The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-28
FOREIGN MISCELLANY.

The prejudice against Chinese testimony
in California is founded on the assumption OF
the utter pntrustworthiness OF the lower caste
Chinamen under oath; and the local newspa-
pefs which oppose the admission OF the evil
dence of the Chinese in the courts find fire.
ouent opportunities for vindlcating their posi-
ton on this subject A few days ago China
man made murderous assault, with an iron
bar, upon two OF his countrymen. He was
held In bonds of $1,000. Subsequently 1t was
sscertained that two of the bondsmen, who
made oath in court to their legal respon-
sibility for the sum named in the bond, were
not worth Chinese ''cash," above their law
full liabilities-which latter amounted to moth
ing, for the reason that they could not get
credit from their own countrymen. 1t seems
that the officers of the courts find 1t quite i'm
possible to escape these impositions.
An English paper says: "Some French
restaurants offer meals at fabulously low
price. For instance, bowl of soup, plate OF
meat and vegetables, dessert, half q bottle OF
wine and bread ad libit,nn-all for seven
pence. How the keepers of these eating houses
make them pay is mystery which those who
pstronize them do not care about solving. or
course the eatables are not offirst-rate quality,
and one must dine somewhat on the principle
Of shutting your eyes, opening your mouth.
and taking what Is sent you. 1t appears that
there are class ofmen who get their living
by going round to the swell mansions and buy
in0 I'D the leavings These men are called
.Jewellers," and the leavings go by the gene
raj name of '.jewels"-a piece OF fowl being
"a pearl" plate Of game ia diamond" beef
o '.ruby,n and SO on. If Plutus gives BAN
quet tonight, the '.jeweller" comes down to-
morrow morning and carts off the leavings
from his lordship's plate to some cheap rcstau-
rant, where they are speedily transformed into
most temptlng-looking dishes, with most high
sounding names. The richest '.jeweller' is he
who possesses the monopoly of the Tuilcries,
from whence, it is said, a van-load Of odds and
ends is packed every day."
"A new tunnel under the River Thames.
near the Tower, and for that reason called the
'sTower Subway" is in process of construction.
When it is completed, small rotunda-like
building on Tower Hill, close to Lower Thames
street, will receive the passengers. No tickets
will be issued, for the conductor'of the omni-
bus or carriage below will collect the fares.
The passengers will descend spacious shaft
OF ten feet in diameter and flfty-six feet deep,
by means of 'lft," such as is used in the
great hotels Second-class passengers will go
down first, and will remain on the platform at
the bottom Of the shaft during the halfminute
or 80 necessary for the descent of the first
class passengers. The latter will Immediately
pass into the comfortable and c0mmodious car
riage awaiting them, something between
railway carriage and the better kind of omni-
buses; they will be followed by the second
class passengers, and the vehicle will immedi-
ately start on Its journey. The transit will be
made in about minute. Arrived on the other
side, the flrst-class passengers. who will be
nearest the shaft, will take their places in the
'lift, and will, be brought TO the surface in
about three-quar+ers of minute. The silt
will then descend tor the second-class passen-
gers, and when these are brought above
ground, the single carriage below will be
ready for its return journey. The omnibus is
constructed to carry fourteen passengers.
The tube only contains single line of rails.
and as a single carriage only will be employed,
all risk Of collision Is out of the question.
With regard to the whole time of transit,
about three minutes will suffice to convey pas
sengers from their arrival at the station to the
other side of the river