The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-04-08
CHINA.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE Of THE HERALD.

/
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE or THE HERALD.
Every Day Life and City Amusements-Holi-
day Sports and the Drama-LOOking for
the Opera-Bnlls and Banquets-Fire De-
partment Election Lotteries -Enrthuun
l Sh0ck-Exports Of Tea To the United States.
- SHANGHAI Jan. 10, 1868.
The season to the present date has BEEN CONNER a
ally and politically speaking dreary indeed. SOci All,
1t has passed pleasantly enough, for we have. had
Christmas ana New Year holidays to enliv en- oul
sotude-paper hunts, cricket, foot bali, Ase ball
rockets, fires and bowls for their various evotees
The amateur dramatic corps have enIi' ,ened ne on
two occasions in this interval, and have performed
to well filed houses. The German an iateurs of the
Club Concordia have also twice come forward
with theatricals and twice with concerts all OF
which were eagerly attended. or professionals we
have had visit from Professor vanek, a wizard OF
| north, south, east or west He had a short sea.
son at our Lyceum theasre, and subsequently hired
Chinese theatre for the deectation OF the Chinese
One OF his performances the celebrated determination
trick, greatly interested his Celestial visitors who
have seen great deal OF that kind OF work among
native performers In their execution yards but who
never witnessed the resuscitation part of il which
vanek so neatly performs. This professor Of the
black art left us the other day for Yokohama.
| Stephen Massett Colonel Jcems Pipes. of Pipes.
vile, CALI better known to you than to us at present.
arrived here, per Costa RIGA, and will favor us with
| his entertainment, 'Driftlng AbOutn in few DAYS
From all we have heard OF his performances we are
quite prepared for rare amusement. To complete the
attractions promised for the present season we are
| in expectation OF the arrival of Mr. Lewis with an
operetta troupe now playing In Hong. Kong. This
company numbers female Paganini among its
| artists.
The foregoing, with balls, dinners and Masonic
panquets, VIII snow you we are managing to exist,
| although grumblers are continually saying .trade
| never was 30 bad as it ia now.n
Crowds OF Southern Chinese have left here by for
| egn vessels lately to spend their New Year among
| their own folks at Canton and the charge Of So q
head made by sailing ships has induced many to
avail themselves OF the chance who could not have
afforded the $40 to SIS usually charged by
The Manila lotteries have recently been attracting
prize, $4,000, was last month gained by Portuguese
clerk In the house OF Messrs. Hard L. Go. These lot
| teries are got up by the Manila government who
! guarantee them and make fine profit out Of the
| percentage they charge. Shanghai has for long
time past had many subscribers but such plum as
$4,000 falling to one OF the residents here has eX-
| cited the spirit of gambling In many who never
thought Of 1t before The subscription price charged
here II 50 per ticket, slight advance on the Manila
rates to cover agency and commission charges, and
the lotteries come on monthly. This Is reported
be the main support OF the Manila government and
is far more popular with the people than any system
OF taxation to raise the amount could be. II was
tried on ut the Portuguese settlement Of Macao. but
proved failure, the community being limited to
enter into such u speculation extensively, and the
government guarantee not being held us very valu-
able.
In my last entered somewhat at length into the
constitution OF our fire department. That institution
still continues to be OF extreme use for but for its
services the 3O November last the Prussian Con-
suate would in all probability have been totally de-
stroyed Ihey nave also on another recent occasion
rendered distinguished service at fire In the French
concession which they confined to single block of
some ten Chinese houses, and which, but for the for
eign assistance, must have spread to some wood
yards adjoining the place, and fearful cOnnagration
would have been the result
Considerable excitement was shown at the close OF
Fire Department. Two tickets were started, OF
Augustus A. Hayes Jr, for First Assistant and Wm
X. Tucker for Second Assistant. The opposition ran
A a.. a. Hayes e, Jr for Chief Francis A. Groom for
the day ana gained the election. 4. 4.
of Oyphant Co., and serves this year as |
Vice Chairman OF our Municipal Council. +. A. |
of Glover & Co., of China and Japan but most en-
thusiasc frreman and Burge II. Lewis is the
United states Deputy Vice Consul General Mr..
Hayes appointment Chief Engineer has given I'M
mixed satisfaction; for from its commencement he
has evnced the greatest interest In the department
Indeed its foundation may he traced to him. Four
other members of the same company serving in
prominent places in the brigade VIE. N. Smith,
Foreman and G. q. Hopkins, First Assistant, Com.
pany No. l. and o. Bullock Assistant Foreman Hook
and Ladder Company. Byron Binninger, OF New
York, Foreman OF Company No. l. resigned at the
end OF the year. Having served In that company for
ten months he thought some younger man should |
now have chance Of coming to the front. Much OF
parmeni, Is due to Mr.. Binnnger's attention to their
requirements
We had quite u little exctcmcU, few days since,
by a general parade and review OF the department,
which was ordered by the Chief Engineer. The four
engine companies and hook and ladder company all |
turned out aud formed very respectable procession
of from To three hundred men in red shirts,
gnes decorated In New York style. and police band
10 the front After paradng the streets OF the settle
ment they had some good practice, and closed pro-
ceedngs by race from one end Of our bund to the
other distance Of q mile and quarter, three en-
ulnes starting. Company No. gained the honor OF
being in first and Of being first TO throw q stream |
Mr.. c. =. Blethen is foreman Of this company.
smart shock OF an earthquake felt here on
the 18th ult about ten A. NJ. No damage was done
but clocks stopped and chandeliers swayed to and
fro. " was felt also al Nngpo slightly; but the
centre OF the shock seems 10 have been in the island
ot Formosa, where many lives lost by falling
houses
The total export OF tea 10 the United States as
made up by the Shangiae Chamber of Commerce.
from june '. 1867. TO January :, 1858 amounted 10
i0.59',2G2 pounds being increase OF l,s3-, 0s3
pounds over the exports of the same period last year