The Portland daily press., 1867-11-21
FROM JAPAN.
Mysterious Movements of the
Government.
Disastrous foundations.
Three Villages Submerged and Hundreds
Of LIVES Lost.

s. SAN FRANCISCO Nov. 10.
The steamship Great Republic, of the China
Mail Line, brings 290 passengers. Her dates
are Hong Kong Oct. 18th, and Y okohama 25th.
Since the departure Of the mail steamship
Colorado from Yokohama nothing of interest
had occurred. ~
There is no change in the situation of the
difficulty arising from the Nagasah murder.
From all the Information received, it appears
that Yeddo is to be opened rather upon paper
than practically. An immense hotel is being
built at Yeddo by the government for the use
OF foreigners. 1t is questionable whether any
thing more will be done in the way of opening
that city to foreign intercourse
AT Osata, about ten acres of land have been
set apart for the use of foreigners, but it is at
long distance from the business centre and
surrounded by water.
The mysterious movements of the rulers of
the country have given birth to rumors of an
unsatisfactory nature.
A Manila letter of Oct. 7th says the weather
has been bad for, shipping. For three days
that place was under water. A disastrous in
undation had occurred in the Northern prov
1nce of the island
Reports from Hocos state that three villages
have entirely disappeared and several hundred
The Stuart Wortley was wrecked during
gale on North Danger Shoal and fears are en-
tertained for the safety of the Annie Langdon
and Fort Regent. Both were last seen in dan
gerous positions. Accounts of fearful disas-
tiers are daily arriving. The steamer Euro
pean, with the mail of Aug. 10th from Hong
Kong, was over due, and it was feared s he had
been lost.
From sya.I,ing,on.
WASHINGTON, Nov 20.
Information has been received here that the
Subcommittee on Retrenchment, consisting
Of Representatives Van Wyck, Randall and
Walker. are of the opinion from their elaborate
examination at New York of the violations of
the law in relation to tobacco and whiskey,
that the system Tor cheating and fraud is far
more enectlve and perfect than that for col
Letting the tax on those articles One of the
com mittee, in private letter, says: at ap-
pears from the investigation that the effect of
the increase of the tax on whskey has been to
augment the number of distilleries tenfold, and
that not one-fifth of the whiskey manufactured
pays tax. In fact, there is no legitimate bus
mess in the distillation of whiskey. Nearly all
the honest men have been forced to leave the
business. In New York and Brooklyn every
attempt on the part of The Government to en-
force the law, sharpens the ingenuity of men
to defeat it. The only remedy is a reduction of
the tax, and this should be collected at the
still, taxing the still on its capacity.
The members of Congress are rapidly arriv-
ing, and the business of Congress will donbt-
less be resumed tomorrow. All the members
OF the Committee ON the Judiciary were pres
ent at the meeting to-day, Representative
Woooprldge having but recently arrived. The
i SUnaniS.ee came to an understanding on the
Cd r. Cd -, questlon a reSoluuo1 was pi'sS-
tar 20 % 9re secresy on the part of the mem
DER u4Il tnelr reports shall have been made
to the House. The reports Of tle majority and
ana minority are in course Of preparation, but
there is no probability that thew Will he finish
ed and presented to the House, together with
the testimony, before Monday. WIN
Speaker Coltax has not yet formed tho s+o,,a-
ing committees further than the few aired =
appointed, nor has he intimated to anv 10y
what will be his course in the premises. Thew
seems to be more difficulty now than formeriv
In arranging them.