamer for a distance which he estimated by dead reckoning at over 1,000 miles, without encountering any special difficulties for vessels of light draught. The lea joins the Amazon about 1,700 miles from the sea, and the value of such a communication with the large tracts of country east of the Cordilleras, whose produce hat now in many cases to bo conreyed with immense difficulty anil <%t gi eat expense to the Pacific Coast, for shipment by circuitous routes to Europe, is evident.

TORPKDO VEsSKLS. It seems probable that 0111 first torpedo vessel ' Vesuvius ' will also be the last of her class. Hardly was she completed before it dawned upon au ingenious mind that the tunnel or pipe below water, with its elaborate arrangements for launching the fish torpedo, was not requisite. Since that tune many trials have been made of moie simple methods of putting the weapon overboard in such a manner as not to interfere with its following its course successfully, and a " carnage '' from which the toipcdo may be launched from a lower deck port has now been approved. One of these it to bo supplied to the 'Nhah,' which will thus be as capable of iisin^ the " Hsh " as that specially-designed vesiel, the ' Vesuvius ' The advantages of this novel method ai c too appaient to need remark, aud while theie is this gain in efficiency it is also doubly satisfactory to know that an immense saving is effected by its introduction. For her si/e the ' Vesuvius ' was an expensive vessel, and absoi ded many thousands of pounds, whereas the cost of the new carnage, air reseivons, and complete fittings, as ordered for the 'Shah, 1 will, we understand, cost rather less than £2,000. — European Mail.

THK KICHFSr MAN IN GERMANY. The Jiremer Handeltblatt has lately given to the worhl a most interesting piece of information. Wh» is the richest man in tiermany? Most persons would say in reply — KothsehiUl or some other great banker, or some long-desencled 'German baron. In both c.isei the searcher for truth would be wrong. The richest man in Prussia is neither banker nor noble, but plain Krupp, the maker of cannons. Krupp, the gunmaker, pays more income tax than any man in Prussia He pays nearly 110,000 marks, which represents a yearly scale of profit exceeding 5,000,000 mark*, or about 1 ,'-'30,000dol. It is true that it i"? whispered in nou-oificial circles that Krupp, the gunsmith, has a partner who sharoi his gains and likewise contributes his quota towards the payment of income tax. This mysterious individual in known unto men as the German Government, imperson ated by Prince Bismarck and the Emperor William. The rich man may, therefore, not be as wealthy as he appears to bo, seeing that his gains are divided as well as his outgoings with sleeping partners, whose proilta are drawn from the heavy taxation borne by the German people.

Accommodating — Chinese vegetable pedlars are, as a rule, very accommodating to their customers. A Celestial who had been serving «i family with garden produco was struck down with small pox, and the l.uly of the house, becoming alarmed, decided to pioouie hei vegetables fiom a regular dealer. Some time afterward she overcame her scruples, called in a passing pcdl.ir, and purchased from him a quantity of strawberries, potatoes, and turnips. As he was dealing these out her old alarm returned ; and she said, " John, you've not got small-pov, eh ?" "No, no; me don't lube got; bnngee he to morrow." Suspicious tailor to a suspected customer : "Make you a coat, sir? Oh, yei, sir, with the • r rcatest plcasiuo. Theic, jiift .stand in that position, please, and look light upon that sigu while I take your measuio." The sign ie.tds— -" Terms, Cash." " When," he said violently, " w hen are yon going to pay me that little bill ! 1'vo dunned you tdl I'm tired and mad. Now £ want a positive answei— when will you pay it?" " By -lovo !" was the reply, " you must take me f<u a prophet How can 1 tell' " A lady had iiei diess tinmned with bugles befoio going to a ball. Her little daughtei wanted to know if the bugles would blow when she danced. "Oh, no," said the mothci, " papn wdl do that when he sees the bill."