HONGKONG.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XII, Issue 3235, 4 February 1879, Page 3

HONGKONG.

(pee peess agency.)

Hongkong, December?. The Chinese Government has ordered Bussian subjects to leave Kasbgar. The ex-Ameer of Ka&hgar has joined the Itussian army. The 74th Highlanders are ordered'from Hongkong to Singapore. The 27th Begiment is ordered to relieve the 28th, now at Singapore, and will probably come on to Hongkong* Further subscriptions have been received for the China Famine Belief Fund, including £3,115 6s 2d from Melbourne, with some smaller sums, bringing the total'amount'Co £19,100,§47'(?), of which a balance of £399,023 remains in hand.

.Kwokshuan, Governor of Province, and uncle to Marquis Tseng, writes to Yroepaoys, (Shanghai agent for the Shansi Famine Fund, stating that there has been incessant rain for several weeks at Chusigyang, accompanied by a fall of snow heavier than any for many years past. The crops are all destroyed, and the people reduced to the same state of misery they were last year, which they have to face weighted with the burden of constitutions weakened by previous sufferings. The despatch of General Li Guingßhoi to the Tartar General Kwang Tung, in which he claims to be the hereditary ruler of Annam, has been translated. It is^ reported that the rebel leader has withdrawn his forces from the frontier of Tonquin for fear of becoming involved with the French.

Fred Huffaur, late Deputy Begistrarof the Supreme Court, has been convicted of converting to hisownuse£46,B49 received by him as official assignee in the bankrupt estate of Gyallstall and Co., and thirty other bankrupt estates, was sentenced to seven years' penal servitude. A frightful steamship disaster has occurred in Japanese waters on the 28th ult. The Japanese steamer Tokushimamaru left Oska for Awa, with 80 passengers, and when off Tsuda an explosion teok place, by which the vessel was instantly destroyed; and all the passengers and crew, but about three, were drowned. It is believed that the bursting of the boiler was the cause of the calamity.

At Shan Sung the Canal has burst its banks, and a large tract of country is inundated. This seems to have been the effect of a sudden rise of some 15 feet in its waters.

Canton, November 19.

At about three o'clock this morning a fire broke out in Wing Queng-street, at the rear of Messrs Eubsbll and Co,'s compound. The oonflagration soon spread to the neighbouring streets, and was not extinguished till 11.30 a m., but broke out again in the evening, and lasted till midnight, Over three hundred houses and shops were destroyed. On the night of the 28th ult., a pas? senger boat on the way from CheungChow to Canton, was boarded by pirates, who took everything of value, including even the clothes of passengers.

Some notorious robbers and kidnappers have been lately captured by the soldiers. A great disturbance took place in a theatre in the Western suburbs a few days ago. A theatrical performance was held to celebrate the birthday of a certain deity, and came to what the spectators considered a premature conclusion, and, as expressive of their opinion on the subject, they threw stones on to the stage. The actors became incensed; recriminations and then blows followed. One of the spectators received a bad wound, and the row was only ended on the mediation of the committee, by whose aid the dispute was settled; theaotors agreeing to repeat the performance on the following morning. Two or three score of boys and girls have been recovered from a notorious kidnapper, who had stolen nd taken them to his house.

On the night of the 24th instant, a band of about 30 robbers attacked a clothing shop at Honan. On the alarm being given the neighbours turned out to the assistance of the shop people,! nd the robbers were beaten off, but not before they had killed two, of tho noighboius.