GENERAL NOTES.
Africa.
—The Sultan of Zanzibar has put in irons three slave-owners prominent in the late disturbances at Mombasa.
—M. Callisto Legnani has been named as consular agent of the kingdom of Italy, with his residence at Khartoum.
—Mr. Mackay, missionary of the Church Missionary Society at Mteza’s kingdom, has completed his translation of St. Matthew’s Gospel into the language of Uganda.
—Lieutenant Dumbleton and the military physician Browning embarked the last of December at Liverpool to penetrate by the Gambia into the valley of the Niger, and if possible as far as Timbuctoo.
—The journal Nature, of London, announces that M. J. Thomson, the explorer of the region between the Dar-es-Salam, the Nyassa and the Tanganyika, has been called to direct an expedition from Sierra Leone to Timbuctoo.
—Capt. Neves Ferreira, Governor of Benguela, and some officers of the Portuguese army, have offered to the Geographical Society of Lisbon to undertake a scientific exploration across Africa, setting out from the Western side.
—A conference has been held at Madeira by the Church Missionary Society respecting West African missions. Bishop and Arch-deacon Crowther, two native Africans, were invited to be present. A deputation from London had arrived safely at the island some time since, and the report of proceedings will be looked for with interest.
—More than nineteen years since, the daughter of Archbishop Whately established a mission in Cairo which she is said to have supported with her own private means. It includes a large mission school for Copts and Moslems, and is attended daily by more than 500. It has also in connection with it a medical mission, book depot and Bible women.
—Mr. Mackay writes from Kagei, on the southern shore of the Victoria Nyanza, on November 1st, that canoes had arrived from Uganda, and he was about proceeding thither together with a re-inforcement for the Romanist mission. The canoes, however, having been three months coming across the lake, there was no news later than July 29th. Affairs were then no brighter and Mr. Pearson found it difficult to obtain food.
—It is reported that the women at the Livingstonia Mission, Eastern Africa, attend the services respectably clothed, and have learned to make dresses for themselves. The native young men have acquired many industrial arts, and can make furniture, bricks, etc., and even work the engines of the steamer belonging to the mission. Over 100 children are on the school-roll, and their attendance is very regular.
—Mouchot, an ingenious mechanic, has succeeded with an experiment in Algiers which is likely to attract much attention among those interested in the development of the manufacture of industries in Africa. He has contrived an apparatus by which he is able to pump and boil water by solar force. With abundance of force, cotton and working people, the unclad millions of Ethiopia, among whom already cloth is the most valuable currency, may become both respectable and rich.
—A new company of missionaries from Algiers has set out to found between that side and the great lakes a station which will render communication easier with the missions of Uganda and Ouroundi, and from whence they can come to their aid, according to circumstances. The missionaries of Ouroundi will also establish a new station to the west of Tanganyika, so that they may advance towards the Manyema and the Upper Congo by a shorter route than that they have hitherto followed.
The Indians.
—Six new converts were received by the church of Odanah, Chippewa Mission, during the last year.
—Congress has appropriated $165,000 for indemnity to the Ponca Indians, and to secure their lands in severalty on either the old or new reservations, in accordance with their wishes.
—A few hundred of the Iowas and Sacs are still in the north-eastern part of Kansas, and the Rev. S. M. Irwin, one of their early missionaries, has agreed to spend some months in missionary labors for them. This is regarded as somewhat an experiment, but it is hoped that it may result in permanent arrangements for their benefit.
—Rev. G. L. Deffenbaugh writes from Lapwai, Idaho Territory, of the very encouraging progress of the Presbyterian mission at that point. It appears from his statement that thirty-four united with the church there during the past year, and that now they have a total membership of 178. Of these three were licensed to preach, while the ordinance of infant baptism was administered to seven. Good work was also done at Kamiah, where the church numbers 200. Seventeen children were baptized at this place during the year ending Jan. 1st, 1881.
The Chinese.
—A Christian hospital has been erected at Tientsin, with funds provided by the viceroy Li Hung Chang, in connection with the successful treatment of his wife by a female medical missionary.
—The Chinese Methodist Mission in San Francisco reports as good results from their religious endeavors as those attained by like labors among the whites. There are ninety-seven full members and ten on probation.
—The American Baptist Missionary Union, Tremont Temple, Boston, has issued a valuable map of China, including Siam, Burmah and Japan. It is about six feet by five in dimensions, and will be furnished at $1.25 cloth, or 75 cents paper.
—A new Chinese church was dedicated at Honolulu, Jan. 2d. The building, commodious and attractive, cost with the land $10,700, the Chinese contributing $4,470. The King and the Attorney-General were at the dedication. Drs. Damon and Hyde assisted in the exercises, while the principal parts were taken by Chinese, and the benediction was pronounced by a native Hawaiian.