GENERAL NOTES.
AFRICA.
—The French Chamber has voted a sum of fifty million francs to be expended in the purchase of land, and in colonizing Algeria.
—Two Societies of Geography have been founded in the Portuguese African colonies, the one at Mozambique, the other at Loanda.
—A French Society for the protection of the natives in the colonies, similar to the English Society of Exeter Hall, is to be formed at Paris.
—England contemplates sending two new Consuls to Souakim and to Khartoum to watch over the execution of the contracts relative to the treaty.
—A new expedition undertaken under the auspices of M. C. A. Verminck of Marseilles, and directed by M. Zweifel, will soon set out from Freetown for Timbo, Falaba and the sources of the Niger.
—Major Mechow, who has explored Loanda, has arrived at Lisbon, bringing two young negroes belonging to the same tribe, but who are completely different as to the form of the head and the color of the skin.
—In his exploration in the country of the Soumalis, M. G. Revoil has found the vestiges of a Greek colony to which a Gallas white tribe had attached itself. The arms, the clothing, the idiom and the physiognomy of the people of the tribe confirm this opinion.
—Besides the two stations founded at Vivi and Isangila, Stanley has charged Lieut. Harron with the establishment of a third at Manyanga, where M. McCall has already installed the missionaries.
—A new International Belgian expedition is to be organized by Major Hanssens and Lieutenant Vandevelde. M. Popelin, who with M. Roger had left Karéma to found a station upon the west side of Tanganyika, has unfortunately succumbed to the fever and disease of the liver.
—The South African diamond fields have been wonderfully productive. In a single year, according to the testimony of Sir Bartle Frere, brilliants valued at over seventeen and a half million dollars passed through the Cape Town post-office.
—A missionary asked an old African woman what the earthquake was. “Me tink,” said she, “God Almighty pass by, and de world make him a courtesy.” This was a strange answer; but it was her way of saying, “The Lord reigneth; ... let the earth be moved.”
—They have found in the papers of the late Captain Phipson Wybrants, who died in the exploration of the country of Oumzila, a very minute statement concerning the Sabia, one of the great rivers of Southern Africa, which flows into the Channel of Mozambique. The upper part of its course has been little known. The outline of M. Wybrants will allow of the correction of the errors on the ancient maps.
—The complete success of the expedition sent out by the Royal Geographical Society of Rome in charge of Signori Matteucci and Massari is likely to cause a disturbance among map makers. These parties have found their way from Egypt across the continent to the Gulf of Guinea, exploring many hitherto unknown regions in the dark continent. A full account of their journey and the country and people along their way will be looked for with intense interest.
—The conquest of Algeria by the French, in 1830, restored to Christianity that portion of African soil, but for prudential reasons, no missionary enterprises were permitted. But in 1868 a famine occurred which destroyed in some districts of Algeria a fifth of the population, leaving thousands of native children in utter destitution. Nine thousand of these were gathered by the Archbishop of Algiers, and cared for during their youth. In this way the Catholic church has extended its influence and fame far and wide through the back country. A hospital has been provided by the charity of the natives in the village of St. Cyprien where the sick are gratuitously attended.
THE INDIANS.
—Captain Pratt of the Indian Training School at Carlisle Barracks, has persuaded the apprentice boys who are earning money to deposit it in the bank, and forty-seven of them have opened an account. An excellent suggestion for pale faces as well.
—More than nine-tenths of the Indians in the United States are peaceably cultivating their farms, and sending their sons and daughters to the Government schools, East and West. The disturbance, therefore, made by one tribe of the most wild and untamed Indians in the country will not particularly discourage or alarm those who have been watching the admirable Peace Policy of the Government. A little more patience and perseverance in the right direction would soon overcome what remains of hostility among these wards of the Nation.
—The liberality of the Indians at White Earth Reservation is testified to by Bishop Whipple, who recently visited the Episcopal mission at that point. He says that in taking the offerings, every man, woman and child came up and deposited the gift in the alms basin. The Bishop also speaks encouragingly of the religious work carried on at Red Lake, where there is a flourishing Indian church, whereas three years ago there was not a single member. Five miles farther up the Lake, more than half the Indians are Christians, and these have been baptized within the past three years. The Indian chief, who is an exemplary Christian and one of the noblest specimens of his race, has had much to do in bringing about this wonderful change.
THE CHINESE.
—The Japanese colony in Paris are about to erect a pagoda for their religious devotions.
—The Governor of Foo Chow has issued a proclamation calling upon the people not to molest the missionaries or the converts who follow them, either at their chapels or school-houses.
—Out of one party of twenty-five Chinese students, who are returning to their homes, it is said that nine have changed their religious faith since they came to this country.
—It is reported that as fifty of the Chinese students ordered home by their Government were leaving the San Francisco wharf, September 6th, they joined in singing our National hymn, “My country, ’tis of thee.”
—The American Board has published a new map of Japan about 2½ by 4½ feet in size, which will be found a valuable aid in missionary concerts. The price of the map on fine paper is 40 cents, and on cloth 70 cents.
—It is reported that the high Chinese authorities are in favor of an International Exhibition at Shanghai in 1882. Twenty-two thousand applications for space have been received from American and European manufacturers, and if the Exhibition is determined upon, there is little doubt of its success, both in a political and an industrial point of view.