CHINA AND JAPAN.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3129, 27 February 1879, Page 4

CHINA AND JAPAN.

(Special to Pbess Agency.)

Shanghai, December 23

Recent statistics show that out of about two million and a half of tonnage of vessels trading to China, England owns considerably more than two millions. Bishop Lauquillat, S.J., a French Catholic Bishop, who has been in China since 1843, died a few days ago near Shanghai. He was given a magnificent funeral.

Slight shocks of earthquake have been felt in the north and on the east coast of . China.

An item contained a short time ago in the Pekin Gazette, a native journal— indeed the oldest newspaper in the world —-throws considerable light on the filial piety of the Chinese. A\ mother who had suffered from disease for some time, was seized with a sudden craving for meat, which her sons, from poverty, could not satisfy. One of her sons having heard that flesh cut from the person was efficacious in the curing of parental maladies, and eager to rescue bis mother from death, cut a piece of flesh from the upper part of his arm, and made it into soup, which he gave to his mother, and so effected a cure. A. little later the boy's father became sick, and it is said the son made an incision in his left side and cut off a piece of his liver, which he gave to his father, who recovered. The matter has been brought to the notice of the Chinese Emperor, and the son's devotion has been rewarded and commended.

Mr Fairclough, the tragedian, well known I believe in the Australian colonies, is now in Shanghai, and has given two dramatic recitals, which were well attended.

A line of telegraph is now being erected between Tientsin and the Taku Forts. The permission for the erection was given to the Native Steamboat Company, and the line is intended chiefly for the transaction of official business.

The Philanthropic Association is more worthy of support than the hospitals established and managed by foreigners for the benefit of Chinese. At the Tientsin Hospital over 7000 cases have been treated during the last two years, whilst at the Shanghai institution nearly 20,000 cases were treated during the past year. The Chinese have great faith in foreign medicines and surgery, and gladly avail themselves of the advantages of these institutions. Many persons who do not feel much interest in mission work generally, subscribe to these hospitals, than which nothing is better calculated to bring about a good feeling between natives and foreigners.

Trade amongst foreigners just now is very dull, and two of the large mercantile houses of this settlement suspended business some days ago. One has since resumed. The China Merchants Steam Navigation Company is endeavoring to get rid of some of its large workshops, which have proved a kind of white elephant to them. The affairs of this company are evidently in anything but a prosperous state, and some important changes in its constitution are anticipated. The ships and plant of the company formerly belonged to foreigners, and were bought about two years ago by the Chinese for the purpose, as was understood, of getting all the carrying trade, now chiefly in the hands of foreigners, under native control. , The result of two years' experience, however, shows considerable losses, and the company will probably be placed under foreign management. The Chinese are watching with considerable interest the progress of the war in Afghanistan, and are anxious that Russia may be drawn into it; in. which case China would probably take active measures for the recovery of her districts in Central Asia, which have been seized and are now held by Eussia.

There is no news of importance from Japan. There is a prospect of renewed trouble with Corea, in consequence of the latter country imposing a heavy tax on Japanese goods.

Nautical Mourning.—Sea-weeds